Two days ago, a severely malnourished teen is in intensive care after Alabama police stated that he has spent almost two years of being locked in the basement of his adoptive parents.
The police began the investigation into the 14-year old kid’s living conditions after his adoptive parents took him to the hospital for treatment. He weighed 55 lbs.
According to the local County Sheriff’s Office, the teens’ parents, Richard Hobson Kelly and Cynthia Rogers Kelly, were charged Monday with aggravated child abuse.
His adoptive parents reportedly denied him food, water and medical care. Locking him in the cellar for extended periods as a form of punishment.
“It’s the worst case of neglect that I have ever seen.”
This was the statement made by Helena Police Chief Pete Folmar to the local newspaper.
Both of these scumbags are being held in the county jail with a $1 million bail, court records showed Tuesday.
Did you know?
- In 2014, state agencies identified an estimated 1,580 children who died as a result of abuse and neglect? That averages out to between four and five children a day.
-
Every year more than 3.6 million referrals are made to child protection agencies involving more than 6.6 million children (a referral can include multiple children).
* A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds.
* In one study, 80% of 21-year-olds who reported childhood abuse met the criteria for at least one psychological disorder.
It makes me sick when I hear about cases like this, especially when the perpetrators are foster, or adoptive parents. If you don’t want to care for a child, simply don’t do it. There are 1000’s of kind, caring responsible adults who would.