Autistic boy, 11, kept in cage by parents, say Calif. cops

ANAHEIM, Calif. - An 11-year-old autistic boy who police suspect was kept in a cage has been removed from a Southern California home, and his parents have been arrested.

The boy's father, 40-year-old Loi Vu, and his mother, 35-year-old Tracy Trang Le, were in custody Wednesday on suspicion of child endangerment and false imprisonment.

Anaheim Police Lt. Bob Dunn said a mattress was found inside the large kennel-like cage after an anonymous caller tipped off Child Protective Services (CPS) Tuesday night, reports CBS Los Angeles.

The station reports the parents, who do not speak English, initially ignored CPS when they arrived at the residence. Police were later called to the location and entered the home.

"Once inside... [officers] found that there was a cage in one of the bedrooms. Inside that cage was a mattress and it appears to the investigation, at this particular point, that [the boy] was being kept in that cage," Dunn said, according to the station.

Dunn said the child was not in the cage when officers arrived, but there are varying reports that he may have been kept inside it for several months, and possibly even years.

Authorities told CBS Los Angeles the 11-year-old's parents detained the boy due to his violent outbursts. Dunn said the boy is physically in good shape. He was transported to a local hospital to be treated.

Two other children, ages 8 and 10, were also taken from the home by CPS.