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Today Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy has charged Charles Bothuell IV, (DOB 1/2/69) and his wife, Monique Dillard-Bothuell, (DOB 8/27/77) with Torture and Child Abuse - Second Degree. The allegations against the parents came to light on June 14, 2014 after Charles Bothuell called the police to report his 12-year-old son, Charlie Bothuell, missing from their home in the 1300 block of Nicolet Place in Detroit. The child was found on June 25, 2014 by a Michigan State Police sergeant and an agent from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, behind boxes in the basement of his home. He was observed to be very thin, with marks on his upper body. It is alleged that the parents systematically physically abused the child, forced him to live in the basement and not socialize with others, intentionally deprived him of food and forced him to engage in an extreme and unreasonable exercise regime.

The Bothuells have each been charged with one count each of Torture, a felony carrying a maximum penalty of life or any term of years in prison, and Child Abuse - Second Degree, which carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison. They were arrested by the Detroit Police Department this morning and are expected to be arraigned in 36th District Court today.

"We are thankful that the victim was found alive. This is the first time that the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office has charged torture for a child who is alive. Based upon the allegations, if any case warrants child torture charges, this one certainly does," said Prosecutor Worthy.

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