Fairfield County Sheriff's Dept. / AP

Police say a bunk bed that had a steel mesh fence wrapped around the lower bunk was designed to restrain a four-year-old girl.

Police in Ohio responding to a domestic disturbance between two parents say they found something shocking: a bunk bed wrapped in wire mesh to confine the couple's 4-year-old girl, NBC station WCMH in Columbus reported. 

Fairfield County sheriff's deputies arrived at the Lancaster home of Russell D. Terry, 34, and Jamie M. Curnell, 32, on Tuesday, authorities said. Terry told them that Cunell tried to strangle him while he was asleep.

While taking down information, the deputies observed the bed wrapped in mesh.

The girl was not in the bed when officers arrived, WCMH reported. 

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The Lancaster Eagle Gazette reported that the mesh was equipped with a deadbolt.

"Even beyond the psychological damage, the real damage here would have been if there was a fire," Fairfield County Sheriff Dave Phalen told the paper. "This kind of thing is not acceptable.”

WCMH reported that an 8-month-old child also lives in the house. Both children are being cared for by relatives. 

The Sheriff's Office is working with the state's Child Protective Service, Phalen told the Eagle Gazette. 

He told the paper there were no other signs of abuse. 

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Terry and Curnell were charged Thursday with kidnapping and child endangerment. They were being held in lieu of $500,000 bail each. WCMH reported that authorities said the couple can be charged with kidnapping even though the child is theirs. 

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