A 13-year-old boy, R., was starved, imprisoned, and physically abused by his father, John P. Miller, and his stepmother Katrina M. Miller. R. was homeschooled. R.’s 3-year-old sister was not reported to be abused.
R. was born around 2006 and survived childhood leukemia. R.’s biological parents divorced in 2009 and his mother, Tiffany Miller, lost custody of him. R. went to live with his father and stepmother in Iberia, OH, while two of Tiffany Miller’s daughters lived with R.’s grandparents six miles away in Galion, OH. Around 2016, the Millers pulled R. out of public school to homeschool him, reportedly because of their religious beliefs. Around the same time they cut off R.’s contact with his grandparents and began starving R.
While John Miller had a typical diet, Katrina Miller was vegan. The Millers limited R. to a diet of almonds, bananas, and grapes, six a day, which he was forced to eat within 30 minutes of receiving them. R. reported that the Millers kept a camera trained on the refrigerator so he could not get extra food. If he vomited, he was forced to clean it up. R. was also forced to do extreme exercise and calisthenics. If he didn’t meet the Millers’ expectations about diet and exercise, R.’s father would beat him. When R. was rescued he weighed 62 lbs. and his hair was falling out; he attributed his survival to the meals he had gotten in public school before he was withdrawn to be homeschooled. R. was only allowed out of the house to attend church, where he wore bulky clothes to disguise his emaciated state. The Millers also prevented R. from getting follow-up care for his childhood leukemia, instead consulting an online doctor.
Around 2017, R. ran away from his Iberia home and hitchhiked to his grandparents’ house in Galion. Though R.’s grandfather reported the incident to social services, no intervention was made on R.’s behalf. In 2019, R. ran away again, unscrewing a window in order to escape because “he was afraid he’d starve to death.” Again he hitchhiked to his grandparents’ house, where his grandfather called the authorities to report that R. looked like a ‘Holocaust child’. The Millers were charged with child endangerment, kidnapping, and assault, among other charges.
Date: August 24, 2019
Location: Crestline, Ohio Read More
Two girls, M. (b. 1994) and K. (b. 1997) were sexually abused by their parents, Kevan and Stacy Thoman. Their little brother J. (b. 2003) was not reported to be abused. The children were homeschooled.
M. was born when Stacy was 17 years old; Stacy had experienced sexual abuse as a child. Stacy married Kevan the next year (when she was 18 and he was 21) and he adopted M. The following year, K. was born. At this time the family lived in Topaz Ranch Estates, Nevada and were active in their homeschooling community, trying out unschooling before settling on a semi-structured eclectic style. The children were homeschooled for their entire lives until the Thomans’ arrest.
Around 2000, the Thomans began to sexually abuse M. and later K. The family took nude photos together and Kevan later claimed they believed they “were being liberal parents;” according to Stacy, Kevan groomed her to participate in the abuse. The girls thought the abuse was normal; at Kevan’s sentencing, prosecutors read a letter from M. stating “I grew up way too fast, but it was good for me” to demonstrate the extent of her indoctrination. Around 2006 the family moved to Reno, Nevada, and in 2007 the Thomans divorced. M. lived with Kevan, while the Thomans split custody of K. and J.
The abuse came to light in 2008, when Stacy Thoman went to the police to report it. Kevan Thoman was sentenced to life in prison for lewdness with a minor. Stacy Thoman was sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempted lewdness. The children went to live with M.’s paternal grandmother, where they attended school and asked to have no further contact with their mother.
Date: February 2008
Location: Reno, Nevada Read More
Skylea Rayn Carmack, age 10, was murdered by her stepmother, Amanda Carmack. Skylea was homeschooled.
Skylea lived with her father Kevin Carmack, her stepmother Amanda Carmack, three of Amanda’s children, and three children of Amanda’s brother. Kevin Carmack was a truck driver and was frequently absent from the home for his job. The children in the home reported that Amanda Carmack regularly beat them with a belt and forced them to assume stress positions as punishment. She also kept the children confined to their rooms, only allowing them out for food and bathroom breaks; neighbors reported not knowing that seven children lived in the home. Skylea had been confined to her room for a week and a half before her murder.
