Child of Melvin Wright Jr. and Denise Wright

Medical personnel responding to an emergency call in early January, 2007, found an emaciated 11-year-old girl. Some reports indicate that the girl weighed under 30 pounds. The girl was taken to the hospital and then sent to live with… Read More

Aidan Edward Bossingham, and 2 siblings

Aidan Edward Bossingham, age 13, was starved to death by his mother, Jessica Lee Jensen. He weighed 21 pounds when he died. Though Aidan was diagnosed with a human growth hormone deficiency, Jensen refused to give him medication… Read More

Lauren Kavanaugh, and 5 siblings

Lauren Kavanaugh, also known as Lauren Calhoun, was freed at age 8 from a six-year imprisonment in a closet where she was systematically tortured, raped, and starved by her mother and stepfather, Barbara and Kenneth Atkinson. The Atkinsons’… Read More

Son of Michael Marshall and Sharon Glass

A 12-year-old boy, the son of Michael Marshall, was starved and imprisoned by his father and his father’s girlfriend, Sharon Glass, reportedly for stealing food. Two other children, Marshall’s 10-year-old daughter and Glass’s 5-year-old son, also lived in… Read More

3 children of Eraca Dawn Craig and Christian Jessica Deanda

Three children—an 8-year-old girl and two boys, ages 5 and 3—were abused, imprisoned, and starved by their parents, Eraca Dawn Craig (left) and Christian Jessica Deanda, who were domestic partners. The children were homeschooled. The girl had been… Read More

Tyler Raines

11-year-old Tyler Raines was found dead in his home, covered with bruises and malnourished. Prosecutors say he was tortured to death, and have charged Tommy and Amanda Raines, the boy’s father and stepmother, with capital murder and felenous… Read More

Shane Graham and 10 Siblings

Shane Graham, age 11, disappeared in 1999 or 2000. He had autism, Down’s Syndrome, and sickle-cell anemia. His adoptive mother, Judith Leekin, is believed to have murdered him and buried him in the yard of one of her houses,… Read More

Minnet and Jasmine Bowman and Sister

Minnet (age 9) and Jasmine (age 7) Bowman were murdered in 2006 by their adoptive mother, Renee Bowman, their bodies stored in her basement freezer. The murders were discovered two years later when their then-7-year-old sister jumped out… Read More

Sarah Neely

11-year-old Sarah Neely’s teachers became concerned when she began losing weight. Then, in October 2004, her father, Jon Neely, removed her from school to homeschool her. Opting for a Home School Assistance Program, one of Iowa’s homeschool options… Read More

Child of Daniel Ballard

When police went to a trailer park in Louisiana to evict Daniel Ballard, they found a malnourished 14-year-old boy who weighed only 60 pounds and had untreated infected injuries on his arms and foot. The trailer’s conditions were… Read More