Wendy Sylvester is a ten-year-old child who was held captive by her teacher Arnette Fenady to protect her from the dangers of her family.
History[]
Wendy’s mother Peggy worked as a waitress to support them both, but suffered severely from alcoholism, sending Wendy to shoplift beer and cigarettes for her. As much as she wanted to have Wendy, Peggy was manipulated by one her former co-workers, Beatrice Hines, to give Hines custody. Hines used Wendy like hired labor, making her do chores around the house and always using the child support checks for herself more than Wendy. Hines’ boyfriend Brian Sprague beat Wendy, so he was arrested and warned to stay away from the child. Peggy’s reports of Wendy’s abuse fell on despondent ears with child Services.
Wendy wrote letters about her pain to an imaginary friend, letters she showed to her best friend Janel Decker and to her teacher, Arnette. Arnette, a deeply religious woman who lost her infant daughter Crystal, wanted Wendy safe, so she constructed a cement basement room to keep Wendy in and, when the time was right, coaxed Wendy into her car and drove her to her house. Arnette hid Wendy in the room, except to take her upstairs and throw a birthday party for Crystal. In spite of her circumstances, Wendy was delighted to have happier experiences with Arnette and loved her like she was her mother.
Hines paid no mind to Wendy’s disappearance and, seeing her as a liar and nuisance, figured she just ran away. Janel, however, knew better when Wendy didn’t meet her at the bus stop and went with her own mother to the police. Once Beatrice and Brian were cleared of killing her, focus turned to Arnette when Janel told police about the letters and they knew Arnette had a secret room. It was found under a trap door in her closet where a TV cable led. Wendy was recovered safely, and Annette was arrested and arraigned.
Wendy was baffled as to why Arnette was being punished, so she herself protected Arnette by lying on the stand about Arnette kidnapping her. In any event, it worked in getting Arnette acquitted, and Wendy was over the moon when Arnette applied for custody of her. (L&O: “Nurture”)