A 13-year-old child has been physically abused by his adopted parents and forced to live in a small garage for years, Florida police say, Newsweek reports. 

The police said on February 8 that Tracy and Timothy Feriter had been arrested on charges of severe child abuse.

Police found that an 8-by-8-foot structure in the garage of the couple's home had been used to lock up the young man.

The alleged abuse was revealed after police visited the house late last month to investigate a report claiming the child had escaped. 

Police did not say whether the child was a boy or a girl.