Caged Children

Dark Knight · #1 09-13-2005, 06:33 PM

Eleven children found caged in north Ohio home

WAKEMAN, Ohio (AP) - Ohio authorities say they've found eleven
children locked in cages inside a home outside the small city of
Wakeman.
Sheriff's deputies say the cages were rigged with alarms.
The children are said to range in age from one to 14. According
to the Huron County Sheriff's office, the children had no blankets
or pillows. No information on their condition has been released.
Officials say Sharen and Mike Gravelle are adoptive or foster
parents for all eleven children. Prosecutors are reviewing the
case, but no charges have been filed.
The Gravelles are denying they had abused or neglected the
children.
A Huron County prosecutor says the children have various
disabilities, including autism
A court administrator says the children have been placed in four
foster homes.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

less0305 · #2 09-13-2005, 06:39 PM

This made me sick today when I read about it!!!!

T'sNana · #3 09-13-2005, 07:26 PM

And just WHERE were the Family Social Workers?!!! How could these psycho's PASS for being adequate foster parents?!! That makes me so mad! My BIL is a retired investigator for DCFS (which is dept. of children and family services here in IL) and he was disgusted by how some investigators don't check on homes and get by with it.

SieSie · #4 09-13-2005, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T'sNana

And just WHERE were the Family Social Workers?!!! How could these psycho's PASS for being adequate foster parents?!! That makes me so mad! My BIL is a retired investigator for DCFS (which is dept. of children and family services here in IL) and he was disgusted by how some investigators don't check on homes and get by with it.

When I heard this news on Fox, it was said that they were the adopted parents, not foster parents. I still think the state should check up on kids who are adopted, also - especially when one family adopts that many children and most of them have special needs. I can't believe how sick some people are in this world, I honestly just cannot fathom it. I wouldn't even put my DOG in a cage with no blankets!!! I am anxiously waiting to hear what charges will be filed - because there better be charges filed against these "people" !!!!

Melissa Marshall · #5 09-14-2005, 12:25 AM

The most sick thing about this is that they (the adopting couple) say they were told by the psychiatrists to stick these children in cages so they would not hurt themselves or others. The neighbors said the children outside of the home were well taken care of and dressed nice. I think it's discusting that these poor children who ranged in age 1-14 years and had disablitlies were treated like animals. How sad to think that that is ok to do to someone. I pray these children are not effected by this and grow up to lead happy and normal lives.

kato · #6 09-14-2005, 08:42 AM

Disgusting, despicable, etc.!!!

SieSie · #7 09-14-2005, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melissa Marshall

The most sick thing about this is that they (the adopting couple) say they were told by the psychiatrists to stick these children in cages so they would not hurt themselves or others. The neighbors said the children outside of the home were well taken care of and dressed nice. I think it's discusting that these poor children who ranged in age 1-14 years and had disablitlies were treated like animals. How sad to think that that is ok to do to someone. I pray these children are not effected by this and grow up to lead happy and normal lives.

I heard that, too - that they said a doctor recommended it. I highly doubt a doctor would recommend caging up children!! Besides which, what danger would a pillow and blanket have caused? They didn't even have that in the cages!! This just makes me so angry.

NewMom2003 · #8 09-14-2005, 11:17 AM

Here's another thread about this.

http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29090

Linda7NJ · #9 09-15-2005, 10:51 PM

If any of those children were in fact a danger to themselves or others they certainly weren't suitable for adoption or living in a home environment.

Details · #10 09-15-2005, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda7NJ

If any of those children were in fact a danger to themselves or others they certainly weren't suitable for adoption or living in a home environment.

I can't agree with that - lots of parents have to deal with this - sadly enough. My mom has a friend with two of them - a downs syndrome, and a kid with severe personality disorders - he is basically a serial killer growing up. She has to be locked in her room at night, and has sustained some real injuries from the kid. He's had lots of therapy and such - the parents are doing their best - but he isn't curable. He's going to grow up, hurt someone, spend the rest of his life in prison - almost definitely.

I want to hear more, but I do have some sympathy for these parents, possibly. It sounds like these very troubled kids were healthy and happy - quite an achievement. And if what I heard is true, that these kids would light fires at night, hurt other kids at night - I do wonder whether their hearts were in the right place, even if they could have done a better job of making the cages comfortable. A cage is a lot like what my mom's friend has had to do for her son, to prevent himself from hurting himself or others. It's a bedroom, locked, with a lot of things removed from it, bars on the windows - but they had too many kids to do that for each, and that takes money.

I dunno - I give a lot of leeway to someone willing to take in these difficult children and give them a home, rather than an institution. They might be completely out of line, but I'll wait for more info before I'm sure of that.