Police: Man locked up, deprived child

CLOVERDALE, Ind. (WISH) - A Putnam County man is facing numerous charges after he confined his stepson in a room, deprived him of food, and made him urinate and defecate in a bucket.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Michael Shane Witt made a call to officers, saying his wife was at his apartment when she shouldn’t be.

When officers arrived, Witt told them that his wife is banned from the property.

According to the affidavit, as officers were in the apartment listening to what Mr. and Mrs. Witt had to say about the incident, police noticed a strong odor of urine and feces in the back bedroom area.

An officer then noticed a door with a hole cut in it. An extension cord was coming out of the door.

Mrs. Witt told officers that the children went in the room for fun.

After further investigation, officers found a chair, with a hole cut in the bottom, and a garbage bag underneath filled with urine and feces.

According to court documents, one child told officers Witt punched him after the child dropped sugar on the floor.

Michael Witt faces several charges of neglect of a dependent and criminal confinement.