In 2014, Charles Bothuell IV reported his 12-year-old son, Charles Bothuell V, missing in Detroit. What followed was an intense 11-day search by the FBI and local police. The case shocked many when the boy was found alive — not far away, but in his own family basement.
The most striking moment came when Bothuell learned the news live on TV. During an interview on HLN, host Nancy Grace told him, “Your son has been found alive in your basement.”
Bothuell looked stunned and confused. “What?” he said, clutching his chest in shock. He added, “I have no idea. I’ve checked the basement, the FBI has checked the basement, the Detroit Police checked my basement, my wife checked my basement.”
Court documents later revealed that Charles’s stepmother, Monique Dollard-Bothuell, had allegedly locked him in the basement and told him not to come out no matter what he heard. Charles was also said to have been forced by his father to do exhausting daily exercise routines.
Following the case, Bothuell and Dollard-Bothuell faced charges of child abuse and torture. The torture charges were dropped, but Bothuell pleaded guilty to fourth-degree child abuse. He admitted to beating his son with a pipe and was sentenced to 18 months probation, mandatory anger management classes, and lost custody of Charles.
During court, the defense argued Charles had chances to leave the basement and suggested he ran away. However, prosecutor Carin Goldfarb called Charles a “prisoner in his home” who was so scared he didn’t speak up even when police searched the house.
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