Skylea’s grandmother, Brenda Helmuth, was worried about Skylea because she was rarely allowed to see her; she reported that Skylea was getting thinner. Helmuth’s adopted child, whom Amanda Carmack regularly babysat, reported that Carmack was “mean” and starved the children. Amanda Carmack justified her abuse of the children on social media: she related one instance where she nearly came to blows with a bystander who witnessed abuse of the children by both Carmacks and threatened to call child services.
On August 31, Amanda Carmack strangled Skylea to death, allegedly because she caught Skylea stealing a charm bracelet. That evening, she went to the police to report that Skylea had run away, which Skylea had reportedly done several times before. After a four-day search, Skylea’s body was found September 4 in a trash bag behind the Carmacks’ home. Amanda Carmack was charged with murder, neglect, battery, and strangulation.
Date: August 31, 2019
Location: Gas City, Indiana Read More
Twin 14-year-old girls, R. and K., were starved, physically abused, and imprisoned by their adoptive parents, Mark and Melissa McGregor. The girls were homeschooled. The McGregors’ eight other biological children who also lived in the home were not reported to be abused.
The girls were adopted from Bulgaria around 2012. The McGregors previously lived in Washington state, where a child abuse investigation was opened. The family moved several times, eventually settling in Missouri and opting to homeschool, allegedly so they could better “supervise” their children. The McGregors were frequent visitors at the library.
The girls were kept locked in a dark room or a sunroom for hours at a time. Their bedroom contained only a spring bed and a tub of ripped clothing for each girl; they were only allowed pillows for good behavior. Most of their meals consisted of raw vegetables; the family’s food was kept locked up, and the girls’ siblings were allowed second helpings while they were not. The girls were hit with spoons or spatulas in front of their siblings. They were required to ask permission in order to “get dressed, read their Bible, wear shoes or take a shower”, and when they were found, R. had not bathed in several weeks. As punishment for their behavior, the girls were forced to “run a gravel road barefoot or stand outside in the cold.”
The abuse came to light when a neighbor noticed R. walking down a nearby road with bloody feet. R. disclosed the abuse and the neighbor called the authorities. R., who had not been to the doctor or dentist for a long time, was found to weigh 92 lbs. and to have pinworm parasites; K. was found to weigh 76 lbs. and to have a distended stomach due to malnutrition. The McGregors were each charged with two counts of felony child abuse and their other children were removed from the home.
Date: July 8, 2019
Location: Summersville, Missouri Read More
Clockwise from left: Rylan Cockman, Cynda Miles, Taye Cockman, Kristina Miles, Peter Miles, Ayre Cockman, Kadyn Cockman
Four children—Taye (age 13), Rylan (age 12), Arye (age 10), and Kadyn Cockman (age 8)—were killed by their grandfather, Peter Miles, as part of a murder-suicide. The children’s mother, Katrina Miles, and their grandmother Cynda Miles were also killed. The children were homeschooled.
The children and their parents, Aaron Cockman and Kristina (Miles) Cockman, moved in with Katrina’s parents due to financial problems. In 2010 Aaron Cockman borrowed money from Peter Miles so the Cockmans could buy their own home, but Miles’s demands that Aaron Cockman repay the money broke up the Cockmans’ marriage, and by 2015 they were competing for custody of the children. All four children were autistic and attended local public schools for many years, but at some point they were pulled from school to be homeschooled on the family’s hobby farm. Peter Miles had worked for more than 20 years providing farm education at the local high school; he retired in 2016. The family were active participants in the South West Home Schooling Network, who described Katrina Miles as a dedicated and supportive member of their group. “The four children all kept journals, and Taye, the oldest, was becoming an accomplished writer. All the children were working on learning to swim.”
In May 2018 Peter Miles shot to death Katrina and her children, then his wife Cynda, then himself.
*Note: while it is unlikely that homeschooling played a role in this case, it is included in our database as evidence that homeschooled children are not immune to violence.
Date: May 11, 2018
Location: Osmington, Western Australia, Australia Read More
Four girls were physically and sexually abused by their mother, Tiffany Walsh, and her boyfriend Jordan Otis. The girls were homeschooled.
