Gus, 7 month old boy adopted from Guatemala by Steven D. Showcatally and Gail Hunt was dropped to the floor by his adoptive father and died three hours later. Gustavo was adopted 4 months earlier in Nov. Father was sentenced to 12.5 years. Parents attempted to complete a pending adoption in India shortly after Gustavo's death.

Liggins' children, ranging in age from 8 to 17, were discovered a month ago at the Nigerian orphanage by an American missionary. The children, some of them suffering from typhoid and malaria, told the missionary they were from Houston and wanted to go home. The church's pastor told two U.S. congressmen and arrangements were made to return them to Texas.

Liggins said her only mistake was trusting her brother-in-law to care for the children in Nigeria. The relative took money she sent for the kids' benefit, causing the children to be kicked out of their boarding school and put in the squalid orphanage, she said.

The children, adopted from US foster care, initially were taken to Nigeria in October so she could take a job in Iraq, working for Houston-based Hallilburton subsidiary KBR.

7-year-old girl, adopted by Debra Liberman  and Dan Liberman was severely abused by her adoptive mother. She had bleach poured her back, was beaten her with a dog chain, had  cat food and salt forced down her throat and was locked in a coal cellar, and then a closet.

As the youngest of two children adopted by Audrey Chatmon, Jada D. was repeatedly submerged in scalding water, causing second- and third-degree burns. She was also hit with a belt, pulled her hair, hit in the face and body, scratched and burned her with fire. Her older sister was Faith D.

Audrey Chatmon was arrested in 2004, convicted of child abuse and sentenced to 15 years in state prison.

13-month-old child adopted from China was hospitalized after being shaken by her father, Stephen L Truex

 
At age 6, Alex Pavlis of Illinois, was beaten to death by his U.S. adopted mother, Irma, 6 weeks after his November adoption from Yeysk, Krasnodar, Russia. Adoptive father was Dino Pavlis. Alex, who was adopted along with his 5 yr old bio sister, was found to have 32 bruises, scars, and cuts. Irma had a difficult time with Alex. He banged his head on the walls, floors, and defecated and urinated on himself. Reports indicate that his injuries could have been self-inflicted. The children were temporarily homeschooled until a school would be chosen. Irma, a Mexican immigrant, was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Irma Pavlis was sentenced to 12 years in prison. She served five and was released in 2008.

22-month-old girl from China, adopted by Tawainese natives Perry Yu Lin and Dianne Buu Lin, died of blunt-force trauma and had injuries over her entire body. She was adopted 2 months earlier. Dianne Buu Lin was sentences to 15 years. Perry Yu Lin was sentenced to one year of felony probation.

13 to 16 children, mainly internationally adopted, were neglected by Diana Lyn Groves (aka Diana L. Roll, Diana Graves, Diana Martin, Spike Martin) after she was granted custody of them though private arrangements with the adoptive parents. She bound children with duct tape, beat them with a tennis racket, and disciplined 1 girl by putting her in a clothes dryer.

The 13 children removed in November 2003 included her youngest 2 biological children (16 and 13 years), a 2 year old child adopted at 5 months in Texas, and 10 other children. Six of these children had guardianship papers, 1 did not, and 3 are unknown status. Their ages were: 13, 11, 9, unknown, 9, 9, 7, 6, 1, 4 months. The 7 year old was from Poland. Other children were reported to "look like" they were from Eastern Europe, Ethiopia and Asia. She was previously charged with felony theft in 1989, fraud in 1991 and a felony charge of failure to appear in court in 1992. She allegedly operated under names such as Adoptions By Granny and Loving Choices placement agency. Besides the 3 children in the home in November 2003, there were at least 3 other children placed in the home by guardianship.

It appears she pleaded guilt to felony neglect of a dependent for the 2003 issues. She was apparently released by 2006

In 2006 Ms. Groves took $14,000 from 7 people saying she operated an adoption agency. She was sentenced to 3 years.

Liam Thompson: age 36 months, of Columbus, Ohio, died from scalding and neglect. His adoptive father, Gary, placed him in a tub of 140 degree water. He recieved 2nd and 3rd degree burns. His LPN adoptive mother, Amy, neglected treatment for 2 days, then treated him with Tylenol and Vaseline. She took Liam to the hospital only after he went into respitory failure. Amy was sentence to 15 years for child endangering and involuntary manslaughter. Gary received 15-life for murder.
Liam was adopted from Blagoveshensk, Amur, Russia 5 months prior  to his death along with his older bio sister. His sister has a new adoptive home and is doing well. Thompson's also had a 3.5 yr old bio son and a 15 yr old bio daughter of Amy.

   

Four New Jersey boys who had been systematically starved by their adoptive parents, while state child welfare workers, in a bewildering series of errors, failed to make the most basic checks on the children over a dozen years. Bruce(19) was 45 lbs, Keith (14) was 41 lbs, Tyrone (10) was 28lbs,  Michael (9) was  23lbs. The boys were also beaten with brooms, rulers, sticks, shoes and belt buckles. Above is a family photo, a close up of Bruce and Bruce 27 months later.

Vanessa Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of endangering the welfare of a child. The boy's father died of a stroke before being convicted.