Homeschooling’s 

Invisible Children

Boy by Jennifer Franklin and Randell Howell

Content note: Case narratives include descriptions of severe violence inflicted on children, including abuse and neglect, sexual violence, torture, and murder, as well as mentions of suicide and domestic violence. They also include photos of victims and perpetrators of violence.


An 11-year-old boy was beaten, tortured, and sexually assaulted by his mother, Jennifer Renee Franklin, and her boyfriend, Randell Howell (pictured). The boy was homeschooled.

The boy previously lived with Franklin and his biological father; Howell began living with them after the death of the boy’s father. Howell regularly beat the boy, leaving him covered with bruises, while Franklin laughed. Franklin claimed her health problems prevented her from disciplining the boy herself. The boy was given only one meal a day and Franklin took away most of his clothes. The boy was forced to clean the toilet with his personal toothbrush, and Franklin sexually assaulted the boy, ordering him not to tell anyone. She pulled him out of school to homeschool him, claiming it was due to his problems in the classroom, but the boy told investigators he was homeschooled to prevent teachers from noticing his bruises and keep him from reporting the abuse to them.

The abuse came to light when the boy escaped and ran to the home of a neighbor, who called the authorities. Franklin was charged with sexual battery and child cruelty. Howell was charged with child cruelty.

Date: August 4, 2018
Location:
Key Largo, Florida

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Documents: Date:
A boy was beaten, starved and forced to clean the toilet with his toothbrush, cops say 08-07-2018
Stepmother ‘made boy, 11, scrub toilet with toothbrush he used to clean his teeth’ 08-07-2018
Key Largo woman could get life in prison for raping a child in her custody 08-10-2018
Key Largo Couple Accused of Beating and Raping Child 08-10-2018
Two People Arrested for Child Abuse and Sexual Battery in Florida Keys 08-11-2018