A mother from Pennsylvania, Chazzity Candelario, is facing severe legal consequences after allegedly locking her 11-year-old son in the basement and handcuffing him to an oil tank while she was at work.
Candelario, 33, of North Lebanon Township, has been charged with felony unlawful restraint and false imprisonment of a minor, in addition to misdemeanor child endangerment... Continue reading here ▶
This isn’t the first time Candelario has faced similar accusations; she was arrested in 2017 for related charges involving her children, as reported by the Lebanon Daily News.
The incident came to light on January 11, 2025, when police were alerted to a situation at a residence on East Kercher Avenue, where they found the boy handcuffed. According to the police, Candelario had secured him to the oil tank in the basement for discipline and control.
Upon arrival, police spoke with Candelario’s children, who showed them to a bedroom where they found the boy handcuffed to the top bunk of a bed. The boy explained to the officers that he had escaped from the basement but ended up accidentally handcuffing himself to the bed.
When contacted, Candelario instructed the police not to speak to her children until she returned. She later admitted to confining her son in a utility room and restraining him to the oil tank because she was unable to supervise him while at work. The boy reported being handcuffed for periods up to two hours.
In 2017, Candelario and her partner, John Zayas, were arrested on charges of child endangerment and drug-related offenses. Zayas also faced charges for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Despite these incidents, Candelario had actively posted photos of her children on Facebook, including a 2021 Halloween picture where one son was wearing fake handcuffs.
Currently, Candelario is being held on a $100,000 bail at the Lebanon County Correctional Facility, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for January 23.
