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QUOTE=enelram;13888168]
There is zero doubt in my mind that these survivors were horrifically abused for years. None at all. But I do want to address the points made by those who are questioning some of the details.
AFAIK, the comments about the children's mental states came from LE, not from experts in education and childhood psychology/trauma. And they came very quickly after the kids were rescued, and at a point in which immediate medical needs were likely taking priority over cognitive assessment. So it is quite possible to me that LE's impressions of the children's educational and knowledge level were not 100% accurate. If the 17 year old has the educational level of a third grader, for instance, it wouldn't be shocking for someone who doesn't typically work with children to confuse that with first-grade level knowledge.
Similarly, I believe completely that one or more of the children said something to give LE the impression that he or she didn't know what a police officer or medication was. That doesn't necessarily mean that impression was accurate. Maybe the kid didn't recognize the word "cop" or "detective," but actually did have a general sense of what the police did. Maybe a kid who looked confused was asked directly "Do you know what pills are?" and said "no" because she was so scared of giving the wrong answer. In a case like this, it has to be really, really hard to figure out what the kids know and don't know given the layers of trauma they must be dealing with. An untrained officer isn't going to be able to make that kind of assessment.As others have said, it also might well be that some children, based on age or some other characteristic, wound up more thoroughly isolated than the others. But I'm sure all of them are developmentally well behind where they should be.
I will find the article I read today from the MD at the hospital where the adult children are. Her title included Chief of
Trauma and Abuse. She was very clear, all 7 are " mentally Impaired."
Was 2 days after, and adults were in different hospitals . Jmho I didn't see that from link about mentally impaired?
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
PERRIS, California -- The mother of 13 malnourished adult and juvenile children, some of whom were chained to furniture in a filthy Perris home, was confused by the arrival of Riverside County sheriff's deputies after a 17-year-old escaped and called 911, officials said Tuesday.
"The mother was perplexed as to why we were at that residence," said Greg Fellows, Riverside County Sheriff's Department Perris Station commander.
....
The adult children are listed in stable condition and are being fed in a safe, secure environment, said Corona Regional Medical Center CEO Mark Uffer. "They're very friendly, they're very cooperative," Uffer said.
...
Meanwhile, the minor children were being treated at another medical facility.
The Medical Director of the Child Abuse and Neglect Unit at Riverside University Health System, Dr. Sophia Grant, said the children will require stabilization and slow feeding due to their extreme malnourishment.
"The long-term needs of these kids are going to be psychological and emotional," said Grant. Grant said the children would likely experience post-traumatic stress from their experiences. The recovery of the children will be "ongoing and long-term," she said.
