From 1968 to 1990 the Nasons adopted in total 76 children, most of them having special needs, to form their "Celebration Family".
In 1992 things started to fall apart and they were were alleged to allow three small children to die neglected in their beds an infant girl who died of starvation in 1988, and a boy of about 2 and a girl of about 4 who died of a form of dysentery called shigella in 1985, days apart.
Some of the 76 children they adopted have told of being beaten and being shocked with a cattle prod. Younger children, were allegedly caged in their beds.
A 27-year-old woman adopted when she was 10 said that Dennis Nason, 49, molested her and attempted intercourse, and that she was forced to eat a bar of soap. She also said she had been hit with a belt during meals for eating too slowly and was hit again when the first beating caused her to urinate.
The Nasons were acquitted of abuse charges, but convicted of racketeering and forgery.
The children were adopted from Vietnam, India, Mexico, El Salvador and the United States
Date: 1991-05-01
Placement type: Adoption
Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Lethal neglect
Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother
Home schooling: yes
Fundamentalist faith: yes
Location: Sisters, OR, US
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