From Niesha Lofing:
Officials continue to try to unravel a troubling case involving a teenage boy who, appearing emaciated, terrified and still partially shackled, on Monday stumbled into a Tracy health club seeking asylum.
Two adults have been arrested, charged with kidnapping and torture of the 17-year-old who ran away from a Sacramento foster home a year ago.
Tracy police said they are looking for another woman in connection with the case.
A Tracy couple, Michael Luther Schumacher (left photo) and Kelly Layne Lau (right photo), were arrested on several felony counts, said Matt Robinson, a public affairs officer for the city of Tracy. Schumacher, 34, and Lau, 30, are being held in lieu of $1.185 million bail in San Joaquin County jail on suspicion of conspiracy, torture, kidnapping, child beating, false imprisonment by force and paying a parent for adoption of a child, according to online jail information.
Also sought is Caren Ramirez, who is believed to be the aunt of the teen. She has a pre-existing felony warrant and will face the same criminal counts as Schumacher and Lau, published reports state.
Schumacher and Lau are scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Their arrests stem from allegations that they were holding a 17-year-old boy against his will.
The boy showed up at a downtown Tracy gym Monday asking for help, Robinson said. He had several major injures.
"The wounds he had and his physical condition as well as having a chain around his leg corroborated his basic statement that he was being held against his will," Robinson said.
Chuck Ellis, a manager of the In-Shape Sports Club, said the boy came into the fitness center Monday afternoon wearing only boxer briefs, covered with what appeared to be soot. Ellis says the teen was scared someone was going to come after him and asked to be hidden.
"He said 'Don't let them get me, don't let them get me,'" Ellis said. "He was totally terrified."
Ellis said the teenager told him he was picked up after running away from the foster home to look for his family and that he had been held for almost a year. Ellis said he looked like he was only 10 to 12 years old.
Robinson said detectives plan to interview the boy more today when he is a "little healthier."
"He was bruised and bleeding, and when he was found, he was emaciated," Robinson said.
Gym staff called the police. Officers said the boy was confused when they questioned him.
"He didn't know where he was at, didn't know how long he had been kept," Robinson said.
The boy was able to provide officers with enough information to pinpoint the home in which he was being held.
Officers questioned Schumacher and Lau at the home and then arrested them. Two small children under the age of 5 also were at the home and were taken by Child Protective Services, Robinson said.
The allegations against Schumacher and Lau only pertain to the teen, however.
It is unclear how the teen ended up with the couple.
"He was not able to really give officers a good explanation," Robinson said.
The couple has not indicated to police why they were allegedly keeping the boy.
Police have not disclosing further details about the case.
"We want to make sure there's an air-tight case for the DA's office," Robinson said.
Schumacher, 34, and Lau, 30, are being held in lieu of $1.185 million bail in San Joaquin County jail on suspicion of conspiracy, torture, kidnapping, child beating, false imprisonment by force and paying a parent for adoption of a child, according to online jail information.
Police said during a news conference they are seeking Caren Ramirez, who is believed to be the aunt of the teen. Ramirez has a pre-existing felony warrant and will face the same criminal counts as Schumacher and Lau.
Schumacher and Lau are scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Their arrests stem from allegations that they were holding a 17-year-old boy against his will.
The teen at one time was living at a Sacramento group home and had run away. He was reported missing previously to the Sacramento Police Department's missing person's unit, police Officer Konrad Von Schoech said.
The boy showed up at a downtown Tracy gym Monday asking for help, Robinson said.
The boy had several major injuries and was wearing only boxer briefs and had a chain shackled to his ankle, he said.
"He was bruised and bleeding, and when he was found, he was emaciated," Robinson said.
Gym staff called the police. Officers said the boy was confused when they questioned him.
"He didn't know where he was at, didn't know how long he had been kept," Robinson said.
The boy was able to provide officers with enough information to pinpoint the home in which he was being held.
Officers questioned Schumacher and Lau at the home and then arrested them. Two small children under the age of 5 also were at the home and were taken by Child Protective Services, Robinson said.
The allegations against Schumacher and Lau only pertain to the teen, however.
It is unclear how the teen ended up with the couple.
"He was not able to really give officers a good explanation," Robinson said.
The couple has not indicated to police why they were allegedly keeping the boy.
Police have not disclosing further details about the case.
"We want to make sure there's an air-tight case for the DA's office," Robinson said.
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