South Carolina, Sep 23: A 35-year-old man has been arrested after authorities discovered he was holding four vulnerable adults captive in the basement of his home, controlling their lives for over a decade, and exploiting them financially.

The terrifying plot came to light after the suspicious death of one of the victims.

According to a report by The New York Post, the investigation was launched when police responded to the accused’s Lancaster residence on July 25 regarding an unreported death.

The deceased woman, who had been under the accused’s sole care along with her husband, was found to have suffered from prolonged physical violence and medical neglect. An investigation was immediately initiated.

Upon arriving at the scene, officers discovered three other individuals still being held captive. The victims identified as two women who had been in relationship with the accused and the husband of the deceased woman. One woman had reportedly lived at the property since 2015, while another had been there since September 2024.

Authorities allege that the accused dictated their most basic functions, including when they could eat, sleep, or use the bathroom, and completely isolated them from the outside world.

The person is accused of plundering the victims' finances. The indictment alleges he used approximately $12,000 from the married couple's bank account in just the last eight months to pay his personal bills, alongside using their money to make transactions of thousands of dollars at Walmart.

According to Lancaster County Detention Centre, the accused, Donnie Ray Birchfield Jr. was detained on August 1 and charged with a list of offences including false imprisonment, domestic violence, exploitation of a vulnerable adult, and financial fraud. He is currently being held on a $150,000 bond.

Law enforcement officials are working to determine the exact duration of the captivity and how the abuse went unnoticed for so long.

Neighbours expressed horror at the allegations. "He's a sick person to do something like that," one man told The NY Post. The authorities await further pathology and medical test results, which could lead to additional charges.

Written By: Saijyoti Banita Priyadarshini

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