Woman Who Locked Her 14-year-old Adopted Son In A Box As Punishment Cried When She Found Out She Wouldn't Go To Jail

A woman who was accused of confining her adopted 14-year-old son in a small box as a form of punishment will not face jail time.

Tracy Ferriter, aged 48, entered guilty pleas to charges including third-degree child neglect, third-degree felony imprisonment, and first-degree aggravated child abuse.

According to Atlanta Black Star, Tracy admitted that she and her husband, Timothy, confined their adopted son in an eight-foot-by-eight-foot box as a disciplinary action.

They justified this severe measure as necessary due to the boy's behavior, which included lying, threatening classmates, stealing valuables, and attacking relatives. 

Tracy Ferriter pleaded guilty to the charges. Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office

The couple from Florida adopted the child when he was just a toddler and disclosed that he suffered from ADHD and Reactive Attachment Disorder, a condition that complicates a child's ability to form emotional bonds.

Following her guilty plea this Monday, Circuit Judge Howard Coates sentenced Ferriter to 10 years of probation and a year of house arrest, thus she will avoid jail.

Additionally, she was ordered to meet several other conditions: she must pay a $2,000 fine, undergo a mental health evaluation, complete 300 hours of community service, and she is prohibited from any contact with the victim, who is now in foster care.

After the court session, an emotional Ferriter spoke at a press conference, expressing, "We were living a life that's not what is portrayed in the media."

She insisted they were a 'loving family,' adding, "There was a lot of things that nobody knew. We were a completely loving family. 

"I love my kids. We just tried to do the best that we could with what we had."

The situation escalated to legal action when Ferriter and her husband were arrested in February 2022 after the child ran away from home.

He reportedly told the police he ran away 'because I feel like nobody loves me.' Shortly after his statement, the couple was taken into custody by Jupiter Police.

Timothy Ferriter faced similar charges last year and received a sentence of five years in prison, followed by five years of probation. 

Tracy's own legal proceedings were delayed as she searched for legal representation.

During the investigation, authorities uncovered thousands of videos on the home's Ring camera that documented the abuse, as stated in the arrest report.

Ferriter became tearful in a press conference after the hearing. WPTV

An affidavit described the severity of the discipline, noting:

"[The victim] stated the spankings would take place in his bedroom and he would be naked bent over his bed.

"[The victim] stated he could recall one spanking was so painful he fell off his bed in pain."