Court charges man in chaining of nephew

SOUTH SALT LAKE — A man accused of chaining his mentally disabled nephew to a couch while he went to work has been charged in 3rd District Court.

Tai Ngo, 42, was charged with one count of abuse or neglect of a disabled child, a third-degree felony.

On Oct. 13, a maintenance worker went to an apartment, 3687 S. West Temple, and "observed a child chained to the couch with both his wrists and one ankle bound," according to the charges.

The man called police and officers discovered that while Ngo went to work during the day, he dropped off the 14-year-old boy, who had a severely diminished mental capacity, with the boy's elderly grandmother, who was unable herself to care for the child, court documents state.

When police arrived, the boy was still tied to the couch by his ankle.

When questioned by investigators, Ngo told them "the purpose of 'tying down' (the boy) was to prevent him from wandering," the charges state.

When he was arrested, police reported finding a second 6-foot rope with a chain on the end that Ngo used to tether the boy in his own residence.

There was also a room in his house with nothing inside where Ngo would lock the boy for extended periods of time, according to Salt Lake County Jail documents.

The boy, who is reportedly "non-verbal," and his 12-year-old brother, who is not handicapped, were taken into state protective custody, according to police. The boys' mother is unable to care for the children and their father left some time ago.

— Pat Reavy