Two men were were released on $90,000 bail Friday after being accused of holding a 15-year-old boy hostage for a week and beating him.
Jose Quilabaqui, 40, and Carlos Quizhpi, 53, are both charged with kidnapping and secret confinement.
Police say the teen's father and godfather handcuffed the teen on June 16 in an Albany Park business before a third man set him free Monday. The boy says he was also given cold ice showers, beaten and given very little food to eat.
A cousin of the family, Diana Bermeo, told NBC Chicago that the men took the drastic measures after the teen stole money from them and started running with a bad crowd.
"It started with gang affiliation with drugs and stuff," Bermeo said. "My uncle, to protect him, he did what he could to prevent him from going out at night and avoiding him from dying on the street."
According to details in a proffer, the boy took money from Quizhpi, who contacted Quilabaqui about the theft. Quilabaqui and Quizhpi handcuffed the teen's arms behind his back and forced him to sleep in the basement of the barbershop Quilabaqui owns, according to the proffer.
It's also alleged the teen was struck on his back with a belt and was forced to kneel and beg forgiveness. He was sprayed with a hose, according to the proffer, and the men poured buckets of ice water on the teen as he kneeled on the ground.
He allegedly worked in the shop by day, and by night he was handcuffed to a Miter saw and slept on a piece of drywall.
After he was set free, the teen fled to the home of his older brother, who called 911.
A woman who works for Quilabaqui in a barbershop defended him Friday.
"Never has he caused any trouble. Always helping out the community," said the woman, who asked not to be identified.
"He has been in trouble for a year. Lie after lie, robbery -- I don't know where his head is right now," she said of the teen.
The teen is staying with his older brother.
