A 35-year-old South Carolina man has been arrested for allegedly holding four “vulnerable adults” captive in his basement for up to 10 years and misappropriating their funds, NBC reported. Donnie Ray Birchfield Jr. was arrested by police officials on August 1 after reached a home following a report of an unattended death in July. The deceased victim, described as a “vulnerable adult,” reportedly died while in Birchfield’s custody. When authorities arrived at the man’s residence, they discovered three other individuals kept captive. Online jail records and police documents show Birchfield is charged with four counts of exploitation of a vulnerable adult, four counts of false imprisonment, two counts of abuse of a vulnerable adult, two counts of domestic violence, and several financial-related charges. He is being held on a $150,000 bond. Authorities allege that Birchfield withheld bank cards and account information from the adults, using the funds for "purchase services for himself." Warrants reported by NBC, citing report by The Post and Courier newspaper of Charleston indicate that he allegedly controlled the adults’ daily activities, including when they could eat or use the bathroom, restricted their access to cellphones, and denied them adequate food and medical care. One woman, reportedly held alongside her husband, died in the basement, with police citing evidence of physical abuse. Two other are said to have been in a romantic relationship with Birchfield, with one reportedly residing in the home since 2015. Authorities are continuing to investigate the duration of the victims’ confinement and how the abuse remained undetected. An attorney for Birchfield did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
