Loganville woman charged in abuse case

Loganville woman charged in abuse case

Published May 28, 2008

By Sharon Swanepoel

The Walton Tribune    

LOGANVILLE — A Loganville woman was arrested May 20 and charged with allegedly abusing her three adoptive children.

Shirley J. Allen, 56, of Arbor Way Loganville, was arrested following an investigation by the Loganville Police Department prompted by Walton County school authorities.

“We received a report the children, two girls ages 14 and 17 and a boy aged 15, had bruising consistent with beatings,” said Detective Angel Smith of the Loganville Police Department.

“Following an investigation, (Allen) was arrested and charged with three counts of cruelty to children, three counts of battery and one count of aggravated battery.”

Smith said Allen was refused bond on the aggravated battery charge and remains in the Walton County Jail.

“The aggravated battery charge was as a result of a scar on the juvenile male that appeared to be from a previous beating,” Smith said. “They had bruises all over their bodies and one of the girls also had a black eye and a split lip. The beatings appear to have been with an electrical cord that was knotted and made into a whip. This left what we call pattern mark bruising.”

The LPD investigator indicated the children were also allegedly denied food — on occasion for as long as a three-day stretch — as punishment. Photos indicated there was no refrigerator in the kitchen but there was one in the subject’s bedroom that could be kept under lock and key as well as one in the garage.

“(Allen) told me she considered taking food without being asked, stealing. The children said they were made to stand on a milk carton for up to four hours, also as punishment. They were not allowed to go outside to socialize, to bring friends home or to use the telephone,” Smith said. “The whole situation was just heart wrenching.”

According to reports, the male child was adopted in Illinois seven years ago and the two girls, who went to stay with the subject in Illinois about four years ago, were adopted two years ago in the Atlanta area. All three children came out of the foster care system.

Allen told officers she received $1,500 per month in compensation for each of the three children.

“With the $600 she claimed to also receive in disability income, that would put her total monthly income at $5,100,” Smith said.

The children have been removed from the home and are under the care of the local Department of Family and Children Services. Citing another child abuse case last week that resulted in the arrest of a mother on the Gwinnett County side of Loganville, Sgt. Mike Westbrooks of the LPD said it shows child abuse is still a serious problem in this day and age, even in the local area.