Woman found handcuffed in South Austin claims she did it to herself, lied to police

AUSTIN, Texas - A woman who was found malnourished and handcuffed to workout equipment last year claims she did all of it to herself. 

This comes after five people are still facing criminal charges related to the case.

Austin PD find woman handcuffed to workout equipment outside a home

The backstory:

"I was the one that was found tied to the workout equipment in the front yard," Jazmine Wright said.

Police found Wright outside a South Austin home last October. On that day, it was 46 degrees outside. She had been staying outside and handcuffed to a boxing bag stand for months.

"There were so many people just driving by, just looking at me, they just kept going. I think there was another person that walked by, they looked at me, just kept going," Wright said.

She was severely malnourished. Court documents said she was only given one meal a day.

"I would drink water, but eating, not really, I didn't want to eat," Wright said.

When police found Wright, the cuffs were so tight they were cutting into her wrists. They were also rusted so much that they had to call the fire department to get them off. Wright also had hundreds of BB-sized scars across her body, a BB lodged in her eye, and bruising on her back.

"Do you still have the scars?" FOX 7 CrimeWatch reporter Meredith Aldis asked Wright.

"I do. They’re permanent now. They’re very noticeable," Wright answered.

Woman claims what she told APD was not the truth

Dig deeper:

At the time, Wright told police the adults living there had abused her. Now, she said that wasn’t the truth.

"I falsified everything that I said to the cops and I got the five individuals that were in the middle of it, I got them falsely accused, and I feel extremely guilty about it," Wright said.

She said she was hurting herself because she was having a mental breakdown.

"How did you come up with the idea with the handcuffs and the equipment and all that?" Aldis asked.

"I don't know, it's, like I said, it was just a mental break. I don't know where that idea came from, I have no idea," Wright answered.

Court documents said a 911 caller heard a woman screaming for help, and she was naked from the waist down. Wright told police she had been beaten with a bat and didn’t believe she was able to stand or walk. 

Investigators said the adults admitted to chaining her up to prevent her from stealing things, and they all took turns shooting her with a BB gun as punishment.

"I think they just said that just to say it, so I wouldn't look bad, so I won't look silly, but it's not true," Wright said.

She said she was shot with a BB gun, but it was because she was sneaking back into the yard one night and they didn’t recognize her.

What's next:

Wright said she now wants to clear the names of the five who have been arrested.

"Believe me now because I'm clear-minded now. I'm taking care of myself now, I'm getting the treatment I need to now, I'm level-headed now, I am sane, and that's why I'm in a better place, and I'm trying to be a better person," Wright said.

Juan Pablo Castro, Mache Carney, Michelle Garcia, Maynard Lefevers, and Crystal Garcia have been arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, injury to the elderly or disabled, and unlawful restraint. 

They all have hearings coming up.

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