Georgia parents found guilty of locking son in basement

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (AP) – A jury has convicted two Georgia parents of child cruelty for locking their oldest son in a basement for nearly two years.

WSB-TV reports jurors decided Friday in the case of Recardo and Therian Wimbush.

They locked their then-12-year-old son in a basement for 18 months as punishment and neglected to care for another son’s malignant cancer. The Department of Family and Children Services acted on an anonymous tip in 2014 that led to their arrests.

The jury found both parents innocent of the four more serious first-degree cruelty charges but guilty on three counts of second-degree cruelty.

The Wimbushes, who served as their own attorney, face up to 30 years in prison.

A juvenile court will decide whether any of the couple’s 10 children see their parents again.

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