Child Imprisoned: Father Appears in Court

By Lindy Thackston First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- As undercover agents pace the back of a 2-story Mandarin home, investigators say a little boy inside is tasting freedom for the first time.

First Coast News has exclusive video of investigators and crime scene technicians collecting evidence at the home all day Wednesday.

"It appears that the Piercy home was a prison and the child has never attended school, has no friends, and does not receive medical attention," said Lt. Annie Smith, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit.

As the boy's father, 41-year-old Randall Piercy, was being walked to jail, he said, "I'm being wrongly accused."

Investigators accuse him of holding his 9-year-old son prisoner, controlling his every move from outside the boy's bedroom.

Piercy appeared in court Thursday morning. The judge set his bond at $1 million.

Investigators say he controlled the lights, bathroom breaks, when the boy ate, and when his television turned on and off.

Piercy's arrest report says a real estate investor called police after touring the property, which is for sale.

The tipster feared child pornography was being produced in the home.

A detective then went to the home undercover as a possible investor.

That's when the detective reportedly saw the boy in his room with a dead bolt on the door and cameras in virtually every room.

The report says there was a large TV monitor by the father's bed displaying an image of the child's bedroom.

Mr. Piercy says, "Nothing's going on with cameras, I'm not doing anything with cameras."

Piercy says he's a loving parent, who home-schools his son, and he only wants the best for him.

"This is totally unfair," said Piercy. "I'm a very, very, very loving father."

The arrest report says the boy's mother, who also lives in the home, claims she could only see her son with her husband's permission, and usually only an hour a day.

Investigators say the little boy was ecstatic to see police.

"He said to our child protection team interviewer, "I have to pinch myself. Days like this only come along once in a lifetime," said Lt. Smith.

Piercy faces a felony charge of aggravated child abuse by torturing, maliciously punishing, and unlawfully caging a child.

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