exposing the dark side of adoption
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Five children adopted by Jeffrey and Rebecca Trebilcock

public
2011 Mar 1
True
True

placement

unknown agency for Haiti adoptions Washington DSHS
One boy and four girls between the age of 10 and 13, adopted by Jeffrey and Rebecca Trebilcock, were systematically starved. The eldest child, a 13-year-old boy weighed just 49 pounds, fifty pounds below average. He gained 25 lbs in the first 2 months away and more than 60 pounds 7 inches in the 15 months after he was removed from the house.

The Trebilcocks, whose 4 biological children (3 adult, 1 minor) were fully nourished, had a custom made alarm system installed to prevent the adopted children from entering the kitchen. They ate a vegetarian or vegan diet, which is encouraged, though not required, by the Seventh Day Adventist church. Becky had had weight loss surgery in Mexico and Jeff was obese.

Two children, a boy and a girl, were adopted from the Washington foster care system in 2004. In 2008, after Trebilcocks had been turned down for more foster care adoptions due to house size, they adopted the 3 girls from Haiti. They had just received an approved homestudy for another private adoption, allegedly for a child from Africa.

Documents

Title Publication date
Report links rash of abuse, state adoption policy flaws 2012 Oct 20
Trebilcocks' adopted children will stay in foster care 2012 Sep 24
Trebilcocks sentenced to prison for mistreating children 2012 Aug 23
Abused children's biological brother wants to adopt them 2012 Aug 10
Parents found guilty in Longview starving kids case 2012 Jul 31
Trebilcocks found guilty on 2 counts 2012 Jul 31
Dad testifies in Washington child abuse trial, denies he withheld food, neglected adopted son 2012 Jul 26
Mother takes the stand as abuse trial testimony concludes 2012 Jul 26
Closing arguments wrap up in Longview child mistreatment trial 2012 Jul 26
Father testifies that malnourished boy could eat all he wanted 2012 Jul 25
Defense's expert witness has different take on Trebilcocks' son 2012 Jul 24
Pediatrician dismisses fetal alcohol syndrome theory during abuse trial 2012 Jul 23
Expert testimony sheds light on condition of Trebilcocks' adopted son 2012 Jul 21
Child abuse expert testifies at Trebilcock trial 2012 Jul 20
Oldest son takes stand in Trebilcock trial 2012 Jul 18
Trebilcocks' daughter tells of escape attempt 2012 Jul 17
Adopted son takes stand on Day 1 of Trebilcock trial 2012 Jul 16
Trebilcocks deny mistreating adopted children 2012 Jan 14
State officials investigating several cases of abuse of adopted children 2012 Jan 14
Children taken from adoptive parents to attend private school 2011 Sep 7
Adopted children seized from Longview couple led 'very isolated' lives 2011 Jun 1
Washington Couple Accused of Starving Five Children 2011 May 25
Couple face charges of starving adopted children so badly that 13-year-old boy weighed 49lb and was forced to steal dog food 2011 May 24
Couple accused of neglecting kids appear in court 2011 May 20
Longview parents post bail after appearing in court on criminal mistreatment charges 2011 May 20
Couple accused of starving 5 children released from jail 2011 May 20
Longview couple accused of abusing adopted children post bail 2011 May 20
Washington couple held without bail for allegedly neglecting adopted children 2011 May 19
West Longview couple accused of neglecting, abusing 5 adopted children 2011 May 19