The girls had different fathers; their mother had custody. “Walsh and her children began living with Otis in Mt. Sterling[, Kentucky around 2012], and left Kentucky to live in several states, until they returned to live in Hazard[, Kentucky] in March 2017.” Neither Walsh nor Otis was gainfully employed and Otis stayed home with the girls all day to homeschool them. He had them complete writing assignments for a few hours per day; then he forced them to create handmade goods and sell them door-to-door for approximately six hours per day, under threat of violence if they did not make their daily quota. Between March and May 2017, Otis “made the victims do excessive physical exercise, eat food condiments that made them sick, sprayed them with bleach,” beat them with wooden rods and coat hangers, locked them in closets, and sexually abused them. In another state, he forcibly tattooed three of the girls. The punishments were drawn from a “punishment jar”. Walsh was aware of and allowed the abuse and benefited from the forced labor.
The abuse came to light in May 2017, when the girls tried to sell their merchandise at a house that served as a children’s advocacy center. The employees were concerned and reported the girls’ activities to the authorities. Walsh pleaded guilty in federal court to forced labor and has been charged by the state with more than 100 counts of child abuse. Otis was charged with more than 100 counts of child abuse.
Date: May 2017
Location: Hazard, Kentucky Read More
James Marsh, age 11, died as a result of abuse by his mother, Sarah Marsh, and his stepfather Martin Marsh*. James was homeschooled.
James was diagnosed with autism and ADHD around 2003. He received disability services as late as 2008. Sarah and Martin Marsh married in 2009. The Marshes moved to Central West in 2010 with James and their two other children (one Sarah’s, one Martin’s). James was withdrawn from school to be homeschooled in October 2010. He was kept half-naked, strapped to a portable toilet seat in the laundry room for up to 12 hours at a time, and restrained with PVC pipes and a bag over his head. In early September 2011, James last saw his pediatrician; his parents began locking him in the garden shed that night. In late September, James defecated on the floor and Martin Marsh rubbed his face in it, then doused him with water before leaving him restrained outside. James died of hypothermia; at the time of his death, he weighed only 52 lbs. The Marshes called the authorities when they found James unresponsive.
The Marshes were charged with manslaughter. Martin Marsh pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years in prison. Sarah Marsh was found not guilty.
*These are the pseudonyms supplied to the Australian media.
Date: September 30, 2011
Location: Central West, New South Wales, Australia Read More
Two girls, L. (b. 1998) and M. (b. 2002), were starved and neglected by their adoptive mother, Mary Heller (pictured). The girls were homeschooled.
The girls were adopted as young children, L. from China and M. from Mongolia. Both attended public school until approximately 2006, when Heller pulled them from school to homeschool them, allegedly because they were “shy”. However, according to the girls, Heller only taught them numbers and the alphabet before she stopped educating them. After the girls were rescued in 2017, they were enrolled in middle school, where M. “was found by educators to be capable of doing only the simplest of math calculations and was trailing behind even special-needs students. But by the end of the term, she was doing well, and her teachers regarded her as ‘a very nice girl and a hard worker.'”
Heller did not provide the girls with food and their home had a foul odor. Neighbors were concerned about the family and made multiple calls to child services; Heller coached the girls on how to respond to a child services visit in 2016 and told the girls to hide when anyone visited the home. The girls were not allowed to have friends and were only allowed to leave the home when they walked to the end of the driveway to get the mail.
The neglect came to light in January 2017 when the girls’ cousin asked two women to check on them. The women took the girls shopping, where the girls did not know how to order food and one said, “I always dreamed of this, going to the store.” The next day, Heller called 911 to report that she was injured. While she was hospitalized, authorities interviewed the girls. Heller was charged with neglect.
Date: January 2017
Location: Decatur, Indiana Read More
A boy and girl, ages 8 and 10, were starved and tortured by their adoptive parents, Samuel Earl Hollie II and Brandi Rae Hollie (both pictured). The children were homeschooled and “isolated from others”. Their younger sibling, the Hollies’ biological child, was not reported to be abused.
The children were in foster care before they were adopted by the Hollies in 2015. The adoption agency’s policies require training, home study, a background check with references, monthly visits for 90 days, and a one-year checkup phone call. It is unclear when the children’s homeschooling began. The boy reported that the Hollies beat him, waterboarded him, and tased him. The girl reported she was forced to sleep in a closet, beaten unconscious with a baseball bat and a belt, tased, and burned. Both children were restricted to a diet of bread, water, and occasional table scraps from the Hollies’ full meals. When they escaped, the children were malnourished, scarred, and disfigured.
