A woman who confessed to chaining her 11-year-old son to a fuel tank for 17 hours provided a disturbing reason for the cruel punishment. Chazzity Candelario faced serious charges of unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of children. She entered a no contest plea in November and was recently sentenced to 16 months to five years in prison. Candelario, 33 at the time of her arrest, claimed she struggled to control her children while she was at work, leading her to resort to chaining one of them for extended periods.
On a specific occasion, Candelario, from North Lebanon Township, Pennsylvania, confined her son for 17 hours as a consequence of “overeating hot dogs.” Lebanon County Regional Police responded to a call on January 11, 2025, about a boy restrained with handcuffs at Candelario’s residence. Authorities found that the boy had been handcuffed to an oil tank in the basement by his mother.
When questioned by the police, Candelario instructed them not to talk to her children until she arrived home. She explained that managing her son while working was challenging, leading her to confine him in a small utility room where he was shackled to the oil tank. The child revealed that he was frequently restrained for long periods while his mother was away, sometimes tied to a post.
In a prior incident in 2017, Candelario faced legal issues related to child endangerment, marijuana possession, and possession of drug paraphernalia involving her children. Family photos posted on Facebook by Candelario depicted her son, Zayas, who was occasionally seen in handcuffs, as shown in Halloween photos from 2021.
During her sentencing, Candelario chose not to speak, while her attorney expressed her remorse. The District Attorney emphasized that a mother’s primary duty is to care for and protect her children, which Candelario failed to do. Judge Charles Jones criticized Candelario’s actions, stating that such treatment should never have occurred and urging her to make amends to her children for the harm inflicted.