Woman who locked a child in basement wants to visit children

WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP) - A suburban Chicago woman who, with her husband, is accused of confining a daughter to their basement is seeking visitation rights to their children.

Katherine Swopes is currently confined to her Waukegan home with a no-contact order regarding her children.

The 49-year-old Swopes and her husband, Randy, is charged with child endangerment and unlawful restraint for keeping their 10-year-old daughter in a basement room for months. They claim they believed she was possessed by a demon.

After the Swopes' arrest, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services took their four minor children into protective custody. The daughter found in the basement was hospitalized and then placed in foster care.

During a Wednesday hearing, Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti postponed the visitation issue until at least Dec. 5. Rossetti said she wanted to see if there were any developments in upcoming juvenile proceedings involving the children.