The abuse came to light when the Hollies dropped the children off at their uncle’s house while they went to work. The children escaped and ran to a nearby apartment complex, where a concerned resident called the authorities. The Hollies were charged with aggravated child abuse and child neglect.
Date: June 14, 2019
Location: Gainesville, Florida Read More
Eduardo Posso (pictured), age 12, was starved to death by his father, Luis Posso, Jr., and his stepmother Dayana Medina Flores. Eduardo’s 9-year-old sister and his brothers aged 5 and 2 were not reported to be abused. Eduardo was homeschooled.
Eduardo’s family lived in Myakka City, Florida. His mother, Aurea Esmeralda Garcia, did not have custody and last saw him in 2017. Eduardo and his siblings attended local public schools in Florida beginning in 2012. Eduardo was a skilled juggler. Numerous people, including Eduardo’s grandmother, his teachers, and his next-door neighbors, were concerned about Eduardo’s well-being, and child welfare officials investigated reports of abuse at least five times between June 2017 and December 2018. Posso and Medina Flores claimed Eduardo’s bruises were accidental and Eduardo denied the abuse, so the cases were closed. Two days after the last investigation, Posso and Medina Flores pulled the children from school to homeschool them. Shortly thereafter, they took the family on the road for their circus promoting business.
While the family was staying in a motel room in Indiana, Eduardo was kept chained in the bathtub wearing a shock collar, and Posso and Medina Flores monitored him with a camera. The abuse came to light when Posso and Medina Flores brought Eduardo to the hospital where he was declared dead. When he died he weighed around 55 lbs. His body was covered with bruises and contained 0% body fat. Posso and Medina Flores were charged with child neglect, confinement, and battery; murder charges are pending.
Date: May 24, 2019
Location: Bloomington, Indiana Read More
Last Updated: July 3, 2021 by clmccracken Leave a Comment
Son of John and Katrina Miller
A 13-year-old boy, R., was starved, imprisoned, and physically abused by his father, John P. Miller, and his stepmother Katrina M. Miller. R. was homeschooled. R.’s 3-year-old sister was not reported to be abused.
R. was born around 2006 and survived childhood leukemia. R.’s biological parents divorced in 2009 and his mother, Tiffany Miller, lost custody of him. R. went to live with his father and stepmother in Iberia, OH, while two of Tiffany Miller’s daughters lived with R.’s grandparents six miles away in Galion, OH. Around 2016, the Millers pulled R. out of public school to homeschool him, reportedly because of their religious beliefs. Around the same time they cut off R.’s contact with his grandparents and began starving R.
While John Miller had a typical diet, Katrina Miller was vegan. The Millers limited R. to a diet of almonds, bananas, and grapes, six a day, which he was forced to eat within 30 minutes of receiving them. R. reported that the Millers kept a camera trained on the refrigerator so he could not get extra food. If he vomited, he was forced to clean it up. R. was also forced to do extreme exercise and calisthenics. If he didn’t meet the Millers’ expectations about diet and exercise, R.’s father would beat him. When R. was rescued he weighed 62 lbs. and his hair was falling out; he attributed his survival to the meals he had gotten in public school before he was withdrawn to be homeschooled. R. was only allowed out of the house to attend church, where he wore bulky clothes to disguise his emaciated state. The Millers also prevented R. from getting follow-up care for his childhood leukemia, instead consulting an online doctor.
Around 2017, R. ran away from his Iberia home and hitchhiked to his grandparents’ house in Galion. Though R.’s grandfather reported the incident to social services, no intervention was made on R.’s behalf. In 2019, R. ran away again, unscrewing a window in order to escape because “he was afraid he’d starve to death.” Again he hitchhiked to his grandparents’ house, where his grandfather called the authorities to report that R. looked like a ‘Holocaust child’. The Millers were charged with child endangerment, kidnapping, and assault, among other charges.
