A mother and her partner have been charged with child abuse and child cruelty after police found two kids chained by the ankle in a northern Virginia apartment.

The 47-year-old mother and 29-year old man, who live in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County, told police they would chain the 9-year-old boy and his 7-year-old sibling by the ankle to “‘scare them’ so they wouldn’t leave the apartment,” according to court charging documents in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.

The two were arrested Aug. 16. According to court records, the 9-year-old borrowed a cellphone from a roommate in the apartment, who is not charged. The 9-year-old used the phone to send a photo of his chained foot to an older sister, who called 911.

Police said when they knocked on the apartment door they could hear chains rattling in the apartment.