2 charged after 11-year-old boy locked in cage for hours at a time, court docs say

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WDTV/Gray News) - A man and a woman from West Virginia are facing charges after an 11-year-old boy told authorities he was locked in a cage for hours at a time and hit with a paddle, leaving bruises.

Michael Gibson, 44, and Angela Gibson, 48, have both been charged with child neglect creating substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury. The former is also facing a charge of child abuse resulting in injury, according to the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office.

The charges come after an 11-year-old boy told authorities Michael Gibson locked him in a “homemade bed that has four walls and a solid roof,” according to court documents.

The victim also alleged Michael Gibson hit him with a paddle so hard the physical pain would last for days. Deputies observed severe bruising in multiple stages of healing in photos of the child’s injuries from Child Protective Services.

After executing a search warrant at Michael Gibson’s home, deputies found a locking cage in the victim’s bedroom. The 11-year-old told authorities he would be left in the cage for hours and would soil himself then be disciplined for doing so, court documents say.

The suspects’ relationships to the victim have not been specified.

Both suspects were being held in the North Central Regional Jail with no bond set.