A 47-year-old Virginia woman, Wendi Del Cid Rodriguez, has pleaded guilty to charges of abduction and assault and battery after regularly chaining her two young sons to furniture while she and her boyfriend were at work.
Del Cid Rodriguez’s actions were intended to “scare” her children into not leaving the apartment unsupervised, according to police. She has now agreed to a plea deal in which charges of child cruelty were dropped in exchange for her guilty plea.
The Chilling Discovery
The case began on August 15, 2023, when Fairfax Police responded to a report of child neglect at an apartment complex in the 6700 block of Tower Drive, located just south of Washington, D.C.
When officers arrived at the scene around 5:50 p.m., they reportedly heard chains rattling from inside the apartment. Upon entering, they found two children, aged 7 and 9, chained to a post in the living room and left unsupervised.
The disturbing scene was uncovered when one of the children used a roommate’s cellphone to send a photo of the handcuffs and chains to his older sister. The sister then contacted authorities, leading to the intervention. Police confirmed that both boys had visible marks on their wrists and ankles consistent with being bound.
The Parents’ Confession
During the investigation, Del Cid Rodriguez and her boyfriend, Franklin Viera Guevara, admitted to regularly chaining the children to furniture while they were away at work. They claimed the practice was meant to “scare” the boys into staying in the apartment and not leaving unsupervised.
The couple’s roommate also confirmed that the children were often chained in the mornings and would remain in place until Del Cid Rodriguez and Guevara returned home later in the day.
The roommate stated that he would frequently observe the boys chained to a table leg next to where they slept, only unchaining them when either Del Cid Rodriguez or Guevara was home. The children were reportedly only able to take a few steps due to their restraints.
Legal Outcome
Following her guilty plea, Wendi Del Cid Rodriguez’s bond was revoked, and she was taken into custody to await her sentencing hearing in November. The judge expressed concerns that she had been allowed supervised visits with her children while on pretrial release, given the nature of her charges.
Franklin Viera Guevara, Del Cid Rodriguez’s boyfriend, had also been charged in connection with the incident. However, in February 2024, he was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for being in the country unlawfully and was subsequently deported, according to authorities.
The Victims
The two young boys were placed into the custody of their father following the incident, and authorities have worked to ensure their safety and well-being. The case has raised awareness about child abuse and the disturbing tactics used by parents to control and punish their children.
Wendi Del Cid Rodriguez’s actions have left a lasting impact on her children, who endured physical and emotional trauma as a result of their mother’s cruel treatment.
As she awaits her sentencing in November, the case continues to highlight the extreme measures some individuals take to enforce control over their children, and the importance of intervention to protect vulnerable children from harm.
