New Jersey couple accused of abusing, confining child in dog crate and bathroom for years

A Gloucester Township, New Jersey, couple has been arrested after they allegedly abused and confined a child in their home for years, according to the Camden County prosecutor and police.

Branndon Mosley, 41, and Brenda Spencer, 38, were arrested Sunday and charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child and other offenses, prosecutors said. Mosley was also charged with aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault.

The victim, who is now 18, escaped from the home on Thursday, May 8, with help from a neighbor, and police were notified two days later of the alleged abuse, Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay said. Mosley and Spencer were then arrested on May 11.

“This is the most abhorrent, heinous crimes anyone can commit,” MacAulay said.  

According to the Camden County prosecutor, the victim said the abuse began in approximately 2018, around the time Spencer took them out of school when they were in seventh grade and confined them to the home.

The victim told investigators they were forced to live in a dog crate for about one year and was let out periodically, MacAulay said.

MacAulay said the victim was later chained up and forced to live in a padlocked bathroom in the home. The victim told police they were allowed out of the bathroom when family visited the house, the prosecutor said.

The victim was also forced to live in another room in the house with just a bucket to use instead of a toilet, MacAulay said. The room allegedly had an alarm system to alert Spencer and Mosley if they tried to leave.

The victim also reported being sexually abused by Mosley and beaten with a belt, the prosecutor said.

Police also found the victim was forced to live in neglected conditions alongside dogs, chinchillas and other animals.

Spencer was the victim’s mother, and Mosley was their stepfather, authorities said.

Another 13-year-old child who lived in the home was removed from school years earlier at Spencer’s discretion, MacAulay said. They were both homeschooled.

MacAulay said that parents who pull their children out of school are only required to notify the school district. The New Jersey Department of Education does not follow up on attendance records of testing to confirm homeschool children are actually being educated. MacAulay said cases like this one prove there’s a need to revisit those laws.

According to the prosecutor, Spencer was unemployed and Mosley worked for SEPTA.

In a statement, SEPTA said Mosley is a Regional Rail engineer and has been held off duty since May 11 pending an administrative investigation.

Mosley and Spencer are being held at the Camden County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing in Superior Court.