Fayette County man accused of imprisoning five children

WESTGATE, Iowa - Five children have been removed from a Fayette County home after it was discovered they were locked in a room without food for hours at a time.

According to the Fayette County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to 220 Olive St. in Westgate at 9 a.m. Sept. 19 for a report of a man and woman yelling. Responding deputies heard yelling coming from inside the residence and saw several children crying.

After the deputies entered the residence, they learned the five children, whose ages ranged from 3 to 9 years old, had been locked in a bedroom. Police said their mother's boyfriend, 28-year-old Joshua R. Steinbronn, had locked the children in the bedroom for several hours and denied them food or access to a restroom. Police said Steinbronn did this on several occasions in the past and kept them locked up for more than 24 hours at a time.

The children told deputies they had to urinate on cups or on the floor due to being locked up for so long.

While police said they don't know what role the mother played in her children's confinement, the Department of Human Services were called and removed the children from the home. Police said the mother is under investigation.

Deputies searched the residence and found drug paraphernalia as well.

Steinbronn was arrested and faces five counts of false imprisonment, a serious misdemeanor; five counts of child endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor. All told, Steinbronn could face up to 15 years in prison. Steinbronn, who was released from custody on Sept. 10 after posting bond, has been ordered not have any contact with the children.

Police said two people who were renting a room at the residence, Megan E. Owens, 22; and Traeton D. Wilharm, 20; were also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

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