Cops: Children locked in room for year without bathroom access

SAN JACINTO, Calif. -- Two parents were arrested in San Jacinto Wednesday morning on suspicion of felony child abuse.

San Jacinto deputies and Riverside County Child Protective Services officials responded to a report of child abuse in the 1600 block of Santa Fe Avenue shortly before 8 a.m.

Deputies said they discovered two young children were confined to a room under deplorable conditions, without access to a bathroom for over a year.

The children's parents, identified as Emily Tardy, 29, and Steven Crane, 38, were arrested and booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility. Each was being held on $35,000 bail.

Neighbors say they're shocked because they see the two boys playing outside.

"They're always running around every day, and they would always keep their blinds open. You could see the boys in the living room," neighbor Devante Williams said. "The people seem pretty nice. I didn't really see any child abuse or anything of the sort going on, so I don't even know where these allegations came from."

"We seen them play out in front of their house, and then I see them play at the playground. They play with my daughter sometimes," neighbor Michael Vandergriff said.

Neighbors say the boys are about 7 and 8 years old. They've lived at the San Jacinto Villas for nearly their whole lives.

Neighbors say they never saw any signs of physical abuse, but they would hear the parents raise their voices.

"They looked pretty normal to me, except for the yelling inside the house. That was pretty much every day," Vandergriff said. "But I didn't see no neglect or anything. All I heard them say is, 'Yell at the child and cuss at the child,' and that was it."

CPS took custody of both siblings.

Anyone with information on this case was asked to contact the San Jacinto Police Department at (951) 791-3400.