A 12-year-old girl, adopted by Dave and Wonda Dixon, was allegedly sexually and physically abused. She was also deprived of food. The Dixon's had adopted a total of 10 children.

Date: 2013-08-21

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Sexual abuse, Non-lethal deprivation

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother

Home schooling: yes

Location

Lubbock, Texas
United States

---

Sharon and Reed Leonard, adopted 10 children from Ethiopia and China, 4 through disruptions. At least 6 of the children are alleged to have been forced to sleep ouside in calf hutchs, and were beaten with paddles, plastic pipes or metal rods. The children were homeschooled. 4 sibs were adopted via AAI from Layla House. The family moved from Wisconsin to Missouri in Nov 2008.

Date: 2009-09-01

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother

Home schooling: yes

Placement

Location

Neosho, Missouri
United States

---

11 children adopted by Michel and Sharen Gravelle were found to be kept in cages.

Michael and Sharen Gravelle met in sexual abuse counseling. Sharen was in the program because her previous husband had abused their daughter. Michael was in the program after admitting to a prosecutor that he had sexually molested his 10-year-old daughter over a two-year period. Not only was he never prosecuted for this, he failed to even complete the sex offender treatment program at which he met Sharen.

Date: 2005-09-01

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Non-lethal deprivation

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother

Disabilities: yes

Home schooling: yes

Fundamentalist faith: yes

Homestudy

Placement

Post placement

Location

Clarksfield, Ohio
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

13+ Children in care of Diana Lynn Groves

13 to 16 children, mainly internationally adopted, were neglected by Diana Lyn Groves (aka Diana L. Roll, Diana Graves, Diana Martin, Spike Martin) after she was granted custody of them though private arrangements with the adoptive parents. She bound children with duct tape, beat them with a tennis racket, and disciplined 1 girl by putting her in a clothes dryer.

The 13 children removed in November 2003 included her youngest 2 biological children (16 and 13 years), a 2 year old child adopted at 5 months in Texas, and 10 other children. Six of these children had guardianship papers, 1 did not, and 3 are unknown status. Their ages were: 13, 11, 9, unknown, 9, 9, 7, 6, 1, 4 months. The 7 year old was from Poland. Other children were reported to "look like" they were from Eastern Europe, Ethiopia and Asia. She was previously charged with felony theft in 1989, fraud in 1991 and a felony charge of failure to appear in court in 1992. She allegedly operated under names such as Adoptions By Granny and Loving Choices placement agency. Besides the 3 children in the home in November 2003, there were at least 3 other children placed in the home by guardianship.

It appears she pleaded guilt to felony neglect of a dependent for the 2003 issues. She was apparently released by 2006

In 2006 Ms. Groves took $14,000 from 7 people saying she operated an adoption agency. She was sentenced to 3 years.

Date: 2003-11-01

Placement type: Legal Guardianship

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Non-lethal neglect

Abuser: Adoptive mother, Legal guardian

Disabilities: yes

Location

bloomington, Indiana
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

Fifteen special-needs children, four of whom adopted, and the rest informally placed with Bill and Debbie Rettew were physically abused, medically neglected, and denied food as punishment.

In February 2002, a deal was struck with the Rettews, in order for them to get some of their children back. The Rettews agreed to a court order that found that “they physically and educationally neglected their 15 children.”

The court ordered that most of the children be enrolled in public or private school, that they be allowed ample socialization time as decided by the in-home therapy team, and that they be provided with any medical care or therapy advised by social services.

At least three of the children asked that they not be returned to the Rettews; it is not clear how many eventually returned.

Date: 2000-06-01

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Non-lethal neglect, Non-lethal deprivation

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother

Disabilities: yes

Home schooling: yes

Fundamentalist faith: yes

Location

Greer, South Carolina
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

 

10 children adopted by/in legal custody of and 7 children illegally in the "care" of Tom and Debbie Schmitz were abused by their adopters (they also had 1 bio child). For years the Schmitzes took in disabled and otherwise troubled children in their home and were part of an under-ground network of people taking in children from disrupted adoptions. As adherents of Attachment Therapy, they beat their children, locked them up in cagelike bunk beds, forcing one child to eat his own vomit; holding another child's head underwater as punishment; sitting on a girl and urinating on her; and hurling a wheelchair-bound girl into a swimming pool; placing a hose in a girl's mouth and turning on the water, and lancing a boil on another child with a box cutter as she screamed in pain; forcing children to dig what they were told were their own graves.

Seven children in the "care" of Tom and Debra Schmitz were illegally placed. At least: 2 were from China, 2 from Russia, 1 from Vietnam and 1 from Mexico.

Debra pleaded no contest to 14 counts of child abuse and one count of trafficking. She was sentenced to six months in jail and probation. Tom Schmitz case has been expunged. The Schmitz are now divorced.

Date: 2004-06-30

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Non-lethal deprivation

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother

Disabilities: yes

Home schooling: yes

Location

Trenton, Tennessee
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

A 15-year-old boy (adopted 2005) and a 13-year-old girl (adopted 2006) adopted by Erin and Jennifer Pickel were physically abused by their adopters and locked in a backyard playhouse for days at a time. Three other children (one over 18) in the home were apparently unharmed. Erin James Pickel is a US Air Force major stationed at Seymour Johnson Airbase, Goldsboro, NC.

