Cases

A boy adopted by Timothy and Tracy Ferriter was locked up in a box-like structure in the garage. 

Three siblings adopted by Roy and Garland Malcolm were severely punished by their adoptive mother. One of the children, a 6-year-old boy has permanent brain damage as a result. Garland Malcolm received 32 years in prison.

13-year-old Felicity and 9-year-old Barrett Kreb adopted by Christof M. Kreb and Yvette M. Siegert-Kreb were killed in a murder-suicide where their adoptive father killed the entire family and then took his own life. Felicity was adopted from China, while Barrett was adopted from Albania. Both were born with dwarfism.

6-year-old girl adopted by Isaac and Lehua Kalua kept her in a dog cage in the bathroom with duct tape on her mouth and declined food. In September 2021, Isabella was reported to be missing. On July 27, 2023 a judge declared the girl deceased. The Kalua's have been arrested for second degree murder and are awaiting trial.

11-year-old boy adopted by Mary E. Diehl died of ingestion of methanol, which was given to him by his adoptive mother. She was charged with criminal homicide and plead no contest to murder in the third degree and serves 10 to 20 years in prison.

Children adopted by Karey Hedlund were physically abuse by their adoptive mother. The children were struck with a wood backscratcher, the edge of a wood paddle and the handle of a flyswatter and were locked out of the residence during the day, sometimes without access to food or water. The children were being pushed outside in underwear as it was starting to snow. Hedlund was further accused of biting a victim's fingers until they bled as punishment for biting fingernails; withholding meals when the children did not obey orders; slapping the victims and pulling their hair; and chasing victims with a four-wheeler. Hedlund was accused of locking one victim in a pet cage for 2.5 days as a punishment. The victim was allegedly not let out of the cage to use the toilet and Hedlund was accused of pouring bleach into the cage to clean it while the victim was still inside.

6-year-old girl adopted by Sophie Hartman was allegedly being given unnecessary medical treatments at the urging of her mother. The child has a surgically implanted feeding tube, a cecostomy tube to flush out the intestines and leg braces and a wheelchair that doctors said the child did not need. 

 33-month-old girl adopted by a couple from Hwaseong, was beaten to death by her adoptive father.

Girl adopted by Gerald C. Simmons was sexually abused by him since the age of 12. Simmons was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with 15 years fixed and the remaining time indeterminate.

6-year-old boy about to be adopted by Carl and Tyler Zachare died while in their care. Aaron suffered from autism and apparently hit his head on the tub while throwing a tantrum.