Gail Perkins
In the late 1990s, 18-month-old Gail Perkins was kidnapped by her father, Adam Lee Perkins, from her Greensboro, North Carolina, home in the midst of a custody dispute. Along with his mother, Ruth Perkins, Adam fled with the girl to Alabama and later Ohio, where he claimed to be homeschooling the now 6-year-old (it is unknown whether he […]
Lisa Gooding
In 1991, Melissa Gooding kidnapped her 2-year-old daughter, Lisa Gooding. Melissa’s parents accompanied the mother and daughter, and Lisa grew up in the company of her mother and grandparents. The family adopted assumed names and moved every few years (they lived in Illinois, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Utah before settling in Texas). Lisa was homeschooled […]
Holly, Kyla, and Corrie Snyder
Wesley Snyder shot his wife, Ruth, and his three daughters, Holly, 12, Kyla, 10, and Corrie, 8, before turning his gun on himself. The family was found dead by Ruth’s mother, who lived in a mobile home 100 yards away from the family’s mobile home. The family ran a ranch and homeschooled. Neighbors described Wesley […]
Laree Slack
12-year-old Laree Slack died from internal bleeding after being beaten with rubberized electrical cable by her parents, Larry and Constance Slack. Larry and Constance were devout Jehovah’s Witnesses who homeschooled their six children and followed interpretations of Biblical discipline that included whippings. The incident that led to Laree’s death, as well as the severe beating […]
Josef Smith
8-year-old Josef Smith was found dead when paramedics responded to a call from his home. Medical examiners concluded that the boy died of “acute and chronic” abuse. The boy’s parents, Joseph and Sonya Smith, were members of Remnant Fellowship Church, and followed discipline methods that included beating children with twelve-inch glue sticks and locking children in […]
Neil Beagley
Neil Beagley died of an undiagnosed and untreated urinary tract blockage. His parents, Jeffrey and Marci Beagley, attended Oregon City’s Followers of Christ church and practiced faith healing. Neil was homeschooled after the third grade, associated mainly with family and church friends, and was described as an independent, active child who enjoyed being homeschooled. Jeffrey and Marci Beagley […]
Tyler Raines
11-year-old Tyler Raines was found dead in his home, covered with bruises and malnourished. Prosecutors say he was tortured to death, and have charged Tommy and Amanda Raines, the boy’s father and stepmother, with capital murder and felenous child abuse and neglect. While the couple’s other children attended school and were frequently seen playing outside, […]
Conrad and Ricky Morales
On December 25, 2005, Raul and Cathy Sarinana stomped, kicked, and tortured their 11-year-old nephew, Ricky Morales, resulting in his death. Police found the body of Ricky’s 13-year-old brother, Conrad Morales, encased in concrete in a trashcan outside the home. Raul admitted to causing his death as well. In 2004, with their mother in and […]
Bryant and Alexis Morris
Bryant (age 10), Alexis (age 8), and Johnathan (age 4) Morris were murdered by their father, Edward Morris, who also killed their pregnant mother Renee Lynn Morris. The murders were premeditated—Morris arranged a family trip to the Tillamook State Forest, where he shot Bryant and Johnathan, shot and stabbed Renee, then drove to a more […]
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 […]
