3 Children of Jaileen Soliman
Three children, ages 10, 7 and 1, were neglected and deprived of food by their mother, Jaileen Lorraine Soliman. The two older children had been homeschooled for the past two months after the 7-year-old girl was suspended for a week and Soliman chose to withdraw them both. The children were deprived of meals if they […]
Children of Kelleen Murray-Auguste
A 10-year-old boy was starved by his mother, Kelleen Deon Murray-Auguste. One of the boy’s eight siblings, a 9-year-old girl, was also 20 percent below her normal body weight. The children were homeschooled. When the boy was rescued, he weighed 35 lbs. and was “extremely dirty, filthy, hair was matted”. The abuse came to light […]
2 children of Jessica Botzko and John Westover
Two boys, ages 10 and 5, were locked in cages by their parents, Jessica Botzko and John Westover, as punishment for stealing food and whenever Westover was making drugs. The older boy was also sometimes forced to wear a dog’s shock collar; he had previously been “removed from the home in 1998 when Botzko was […]
LoReyna Barea
LoReyna died of physical abuse and lack of medical care. Investigators responding to the scene found her covered in cuts and bruises, her body severely dehydrated and underweight to the point of being emaciated. LoReyna’s legal guardians, her aunt and uncle, said they had no idea where her injuries came from and insisted that she was a happy […]
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 her grandparents in South Carolina. Medical authorities reported that she will suffer permanent developmental disabilities as the […]
Trenay Cheire Duchane, and 1 sibling
Trenay Duchane, age 12, died after being punched to unconsciousness, beaten with an electrical cord and a broomstick, and scalded to death by her stepmother, Reiko Troupe, as punishment for not cleaning her room. Her 9-year-old sister Treshae was also beaten and burned in an attempt to save Trenay. The girls’ father, Jeffrey Duchane Jr., […]
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, although his body has not been found. Leekin also abused 10 other adopted special needs children. Leekin adopted eleven […]
Boy by Merideth Johnson Vincent
A 14-year-old boy was molested by his homeschool teacher, Merideth Johnson Vincent, over the course of a four-week period between September and October 2007. Vincent, a married mother of three, was a main teacher for a private homeschooling group and is suspected of also molesting other children. Vincent was charged with 14 counts of felony […]
Shawn Hornbeck
11-year-old Shawn Hornbeck was kidnapped on October 6, 2002, while he was out riding his bike. His abductor, Michael Devlin, kept Shawn captive at his home fifty miles away for four years, sexually assaulting the boy and creating pornography of their encounters. Neighbors were led to believe that the two were father and son. When […]
Michaela Watkins
Michaela Watkins, aged 10, was found dead in her family’s apartment on March 11, 2007. Her body was severely bruised and burned. Michaela’s father, Patrick Watkins, and her stepmother, Joy Watkins, claimed that Michaela’s death was an accident—that she had burned herself in hot water in a bathtub and then fallen down the stairs. Michaela […]
