LEONARDTOWN, Md. – On Monday, July 20, 2026, deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 20000 block of Roh Ranch Lane in Callaway for a report of child abuse after a caller stated that a child was being held in a closet.
When deputies arrived, they were given consent to enter the residence and located a closet door secured by a bungee cord. Inside the closet, they found a 4-year-old child. The child was taken for medical evaluation.
A search warrant for the residence was subsequently obtained and served. During the search, deputies reported the closet was in deplorable condition, with no working light, and they did not observe any edible food inside the closet.
As the investigation continued, deputies determined that three adults and five children lived in the home. The four other children in the home did not require medical attention.
The child’s mother, Kaylynn Nicole Moore, 28, told deputies the child was left in the closet daily for approximately 12 hours.
Moore’s boyfriend, James Earl Stone, 27, who also lived in the home, admitted to using the bungee cord to secure the closet door.
As a result of the investigation, Moore and Stone were charged with child abuse and seven counts of child neglect. They were transported to the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown to await bond hearings.
