VENANGO CO., Pa. (EYT) — Preliminary hearings are scheduled for today for two Oil City residents who are accused of locking a minor child inside a room.

Court documents indicate 42-year-old Bryan Scott Nissly and 40-year-old Joyeal Angelina Sines are scheduled to stand for preliminary hearings in front of Magisterial District Judge Andrew F. Fish at 8:30 a.m. on August 4.

They each face the following charges:

– False Imprisonment of Minor/Parent, Felony 2
– Endangering Welfare of Children — Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense, Misdemeanor 1

Both defendants are currently free on $10,000.00 unsecured bail each.

Details of the case:

According to a criminal complaint, on January 27, Oil City Police and a delegate of Venango PICS Unit traveled to the residence of Bryan Scott Nissly and Joyeal Angelina Sines in Oil City to follow up regarding a reported incident of false imprisonment of a minor child.

Police then made contact with Sines and Nissly to discuss the report.

According to the complaint, when questioned, they both admitted to locking the minor victim inside a room of their residence. They reportedly stated they did so in an effort to stop the victim from “stealing” food during the night and/or when other people were not awake and/or present at the residence.

The complaint notes both defendants stated the victim was locked in the room during the nighttime hours. They both also reported the victim would be able to “yell” for help if they needed anything and the door could then be unlocked.

At the time of the questioning, police were informed the lock had been removed from the door after a prior visit from the PICS delegate.

According to the complaint, Nissly also told police they had built a wall for the purpose of not letting the victim go into the kitchen and/or pantry area to “steal” food.

While police and the delegate were at the residence, the delegate also spoke to another known minor child there.

The complaint states the known minor child told the delegate that on one occasion, Sines had left for work and Nissly was hunting and the known child was instructed to lock the victim inside the room. The child reported he/she had gone across the street to a playground area for a period of time, leaving the victim locked in the room without anyone else present in the residence.

Sines was arraigned in front of Judge Fish at 10:30 a.m. on July 15 and Nissly was arraigned in front of Judge Fish at 9:45 a.m. on July 20.