An Indiana couple who allegedly adopted a disabled 8-year-old girl from Ukraine— only to abandon her years later and move to Canada—was criminally charged on Wednesday. Kristine and Michael Barnett, 45 and 43, are facing neglect of a dependent charges for allegedly leaving their adopted daughter in a rented Lafayette apartment in July 2013. The …
An Illinois father was arrested last week for allegedly beating his disabled adult son with a bat during a dispute on Christmas Eve. According to the Chicago Tribune, Jorge L. Montanez, 50, is facing charges for an attack that has left his 24-year-old son hospitalized. Prosecutors said that Montanez demanded an apology from his son for …
A Tennessee mother is facing criminal charges after her 6-year-old son with developmental disabilities allegedly showed signs of being severely abused and was living in deplorable conditions. According to WHBQ, Andrea Caldwell, 32, was discovered in a hotel room on December 8–eight months after the Department of Children Services began looking for her. There, a social worker reportedly …
An Illinois couple with nine children are accused of locking their adult daughter, who has severe cognitive disabilities, in a filthy bedroom for two years. The Chicago Tribune reported that Charles Hopkins III and his longtime girlfriend, Marinda Y. Hicks, 38, are facing multiple neglect-related charges, including endangerment of a child, criminal neglect of a person with a disability and …
A former teacher aide at a Brevard County, Florida, private school is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old student with special needs. Florida Today reported that Alana Chasky, 35, allegedly had a sexual relationship with the boy between February and September. Palm Bay police said the assaults didn’t happen on campus. Detectives said that Chasky also worked as …
A Macomb Township, Michigan, couple is accused of holding a woman with special needs captive and forcing her to sell sex. The Detroit Free Press reported that Michael Welch, 38, and Misty George, 30, allegedly kept the 29-year-old woman—who has physical and mental disabilities—in an outside shed, took her support money, and created online ads to sell …
A Fort Walton Beach, Florida, elementary school teacher is facing criminal charges for allegedly abusing special needs students at the school. According to an arrest report obtained by the Northwest Florida Daily News, Kenwood Elementary School teacher Marilynn Stillions, 59, is accused of spraying vinegar in children’s mouths as punishment, using her foot to push or move …
A disabled Colorado man who uses a wheelchair was struck by a car and then allegedly given a ticket for not crossing the road fast enough, as reported by KVDR. Kyle Wolfe said he was crossing a street in downtown Denver but was unable to fully cross in the 20 seconds allotted by the signal. He …
A 45-year-old disabled man is in intensive care after Georgia officers found him trapped in a bed and living in deplorable conditions, according to The Daily Citizen. Lisa Alexander, 46, was arrested and charged with neglect of a disabled adult. Her relationship to the injured man, whose name has not been released, is not known. …
A video uploaded to Facebook shows a disabled Washington man crawling out of a store after an employee reportedly didn’t allow him to use an electric cart. Shane Zahn claimed in a Facebook post that the incident occurred at Mills Fleet Farm on Monday. Zahn, who is missing a foot, wrote that after he finished …
The resident couldn’t even cry for help
Two Connecticut group home workers were arrested this week for allegedly choking and striking a disabled 19-year-old with a mop and broom. The victim’s mother reported the January 12 incident to the state Department of Developmental Services after noticing bruising on her daughter. Video footage from the Hamden group home showed Victoria Dancy, 50, and Melissa Smith, 41, …
