2 Children of Mary Heller
Two girls, L. (b. 1998) and M. (b. 2002), were starved and neglected by their adoptive mother, Mary Heller (pictured). The girls were homeschooled. The girls were adopted as young children, L. from China and M. from Mongolia. Both attended public school until approximately 2006, when Heller pulled them from school to homeschool them, allegedly […]
2 Children by Samuel and Brandi Hollie
A boy and girl, ages 8 and 10, were starved and tortured by their adoptive parents, Samuel Earl Hollie II and Brandi Rae Hollie (both pictured). The children were homeschooled and “isolated from others”. Their younger sibling, the Hollies’ biological child, was not reported to be abused. The children were in foster care before they […]
Eduardo Posso
Eduardo Posso (pictured), age 12, was starved to death by his father, Luis Posso, Jr., and his stepmother Dayana Medina Flores. Eduardo’s 9-year-old sister and his brothers aged 5 and 2 were not reported to be abused. Eduardo was homeschooled. Eduardo’s family lived in Myakka City, Florida. His mother, Aurea Esmeralda Garcia, did not have […]
Girl by the Smiths
A 9-year-old girl was beaten, starved, and imprisoned by her uncle, Joel Smith (pictured left), Joel’s wife Amanda Smith (pictured center), and their 19-year-old daughter Allison Smith (pictured right). The girl was homeschooled. It is unclear how the girl came to live with the Smiths, but she thought of them as her parents and sister. […]
Girl by Wesley and Sherry Keen
A 14-year-old girl, Rachel*, was starved, imprisoned, and tortured by her family members, married couple Wesley and Sherry Keen (pictured). Rachel was homeschooled. Shortly after the Keens became Rachel’s caretakers in early 2017, they withdrew her from school to homeschool her and began keeping her in a padlocked room where she had no food, water, […]
11 Children of Machelle Hobson
Seven children, ages 15 to 3, were starved, imprisoned, and physically and sexually abused by their adoptive mother, Machelle Hobson (pictured left). The children were homeschooled. Hobson’s four adult biological children were not reported to be abused; her sons Logan and Ryan Hackney (pictured center and right) knew about the abuse but did nothing to […]
6 Children of Joseph and Samantha Ferguson
A girl, Jane*, was imprisoned, physically abused, and medically neglected by her adoptive parents, Joseph and Samantha Ferguson. The girl’s sister, Jean*, was also imprisoned. The girls’ four siblings were not reported to be abused. All six children were homeschooled. Jean and Jane, biological sisters both adopted by the Fergusons, “were undergoing trauma therapy for […]
2 Children of James and Tina Harbert
Two boys—C.H., b. 2003; and J.H., b. 2005—were beaten and starved by their parents, James and Tina Harbert (pictured). The boys were homeschooled. The Harberts’ daughter was not reported to be abused. James Harbert used a 2×4, a dog leash, and his fists to beat the boys multiple times a week for as long as […]
Sanaa Cunningham
Sanaa Cunningham (pictured right with her siblings), age 7, died as a result of abuse and neglect by her father, Germayne Cunningham, and her stepmother Lisa Cunningham. Sanaa was homeschooled. Sanaa’s biological parents, Germayne Cunningham and Sylvia Norwood, married in 2007. Cunningham was a police detective. Their first daughter X. was born in 2007 and […]
Olivia Farrell
Olivia Farrell (pictured), b. around 2001, was beaten and imprisoned by her adoptive parents, Neil and Janet Farrell. Olivia was homeschooled. Olivia’s three older sisters, who were also adopted, were not reported to be abused. The Farrells began caring for Olivia when she was 5 months old. Janet Farrell had previously been a certified teacher […]
