Mentally handicapped woman faced abuse

PENSACOLA, Fla. (WALA) - Three people are in jail charged with aggravated abuse of a disabled adult.

Escambia County Sheriff's Deputies arrested Rondal Hale, 59, his wife DeeAnn Hale, 58, and Clinton Carr, 53, on Saturday after finding a mentally handicapped woman handcuffed in the Hales' backyard.

Deputies said the three handcuffed a 21-year-old mentally handicapped woman who lived with the Hales and placed a 40-pound sandwich style sign around her neck.

The sign, which read "I am a theif and a liar" on one side and "I well not" on the other, left the chains that were holding them up slightly embedded in the victim's neck. The deputies said the suspect had been made to walk around the backyard with the sign on.

As deputies spoke to the victim they also noticed ligature marks around her neck where she told them a rope had been tied earlier.

Deputies said they also saw a four-inch gash on the back of her head where, the victim said, one of the suspects had hit her in the head with a bucket two days prior. The wound had super glue in it where the suspects had attempted to close it, as well as thread where they'd tried to sew it shut.

Two suspects were arrested on the scene and the third, who was at church, was contacted and told to come home. The aggravated abuse charge is a felony and deputies said they could face more.

The victim was transported to the hospital and will be put in custody of the Department of Child and Families.