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BEVERLY -- A Randolph County couple is facing multiple felony charges after a child in their care was allegedly found bound by zip ties in a bath room.
Licha Faye Ortiz, 54, and Manuel Ortiz Jr., 69, are each charged with one count of child abuse creating serious risk of bodily injury or death and one count of conspiracy, both felonies. Both are currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, each on a $150,000 cash-only bond, set by Randolph County Magistrate Mike Dyer.
According to the criminal complaint, filed by Trooper Andrew C. Jordan with the Elkins Detachment of the West Virginia State Police, on July 28, Jordan received a tip from Parole Officer Matt Currence in reference to a juvenile being “physically restrained with zip ties” at a residence on Schoonover Hollow Road in Beverly.
Currence was notified that a witness had been at the residence and observed the juvenile being restrained with their hands behind their back and their ankles also zip-tied, according to the complaint. Jordan received a recorded statement from the witness, who stated that she saw the juvenile restrained in the bathroom of a secondary residence, the garage where Licha and Manuel Ortiz reportedly live. She further stated that she noticed cracks in the bathroom door had been spray foamed over and that she allegedly heard Licha Ortiz talking to the juvenile through the crack in the door.
M. Ortiz
When the witness walked over to the door, she used a “pry bar” or “long screwdriver” to knock the spray foam off the cracks, the complaint states. She then was able to open the door and reportedly found the juvenile. The witness’s boyfriend made a comment to Manuel Ortiz about the child being restrained and Manuel Ortiz allegedly replied, “It makes you uncomfortable?” The witness also said the garage where the Ortizs live is in “messy condition.”
On the same date, Jordan got a search warrant for the residence, the complaint states. Jordan, Sgt. V. Pyles, Trooper First Class J. Peteete and members of the Elkins Police Department then traveled to the residence and executed the warrant. Upon arrival, the officers were met by the Ortizs. During the search, officers reportedly observed large amounts of trash and other belongings scattered throughout the residence.
L. Ortiz
Jordan made contact with the juvenile, an 11-year-old, and allegedly observed ligature marks on the juvenile’s wrists and ankles, the complaint states. The juvenile’s feet also appeared to be swollen and red. Jordan then located the bathroom where the juvenile has allegedly been kept. There, he reportedly observed spray foam along the edge of the door frame which corroborated the witness’ statement. Inside the bathroom, Jordan allegedly located a cut zip tie on the floor behind the toilet.
On the walls of the bathroom, Jordan reportedly found written “they love my brother but not me” and “no one on my side just me,” the complaint states. He also found a camera on an end table facing the bathroom door. When he asked Licha Ortiz if the camera’s storage was on her phone, she allegedly stated it was, but the camera was broken. Jordan seized the phone as evidence.