Girl allegedly wore shock collar for dogs

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BUTLER, Ga., July 12 (UPI) -- Police say a Georgia couple whose adopted daughter wore a dog shock collar around her neck has been arrested on child abuse and false imprisonment charges.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents said the 15-year-old girl had told authorities the shock collar had been used on her several times, WTVM-TV, Columbus, Ga., reported.

The station said a remote key fob was used to shock the girl.

WTVM said the girl also allegedly had sometimes been kept in a chicken coop in Taylor County, Ga., but a report by the station did not provide details.

The adoptive parents, Diana and Samuel Franklin, were arrested Tuesday morning at their Butler home, authorities said.

Diana Franklin was charged with 12 counts of cruelty to children and four counts of false imprisonment, and Samuel Franklin was charged with eight counts of cruelty to children and eight counts of false imprisonment.

WTVM quoted a neighbor as saying Diana Franklin would often punish her daughter for not doing chores and not working the "right way."

The neighbor, who was not identified, said as punishment, Diana Franklin would sometimes feed her daughter only bread and water for days.

The girl was taken into temporary custody by the Department of Family and Child Services weeks before her parents' arrests, WTVM said.

A juvenile court custody hearing for the daughter was scheduled for Thursday.