Nine-Year-Old Girl Chained in a Basement by Family Friend Drank from a Puddle to Survive

Victor Nwoko
May 1
2 min read

Inset: David Boyd (Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Chains hanging from the basement of David Boyd’s Milwaukee home, according to police

A 64-year-old Milwaukee man, David Boyd, has been formally charged with the prolonged sexual abuse, physical torture, and trafficking of two sisters over several years, according to a criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County on April 26.

Both girls drew diagrams of the basement where they claimed Boyd kept them during the abuse

The victims, who lived with a family friend Boyd was dating, accused him of repeated sexual assaults and extreme physical abuse. One of the girls told investigators she was chained in the basement of Boyd’s home, secured by metal chains fixed to wooden ceiling panels. She reported being sexually violated "too many times to count" and described being forced to survive on nothing but bread and water from a puddle nearby, as Boyd refused to provide proper food or hydration.

Photos of the chains (left), the bread (top right) and the basement where two girls were allegedly kept (bottom right) were included in the criminal complaint

The complaint details how Boyd routinely cut the girl's arms and genital area with a knife as a form of punishment or when angry. She recalled being 8 or 9 years old at the time, dating the incidents by referencing a Barbie pajama set she received for her birthday. The victim also drew a picture for investigators depicting her confinement and abuse in Boyd’s basement.

Further allegations include sexual trafficking. One of the sisters stated that Boyd forced her to have sex with at least six men in exchange for money. She claimed he began trafficking her sister before turning his attention to her. The other sister said the abuse began in 2015, when she was 5, and lasted until she was 12.

Chilling photos and graphic details of David Boyd’s alleged crimes were revealed in a complaint as told by one of the girls he allegedly abused for girls, which included chaining her on a hook in his basement

Boyd was arrested on April 21 and faces multiple charges: five counts of repeated sexual assault of a child, two counts of physical abuse of a child with a dangerous weapon, three counts of trafficking of a child, and four counts of false imprisonment. He is currently being held on a $100,000 bond following his initial court appearance on April 27. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 7.