Police: Couple Laughed After Shaving Girl's Head, Forcing Her To Run In Diaper
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Fridley police say not only did Stephanie Broten and her boyfriend Darnell Landrum force Broten's 12-year-old daughter to run outside in a diaper in front of nearly 100 onlookers, but the two laughed about it in the back of the squad car while getting arrested.
"If your home isn't a safety net, where can your safety net be?" said neighbor Carl William Anderson.
Authorities said Broten and Landrum shaved the young girl's head and forced her to run up and down the hill six times on Monday night as punishment for poor grades.
"The parents believed this was appropriate discipline for their daughter to teach her to not get bad grades at school," said Lt. Michael Monsrud of Fridley.
Onlookers were shocked and disturbed by the incident.
"She had a tank top on with a Depends diaper on," said one witness.
"They shaved her head, she was just crying because her parents wouldn't let her in," said another young witness.
While this was happening, police said about 50 to 100 people came out of their buildings to watch. Two called police and a friend of the girl, De'Angelo Williams, took a picture on his cell phone to show police officers.
He's since deleted it, the reminder too hard.
"I hope they never get out for what they did," he said.
Police said the couple even seemed confused by the arrest. "They were in the back seat of the squad car laughing and joking with each other," said Monsrud.
"No child should be treated like that," said Williams.
Monsrud said the Anoka County Attorney is expected to charge Broten and Landrum on Wednesday morning.
Authorities said the 12-year-old girl and the three younger children found at Broten's apartment have all been placed into foster care.