Date: August 24, 2019
Location: Crestline, Ohio Read More
Posted: September 10, 2019 by clmccracken Leave a Comment
3 Children of Kevan and Stacy Thoman
Two girls, M. (b. 1994) and K. (b. 1997) were sexually abused by their parents, Kevan and Stacy Thoman. Their little brother J. (b. 2003) was not reported to be abused. The children were homeschooled.
M. was born when Stacy was 17 years old; Stacy had experienced sexual abuse as a child. Stacy married Kevan the next year (when she was 18 and he was 21) and he adopted M. The following year, K. was born. At this time the family lived in Topaz Ranch Estates, Nevada and were active in their homeschooling community, trying out unschooling before settling on a semi-structured eclectic style. The children were homeschooled for their entire lives until the Thomans’ arrest.
Around 2000, the Thomans began to sexually abuse M. and later K. The family took nude photos together and Kevan later claimed they believed they “were being liberal parents;” according to Stacy, Kevan groomed her to participate in the abuse. The girls thought the abuse was normal; at Kevan’s sentencing, prosecutors read a letter from M. stating “I grew up way too fast, but it was good for me” to demonstrate the extent of her indoctrination. Around 2006 the family moved to Reno, Nevada, and in 2007 the Thomans divorced. M. lived with Kevan, while the Thomans split custody of K. and J.
The abuse came to light in 2008, when Stacy Thoman went to the police to report it. Kevan Thoman was sentenced to life in prison for lewdness with a minor. Stacy Thoman was sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempted lewdness. The children went to live with M.’s paternal grandmother, where they attended school and asked to have no further contact with their mother.
Date: February 2008
Location: Reno, Nevada Read More
Posted: September 9, 2019 by clmccracken Leave a Comment
Skylea Carmack
Skylea Rayn Carmack, age 10, was murdered by her stepmother, Amanda Carmack. Skylea was homeschooled.
Skylea lived with her father Kevin Carmack, her stepmother Amanda Carmack, three of Amanda’s children, and three children of Amanda’s brother. Kevin Carmack was a truck driver and was frequently absent from the home for his job. The children in the home reported that Amanda Carmack regularly beat them with a belt and forced them to assume stress positions as punishment. She also kept the children confined to their rooms, only allowing them out for food and bathroom breaks; neighbors reported not knowing that seven children lived in the home. Skylea had been confined to her room for a week and a half before her murder.
Skylea’s grandmother, Brenda Helmuth, was worried about Skylea because she was rarely allowed to see her; she reported that Skylea was getting thinner. Helmuth’s adopted child, whom Amanda Carmack regularly babysat, reported that Carmack was “mean” and starved the children. Amanda Carmack justified her abuse of the children on social media: she related one instance where she nearly came to blows with a bystander who witnessed abuse of the children by both Carmacks and threatened to call child services.
On August 31, Amanda Carmack strangled Skylea to death, allegedly because she caught Skylea stealing a charm bracelet. That evening, she went to the police to report that Skylea had run away, which Skylea had reportedly done several times before. After a four-day search, Skylea’s body was found September 4 in a trash bag behind the Carmacks’ home. Amanda Carmack was charged with murder, neglect, battery, and strangulation.
Date: August 31, 2019
Location: Gas City, Indiana Read More
Posted: July 23, 2019 by clmccracken Leave a Comment
10 Children of Mark and Melissa McGregor
Twin 14-year-old girls, R. and K., were starved, physically abused, and imprisoned by their adoptive parents, Mark and Melissa McGregor. The girls were homeschooled. The McGregors’ eight other biological children who also lived in the home were not reported to be abused.
The girls were adopted from Bulgaria around 2012. The McGregors previously lived in Washington state, where a child abuse investigation was opened. The family moved several times, eventually settling in Missouri and opting to homeschool, allegedly so they could better “supervise” their children. The McGregors were frequent visitors at the library.
The girls were kept locked in a dark room or a sunroom for hours at a time. Their bedroom contained only a spring bed and a tub of ripped clothing for each girl; they were only allowed pillows for good behavior. Most of their meals consisted of raw vegetables; the family’s food was kept locked up, and the girls’ siblings were allowed second helpings while they were not. The girls were hit with spoons or spatulas in front of their siblings. They were required to ask permission in order to “get dressed, read their Bible, wear shoes or take a shower”, and when they were found, R. had not bathed in several weeks. As punishment for their behavior, the girls were forced to “run a gravel road barefoot or stand outside in the cold.”
