Boy chained up by principal mother who is charged with torture

The boy, named Stas, was sitting on the floor, blindfolded, with his arms and legs tied up. Photo / Supplied

A Ukraine foster mother is charged with child abuse of her 8-year-old son after allegedly chaining him up and sealing his mouth with duct tape at home.

School principal Anna Zhitnik, 56, was arrested after police raided her home in Dnipro, central Ukraine.

When officers responded to a neighbours' tip-off, they found Zhitnik's adoptive son chained to an armchair, the Daily Mail reported.

Stas was allegedly tied up for hours on end. Photo / Supplied

The boy was reportedly sitting on the floor, blindfolded, with his arms and legs tied up. His mouth was sealed with duct tape, police said.

The boy was wearing a handmade collar which was attached to a metal chain fixed to an armchair.

He was taken to hospital for medical examinations.

Zhitnik was at the school when police arrested her.

Zhitnik, who has adopted four children in her care, had been considered a good parent by shocked neighbours.

Tatiana, a woman who lived next door, said to media: "The kids showed us a picture of Stas taken on their mobile phone.

"His wrists and lower legs were tied up with duct tape.

Anna Zhitnik was charged with child abuse, torture, unlawful deprivation of liberty and parental neglect. Photo / Supplied

A police officer visiting Stas (right), his adoptive six-year-old sister Angelina (centre) and their adoptive brother Yaroslav (left) at the facility for rehabilitation. Photo / Supplied

"The kids said their mother kept Stas constantly chained up as a punishment for speaking loudly. We called the police."

Maria Atroshkina, a psychologist who is working with the children said: "These children were regularly abused by their foster mother.

"She used coarse language to insult them and chained them up for 'hopping around and touching her things'.

"The mother also had a 'special stick' to beat them up.

"The kids are very attached to each other. They constantly hug and kiss each other. They are very affectionate.

"None of them wants to reunite with the mother. They are afraid of her."

School principal Anna Zhitnik in court. Photo / Supplied

Zhitnik was charged with child abuse, torture, unlawful deprivation of liberty and parental neglect. She was put under house arrest for two months and faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.

Prosecutor Andriy Krasikov said: "The suspect's 13-year-old daughter Mira witnessed tortures and testified that it was her mother who chained the boy to the armchair.

"According to her, Zhitnik chained Stas up every day before going to work.

"The boy's body is covered with bruises inflicted by Zhitnik, according to him and the witness."

It is believed Zhitnik adopted the children to receive child support funding.

Zhitnik has denied the charges.