Once again, starvation has nothing to do with a family's poverty but everything to do with cruelty. How sad that the neighbors didn't call. They suspected. Make the call!! And again, we have children adopted as toddlers who were scapegoated and isolated by parents obviously not bonded to the children. It seems that there's a playbook out there which I wish could be destroyed. The MO always follows an identical pattern.
http://www.oregonlive.com/clark-county/index.ssf/2011/10/vancouver_couple_face_charges.html
Vancouver couple accused of beating teenage twins, confining them to room without electricity
October 19, 2011
"Neighbors suspected something was amiss in the olive green split-level house in a snug cul-de-sac in Vancouver's North Hearthwood community. They were awakened by late-night shouting matches at the house of 41-year-old Jeffrey and 48-year-old Sandra Weller. Neighbors complained that the parents loudly berated several young members of their blended family. Occasionally, they telephoned police and discussed calling child welfare workers to intervene on behalf of the six children...."
and
"...the Wellers were charged with child abuse and neglect for allegedly beating their 16-year-old twins with a long wooden stick, confining them in a room with no doorknob or electricity and withholding food...."
and
The Wellers are scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 27 on second-degree assault, unlawful imprisonment and third-degree criminal mistreatment charges. Jeffrey Weller also faces charges of strangling his 16-year-old stepdaughter and beating her with a 42-inch rod, Vancouver police said. It was the 16-year-old girl who slipped a note to an authority figure about the alleged abuse..."
and
"...That note launched the ninth child welfare investigation into reports of abuse and neglect of the Weller children. After previous reports, the children recanted their stories..."
and
"...The pair described being forced to "steal" food in the house -- and the punishment that followed when they were caught. "As a 'punishment' both are made to lie on the kitchen floor with no pants or underwear covering them and are struck on their buttock region repeatedly with a wooden stick, often making them bleed," the court documents said. Their stepfather administered the weekly beatings while their mother watched..."
and
"....police describe a household where the twins were isolated from family members, restricted from touching their parents or siblings and prohibited from using the common eating utensils. The interior doorknob of the their bedroom was removed, the window was locked and an alarm was rigged to go off if they tried to leave the room. The twins, who were home schooled, were not permitted to leave their room except for chores and occasionally to eat. There was no electricity inside the room; the fuses to the outlets had been removed and there were no working lights..."
more at link
Sadly, I'm reminded of Jeanette Maples, the Trebilcock children and the recent case of Hana Williams death.
http://www.oregonlive.com/clark-county/index.ssf/2011/10/vancouver_couple_face_charges.html
Vancouver couple accused of beating teenage twins, confining them to room without electricity
October 19, 2011
"Neighbors suspected something was amiss in the olive green split-level house in a snug cul-de-sac in Vancouver's North Hearthwood community. They were awakened by late-night shouting matches at the house of 41-year-old Jeffrey and 48-year-old Sandra Weller. Neighbors complained that the parents loudly berated several young members of their blended family. Occasionally, they telephoned police and discussed calling child welfare workers to intervene on behalf of the six children...."
and
"...the Wellers were charged with child abuse and neglect for allegedly beating their 16-year-old twins with a long wooden stick, confining them in a room with no doorknob or electricity and withholding food...."
and
The Wellers are scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 27 on second-degree assault, unlawful imprisonment and third-degree criminal mistreatment charges. Jeffrey Weller also faces charges of strangling his 16-year-old stepdaughter and beating her with a 42-inch rod, Vancouver police said. It was the 16-year-old girl who slipped a note to an authority figure about the alleged abuse..."
and
"...That note launched the ninth child welfare investigation into reports of abuse and neglect of the Weller children. After previous reports, the children recanted their stories..."
and
"...The pair described being forced to "steal" food in the house -- and the punishment that followed when they were caught. "As a 'punishment' both are made to lie on the kitchen floor with no pants or underwear covering them and are struck on their buttock region repeatedly with a wooden stick, often making them bleed," the court documents said. Their stepfather administered the weekly beatings while their mother watched..."
and
"....police describe a household where the twins were isolated from family members, restricted from touching their parents or siblings and prohibited from using the common eating utensils. The interior doorknob of the their bedroom was removed, the window was locked and an alarm was rigged to go off if they tried to leave the room. The twins, who were home schooled, were not permitted to leave their room except for chores and occasionally to eat. There was no electricity inside the room; the fuses to the outlets had been removed and there were no working lights..."
more at link
Sadly, I'm reminded of Jeanette Maples, the Trebilcock children and the recent case of Hana Williams death.
