The father of a Detroit boy who disappeared for 11 days, only to be found hiding in his own basement, was a good dad who made his kids exercise to control their weight because diabetes runs in the family, says his adult daughter. Cherrelle Bothuell, the sister of 12-year-old Charlie Bothuell, told NBC station WDIV of Detroit that her father is being unfairly depicted. "My father would never do anything to hurt his kids. He just wants the best for us,” she told WDIV.
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According to documents released Saturday, Charlie told investigators that his father, Charles Bothuell IV, drove a PVC pipe into his chest. He also said that his stepmother told him to hide in the basement during the time he was missing. WDIV reported earlier that the boy may have feared punishment when he interrupted a strict exercise routine imposed by his father. "He made me run a mile every morning," Cherrelle Bothuell said. "But I lost weight, I was happy, I was healthy."
In Depth
Stepmother of Missing Boy Released from Jail
Boy Found in Basement Said Father Abuse Him with PVC Pipe
Missing Boy Charlie Bothuell's Dad Didn't Abuse Him: Lawyer
