Homeschooling’s 

Invisible Children

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 […]

2 Children of Christopher and Kathryn Williams

A girl, L., b. 2005, and a boy, M.*, b. 2007, were medically abused by their parents, Christopher J. Williams and Kathryn A. Williams. The children were homeschooled. The medical abuse of the children began at least as early as 2007 when M. was born. The Williamses had both of the children’s intestines unnecessarily removed, […]

Charlie, and 1 sibling

Charlie*, age 12, was neglected by his mother. Charlie was homeschooled. Charlie was born in 2003 to a white mother and a First Nations father. Charlie began showing signs of autism around age three, shortly before his parents separated, although he was not diagnosed until age six. Charlie and his older brother stayed with their […]

Son of David and Vanessa Hall

A 17-year-old boy was starved and medically neglected by his parents, David and Vanessa Hall (pictured). The boy was homeschooled. The boy was blind and autistic. He attended special education at age 5 when the family lived in Georgia, but was then pulled from school to be homeschooled. After the family moved to Colorado around […]

5 Children of Yenier and Sarah Conde

Five children–a girl b. 2007, a boy b. 2008, two children b. 2009 and 2011, and a boy b. 2012–were starved, imprisoned, tortured, and medically neglected by their parents, Yenier and Sarah Conde (pictured). Yenier also abused Sarah. The children were homeschooled. Sarah Conde ran an American Kennel Club breeding program in the home. The […]

Children of Randy and Katherine Swopes

At least 9 children were abused by their parents, Randy and Katherine Swopes (pictured). Several of the children were homeschooled. The Swopeses had at least 9 children, including a boy b. 1994, a child b. 2003, a child b. 2005, a girl b. 2008, and a child b. 2011. “In January 2008, Randy Swopes was […]

Son of Jimmy and Amy Jones

A 15-year-old boy was starved and tortured by his father, Jimmy Jones Sr. (left), his stepmother, Amy Jones (second left), and his two adult stepbrothers, Tyler Adkins (second right) and Jonathan Plank (right). The boy was homeschooled. A 4-year-old girl who lived in the home was not reported to be abused. The boy and his […]

Jordan Burling, and 1 sibling

Jordan Burling, age 18, died of bronchopneumonia as a result of medical neglect by his mother, Dawn Cranston, his sister Abigail Burling, and his grandmother Denise Cranston. Jordan was homeschooled. The body of Jordan’s infant brother was also found concealed in the home. When he attended the local elementary school, Jordan had head lice, dental […]