RIVERVIEW, Fla -- Questions and concerns are swirling in a Riverview neighborhood after police say they rescued a woman and her 1-year-old child who were held captive by her husband and in-laws. Deputies say the woman called her parents in India and told them that her husband and his parents were beating her. A deputy came to the house early Saturday morning for a welfare check. When the deputy knocked on the door, authorities say the woman tried to open the door and screamed for help.
"Awful, nobody should go through that, nobody, I don't care who you are," said a neighbor.
The woman's husband, Devbir Kalsi, is in jail now, along with his parents, Jasbir and Bhupinder Kalsi. Devbir Kalsi told his parents that his wife was being disobedient and that the older couple came here from India to teach her a lesson, according to deputies.
Deputies say that in addition to the beatings, Devbir's parents held the woman and child against their will holding a knife to her throat. The woman has bruises all over body and has been very badly beaten over an extended period of time. Authories say the 1-year-old seems to be unharmed.
"I'm sad and scared at the same time, and I'm upset that this was all going on across the street from me and I never knew," said another neighbor.
This entire scene has left neighbors stunned and vowing to protect the woman.
"I'll make sure that nothing happens to her, if I can help it, nothing will happen, I'm going to watch the house," said a neighbor.
Officials say they have notified Immigration authorities about the Kalsi family.
