Texas woman jailed for locking 7-year-old in a dog cage under Christmas tree

A Texas woman has been arrested for allegedly tying up a young girl and locking her inside a dog cage underneath a Christmas tree for hours on end. 

Rose Anderson, a 55-year-old single mother, was taken into custody accused of restraining the seven-year-old with zip ties, duct-taping her mouth, kicking and beating her while she was locked inside. 

The alleged incident took place at the accused's apartment near Old Spanish Train off of Dixie Drive in Houston around December 13. 

According to court documents, Anderson allegedly left the girl without food, water or a bathroom - forcing her to urinate on herself. 

Anderson was charged with unlawful restraint as well as injury to a child. 

During her initial hearing, prosecutors claimed that her motive was to 'discipline' the seven-year-old 'for her behavior at school.'

Anderson posted her $10,000 bond after the hearing and was released from Harris County Jail. 

Melissa Lanford, a Texas Department of Family Services spokesperson, confirmed that an investigation is ongoing into the situation. She said the young girl is now in foster care. 

'CPS is investigating these abuse allegations alongside law enforcement. The child is now safe in foster care, where she is receiving the care she needs,' she told ABC13. 

According to the Harris County DA's office, officials found out about the incident after an 'electronic tip'. 

Neighbor Lonnie Hatchet was shocked after learning of the allegations and told the New York Post: 'It was strange to me. What happened to time out? Take away one of the Christmas gifts, but not the dog cage - come on!' 

Anderson's next court appearance is scheduled for January 6. It remains unclear how she and the girl are known to one another. 

This comes months after a Pennsylvania couple were hit with multiple charges relating to the torture of their six-year-old daughter. They were accused of locking her in a dog crate at night.

Jacob William Weight Sr., 37, and Mimi Ann Frost, 33, were charged in Fayette County with aggravated assault, corruption of minors, strangulation, endangering the welfare of children and several other counts.

The investigation began on February 6 when troopers were sent to the couple's Brownsville Borough home after the child fell unresponsive, Pennsylvania State Police said.

When they arrived they found the home in 'deplorable condition,' littered with dog feces, trash and urine.

Footage from inside the house of horrors shows a large black dog crate in the living room with blankets and debris strewn across the floor.

Weight called 911 after the six-year-old suffered an apparent seizure when one of the other children living in the home tried to bathe her.

The children told officials that the girl had been locked in a dog crate and beaten with a broom.

'For lack of a better way to put it, she had been tortured in that house,' Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele told KDKA.

He said Weight didn't allow first responders inside and led the six-year-old out himself.

The little girl's body was covered in open sores and she was believed to be septic.

Of the six children living in the home, only the six-year-old was targeted, officials said. Four of the others were the couple's children and one was a nephew.

The nephew told police that Frost would zip-tie the little girl's hands and feet and refused to wash her. Another child said the couple wanted the six-year-old to eat her own waste.