How did an 18-year-old girl survive being locked in a bathroom and confined to a dog crate

A shocking case has come to light in Gloucester Township, New Jersey, after an 18-year-old girl escaped from her home and revealed years of abuse. She told authorities that her mother and stepfather had kept her locked away and mistreated her for more than seven years. Her recent escape has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about how such abuse went unnoticed for so long. It has also brought attention to flaws in homeschooling laws, which allowed the parents to keep her hidden from the outside world.

Note: The images used in this article are for representational purposes only.

In 2018, when the victim was just 11 years old, her mother, Brenda Spencer, and stepfather, Branndon Mosley, made a shocking decision to remove her from school. Taking her out of school was the start of an alarming time in the girl’s life. She was kept at home for years with no freedom, continuing severe physical abuse, sexual assault, and constant emotional torment.


According to a report presented by CNN US, the teenager was reportedly forced to live in a dog crate for almost a year. Later, she was kept in a locked bathroom, chained and only allowed out when family visited. The cruelty extended beyond the physical. Mosley, who worked as a train conductor, allegedly sexually assaulted the victim during this time, along with the abuse she suffered from Spencer. Authorities have charged both Spencer and Mosley with several serious crimes, including kidnapping, aggravated assault, and sexual assault.

One big reason this terrible abuse stayed hidden for so long is that New Jersey doesn’t closely regulate homeschooling. Parents just have to tell the school district they plan to homeschool, but no one checks if the kids are actually attending classes or getting a proper education. As quoted by CNN US, Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay pointed out, “Homeschooling may be the right choice for many families. Unfortunately, it can be used by others as a means to hide abuse.”

In this case, the victim’s younger sister was also taken out of school and homeschooled in the same way. Because there was no proper checking, Spencer and Mosley could easily keep the children away from others and hide the abuse.

On May 8, 2025, the young woman was able to get away from the people holding her. She first reached out to a neighbor, who called a crisis hotline and then 911. According to the report, when the police investigated, they found the home was very dirty and crowded with many animals, like dogs and chinchillas. Gloucester Township Police Chief David Harkins called the situation “absolutely horrific” and said the victim must have gone through a lot of emotional and mental pain during the long time she was held there.

When the victim first met the police after escaping, she didn’t tell them everything about the abuse right away. As mentioned in the CNN report, she said she had a fight with her stepfather and was just looking for help for homeless people. Even though the officers offered her support for domestic violence, she said no. It was only after the police looked deeper into the situation that they found out how bad the abuse really was and were able to take action against those responsible.

Spencer and Mosley have both been arrested. Their detention hearing is set for later this week. The investigation is still going on, but one thing is certain: the victim and her younger sister are now safe, and the authorities are making sure they are protected.