Nevada child with autism found in a cage: Parents face trial in May

On Tuesday, in a home in Nevada, police officers discovered an 11-year-old boy, likely on the autism spectrum, confined in a metal cage with faeces smeared across the floor, clad only in a diaper. His caregivers were taken into custody.

The police arrived at the couple's residence to investigate why the 11-year-old was not attending school. It took the father 40 minutes to answer the door. What officers found was appalling: an 11-year-old boy inside a large metal cage, reminiscent of a prison cell, as they described. The boy was wearing only a diaper, surrounded by faeces.

The father explained the boy had "a severe condition on the autism spectrum," and the cage was allegedly to manage his sudden outbursts of anger. At that time, there were three other children in the household.

One of the children informed the police that the "enclosure" had been in the home for two years, whereas the father claimed it had been six years. The mother mentioned she tried to clean the room and the cage every week.

Child protective services have placed the three other children in a foster care facility. Meanwhile, the 11-year-old was admitted to the hospital.

According to court records, the couple was detained, but released the following day after posting a £4,000 bond. They are due in court in May.