Police have arrested a Texas man who allegedly held his disabled wife captive for five years and gave her little access to food — until she managed to make a call to 911 for help.
James Earl Johnson, 46, is now charged with injury to a disabled individual and abandoning or endangering a disabled person after investigators contend he kept his wife locked inside a bedroom in their Houston home for five years.
Harris County prosecutors allege that it had been years since Johnson’s wife received any medical care. She also was denied any contact with the outside world, investigators alleged.
The victim, whose name and age weren’t provided by police, was kept in a bedroom in the couple’s $1 million 6,783-square-foot mansion.
Johnson had control over every aspect of his wife’s life and often restricted her diet to one egg a day, police alleged.
The wife — identified by Click2Houston as Ruby — had no phone. ABC 7 reports she is 46 years old.
On Friday, March 6, Johnson allegedly left the home but forgot his phone, and his wife did not let the opportunity pass.
She called 911, but the call was cut short when Johnson came back for the phone, realized what she had done, and slapped his wife.
Police said that they traced the call, and officers were sent out to the Johnson home to check on the caller.
The wife is now receiving treatment at a local hospital, cops said. Police did not disclose the nature of the victim’s disability.
Johnson, a master electrician, was released from jail after posting his $50,000 bond, according to online records.
He has been barred by a judge from contacting his wife or returning to their home until the case is settled.
Johnson could face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $10,000 if he’s convicted.
It was unclear if he had entered pleas to the charges or was represented by an attorney.
Attempts to reach Johnson by phone were unsuccessful on Wednesday, March 11. Us Weekly also emailed Johnson but got no response.
Previous attempts had been made by the wife to have police intervene.
In early November, cops were called to the couple’s home, but the wife said at the time she had been told not to talk to police.
The officers did not file a report on their visit, according to court documents.
Court records further indicate that the victim had opened family court cases against Johnson back in 2001 and 2002 concerning child support. However, being family court records, those documents remain under court seal.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Individuals living with disabilities can access a number of available resources online through the Department of Health & Human Services’ Disability Information and Access Locator or by calling the U.S. Department of Justice ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-833-610-1264 (TTY).
