Mom, stepdad, grandmother indicted in torture-abuse case of chained Alabama teen

PRATTVILLE, Ala. (WHNT/AP) -- The mother of a 13-year-old boy found naked and chained at an Alabama home has been indicted on a charge of aggravated child abuse, along with two other family members.

The Montgomery Advertiser reported Monday that the charges against the boy's mother, stepfather and grandmother were upgraded from torture/willful abuse of a child. Two uncles are accused of aiding and abetting the abuse.

Charged are Dannielle Nicole Martin, 32, the boy's mother; Joshua David Martin, 26, the boy's stepfather; Vickie Seale Higginbotham, 58, the boy's grandmother.

Autauga County Sheriff Joe Sedinger said an anonymous report in September led authorities to the family's home, where the boy was naked and chained to a door. The boy and his siblings, aged 3 and 12, were removed from the home.

The women remained jailed as of Monday. The stepfather previously posted bail and was free as of Monday. He's being tracked by an ankle monitor.