Ky. mom allegedly kept daughter in dog cage and threatened to slit her throat

RICHMOND, Ky. (TCN) -- A 31-year-old mother faces multiple charges for allegedly threatening, strangling, and locking her daughter in a dog cage for days at a time.

Madison County Jail records show Sheila Mann was arrested July 22 for first-degree strangulation, first-degree criminal abuse, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, first-degree wanton endangerment, third-degree terroristic threatening, and failure to appear.

According to court records cited by WDKY-TV, Mann allegedly abused her 10-year-old daughter between Jan. 1 and March 7. The daughter told police that during that time, Mann allegedly strangled her in her room and threatened to cut her throat. The girl reportedly said she had difficulty breathing and a sore throat afterward.

Another time, Mann purportedly threw her daughter on the ground, tied her hands behind her back, and sat on her.

WKYT-TV reports Richmond Police Chief Rodney Richardson said, "The victim, who is under the age of 12, had disclosed to investigators that Ms. Mann had locked her inside a dog kennel-type cage for two to three days at a time and would only allow her to exit that dog cage just to use the bathroom."

The daughter would allegedly try to break out of the cage, but it was tied shut with rope.

Mann told WDKY that the allegations of abuse against her daughter are "a defamation of my character," adding, "She is my only child, and she is my anchor to this world."