LUMPKIN COUNTY Ga. – Four adults were taken into custody following the discovery of a young child being unlawfully restrained inside a Lumpkin County residence, authorities said.

According to the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were conducting a follow-up investigation on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, related to a reported runaway juvenile when they uncovered a separate incident at a home on Iberian Road. During the investigation, deputies found a 5-year-old boy who was being restrained in a manner not permitted under Georgia law.

Following an initial on-scene investigation, four adults who resided at the home were taken into custody. Authorities said the individuals were arrested due to their knowledge of the conditions under which the child was being restrained. Specific charges have not yet been released.

Sheriff Stacy Jarrard expressed appreciation for the agencies that assisted during the response and subsequent investigation. In addition to the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office, personnel from the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services, Lumpkin County Fire and EMS, and Dawson County Fire and EMS responded to the scene.

Officials said the investigation remains active, and additional information may be released as it becomes available.