EL PASO, TX — A Texas couple is facing criminal charges after authorities say their 15-year-old adopted son reported being locked in his bedroom almost continuously for the past decade, with only brief breaks to eat dinner.

Richard Ramirez, 51, and his wife Nora, 52, were arrested last week and charged with unlawful restraint of a child under 17 following an investigation by El Paso Police. Both have since been released on $100,000 bond each.

Police responded to a welfare call on June 11 after receiving information that a child was being isolated and neglected at a residence on Tierra Mar Way in El Paso. Officers who arrived at the homemade contact with the teen, who described being locked in his room for prolonged periods since the age of five. According to the boy, he was allowed out only long enough to have dinner before being confined again and had to use restroom facilities inside his bedroom.

Investigators have not disclosed if the bedroom had a proper bathroom, and authorities have not responded to further questions regarding the conditions.

Given the severity of the allegations, the El Paso Police Department referred the case to its Crimes Against Children Unit, which led to the arrest of both parents.

Jail records indicate that both Richard and Nora Ramirez spent one night in the El Paso County Detention Facility before posting bond. It remains unclear if either has secured legal representation.

Richard Ramirez is reportedly an employee of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, though officials have not specified his position with the agency. The sheriff’s office stated that Ramirez was immediately placed on administrative leave once the allegations surfaced and confirmed that he submitted his resignation at the start of the week.

The investigation remains active as authorities work to determine the exact circumstances of the boy’s confinement and whether additional charges may be warranted. Child protective services are also reportedly involved in the ongoing case.

No further information regarding the boy’s current condition or placement has been released. The Ramirez couple is expected to appear in court to respond to the charges in the coming weeks.