WILKES-BARRE — Two women pleaded not guilty to charges they physically abused and withheld food from a malnourished 12-year-old girl who was constrained to a bed inside their Exeter residence in Birchwood Estates.
Stacey Ann Louder, 52, and Amanda Lynn Gregorio, 33, were arrested by detectives with the Luzerne County district attorney’s office and Wyoming Area Regional Police in April on allegations they used restraints to keep the girl in bed for nearly two months, according to court records.
A camera was placed in the bedroom to monitor the girl as she was restrained in bed.
Images from the camera showed the girl was constrained by straps at her hands, chest, legs and feet, court records say.
Detectives in court records say the girl was given cat food to eat.
The girl was taken into protective custody by Luzerne County Children, Youth and Family Services.
A medical evaluation at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, revealed the girl had bruises on her body, and was emaciated and malnourished, court records say.
Louder and Gregorio are facing charges of aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, simple assault, reckless endangerment and criminal conspiracy offenses.
During separate court proceedings before Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas, Louder and Gregorio pled not guilty to the charges.
Lupas scheduled their trial for Oct. 20.
Louder and Gregorio remain jailed at the county correctional facility for lack of $125,000 bail, respectively.
Lupas recently denied a request to lower or modify Louder’s bail.