Date: 2013-06-14

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Non-lethal neglect, Non-lethal deprivation

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother

Home schooling: yes

Location

Goldsboro, North Carolina
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

20 children adopted by Gainesville, Fl woman were beaten with sticks, pipes, belts, extension cords and paddles during more than 10 years of abuse.

Date: 2001-09-01

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse

Abuser: Adoptive mother

Placement

Location

Gainesville, Florida
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

 

Marian and John DiMarias, conservative evangelical Christians, adopted 21 girls from third-world countries. The adopted girls were all impaired; most were deaf. In February, 2003, the State of Vermont learned that John DiMaria had been sexually abusing the older girls for years. He was convicted and jailed by the State.

During 1999 - 2003 DiMaria and her husband, John DiMaria, lived in Jericho, VT  and operated the Gypsy Grace Ranch, advertised as "North America's Largest Breeder" of Gypsy horses, an expensive English draft horse. The DiMarias moved to Vermont from Kentucky, where they also operated a horse farm.

In 2002 and 2003, after the DiMarias had exhausted Marian DiMaria's trust fund of over $7 million, they deceived the Mellon Bank in Pennsylvania, a trustee of the adopted girls' trusts, into sending them $168,000 for fictitious expenses. Further investigation revealed that DiMaria had received and spent $96,000 from one adopted victim's trust, and had defrauded the Social Security Administration of approximately $13,000, after she learned that her husband had been sexually abusing the children.

At least 2 girls were born in China, and Ukraine, at least one girl in India, Russia, Brazil, and Bolivia. (1996 they had 8 from: China, Russia, India, Brazil)  - (Olivia, Hannah, Rikki, Tressah, Anya, Elizabeth, + 15 more)

Date: 2003-02-01

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Sexual abuse, Economic exploitation

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother

Fundamentalist faith: yes

Location

Jericho, Vermont
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

12 adopted, 10 foster,and 5 natural children removed from Sherry Scott's home after Oregon Children's Services Division alleges sanitation problems and sexual abuse between children. Carl had left the home the previous fall. Most of the children were physically or mentally disabled. Many of the children were in the home under private arrangements between parents. Sherry also provided temporary respite care.

Sherry admitted to neglect.

Date: 1991-01-01

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Sexual abuse, Non-lethal neglect

Abuser: Adoptive mother, Adopted sibling, Foster sibling, Undetermined

Location

Cornelius, Oregon
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

28 children, many special needs, adopted by Kathy and Dan Blackburn while they were missionaries in Haiti. Parents divorced after 30 year marriage and both alleged the other parent was guilty of child abuse. Initially Dan was granted custody of the minor children, he lost it after the children were neglected.

Date: 1996-06-06

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Non-lethal neglect

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother

Home schooling: yes

Fundamentalist faith: yes

Location

SHELBYVILLE, Indiana
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

A 15-year-old and a 11-year-old boy and 9-year-old girl, adopted by John Edward Kluth and Sonja Kay Kluth, were allegedly beaten, choked, whipped, and burned.  In addition, the adoptive parents allegedly forced the youngsters to eat pet food, kept both boys confined to the basement, and locked the oldest son in a dog crate for up to two months.

According to news reports, the adoptive father claimed he and his wife were going to be accused of child abuse, but the children came to them already damaged.

The Canadian County Sheriff says the couple was receiving $4,500 a month support money from the state of Wisconsin, where they adopted the children before moving to Oklahoma.

Date: 2011-02-23

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother

Home schooling: yes

Placement

Location

Yukon, Oklahoma
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

3 children, aged 9, 10 and 11 years, were starved by their adoptive parents Mark and Susan Hooper. The three children were adopted by the Hoopers in 2007, six years prior to the discovery of the abuse.

Date: 2013-02-01

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal neglect, Non-lethal deprivation

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother

Home schooling: yes

Fundamentalist faith: yes

Location

Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

Three children adopted by Nicholas Newcombe and Dr Jill Newcombe-Buley were systematically abused by their adoptive mother over a ten-year period. Jill Newcombe-Buley was sent to prison for four years.

Date: 2009-09-01

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse

Abuser: Adoptive mother

Placement

Location

Prestbury, Cheshire
United Kingdom

---

10-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, and their 8-year-old brother, adopted by Tim and Iliana Archuleta, were tortured, imprisoned, and starved by their adoptive mother, Iliana Archuleta, and her brother-in-law Rogelio Archuleta. The adoptive father knew about the abuse but did nothing to stop it

Date: 2012-10-13

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Non-lethal neglect, Non-lethal deprivation

Abuser: Adoptive mother, Other family member

Home schooling: yes

Location

San Antonio, Texas
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

Two girls, age 11 and 13, and an adult male, adopted by David and Rejeana Moss, were being kept locked away and were physically abused by their adoptive parents. The two girls alleged sexual abuse by David Moss as well.

