ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO – A 26-year-old mother has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies after authorities uncovered severe abuse inflicted upon her five-year-old child.
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office formally charged Alease Chambers on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, with Abuse or Neglect of a Child – Serious Emotional or Physical Injury, First-Degree Kidnapping, and Additional Counts of Child Abuse or Neglect.
The investigation began on February 17, 2025, when a friend of Chambers alerted police to disturbing incidents of child abuse.
According to the witness, she had stayed overnight at Chambers’ residence and observed the young victim being subjected to extreme and targeted punishments.
She reported that Chambers forced the child to clench his fists while repeatedly striking his knuckles with a cellphone and made him perform wall squats for prolonged periods, allegedly exceeding what would be expected in military training.
The situation escalated when, around 3:00 a.m., the friend was awakened by the child’s screams and cries for help, which seemed to be coming from downstairs.
When she inquired about the child’s whereabouts in the morning, Chambers claimed he was downstairs.
Upon checking, the friend discovered the child zip-tied with his hands behind his back, his pants around his ankles, and his body covered in bruises and marks.
The friend recorded the scene on video and immediately reported the abuse to authorities.
Further investigation revealed that the child had been locked in a closet overnight, with the door barricaded by a dresser.
The victim’s siblings confirmed to investigators that Chambers had a pattern of physically abusing this particular child, frequently beating him with belts, cords, and hangers and forcing him to stay inside the closet for extended periods.
Medical evaluations revealed signs of malnourishment, leading to the child’s hospitalization.
During police questioning, Chambers admitted to restraining her son with belts, cords, and zip ties as punishment for allegedly sneaking food.
She confessed to leaving him restrained for at least two to three hours.
Chambers, who is the child’s biological mother, was taken into custody and is being held on a $250,000 cash-only bond, with no 10% option.
Authorities continue to investigate the case, and anyone with further information is urged to contact local law enforcement
