A 51-year-old man who worked at a Texas sheriff’s office and his 52-year-old wife are accused of keeping their 15-year-old adopted son locked in his bedroom for nearly all of the last decade, only allowing the boy to leave the space for the few minutes it took him to eat dinner each day.

Richard and Nora Ramirez were taken into custody last week and charged with one count each of unlawful restraint of a child less than 17 years of age, authorities announced.

According to a news release from the El Paso Police Department, officers on June 11, 2025, responded to a request for a welfare check following a report of a child being neglected at a home in the 12200 block of Tierra Mar Way. The welfare check specified that a 15-year-old child was allegedly being “neglected and confined by his adoptive parents” inside the home.

Upon arriving at the address, first responders made contact with the child, who allegedly gave a harrowing tale of internment at the hands of his adoptive parents.

“During the investigation, the victim reported that he had been routinely locked in his bedroom for extended periods and was forced to use the restroom within his room,” the release states. “He further stated he was let out of his room for dinner and was immediately returned to his room after. According to the victim, this pattern of treatment had been ongoing since he was approximately five years old.”

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It was not immediately clear if the boy’s bedroom was equipped with a functional restroom. The El Paso Police Department did not immediately respond to an email from Law&Crime requesting additional details on the matter.

Due to the “serious nature of the allegations,” the department referred the case to its Crimes Against Children Unit for further investigation, which subsequently led to the arrests of Richard and Nora Ramirez.

The couple was taken into custody and both were transported to and processed at the El Paso County Detention Facility. Jail records show that the victim’s mother and father were both released one day later after posting $100,000 bond.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday confirmed to El Paso ABC affiliate KVIA that Richard Ramirez was an employee with their office. The law enforcement agency reportedly has not released any details regarding what position Ramirez held as of Wednesday morning.

El Paso County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Priscilla Contreras told the El Paso Times that Richard Ramirez was “immediately placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an Internal Affairs investigation.” She also confirmed that Richard Ramirez had formally submitted his resignation papers on Monday.

“We have been cooperating fully with the El Paso Police Department regarding their investigation,” Contreras wrote in an email to the newspaper. “As this is an ongoing matter, no further comment will be provided at this time.”

It was not immediately clear when the couple was scheduled to appear in court.