Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, second from right, talks with Chief Deputy Steve Schuette and Det. Dena Lacy of the Carson City's Sheriff's Department and Ron Cuzze, with the Nevada State Law Enforcement Officers' Association on Wednesday morning.
A $5,000 donation was made on Thursday for two Carson City children who were locked for years in an apartment bathroom.
Ron Cuzze, on behalf of the Nevada State Law Enforcement Officer's Association, presented the check to Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto at her office on Thursday morning. She, in turn, presented the money to Detective Dena Lacy and Chief Deputy Steve Schuette of the Carson City Sheriff's Department.
The money will be deposited into the Second Chance Fund for Jasmine and David, a 16-year-old girl and her 12-year-old brother, who were locked in the bathroom of their family's Como Street apartment for five years.
On Jan. 19, 2006, Jasmine was able to escape and was spotted pushing a shopping cart of food and blankets near Fourth Street. When deputies found her, she was hunched behind a vehicle eating bread. At 41 pounds and 4 feet tall, officers initially thought she was 6 years old.
David was found hidden under a bed in the apartment while his mother and grandmother denied he was even in the state. He was 31 pounds and a few inches shorter than his sister.
When Carson City patrol deputies heard of the children's plight, the officers went to the hospital to visit with them. Within three days, the Carson City Sheriff's Protective Association, made up of Carson City deputies, set up an account to raise funds for the children. Thousands of dollars in private donations and fundraisers from local businesses have been deposited into the account.
The children are in foster care, and their grandmother, mother and stepfather have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for charges of child abuse and false imprisonment.
Cuzze said the $5,000 donation is one of four grants the Nevada State Law Enforcement Officer's Association hands out to victims of crime. The money comes from ad revenue generated from the association's quarterly magazine.
You can help
Donations can be made to Jasmine and David at any Bank of America office to: Second Chance Fund, Account No. 005011351167.
Visit http://nevadaleo.org/ for information on the Nevada State Law Enforcement Officer's Association.