GUILTY MI - Charlie Bothuell, 12, Detroit, 16 June 2014

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Child abuse charges are likely to be filed against the boy’s father, Charlie Bothuell IV, said his attorney, Mark Magidson, who denied any abuse.

Investigators say Bothuell appeared preoccupied with the physical fitness of his son, raising questions about whether the boy may have been mentally or physically abused.

Bothuell forced his son to work out on an elliptical machine several times per day, sometimes in tears, sources said. When the boy reportedly walked out of his house on June 14, his father said he’d left a work-out session to use the bathroom.
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Charlie is staying with his biological mother and his siblings were removed from the house yesterday. Stepmother was in court for violation of her probation when the police found a gun in her house. She must have bonded out, she has to wear an electronic tether.


From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140627/METRO01/306270072#ixzz35tFJc9Al
 
Court document: Boy sent to basement without food

(snipped from link below):

According to the Free Press, the document says Charlie Bothuell V was placed in the basement behind boxes and totes by his stepmother, Monique Dillard-Bothuell, and told "not to come out, no matter what he hears."

Although Dillard-Bothuell knew her stepson was in the basement, she did not bring him food, according to the petition, which also says: "Charlie reports sneaking upstairs to get food when everyone left the home."

The petition says that after Charlie was taken to a hospital for treatment, a doctor observed a half-circular scar on the boy's chest. Charlie says the scar was "a result of his father driving a PVC pipe into his chest," according to the petition, which also says the child had old scars on his buttocks from being hit with the pipe.

http://www.eveningsun.com/nation-world/ci_26050054/court-document-boy-sent-basement-without-food
 
Poor boy, omg.
Myst said:
Court document: Boy sent to basement without food

(snipped from link below):

According to the Free Press, the document says Charlie Bothuell V was placed in the basement behind boxes and totes by his stepmother, Monique Dillard-Bothuell, and told "not to come out, no matter what he hears."

Although Dillard-Bothuell knew her stepson was in the basement, she did not bring him food, according to the petition, which also says: "Charlie reports sneaking upstairs to get food when everyone left the home."

The petition says that after Charlie was taken to a hospital for treatment, a doctor observed a half-circular scar on the boy's chest. Charlie says the scar was "a result of his father driving a PVC pipe into his chest," according to the petition, which also says the child had old scars on his buttocks from being hit with the pipe.

http://www.eveningsun.com/nation-world/ci_26050054/court-document-boy-sent-basement-without-food
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:( I hope his Mom is an amazing person that showers him with all the love this boy needs.
 
And all the counseling he likely needs. :-| Kid's probably got an eating disorder thanks to this abuse. I'm so stunned by this turn of events...
KDub said:
:( I hope his Mom is an amazing person that showers him with all the love this boy needs.
Click to expand...
 
Seems the father's idea of 'discipline' was abuse with a PVC pipe til it left bruises and drew blood.

His 'nonstressful exercise' program was for Charlie to do 4000 steps on an elliptical, which exercises all the body parts, with NO break in between. Evidently, not even to go to the bathroom if necessary, without fear of further 'discipline'. (yeah, no stress there).

Just curious what the father's idea of a 'diet' was... He said in one of the articles that he put Charlie on a 'no fried food' diet. What actually did he let him eat? One of the articles said it was alleged that Charlie was "emaciated" when he was found. And the father said in at least one interview that Charlie had been "obese" a year or so ago. Obese? And now he is (allegedly) emaciated?

Sounds to me like they were starving that boy for this whole year as well. How else could he have gone from obese to emaciated in that time?

.
 
As an example, I get close to 10K steps on my fitbit with 70 minutes on the elliptical and I am an adult.
 
