Phoenix couple indicted after 14-year-old daughter allegedly locked in bathroom for 2 months

Phoenix couple indicted in child abuse case

PHOENIX — Authorities say a grand jury has indicted a Phoenix couple on child abuse charges involving their 14-year-old daughter.

Police say the malnourished girl was locked in a bathroom without running water for two months, beaten with metal rods and forced to exercise until exhaustion because her father said she had stolen food and cheated on a home-school test.

Authorities say 33-year-old Scott Bass and 31-year-old Andrea Bass, who is the girl’s stepmother, were arrested Feb. 4.

Maricopa County prosecutors say a grand jury indicted Scott Bass and his wife on three counts of child abuse and one count of kidnapping. It was unclear Monday whether they had hired lawyers.

The girl reportedly escaped through the attic and rode her bike to a coffee shop, where a worker called police.