Police said an 11-year-old girl was discovered zip-tied inside a bathroom whose doorway had been sealed with spray foam.
BEVERLY, W.Va. — A Randolph County couple faces felony child abuse and conspiracy charges after authorities said their 11-year-old daughter was found restrained with zip ties inside a bathroom at the family’s Beverly-area residence.
Manuel Ortiz Jr., 69, and Licha Faye Ortiz, 54, are each charged with child abuse creating a serious risk of bodily injury or death and conspiracy, according to court records and West Virginia State Police. The allegations have not been proven in court. Both defendants were being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on cash-only bonds of $150,000 each.
The investigation began July 28 after Trooper Andrew C. Jordan of the state police’s Elkins detachment received information about a child being physically restrained at a residence on Schoonover Hollow Road, according to a criminal complaint. A witness told investigators that she had seen the girl inside a bathroom connected to a garage where the couple reportedly lived.
The witness said the child’s hands were restrained behind her back and zip ties had been placed around her ankles. The witness also reported that the edges of the bathroom door appeared to have been sealed with spray foam. Licha Ortiz was speaking to the child through an opening in the doorway when the witness approached, the complaint said.
According to the witness’s account, she used a pry bar or a long screwdriver to remove foam from the cracks around the door. After opening it, she saw the girl restrained inside and reported what she had found. The complaint did not state how long the child had been in the bathroom or when the restraints had been placed on her.
Troopers and officers with the Elkins Police Department later executed a search warrant at the property. Investigators reported finding large amounts of trash and other belongings scattered throughout the residence. They also found spray foam around the bathroom doorway and a cut zip tie on the floor behind the toilet, according to the complaint.
Police said the girl had marks around her wrists and ankles that appeared consistent with restraints. Investigators also described her feet as swollen and red. Authorities have not released further information about her medical treatment, current condition or placement following the search.
Investigators documented messages written on the bathroom walls that appeared to express the child’s belief that her brother was loved while she was not and that she was alone. Police did not say who wrote the messages, when they were written or whether they had been present before the reported confinement.
Authorities also reported finding a camera positioned toward the bathroom doorway. Licha Ortiz told investigators that the camera did not work, according to the complaint. Police seized her phone because investigators believed it might contain information connected to the device. Officials have not announced whether any recording was recovered.
The complaint states that the witness’s boyfriend raised concerns about the child with Manuel Ortiz. Ortiz allegedly responded by asking whether the situation made him uncomfortable. Authorities have not released additional context for the exchange, and no further statement from either defendant was publicly available.
Police have not announced a suspected motive or said whether authorities had received earlier reports concerning the child. Information about attorneys for the defendants, their pleas and their next scheduled court appearances was not immediately available. The investigation remained active as of Friday.
Author note: Last updated July 31, 2026.