Cases

Two girls adopted by Ronald and Ty Stinespring were sexually abused by their adoptive father. Ronald Stinespring was sentenced to 100 years in federal prison.

7 children adopted by Machelle Hackney Hobson were physically abused by her. Hobson died November 12, 2019 before she could stand trial.

The children were forced to participate in her YouTube channel Fantastic Adventures. When they refused to do so, or their performance didn't meet their adoptive mother's approval, they were physically abused.

Two biological sons of Hobson were accused of sexual abuse.

A 14-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl adopted by Patrick and Angel Henderson were imprisoned, starved, and beaten by their adoptive parents. Patrick Henderson was sentence to 4 years in prison. Angel Henderson was sentenced to 5 to 10 years in prison.

7-year-old girl adopted by Jessica Jo Lindberg was abused by her adoptive mother. She was hit on the legs, arms, and the head with the wooden paddle. The girl was also locked up in the basement. Lindberg reportedly calls the girl a “stupid little bitch” on a regular basis and tells the girl she hates her and wishes she had never adopted her. Lindberg received probation.

Between 1990 and 2000, when she was aged between eight and 18 years-old, Jennifer Kelly was sexually abused by her adoptive father John Walker. In 2019 he was found guilty and sentenced to thee-and-a-half year in prison.

Paul Petersen smuggled pregnant women from the Marshall Islands into at least three different states, as part of an adoption scheme. Petersen charged couples $35,000 for the adoption. Pregnant women from the islands were recruited to give birth in the United States and then give their children up for adoption. In compensation the women received $10,000 and the cost of their travel was covered.

70 children were adopted by priest Nikolai Stremsky. For that he was decorated with a national Order of Parental Glory. Several of the children he adopted were raped by him.

Adopted at the age of 9 from the Philippines by a couple from Perth. For about three months during winter she was regularly forced to sleep with no bedding in an unlit shipping container, which she described as “freezing”. She was locked in overnight and when the family went on outings, and learnt it was wise to go the toilet beforehand – but she had to do that outside. The girl was repeatedly assaulted with hands and objects including a rubber hose and a tennis racquet, and was verbally abused and threatened.

The couple was sentence to four years in prison.

Twin boys adopted by Mark and Cheryl Layne were abused by their adoptive mother. This included beating with an archery arrow, a belt and their hand and making the boys eat out of the trash. Cheryl Layne was sentenced to six years' probation.

Four children adopted from China by Cynthia Collier died as a result of their adoptive mother's murder-suicide.