A girl chained to a dresser by her father in Arkansas last year, has been found dead early Tuesday morning, according to reports.
Jersey Bridgeman, a six year old girl, was found in a nearby vacant house about 10 minutes from her house after she was reported missing Tuesday morning, Bentonville Police Chief Jon Simpson said, according to the Associated Press.
Bridgeman's father and stepmother, David and Jana Bridgeman, were arrested last year after the girl was found chained to a dresser. The father at the time said he chained her to prevent her from getting into things around the house. He has been in jail since then on child abuse charges.
Court documents revealed that Jersey had been made to sleep on the floor in her parents bedroom. Jana and David Bridgeman pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, permitting abuse of a minor, and endangering the welfare of a minor in June.
"She said that Jana and David chain her to the dresser because she had gotten up and eaten some pies, cereal, and bread," Rogers Police Detective Larry Taylor. "[The girl] stated that they put a belt around her waist so that she could not get up and get any food."
Bentonville Police Chief Jon Simpson explained the girl's death is being investigated as a homicide. No details about the cause of death or possible suspects have been released. It is unclear who called the police about Jersey's whereabouts.
Meanwhile, it is still unclear where Bridgeman's biological mother, DesaRae, was at the time of the missing persons call. After the arrest of her father and stepmother, Bridgeman was put under the care of DesaRae Bridgeman, but it appeared that she was not in the house when the call was made.
