A Lawson man has been charged with restraining his ex-girlfriend’s son and his daughters with zip ties and keeping them in cardboard boxes overnight on multiple occasions.
Thirty-two-year-old Gary Wyant pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 11 felony counts of child abuse and two counts of evidence tampering. He was released on bond. Online court information shows a preemptory docket hearing is scheduled for November 13th.
A Lawson police officer wrote in the probable cause affidavit that the investigation began in May after the nine year old son of Wyant’s ex-girlfriend talked to a teacher, who called a state hotline.
The boy told a state welfare official that he was “hog tied,” grabbed around the throat, and put in a box while his mother and twin sister lived with Wyant.
The affidavit said Wyant’s daughters also described being tied up themselves with a mixture of string, yarn, and zip ties and sometimes put in a box overnight with the lid taped shut. It also describes Wyant hitting the girls with a board with holes drilled in it and the word “the enforcer” written on it.
The affidavit mentioned one of his daughters said he burned the boxes and zip ties so there wouldn’t be any evidence.
