Authorities arrested two Tennessee men, Anthony Wiseman and Ernest Newbern, while they were attempting to remove two small children from a residence on Canyon Drive in Altamont, per a release by the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office. The detention of the two men was part of a larger investigation into a potential case involving the negligence of a child.
Authorities began investigating after receiving complaints about potential child neglect
According to the release, Grundy County investigators teamed up with officials of the Department of Child Safety to probe a possible case of negligence towards a child in the residence. As the investigation unfolded, horrifying allegations emerged, including a child being restrained to a bed using a restraint device. However, authorities faced significant resistance while trying to conduct the investigation.
A man “confronted” DCS officials outside the residence and he was later identified as Wiseman. He was armed during the encounter. The 68-year-old “refused to allow” authorities to proceed with the investigation. The press release noted that he eventually went inside the residence and locked the door with two children still inside.
One of the suspects disregarded the deputies’ commands
With the DCS investigation halted, law enforcement arrived on the scene. After the cops arrived at the address, Wiseman left the house. According to the release, he was still carrying a firearm and did not comply with commands. Ultimately, a TASER was used and while it was “minimally effective,” it allowed officers to take Wiseman into custody using hands-on techniques.
Following his arrest, the man was disarmed. The two children were safely removed from the house but there is no clear mention of whether they were actually restrained to the bed using a restraint device or not.
Authorities also arrested the children’s father
Authorities reportedly took the children’s father, Newbern, into custody. The 58-year-old lived in Florida. Wiseman was charged with resisting arrest, while Newbern was charged with child neglect. The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office notes that the children’s safety remains its top priority. Consequently, authorities placed North Elementary School on a “soft lockdown” as a precautionary measure until the matter was safely resolved…