A woman who confessed to chaining her 11-year-old son to a fuel tank for 17 hours provided a disturbing justification for the cruel action. Chazzity Candelario faced serious charges including unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a minor. Following a plea of no contest in November, she was recently sentenced to 16 months to five years in prison.
Candelario, then 33 years old, explained to the court that she struggled to manage her children while working, leading her to resort to chaining one of them for extended periods. In one instance, she confined her son in North Lebanon Township, Pennsylvania, for 17 hours as a consequence of “eating too many hot dogs.” Authorities were alerted to the situation on January 11, 2025, when law enforcement responded to reports of a boy restrained with handcuffs in Candelario’s home.
Investigations revealed that the boy had been handcuffed to an oil tank in the basement by his mother. During Candelario’s absence, her children informed officers about the boy being restrained to a bunk bed railing. The child disclosed that he was frequently confined and restrained while his mother was at work.
This was not Candelario’s first encounter with legal issues. In 2017, she was arrested on charges related to endangering her children and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The incident shed light on her disturbing behavior, contrasting with the family images she shared on social media platforms.
During her sentencing, Candelario chose not to speak, while her lawyer expressed her remorse. The District Attorney emphasized the mother’s duty to care for and protect her children, condemning her actions as a betrayal of that responsibility. The judge, Charles Jones, emphasized that such treatment should never have occurred and urged Candelario to make amends with her children.