A sergeant and two deputies were placed on leave pending results of an internal affairs investigation relating to a kidnapping case in Nye County.

On Nov. 16, a Pahrump man was arrested for kidnapping and falsely imprisoning his intellectually disabled mother and brother. James Thatcher, 28, of Pahrump, Chelsea Demille, 30, of Pahrump, and Sandra Wombles, 19, of Pahrump were all arrested after it was discovered that they were holding Thatcher’s mother and brother against their will.

Thatcher’s alleged goal was to exploit them for their social security disability checks.

Nye County Sheriff said after investigating, they realized that on Nov. 18 that two deputies had responded on two previous occasions, to the home where the disabled woman and her other son were being kept, but nothing was done.

When Nye County deputies rescued the 52-year-old and 34-year-old victims on Nov. 16, they both appeared to be dehydrated and malnourished, and they had poor hygiene.

According to police, the woman was able to tell them they had been held captive for several weeks at an apartment next door. She told police they were restrained together in a small bedroom by her son, James Thatcher, since Aug. 28.

Police said Thatcher’s girlfriend, Chelsea Demille, and Sandra Wombles helped him.

Thatcher, Demille, and Wombles are charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment, and elder abuse.