Florida Firefighter And Wife Accused Of Locking 12-year-old Daughter In A Room For Years – And Claim It Was A Religious Practice

A Florida firefighter and his woman are accused of locking their 12-year-old girl successful a chamber for years wherever she slept connected an aerial mattress and had nary entree to a bathroom, according to authorities.

Joel Kohnert, 44, a Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue lieutenant, and his wife, Jennifer Kohnert, 45, were arrested Tuesday by Coral Springs Police and each charged pinch 1 count of kid maltreatment without awesome bodily harm, according to jailhouse records.

During a enslaved proceeding Wednesday, a defense lawyer described nan mates arsenic “devout Christians” and disputed chilling specifications of nan affidavit, according to WTVJ.

But Broward Judge Corey Friedman rejected nan conception that nan alleged curen could beryllium justified by religion.

“They are devoutly religious. Their beliefs connected various topics whitethorn not jibe pinch group successful this courtroom, but this has been a batch of – I’m not going to opportunity this lawsuit is predicated on, successful my position – erstwhile you’ve allegedly sewage a 12-year-old kid who is locked successful a room for upwards of 3 years and is forced to urinate and defecate successful nan room and past cleanable it up pinch her clothes, that is not a belief issue, that is thing else,” Judge Corey Friedman said successful tribunal connected Wednesday.

The allegations came to ray successful February erstwhile nan Department of Children and Families began investigating aft a gathering pinch a schoolhouse assets officer, according to a redacted probable origin affidavit obtained by nan Sun Sentinel.

The woman told investigators that for 2 to 3 years, her chamber doorway was locked from nan extracurricular overnight and sometimes during nan day. Her model was besides locked, leaving her incapable to escape, nan affidavit states. A sound instrumentality was played astatine precocious measurement to forestall her from proceeding others successful nan home.

She said she was called derogatory names and told she had bipolar upset for illustration her biologic mother, arsenic good arsenic being told distressing accusation astir her biologic parents.

Authorities said nan kid had nary entree to a bath and was forced to lavation her apparel successful a bucket and bathe outside.

Investigators besides noted stark differences betwixt her room and those of different children successful nan home, which were described arsenic cleanable and furnished pinch toys and individual belongings. The 12-year-old, by contrast, had only an aerial mattress.

As punishment, nan woman was allegedly required to constitute Bible verses and tread h2o successful nan excavation for up to 45 minutes, according to nan affidavit.

In tribunal connected Wednesday, a charismatic said nan children successful nan location person since been placed successful authorities custody and that grounds supports nan allegations.

“Their biologic children gave statements,” a charismatic said. “There is beingness evidence. The serviceman stated erstwhile she went into nan room, among different things, she smelled urine.”

Investigators highlighted Joel Kohnert’s domiciled arsenic a first responder arsenic “particularly concerning,” noting successful nan affidavit that he “would reasonably beryllium expected to admit nan inherent information risks associated pinch restricting a child’s expertise to exit a room during an emergency.”

Joel Kohnert has worked for Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue since November 15, 2010, and is presently connected administrative investigative time off without pay, according to a sheriff’s agency spokesperson.

A neighbour told WPLG that nan allegations are “a lie” and described nan mates arsenic “awesome parents” whose “kids are doing truthful well.”

The mates is being held astatine nan Broward Main Jail connected a enslaved of $100,000 each.