The abuse came to light when a neighbor noticed R. walking down a nearby road with bloody feet. R. disclosed the abuse and the neighbor called the authorities. R., who had not been to the doctor or dentist for a long time, was found to weigh 92 lbs. and to have pinworm parasites; K. was found to weigh 76 lbs. and to have a distended stomach due to malnutrition. The McGregors were each charged with two counts of felony child abuse and their other children were removed from the home.
Date: July 8, 2019
Location: Summersville, Missouri Read More
Last Updated: July 23, 2019 by clmccracken Leave a Comment
Taye, Rylan, Arye, and Kadyn Cockman
Four children—Taye (age 13), Rylan (age 12), Arye (age 10), and Kadyn Cockman (age 8)—were killed by their grandfather, Peter Miles, as part of a murder-suicide. The children’s mother, Katrina Miles, and their grandmother Cynda Miles were also killed. The children were homeschooled.
The children and their parents, Aaron Cockman and Kristina (Miles) Cockman, moved in with Katrina’s parents due to financial problems. In 2010 Aaron Cockman borrowed money from Peter Miles so the Cockmans could buy their own home, but Miles’s demands that Aaron Cockman repay the money broke up the Cockmans’ marriage, and by 2015 they were competing for custody of the children. All four children were autistic and attended local public schools for many years, but at some point they were pulled from school to be homeschooled on the family’s hobby farm. Peter Miles had worked for more than 20 years providing farm education at the local high school; he retired in 2016. The family were active participants in the South West Home Schooling Network, who described Katrina Miles as a dedicated and supportive member of their group. “The four children all kept journals, and Taye, the oldest, was becoming an accomplished writer. All the children were working on learning to swim.”
In May 2018 Peter Miles shot to death Katrina and her children, then his wife Cynda, then himself.
*Note: while it is unlikely that homeschooling played a role in this case, it is included in our database as evidence that homeschooled children are not immune to violence.
Date: May 11, 2018
Location: Osmington, Western Australia, Australia Read More
Posted: July 23, 2019 by clmccracken Leave a Comment
4 Children by Jordan Otis and Tiffany Walsh
Four girls were physically and sexually abused by their mother, Tiffany Walsh, and her boyfriend Jordan Otis. The girls were homeschooled.
The girls had different fathers; their mother had custody. “Walsh and her children began living with Otis in Mt. Sterling[, Kentucky around 2012], and left Kentucky to live in several states, until they returned to live in Hazard[, Kentucky] in March 2017.” Neither Walsh nor Otis was gainfully employed and Otis stayed home with the girls all day to homeschool them. He had them complete writing assignments for a few hours per day; then he forced them to create handmade goods and sell them door-to-door for approximately six hours per day, under threat of violence if they did not make their daily quota. Between March and May 2017, Otis “made the victims do excessive physical exercise, eat food condiments that made them sick, sprayed them with bleach,” beat them with wooden rods and coat hangers, locked them in closets, and sexually abused them. In another state, he forcibly tattooed three of the girls. The punishments were drawn from a “punishment jar”. Walsh was aware of and allowed the abuse and benefited from the forced labor.
The abuse came to light in May 2017, when the girls tried to sell their merchandise at a house that served as a children’s advocacy center. The employees were concerned and reported the girls’ activities to the authorities. Walsh pleaded guilty in federal court to forced labor and has been charged by the state with more than 100 counts of child abuse. Otis was charged with more than 100 counts of child abuse.
Date: May 2017
Location: Hazard, Kentucky Read More
Posted: July 23, 2019 by clmccracken Leave a Comment
James Marsh
James Marsh, age 11, died as a result of abuse by his mother, Sarah Marsh, and his stepfather Martin Marsh*. James was homeschooled.
