Homeschooling’s 

Invisible Children

Markea Berry

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.

16-year-old Markea Berry, who was mentally disabled, weighed only 40 pounds when she was found dead in her mother’s home. Relatives reported that Markea’s mother, Ebony Berry, was abusive toward her when the family had lived in Michigan. The family left Michigan for Georgia to avoid investigation by child protective services. Ebony homeschooled Markea along with her siblings, and systematically starved them. Markea’s malnourished look had landed the family on radar of Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services, but her case was closed in the midst of a push to trim caseloads by referring them to social services rather than taking children into custody. After Markea’s death, neighbors reported that they had not even been aware that there was a teenager living in the home.

Date: June 15, 2012
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Documents: Date:
Ebony Berry, Mom Who Starved Teen Daughter Markea to Death, Linked to Hunger Cure Doc 2012-06-27
Teen Starved in Spite of State Involvement 2012-06-31
Concerns about DFCS and homeschooling 2013-11-20