Father locks son in box for 8 weeks

A father locked his 21-year-old son in a tiny wooden BOX — as punishment for stealing chickens.

In the basement of his home in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Johan Knelsen lived in the 10ft-by-6ft filing cabinet-style cage for eight weeks before police arrived.

His father, David Knelsen, a Canadian, told authorities his son was mentally ill and needed punishing for taking three chickens.

Local media reported Johan was also in his father's bad books for using a phone.

The family is part of a certain Mennonite denomination which strictly interprets the Bible and shuns the use of technology.

When Johan was released from the box, police found it crammed with pillows and urine-filled bottles.

Johan said: "I went out, and when I came back they were angry with me here at home. Some people tied me up and put me in here, eight weeks ago.

"I ate and slept here. I did everything here. I ate and drank water and washed here."

The prosecution lawyer handling the case said locking someone up like that was against the law.

Ever Merida added: "It is not permitted that a boy is physically and psychologically tortured inside a jail. It is in total violation of Bolivian law."

Under orders from police, Johan's father opened the box and helped the young man to his feet.

There are dozens of Mennonite settlements in the rich lowlands of eastern Bolivia.

In 2009, eight men from a Mennonite community where arrested in Bolivia and accused of raping at least 60 women in their farming settlement.