A New Mexico woman and her boyfriend locked up a developmentally disabled 8-year-old girl inside a wooden cage and left her alone while they went out to watch a movie, according to police.

A police report stated that Edmond Gonzalez and Cindy Patriarchias along with their three children went to an elementary school to watch a movie on Friday, Jan. 25, according to The Huffington Post. Patriarchias' estranged husband contacted the police when he came to the school and found out that the 8-year-old girl was left by herself inside the home.

The police allegedly waited an hour for both Patriarchias and Gonzalez to return to their residence before they entered the home.

Upon entry, police officers noticed the young girl inside a large homemade wooden cage placed in the corner of a bedroom. The constructed cage was said to have two latches on the door, a baby's crib mattress inside, and was roughly 2 and a half feet wide, and 4 feet tall, according to the police statement.

The young girl didn't look to have any physical injuries, but was put under the care of New Mexico's child-protection agency. A police spokesperson said Patriarchias had been attempting to adopt the girl but was unsuccessful in reaching the girl's birth mother in order to obtain her consent.

The girl suffers from a condition called microcephaly, an ailment that gives people an abnormally small-sized head.

Patriarchias, 33, was charged with negligently causing child abuse and Gonzalez, 37, was charged with negligently permitting the child abuse.

Courts records confirmed that the couple made an appearance on Monday in court but didn't enter any pleas. While it was still unclear on whether Patriarchias and Gonzalez had hired attorneys, they are currently being held on $25,000 cash-only bonds.

Tags
Offbeat