"Hide Me, Hide Me," Chained Boy Pleaded

Gym Manager Tells The Early Show Of Teen's Ordeal After Fleeing Home

(CBS/ AP)  The manager of a California gym recalled the searing image of a half-naked, visibly injured teen with a chain around his ankle seeking refuge after allegedly fleeing an abusive couple.

"Hide me, hide me," the 17-year-old told Chuck Ellis, who runs the In-Shape Sports Club in Tracy. Ellis told CBS' The Early Show the boy was filthy and looked as if he weighed less than 100 pounds.

He kept saying, "Please don't let them take me," Ellis said.

Ellis added that seeing the young man pick up the chain around his ankle left him speechless.

"It's an image that will live a long time with a lot of people," Ellis said.

Police arrested a Girl Scout leader and her husband on suspicion of abusing the boy.

Kelly Layne Lau, 30, and Michael Schumacher, 34, were taken into custody and booked on charges of torture, kidnapping and child abuse.

Also, police in Berkeley arrested a woman suspected of participating in the alleged abuse, Matt Robinson, a spokesman for the Tracy Police Department, told The Early Show on Wednesday.

Caren Ramirez, 43, who police say is possibly the boy's aunt, became the teen's guardian after child protective services took him from his abusive father three or four years ago, Robinson said.

After Ramirez, seen at left, was arrested for alleged abuse, the boy was placed in a foster home in Sacramento, which he fled in late 2007, police said.

His whereabouts were not known until around 4 p.m. Monday, when he entered the fitness center, Robinson said.

The boy came into the gym in Tracy wearing only boxer briefs and covered in what appeared to be soot, Ellis said. Tracy is about 70 miles south of Sacramento.

The boy said he had been held captive for nearly a year, said Ellis, adding that he looked as if he was only 10 to 12 years old.

Authorities said they believe the boy had been chained to a car seat but picked up a dropped key, unlocked himself and fled when the car stopped.

Investigators Tuesday were trying to figure out the connection between the couple and Ramirez, who authorities believe occasionally visited their home.

Meanwhile, Lau and Schumacher's four young children, two of whom were home when police arrived, have been taken into protective custody, authorities said.

The family's tidy two-story house was decked with two large Christmas wreaths on the front doors. No one answered Tuesday when a reporter knocked on the front door.

According to neighbors, the couple seemed to lead lives that revolved around their kids. On her MySpace Web page, Lau describes herself as a stay-at-home mom and says her husband worked as a contractor. She posted many photos of her family, friends and pets.

Lau started serving as a local Girl Scout leader sometime in September, after a background check turned up nothing to cause concern, said Pam Saltenberger, chief executive of Girl Scouts Heart of Central California.

Jennifer Foster, 33, said she and Lau became acquaintances through their children, who were neighborhood playmates. Foster said she first noticed an older boy with the family about a year ago.

"She told me that he was a nephew that was staying with them because he was having problems at home," Foster said. The boy was outside frequently, and his appearance never suggested anything unusual was happening behind closed doors, though the last time she saw him was May, she said.

Another neighbor said that more recently, the boy looked unwell.

"The last time I seen him, maybe two weeks ago, we were both taking our cans in from garbage days and he was really skinny and pale," Rachel Portillo said.

Robinson, the police spokesman, said the boy was confused when approached by detectives Monday, unsure where he had come from and how long he had been held. He was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition Tuesday afternoon.

"The victim says he was held against his will," Robinson said. "When you have a 17-year-old boy showing up with a bloody ankle from having a chain wrapped around it, it's one of those things for officers to put one and one together."

Police wouldn't release details about any conversations they've had with the boy or the couple since the arrests.

Lau and Schumacher were set to appear in court Thursday, according to online jail records. They were being held at San Joaquin County jail on bail of nearly $1.2 million each. Prosecutors did not know if the couple had hired attorneys.

[sfden]

I read where everyone in that gym rushed to help him with water, food, blankets, etc. There is still decency out there. That poor kid - I hope that whole family does serious jail time.

[gramto8]

The neighbor said the boy looked pale....hmmm. Interesting because the uncle/aunt looks black. I have never heard of a black child being described as pale. Very odd.

Posted by concorde5 at 09:55 AM : Dec 03, 2008

If a black person is very anemic, they will be pale. I have seen a black person whose skin was so pale she was white... not tan or brown... absolutely white. She wasn''t albino. After receiving transfusions of several units of blood, she returned to her natural black coloration.

[deathofusa]

This is a woman? Dang! That the first problem with this story. Yeesh!

[concorde5]

Posted by loves8childr at 04:42 PM : Dec 03, 2008
----------

Thank You! and I agree.

[loves8childr]

By the way, Thintheherd2 just likes to get people going.

[loves8childr]

Concorde5
I tried to post to you twice, and something happened to my posts. I just wanted you to know that there are some people that can''t love other people''s children as their own. I ran across this first hand, otherwise I wouldn''t be able to believe it myself. You happen to be one of the fortunate few that can love other people''s children like your own. It doesn''t make what these people did any less wrong, though.

[concorde5]

Posted by ThinTheHerd2 at 03:59 PM : Dec 03, 2008
--------------

First of all, What a racist post!

Secondly you posted, "Is THAT what you think this is about??? Missed opportunity???? This is about sadistic, cruel, sick evil monsters who abuse children, period. "

I don''t think this is about missed opportunities to love the child. Apparently the couple was taking good care of their Biological children. The point I was making is that they could have treated this child as if he was their own.

That is why I mentioned my own situation. I''m raising a child that is not my bio child but I love him and treat him as if he were. That was the point!

I understand that these people are monsters, my point is they didn''t have to be because they are apparently taking good care of their own children!

[concorde5]

I read on CNN I think that the Aunt had visited the boy several times at the house where he was chained. So the couple didn''t kidnap him. The aunt apparently took him to the couple to live. I just don''t know what the connection to this couple is.

Apparently no one cared about the child or loved him as a parent should. It''s very sad.

I''m raising a Boy that is not my biological child. He is 18 now but I have pretty much raised him since he was 3. I treat him as if he was my own child and love him dearly. He is well adjusted and very happy and leading a normal life.

This couple didn''t realize that they had the opportunity to raise this boy and give him love and he would love them back.

Sad, Very sad.

[loves8childr]

Anarchyfan,
There is something strange about the relationship between the Aunt and the Schumacher''s. Either the police haven''t gotten the whole story, or they are afraid to taint the case, and aren''t telling what they know. It is frustrating to wait and wonder, but if it means justice for this kid, I guess I can wait.

[yoopermom]

I guess I blamed the Foster care system too soon. I should have read this better.