Date: 2014-09-12

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Sexual abuse, Non-lethal neglect, Non-lethal deprivation

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother

Home schooling: yes

Placement

Location

Dorset Township, Ohio
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

Three girls adopted by Charles Sparks and his wife, were sexually abused by their adoptive father. Sparks was a former custodian at Parkview Middle School in Clark County.

In 2001, Child Protection Services investigated Sparks for sexual abuse, but against CPS's recommendations and warnings, a judge allowed Sparks to keep the girls.

The adoptive mother knew what happened and didn't do anything about it.

Date: 2008-04-28

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Sexual abuse

Abuser: Adoptive father

Location

Jeffersonville, Indiana
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

4 children aged 7 to 12 were allegedly beaten, cut and handcuffed by their adoptive mother Annissa D. Schoolfield. Children are now with their adoptive father,  Anissa's ex-husband Eugene Schoolfield was not charged.

Date: 2010-06-04

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse

Abuser: Adoptive mother

Post placement

Location

Millcreek, Pennsylvania
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

A 15-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, adopted by Aubrey and Laura Thomas were paddled regularly, forced to eat horse manure, forced to perform sex acts, fed bar soap and cayenne pepper and forced to vomit food and eat it off the floor.

The Thomases became foster parents to six children in 2001. In 2003, two of the children were removed because they had been abused.

Date: 2011-10-14

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Sexual abuse, Non-lethal neglect, Non-lethal deprivation

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother

Home schooling: yes

Location

Sperry, Oklahoma
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

4 children adopted by Richard and Cheryle Burton were kept locked in the house, malnourished and physically abused by their adoptive parents.

Date: 2012-11-03

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Sexual abuse, Non-lethal deprivation

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother

Location

Mt. Airy, Georgia
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

Shanda Lou Yenglin, a single mother, adopted four children (2 boys and 2 girls) from foster care.She had a history of substantiated abuse and neglect of her children dating to 2002, She hit one boy in the head with a wrench, other children were having their hair pulled, being hit with hangers, and being pushed against the walls.One boy was slammed onto the bathroom floor with enough force to crack his three front teeth. She did not seek dental repair until the following day, when she instructed the boy to tell the dentist he slipped and fell.

Yenglin lost temporary custody of the four children in May 2010 amid an investigation by the state Department of Human Services, but was nevertheless allowed unsupervised visits. During the third visit, Yenglin gave the children drug-laced milkshakes and led them out to sleep in a minivan running inside a closed garage. Shanda Lou Yenglin managed to kill herself from carbon-monoxide poisoning. The four children survived.

Date: 2011-02-27

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Non-lethal neglect

Abuser: Adoptive mother

Fundamentalist faith: yes

Location

Waterford, Michigan
United States

See map: Google Maps

---

Two 4 year old girls, nicknamed BaoBao and BeiBei were found chained to a water pipe. Their adoptive father returned once each day to feed them. Two more girls nicknamed Sisi and Lele, either both 6 or 3 & 6 yrs old were found at Yang's mother's house. Two the girls have been returned to their bio families, the other 2 are now in the Juijang SWI. All 4 were adopted as infants.

Date: 2010-09-17

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal deprivation

Abuser: Adoptive father

Location

Jiujiang, Jiangxi
China

---

 76+ Children adopted by Diane and Dennis Nason

From 1968 to 1990 the Nasons adopted between 76 and 84 children, most of them having special needs, to form their "Celebration Family" or "Nason Nation". The also had 6 biological children. Eventually they formed their own school "Great Expectations".

Allegations involve physical abuse, mental injury, neglect, sexual abuse among siblings, and sexual abuse by Dennis Nason. Three small children died of neglect: Natasha (India or Bangladesh), an infant girl who allegedly died of malnutrition and starvation in March 1988; and Jason, 2, and Jodi (Chile), 4, who each died of shigella (dysentery) in 1985, just a few days apart.
<-- Jason middle, Jodi right
Some of the 76 children they adopted have told of being beaten and being shocked with a cattle prod. At least one younger child, was allegedly caged in his beds. A 27-year-old woman adopted when she was 10 said that Dennis Nason, 49, molested her and attempted intercourse, and that she was forced to eat a bar of soap. She also said she had been hit with a belt during meals for eating too slowly and was hit again when the first beating caused her to urinate.

Diane and Dennis found new homes for at least 40 of the 54 children who lived in the Nason home between January and March of 1991 (Among the charges against them is that Dennis and Diane forged documents, medical histories, to get these children placed.)

The Nasons were acquitted of abuse charges, but convicted of racketeering and forgery involving the children's paperwork.

The children were adopted from Vietnam, India, Korea, Mexico, El Salvador, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Israel, and from United States foster care.

Date: 1991-05-01

Placement type: Adoption

Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Sexual abuse, Non-lethal neglect, Lethal neglect, Economic exploitation

Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother, Adopted sibling, Other non-family member

Disabilities: yes

Home schooling: yes

Fundamentalist faith: yes

Placement

Location

Sisters, Oregon
United States