Blue Says Daughter Overweight, Sneaking Food
POSTED: 10:12 pm PST January 20, 2009
UPDATED: 10:30 pm PST January 20, 2009
LAS VEGAS -- A Valley father allegedly chained his daughter to her bed. Police said Robert Blue shackled his daughter because he felt she was overweight.
Blue was in custody Tuesday night at the Clark County Detention Center.
On and off for two days, Blue's 15-year-old daughter was chained to her bed. She was found beaten and in tears -- all because Blue thought she was overweight, according to a police report.
Blue, 53, was also arrested for beating his daughter with a wooden stick and kicking her, police said.
In the arrest report, Blue told police his daughter was chained to her bed to keep her out of the kitchen and from over-eating.
Neighbor Alicaer Fletes said he feels badly for the teenager. He said he didn't know about the alleged abuse.
Blue said he was upset because his daughter weighs around 165 pounds, and Blue wanted her to weigh between 140 and 145 pounds, explaining that was her fighting weight in mixed martial arts.
"They'd have to be pretty sick, demented, mean and horrible," said neighbor Kimberly Bissell.
Police said Blue had been chaining his daughter to the bed with a padlock and chain since Jan. 12, when he said he found pea and corn containers in her room. He said she had found a way around the chains on the pantry and refrigerator over the past month.
Blue also stated he didn't think he had committed a crime and that he was acting in his daughter's best interest.
Police said a counselor at the 15-year-old's school claimed the girl was chained up.
Blue was charged with false imprisonment, child endangerment and child abuse.
