From 1968 to 1990 the Nasons adopted between 76 and 84 children, most of them having special needs, to form their "Celebration Family" or "Nason Nation". The also had 6 biological children. Eventually they formed their own school "Great Expectations".
Allegations involve physical abuse, mental injury, neglect, sexual abuse among siblings, and sexual abuse by Dennis Nason. Three small children died of neglect: Natasha (India or Bangladesh), an infant girl who allegedly died of malnutrition and starvation in March 1988; and Jason, 2, and Jodi (Chile), 4, who each died of shigella (dysentery) in 1985, just a few days apart.
<-- Jason middle, Jodi right
Some of the 76 children they adopted have told of being beaten and being shocked with a cattle prod. At least one younger child, was allegedly caged in his 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.
Diane and Dennis found new homes for at least 40 of the 54 children who lived in the Nason home between January and March of 1991 (Among the charges against them is that Dennis and Diane forged documents, medical histories, to get these children placed.)
The Nasons were acquitted of abuse charges, but convicted of racketeering and forgery involving the children's paperwork.
The children were adopted from Vietnam, India, Korea, Mexico, El Salvador, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Israel, and from United States foster care.
Date: 1991-05-01
Placement type: Adoption
Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Sexual abuse, Non-lethal neglect, Lethal neglect, Economic exploitation
Abuser: Adoptive father, Adoptive mother, Adopted sibling, Other non-family member
Disabilities: yes
Home schooling: yes
Fundamentalist faith: yes
Location
Sisters, Oregon
United States
circa 1983
