Waukegan man charged with locking daughter in basement appeals bond hearing
A Waukegan man accused of locking his 10-year-old daughter in a basement because he claimed she was demonically possessed has appealed a previous bond hearing to a higher court.
Randy Swopes, 48, remains held in Lake County jail on $750,000 bail on charges of child endangerment and unlawful restraint, but asked Judge Christopher Stride to hold a new hearing Tuesday to release him on a $25,000 signature bond.
"It's impossible to fight this thing (the charges) from the inside," Swopes said.
Stride denied the request because he told Swopes they were in court to hold a mental fitness hearing. However, Stride allowed Swopes to appeal the previous bond hearing to the Illinois appellate court.
Swopes and his wife, Katherine, 49, were charged July 17 after police officers discovered their 10-year-old daughter was forced to live in the basement of a single-family house on the 200 block of Liberty Street, authorities said.
The Swopes told investigators they locked up the girl because they believed she was "possessed by a demon," police said.
Authorities said the child has had little interaction with humans, only limited access to the outside, and was forced to shower using a bucket.
Questions about Randy Swopes' mental fitness surfaced after he ranted to Judge Mark Levitt in court that specific Lake County judges and lawyers were part of rituals that involve drinking blood and sexually assaulting children. Swopes, who originally served as his own attorney, also admitted in previous hearings he had spent time in a psychiatric health facility.
After questioning whether Swopes was fit to understand court proceedings, Levitt sent the case to mental health court in front of Stride. A public defender was appointed to represent Swopes.
The mental health hearing due to take place Tuesday was delayed to Oct. 2 for a status hearing while awaiting Swopes' mental health report.
Katherine Swopes has been released from jail on a $25,000 signature bond. She remains on 24-hour curfew, is prohibited from having drugs or alcohol and is not allowed to have contact with her husband, the victim or her three other children, ages 7, 13 and 15.