A West Virginia man, Peter Lizon, was arrested for allegedly making his wife his slave for the last 10 years.
Police say the woman, Stephanie, was essentially held hostage by being kept in chains and abused for years. She finally escaped last month when Lizon took her for a trip to town to return some rented farm equipment. While he was in the store, she ran from the car and hid in a nearby Zumba dance studio until someone took her to a local domestic violence shelter where one person described her as "filthy and gaunt."
Shockingly, it wasn't Stephanie who told investigators about her horrific story. Another woman staying at the crisis center filed a criminal complaint claiming that she met a woman who was brutally beaten by her husband. And what police heard left them stunned.
Lizon allegedly called his wife "slave" and made her kneel before him when he entered a room. The woman also said Stephanie suffered a miscarriage after he hit her in the stomach and then gave birth to a stillborn baby that was buried somewhere on their farm. The report also said she gave birth to another baby a year ago while chained and neither had ever seen a doctor. (Stephanie fled without her son.)
Photos of Stephanie reveal even more. Her injuries ranged from very bad burns from hot frying pans to broken fingers and bruises all over. She has scars on her wrists and ankles from the chains and her feet were mutilated because they were supposedly smashed with a heavy piece of farm equipment.
For his part, Lizon, who is being held in jail, says he's innocent. His attorney told reporters that the woman who made the report has a "feeble mind."
One thing is for sure -- Stephanie's wounds are real. Police say it is one of the worst domestic violence cases they have seen and I don't doubt that. This kind of prolonged torture and isolation demonstrates a level of cruelty most of us could never imagine a loved one inflicting. Though sadly, she is not alone. Government stats show that 1.3 million women are assaulted by a husband or boyfriend each year. It's frightening what one human being can do to another, isn't it.
Does this story shock you?
Image via John-Morgan/Flickr
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Comments 21
No words.. This is so horrible!! That woman seems to have suffered through so much, while sadly having to deal with the physical and emotional scars for the rest of her life, thank goodness she made it out and not in a body bag. Sad story but good ending
Its not a shock some people are just really bad.
about the baby the first link is updated:
"As soon as Lizon went inside, his wife took off. The infant was left in the truck but later found safe."
The part that pisses me off is his stupid a-- lawyer! inocent my freaking a--!
dang it!! why did she not take her son!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unfortunately I had an abusive EX-husband, sperm-donor. I am surprised that I have a son because of how hard my ex hit me in the stomach. The punch was in May of '87 and my son was born July of '87. We left him and stayed at a battered womens shelter. I had always thought that what I went through was bad and then I heard other womens stories. All of my bruises healed, the cuts and scraps faded, and THAT was behind me. But, these other women, some barely escaped with their life and/or their children's lives. We don't need physical chains to 'keep' us 'in check'. Sometimes these men can scare you so bad, that you feel helpless because they usually threaten whats MOST important to you first: your children, friends, family, and then YOU. My heart goes out to anyone (male or female) that is in an abusive situation. Take action if you can and at least keep a log of EVERY incident that happens and all medical records. These will be helpful..leave them at a friend's house if you have to, but, please, keep them.
How about the same treatment be inflicted upon him?
I don't think anyone realizes how old this "newly discovered" spousal abuse is. Years ago, it was accepted practice for a man to abuse his wife. They were considered "property of the man" who used violence to "keep the woman in line". It was literally ignored/overlooked by the law, and the woman was rediculed by neighbors for trying to report violence, and madeher believe she "deservedthe beating" because she did or said something that made her husband mad. You were taught the man is the boss you must obey him. Many of us born in the 20s and 30s were taught these principles, and endured verbal,mental and physical abuse, until we found courage to get our!!!Thank God now there are laws to protect women and the abused men. Men are also abused in marriage and in relationships, but that is not mentioned very often.