Deputy describes scene of home where children found in cage, carrying meth pipe
LOGAN, Ohio (WCMH) – A Hocking County Sheriff’s deputy is describing the inside of a home where two children, one locked inside a cage, were rescued earlier this week.
Hocking County Chief Deputy Caleb Moritz said officers discovered the Bear Run Road home in disrepair Sunday when deputies went to the home for a sexual assault investigation.
When authorities arrived, they found a 3-year-old locked in a cage that was secured with zip ties and had bugs inside. A 2-year-old was then seen walking inside the house holding a methamphetamine pipe, according to the sheriff's office.
"They located the child locked inside that makeshift cage that was actually zip tied to the point where the tactical team members had to cut the zip ties off to free the child out of that cage,” Moritz said. “The other child was walking around with a methamphetamine pipe like it was one of her toys.”
Three people – Ella Webb, 61; Franklin “T.J.” Varney, 38; and Megan Smith, 25 – were all arrested and charged with endangering children. Webb was arrested at the home; Varney and Smith had allegedly fled into the woods behind the home, where they were later apprehended.
Moritz said both children were taken into protective services and appeared to be in good health.
"This one kind of hit home for a lot of us, which is really why several of us have kind of stepped up said we're not going to rest until we get these guys in custody," said Moritz.
Webb has pleaded not guilty and had her bond set at $200,000. Varney and Smith are scheduled for arraignments Wednesday morning.