Bungee Cord, Filth And 12-Hour Confinement: Court Records Detail Callaway Child Abuse Case

CALLAWAY, Md. — Newly obtained court documents provide a more detailed account of the conditions inside a Callaway home where deputies allegedly found a 4-year-old child unclothed and confined in a bedroom closet secured with a bungee cord.

Kaylynn Nicole Moore, 28, and James Earl Stone, 27, both of Callaway, each were charged with one felony count of second-degree child abuse and seven counts of neglect of a minor.

The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office previously reported that deputies responded July 20, 2026, to the 20000 block of Roh Ranch Street after receiving information that a child was being kept inside a closet.

According to the statement of probable cause, deputies received permission to enter the home and went to a bedroom at the end of a hallway.

Investigators reported finding a closet door secured with a bungee cord tied to a bed. After removing the cord, deputies allegedly found the child unclothed and lying among trash and debris inside the closet.

Charging documents state Moore described the child as having special needs but was reportedly unable to provide investigators with a specific diagnosis.

Moore allegedly told deputies the child had been confined in the closet for approximately one year. She reportedly stated the child remained there overnight and was released during the day after knocking on the door or calling for someone.

According to court documents, Moore explained that the closet doorknob did not properly secure the door, prompting Stone to use a bungee cord to hold it shut.

Stone allegedly admitted placing the child in the closet and using the bungee cord but reportedly claimed the practice had continued for no more than three months.

He described the child as developmentally delayed and alleged the child could manipulate the closet latch, according to the documents.

Investigators reported that Moore acknowledged the child was left in the closet for approximately 12 hours each day.

Moore allegedly called the home “so hazardous” and reported rats, mouse feces and roaches throughout the residence.

Stone similarly described mouse feces and insects inside the home. He also reportedly told investigators that two dogs tore apart diapers throughout the house.

Deputies later obtained and executed a search warrant for the residence.

Inside the closet, investigators allegedly found walls painted black and a floor covered with refuse, food wrappers, dirty diapers and feces. The amount of debris prevented deputies from seeing the floor, according to charging documents.

A light was present but did not appear to be working. Investigators also reported finding a television attached to the wall that appeared to have been left on continuously.

Deputies did not observe edible food or water inside the closet.

Court documents further describe exposed wiring and a broken window in another bedroom used by children.

Three adults and multiple children reportedly lived inside the residence. Each defendant faces seven separate neglect counts in addition to the child abuse charge.

At separate bail review hearings July 21, Judge Karen Friedman ordered both defendants released on their own recognizance.

Moore’s preliminary hearing, initially scheduled for Aug. 10, was reset for Aug. 18, 2026, before Judge Karen Christy Holt Chesser.

Stone’s preliminary hearing, initially scheduled for Aug. 4, also was reset for Aug. 18 in St. Mary’s County District Court.

Previous BayNet Coverage

Before the charges were filed, Moore and Stone had appeared in several BayNet community stories, including coverage of their child being the first baby born at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital in 2026, a miniature Jesus figure project.

Moore was also featured twice for her “Broken But Beautiful” photography project, including a May 2026 story about her hope of sharing the project with Steve Harvey.

---