James was diagnosed with autism and ADHD around 2003. He received disability services as late as 2008. Sarah and Martin Marsh married in 2009. The Marshes moved to Central West in 2010 with James and their two other children (one Sarah’s, one Martin’s). James was withdrawn from school to be homeschooled in October 2010. He was kept half-naked, strapped to a portable toilet seat in the laundry room for up to 12 hours at a time, and restrained with PVC pipes and a bag over his head. In early September 2011, James last saw his pediatrician; his parents began locking him in the garden shed that night. In late September, James defecated on the floor and Martin Marsh rubbed his face in it, then doused him with water before leaving him restrained outside. James died of hypothermia; at the time of his death, he weighed only 52 lbs. The Marshes called the authorities when they found James unresponsive.
The Marshes were charged with manslaughter. Martin Marsh pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years in prison. Sarah Marsh was found not guilty.
*These are the pseudonyms supplied to the Australian media.
Date: September 30, 2011
Location: Central West, New South Wales, Australia Read More
Last Updated: July 2, 2019 by clmccracken Leave a Comment
2 Children of Mary Heller
The girls were adopted as young children, L. from China and M. from Mongolia. Both attended public school until approximately 2006, when Heller pulled them from school to homeschool them, allegedly because they were “shy”. However, according to the girls, Heller only taught them numbers and the alphabet before she stopped educating them. After the girls were rescued in 2017, they were enrolled in middle school, where M. “was found by educators to be capable of doing only the simplest of math calculations and was trailing behind even special-needs students. But by the end of the term, she was doing well, and her teachers regarded her as ‘a very nice girl and a hard worker.'”
Heller did not provide the girls with food and their home had a foul odor. Neighbors were concerned about the family and made multiple calls to child services; Heller coached the girls on how to respond to a child services visit in 2016 and told the girls to hide when anyone visited the home. The girls were not allowed to have friends and were only allowed to leave the home when they walked to the end of the driveway to get the mail.
The neglect came to light in January 2017 when the girls’ cousin asked two women to check on them. The women took the girls shopping, where the girls did not know how to order food and one said, “I always dreamed of this, going to the store.” The next day, Heller called 911 to report that she was injured. While she was hospitalized, authorities interviewed the girls. Heller was charged with neglect.
Date: January 2017
Location: Decatur, Indiana Read More
Posted: June 24, 2019 by clmccracken Leave a Comment
2 Children by Samuel and Brandi Hollie
The children were in foster care before they were adopted by the Hollies in 2015. The adoption agency’s policies require training, home study, a background check with references, monthly visits for 90 days, and a one-year checkup phone call. It is unclear when the children’s homeschooling began. The boy reported that the Hollies beat him, waterboarded him, and tased him. The girl reported she was forced to sleep in a closet, beaten unconscious with a baseball bat and a belt, tased, and burned. Both children were restricted to a diet of bread, water, and occasional table scraps from the Hollies’ full meals. When they escaped, the children were malnourished, scarred, and disfigured.
The abuse came to light when the Hollies dropped the children off at their uncle’s house while they went to work. The children escaped and ran to a nearby apartment complex, where a concerned resident called the authorities. The Hollies were charged with aggravated child abuse and child neglect.
Date: June 14, 2019
Location: Gainesville, Florida Read More
Last Updated: June 10, 2019 by clmccracken Leave a Comment
Eduardo Posso
Eduardo’s family lived in Myakka City, Florida. His mother, Aurea Esmeralda Garcia, did not have custody and last saw him in 2017. Eduardo and his siblings attended local public schools in Florida beginning in 2012. Eduardo was a skilled juggler. Numerous people, including Eduardo’s grandmother, his teachers, and his next-door neighbors, were concerned about Eduardo’s well-being, and child welfare officials investigated reports of abuse at least five times between June 2017 and December 2018. Posso and Medina Flores claimed Eduardo’s bruises were accidental and Eduardo denied the abuse, so the cases were closed. Two days after the last investigation, Posso and Medina Flores pulled the children from school to homeschool them. Shortly thereafter, they took the family on the road for their circus promoting business.
While the family was staying in a motel room in Indiana, Eduardo was kept chained in the bathtub wearing a shock collar, and Posso and Medina Flores monitored him with a camera. The abuse came to light when Posso and Medina Flores brought Eduardo to the hospital where he was declared dead. When he died he weighed around 55 lbs. His body was covered with bruises and contained 0% body fat. Posso and Medina Flores were charged with child neglect, confinement, and battery; murder charges are pending.
Date: May 24, 2019
Location: Bloomington, Indiana Read More
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