Homeschooling’s 

Invisible Children

5 Children of Wanda Sue Larson and Dorian Harper

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.

Larsona nd Dorian
Wanda Sue Larson and Dorian Harper were arrested on child abuse charges after they handcuffed their 11-year-old foster son to the porch in November in his underwear with a dead chicken tied around his neck. The foster child and four other adopted children, aged 8, 9, 13, and 14, were removed from the home, which investigators found was littered with animal feces. It is reported that the children were often underfed and hungry and that they were chained to a piece of railroad rail found in the home when they did not finish their homeschool work quickly enough. Larson filed notice of intent to homeschool in March 2012, naming her homeschool the “Eclectic Primer School.” It is unclear when the children were placed with Larson and Harper or where they attended school before being homeschooled. Larson was a supervisor for the Union County Department of Social Services, and is being charged with failure to discharge her duty as a public official as well as intentional child abuse, inflicting serious injury, false imprisonment, and cruelty to animals. The family was reclusive and kept pigs, donkeys, llamas, chickens, turkeys, geese, and other animals.

Date: November, 2013
Location: Union County, North Carolina

Documents: Date:
DSS supervisor, ER nurse charged in abuse of boy, 11 2013-11-15
Wanda Sue Larson and Dorian Lee Harper arrested: 11-year-old boy found cuffed to porch with chicken 2013-11-17
Home of woman accused of child neglect registered as a home school 2013-11-18
Union Co. couple accused of handcuffing child in court, bonds set 2013-11-18
North Carolina Couple, Wanda Larson And Dorian Harper, Allegedly Tied Foster Child To Porch With Dead Chicken Around Neck  2013-11-18
Boy, 11, found handcuffed to porch with a dead chicken around his neck was ‘kept prisoner’ by his foster parents who made their four other adopted children ‘sleep on a feces covered floor’ 2013-11-18
Child found with dead chicken around neck: Foster parents ask for attorneys during court appearance 2013-11-18