Cases

Seven children adopted by Jonathan and Marlaina Rockwood werre kept locked in their rooms. Their food and water intake was restricted and they were regularly beaten. The adoptive parents each received a one year suspended sentence.

16-month-old girl from Seoul, South Korea, adopted by Ahn Sungeun and Jang Hayeong, was abused and tortured by her adoptive parents for and ultimately died due to abdominal injuries. Jang was sentenced to life imprisonment while Ahn was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. Jang's sentence was on appeal reduced to 35 years.

Five children adopted by Michael Anthony Sr. and Shirley Gray were severely abused by their adoptive parents. Two of the children died at the hands of their adopters: 8-year-old Jonathan Gray and 13-year-old Sophie Heather Gray. Both children were buried behind the home they lived in. 

All the children were kept in cages and were fed only water and bread for extended periods.

Four children adopted by Tommy and Patricia Hyler were abused by their adoptive mother. One of the children bore the brunt of the abuse. The abuse the adoptive mother committed against the boy over two years, included chipping his front teeth with a pair of needle-nose pliers and a hammer; strangling him with her hands and at times a dog leash; and striking him with 2-by-4 pieces of hickory wood, baseball bats, a chain dog leash and miscellaneous items throughout the house. The boy also endured forced isolation and starvation, was not allowed to go outside and was kept away from the other children. 

11-year-old girl adopted by Rafael and Maribel Loera was physically abused and left to die after she got seriously ill. The girl's body was kept in the attic of the house. Ana was adopted together with three siblings who also experienced abuse.

A 9-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl adopted by Lee Steven and Tammie Lyn Brady were severely abused by their adoptive parents. The abuse includes starvation, hitting them, pouring buckets of water on them, zip-tying, choking, beating them with a belt, kicking, cutting and smacking. 

14-year-old twins, adopted from Bulgaria by Mark and Melissa McGregor were starved, physically abused, and imprisoned by their adoptive parents.

Ranch for Kids was a Private Alternative Adolescent Residential or Outdoor Program (PAARP) in Montana. It lost its license due to serious allegations of egregious, chronic and persistent child abuse and neglect. The Ranch for Kids specialised in housing and rehoming teens adopted from Russia.

A boy and girl, aged 8 and 10, adopted by Samuel Earl Hollie II and Brandi Rae Hollie were starved and tortured by their adoptive parents. Brandi Hollie received a three year sentence, wil Samuel Hollie had to serve 13 years.

Four girls adopted by Patricia Taylor where allegedly tortured by their adoptive mother.