This bothers me so much:

(snipped from link below, underlined by me)

Several sources told Local 4 that Monique and Charlie's father very recently had a family portrait made with the couple, their 4-year-old and 10-month-old, but Charlie was left out of the picture.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...-basement-being-questioned-by-police/26665452

--

Can you imagine how that must have felt to Charlie? :anguish:
 
EXCLUSIVE PICTURES: Inside the hiding place and basement tunnel where missing boy, who neighbor says came and went as he pleased, was found after 'disappearing' for 11 days

(snipped from link)

A neighbor told MailOnline the home-schooled pre-teen had been spotted out playing basketball in the neighborhood while law enforcement and family carried out their desperate search

Charlie could have left the property in the day, before returning at night, which would explain why FBI agents with search dogs could not find him

The outside door is usually locked and only accessible to maintenance men, but crucially last week, it was apparently open so residents could get rid of a build-up of trash in a dumpster left outside.

There is also a communal storage space – seen in our pictures – where neighbors believe he could have easily hidden. There is even an accessible bathroom in the tunnel.

Read more at link, includes first pictures:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...me-went-pleased-disappearing-twelve-days.html
 
Myst said:
EXCLUSIVE PICTURES: Inside the hiding place and basement tunnel where missing boy, who neighbor says came and went as he pleased, was found after 'disappearing' for 11 days

(snipped from link)

A neighbor told MailOnline the home-schooled pre-teen had been spotted out playing basketball in the neighborhood while law enforcement and family carried out their desperate search

Charlie could have left the property in the day, before returning at night, which would explain why FBI agents with search dogs could not find him

The outside door is usually locked and only accessible to maintenance men, but crucially last week, it was apparently open so residents could get rid of a build-up of trash in a dumpster left outside.

There is also a communal storage space – seen in our pictures – where neighbors believe he could have easily hidden. There is even an accessible bathroom in the tunnel.

Read more at link, includes first pictures:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...me-went-pleased-disappearing-twelve-days.html
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People can say what they want about the Daily Mail, but I actually find myself searching them out these days. They tend to have such detailed info!

Thanks for posting, Myst!
 
JLSChook said:
People can say what they want about the Daily Mail, but I actually find myself searching them out these days. They tend to have such detailed info!

Thanks for posting, Myst!
Click to expand...

BBM. I agree, and they have great pics too, imo.
 
http://www.wxyz.com/news/new-twist-...o-on-underground-hallway-that-connected-units



Action News has also learned of a new twist in the case. The uncle of Monique Charlie's stepmother has a listed address three doors away from where the search had been going on.

That home is the end unit of the same condominium building. The units are connected by an underground hallway.

Charlie's stepmother's uncle is Detroit attorney Godfrey Dillard. Action News reached him on the phone to ask about the case and Monique, and he refused to comment.

Godfrey Dillard recently announced his run for Michigan Attorney General.

It’s unclear if police are investigating a connection to Godfrey Dillard’s listed address.
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What the heck was the motive here??? I'm glad Charlie was NOT murdered!! And pray that the rest of his life will show what a remarkable young man he is, and that he'll never know the hell he has lived, ever again!!!!
 
I read this case totally wrong and am shocked at the nasty developments! I can't think what a motive could be - I don't really see how money could be made out of a child's disappearance.

I feel so sorry for this little boy. Thank heavens he was found in time.

'Charlie Bothuell V told authorities his stepmother placed him in the basement and told him “not to come out, no matter what he hears,” according to a court record'.

http://www.freep.com/article/20140627/NEWS01/306270113/Charlie-Bothuell-stepmother-probation
 
I don't think it was about money. I think Charlie was hidden to hide evidence of abuse from others. The evidence was still visible 11 days after he disappeared. How bad was it on day one? I'm going to bet there was an imminent scheduled visit or activity with his mom.

Lots of kids are reported missing/runaway when family and friends start asking to see them. The truth is they were dead long before that. So fortunate in this case that Charlie wasn't killed to hide evidence of abuse or during the act of abuse.
 
One of the things that bothers me about this case is that there has been no mention of young Charlie's friends. Was he never allowed to leave the house to play with kids his age? Was he allowed to hang out with friends like most normal 12-year-olds do? Even children who are homeschooled have contact (or should have) with other youngsters so they develop important social skills. Throughout the time that Charlie was reportedly "missing", I never heard any mention of searches at his friends' homes. Red flag for me because I fear that Charlie was imprisoned in his own home. :moo:
 
Bless his heart. There' s a hard road ahead for this young man. You can do it, Charlie !
 
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