BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Police in northern Ohio on Monday have found 11 children locked in cages less than three-and-a-half feet high inside a home, but the parents told authorities they kept the kids in locked cages for their own protection.

    The children, ages 1 to 14, were found locked in nine cages built into the walls of the house near the small US city of Wakeman in northern Ohio, according to the Huron County Sheriff's Office. They had no blankets or pillows, and the cages were rigged with alarms that sounded if opened, said Lt. Randy Sommers.

    The children told authorities they slept in the cages - 40 inches high and 40 inches deep - at night. Doors to some of the cages were blocked with heavy furniture.

    Shortly after being found, the children were sent to Fisher-Titus Medical Center in Norwalk, where they were listed in good condition.

    The children's parents, Mike and Sharon Gravelle, had 11 children in all, according to authorities.

    The couple were reserved when deputies arrived at the house to remove the children, Sommers said.

    "The impression that we got was that they felt it was OK," he said.

    Investigators believe nine of the children slept in the cages that were stacked two-high on the house's second story. Two mattresses on a bedroom floor also showed signs of recent use, Sommers said.

    One of the boys said he'd slept in the cage for three years, Sommers said.

    Police said no charges had been filed against the parents.

    "Basically, the parents thought they were providing for the protection of the children from themselves and from each other," said Sommers.

    "They thought there was circumstances with these children that warranted the cages at night," Sommers added, but he would not go into details of what those circumstances were. Enditem

    (Agencies)