HOUSTON – Federal prosecutors have charged a husband and wife from the Katy area with holding a nanny against her will for years, abusing her and not paying her to work.
Special agents with the Homeland Security Investigations Houston Human Trafficking Group have been interviewing the couple, family members, and the victim.
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Chudy and Sandra Nsobundu were arrested Monday morning. They live in the 6400 block of Arroyo Hill Court.
The allegations in a court filing obtained by KPRC 2 said the nanny claims she was forced to work "every day from 5:30 a.m. until 1 a.m.," cleaning the house, cooking and taking care of several children.
Court documents reveal that the 37 year old woman “arrived to the United States from Lagos, Nigeria in September of 2013 was from Lagos, Nigeria and was granted a visa for two years.”
The couple promised to deposit $100 a month into her Nigerian bank account for the care of their children, and after five years they would pay for her to return to Nigeria. Prosecutors noted that recently the woman realized the couple never deposited any funds into her account.
Prosecutors also said the nanny wasn't allowed to eat fresh food. She was "only permitted to eat the leftovers from previous prepared meals."
In order to have milk for her tea, she was forced to "strain the milk out of the children's bowls of cereal."
Prosecutors also said the nanny was repeatedly hit, dragged down the hallway by her hair and threatened with death.
Neighbors said they were surprised about the allegations.
"I don't know how people can treat other people like that. I'm compassionate and I don't know if I could treat anybody like that," neighbor Paula Meche said.
She said the family's children played with other children but the parents often kept to themselves.
Chudy Nsobundu, 56, and Sandra Nsobundu, 50, are charged with forced labor, withholding documents, conspiracy to harbor an illegal alien and visa fraud. Court documents reveal both husband and wife were naturalized United States citizens originally from Nigeria.
The woman escaped and called the National Human Trafficking Hotline for help. After dialing 1-888-373-7888 she was contact with a local charity and officers. Houston has been deemed a prime location for human trafficking because of the city’s location and international diverse population.