The 22-year-old woman is safe as detectives build a felony case against her foster caregiver.
ABILENE, Texas — Police in Anson say a neighbor’s late-night video and 911 call led officers to a backyard where a disabled 22-year-old woman was found locked in a dog kennel on Nov. 22. The homeowner, identified by authorities as Kandice “Kandy” Thompson, 60, was arrested, released on bond, and booked again days later as investigators added aggravated kidnapping counts.
The case sits at the intersection of foster care and criminal law, drawing state attention to a house known for frequent caseworker visits. Detectives are interviewing neighbors, reviewing phone records and canvassing for surveillance to confirm the timeline around 8 p.m., when calls began. Police said the woman, whose name is withheld because of disability protections, remains in a safe placement while medical and social assessments continue. Prosecutors are weighing multiple felonies, including injury to a disabled individual.
Neighbor Justin Anderson said he returned home the Saturday before Thanksgiving and heard banging and cries from behind a fence. Using his phone to see over, he recorded a young woman in an outdoor kennel pleading to be let out. “Watch, you can hear her,” Anderson says on the recording, which shows a latched gate. He called 911 and stayed at the fence until officers arrived. Anson Police Chief Daniel Graziose said the first patrol freed the woman and secured the kennel and lock as evidence before speaking with the homeowner.
Thompson told residents she resorted to the kennel because the woman was “urinating everywhere and tearing her house up,” according to neighbors who spoke with reporters at the scene. Police noted two other adult foster clients were inside the home when officers arrived. Detectives booked Thompson on initial counts that weekend and re-arrested her the following Tuesday after gathering new statements. Officials have not described specific physical injuries; they said exposure and fear were clear and that medical checks are ongoing. Police declined to say how long the woman had been outside or whether prior complaints existed.
Community members said Thompson and her late husband, who served as Anson’s police chief until his death in 2020, had fostered dozens of children over the years. That history is now part of a broader review by local and state agencies looking for patterns or missed warning signs. Neighbors said a kennel and blue tarps were visible near the fence line this fall and that caseworkers regularly visited the property. Officials emphasized that adult foster placements can involve a mix of private providers and local oversight, which can complicate monitoring in rural communities.
Graziose said detectives are drafting additional warrants for phones and messaging apps and expect to deliver a case file to the district attorney within days. Prosecutors will decide on formal charges and court settings, including any bond modifications that would bar contact with witnesses or vulnerable adults. Authorities said they will announce the next steps once charges are accepted and a first hearing is scheduled. Until then, the woman remains under care and out of the residence.
On the quiet block, neighbor Marcia Bailey said she stepped outside after hearing shouting. “It’s just amazing what somebody who’s in charge of disabled, mentally challenged girls will do,” Bailey said. Others left small blankets and water on porches after police cleared the scene. As dusk fell the next day, yellow tags marked the kennel latch and gate for collection while officers went door to door for any additional footage.
As of Tuesday, investigators said the victim is stable and the inquiry is active, with charging updates expected later this week. Officials said they will release court dates once a judge sets them.
Author note: Last updated December 9, 2025.