Parents of boy held in basement charged with torture

The parents of the Detroit boy whose disappearance and later discovery in his own basement captured headlines have been charged with torture and child abuse.

The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced the charges today against Charles Bothuell IV, 46, and his wife, Monique Dillard-Bothuell, 37, who is the boy's stepmother. They were arraigned via video this morning in 36th District Court, where Magistrate Laura Echartea set bail at $500,000 cash or surety.

The couple stood side by side, saying, "Yes, your honor," when Echartea asked whether they understood the charges. She entered not guilty pleas on their behalves and ordered them not to have contact with Charlie Bothuell, the boy at the center of the case. Their next court date is Feb. 27.

"The allegations against the parents came to light on June 14, 2014, after Charles Bothuell called the police to report his (then) 12-year-old son, Charlie Bothuell, missing from their home in the 1300 block of Nicolet Place in Detroit," the prosecutor's office said in a news release.

Related: Detroit boy found in basement tells of daily abuse

Charlie was found 11 days later behind boxes in the basement of his home by a Michigan State Police sergeant and an FBI agent, the release said.

"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 release said.

Authorities have indicated in court records that Charlie said his stepmother placed him in the basement and told him "not to come out, no matter what he hears" and that he would sneak upstairs to get food.

The case gained international attention, especially after television personality Nancy Grace told Bothuell during a broadcast that his son had been found. His apparently stunned reaction was aired repeatedly afterward.

The Bothuells have each been charged with one count of torture, a felony carrying a maximum penalty of life in prison, and second-degree child abuse, the release said. They were arrested by Detroit Police this morning.

Mark Magidson, a Detroit attorney who has represented the Bothuells in the past, criticized authorities for the handling of the case.

"The charges are ludicrous, overcharged. The fact that it took them this long to bring these charges shows that there's really a wanting of evidence and it's probably more politically motivated than anything else," said Magidson, who expects to meet with the family today. "I am sure that knowing my clients they're prepared to face these charges and be vindicated before a jury of their peers."

Responding to a question about the amount of time it has taken to issue charges, Maria Miller, spokeswoman for Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, said some cases are more complex than others.

"This case took a long time to charge because the assistant prosecutor had to review close to a couple thousand pages of paperwork before charges could be recommended. It was a long and arduous task," Miller said in an e-mail.

In addition to the case involving Charlie, the couple also had been fighting for their parental rights in a case involving their other two children, who were removed from their custody and placed with family.

Staff writer Gina Damron contributed to this report. Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence