A New Jersey couple is behind bars after allegedly keeping a now 18-year-old woman captive in their home for seven years under shocking conditions, authorities say.
Brenda Spencer, 38, and her boyfriend Branndon Mosley, 41, were arrested on May 11, days after Spencer’s daughter, who has not been identified, escaped to a neighbor's house and reported the abuse, police said.
Since 2018, the woman claimed, she had been a victim of sexual abuse by Mosley, was kept in a dog cage, and later confined to a padlocked bathroom where she was chained.
The couple had a security system, as well as multiple “Beware of dog” signs surrounding their Gloucester Township home, police said.
Here is what we know about the couple and the home where there the teen was allegedly kept:
Who is Brenda Spencer?
Police say Spencer is the mother of the 18-year-old woman being held captive in her home.
She was unemployed at the time of her arrest.
Who is Branndon Mosley?
Mosley is Spencer’s boyfriend, police say.
He worked for a municipal bus operation for 18 years as a train conductor at the time of his arrest, but is now being held off work indefinitely, the company said.
What is the couple accused of?
The Camden County Prosecutor's Office reports that the abuse began in 2018, when the victim was pulled from traditional school for homeschooling.
She claims she was confined to a dog crate for about a year, later chained in a padlocked bathroom, and at times, kept in a bare room with only a bucket for a toilet, monitored by an alarm system.
The victim also alleges physical and sexual abuse by Mosley.
What charges do the couple face?
Spencer and Mosley were both charged on May 11 with multiple offenses, including one count of 1st-degree kidnapping, one count of 2nd-degree conspiracy to commit kidnapping, one count of 2nd-degree aggravated assault, and five counts of 2nd-degree endangering the welfare of a child for abuse or neglect.
Additionally, they face one count each of 3rd-degree criminal restraint, 3rd-degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, 3rd-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and 4th-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.
In addition to these charges, Mosley was also charged with two counts of 1st-degree aggravated sexual assault, two counts of 2nd-degree sexual assault, and one count of 2nd-degree endangering the welfare of a child for sexual contact.
How did the alleged victim escape?
Authorities have only confirmed that the victim escaped on May 8, with a neighbor who first called for crisis intervention before contacting 911 to report the abuse.
The neighbor, only identified as Susan, described the woman as hysterical and said that she had been confined in a dog crate and had her head shaved as punishment.
What officials are saying?
Police made contact with the woman on May 8, but she reportedly did not tell them about the alleged abuse. Instead, she mentioned a disagreement with her father and requested homeless services.
Officers conducted a limited search of the home but made no arrests, and it appears the victim did not return to the house afterward.
“What this young woman survived was absolutely horrific,” Gloucester Township Police Department Chief David Harkins said in a press conference.
Officials did not give details about the victim's physical or mental state following her escape, citing confidentiality due to the ongoing investigation.
“As you can imagine, anyone who’s been confined for a period of seven years, held in these conditions, living in squalid filth, is going to be damaged psychologically, physically, emotionally, mentally, and as you also can appreciate, when it comes to cases involving child endangerment and child abuse and sexual assault, confidentiality to protect the victim is paramount,” Harkins said.
