Mother arrested after 'worst case' of child abuse officials have ever seen

12-year-old boy found to weigh just 30lbs, the average weight of healthy 3-year-old

Brandy Jaynes, 36, allegedly locked her son in an upstairs bathroom for two years (Washington County Sherriff's Department)

A mother has been accused of imprisoning and starving her 12-year-old son in what one seasoned investigator called “one of the most heinous cases” of child abuse they had ever seen.

Brandy Jaynes, 36, was arrested after officers found the boy locked in the bathroom of his home Toquerville, Utah.

He had been there for up to two-years Lieutenant David Crause of Washington County Sheriff's Office told local media, adding that the boy had been found the boy lying on the floor with a blanket in the dark. Two padlocks were found on the door.

“It’s probably one of the most heinous cases I’ve ever seen in my career,” Lt David Crause told Good4Utah. “As the facts of this come out, it was truly like a torture chamber.”

The victim was rescued by his father, who took him to a local medical centre and demanded that officers obtain a search warrant to examine the property.

The boy was found weighed just 30lbs - the average weight of a healthy 3-year-old child.

Investigators said he was so emaciated he looked like a victim of a Holocaust concentration camp.

Ms Jaynes’ two other children were taken into care in a healthy condition.

Investigators found empty bean cans and a baby monitor taped to the shower ledge, which the mother allegedly used to watch her captive son from other parts of the house.

Neighbour John Hammer, who had previously driven the boy’s two siblings home from the bus stop, said he had only ever seen two children at the property.

"I had no idea there was ever a third child," he told Good4Utah. "But if he was locked up for who knows how long, nobody around here, I'm sure, ever knew.”

Jaynes, 36, was arrested for felony aggravated child abuse.

Investigators said she had admitted to locking her son up “for safety” and told police he wanted to sleep in the bathroom.

The boy is expected to remain in hospital for the next three weeks.