Deputies: Florida woman hit, cut, starved adopted teen boy for 2 years

by WEAR staff

SANTA ROSA COUNTY, Fla. (WEAR) -- A woman from Pace, Florida is in jail for abusing her four adopted children -- including one more severely than the others -- for the past two years, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office announced Monday.

Patricia Diane Hyler, 47, was arrested Thursday afternoon. She's being held in Santa Rosa County jail without bond.

Deputies say the abuse happened from April 1 2018, through April 20 of this year.

According to the arrest report, Hyler hit her four adopted children with pieces of wood, baseball bats and "miscellaneous items throughout the residence."

The report states she would wait for her husband to go to work before abusing the children. She told the children that if they reported her, and they were removed from her possession, she would "find them and kill them."

Hyler withdrew the children from school and began home schooling a couple of months after starting the abuse, according to the report.

Out of the four children, one -- a 14-year-old boy -- was targeted and abused by Hyler more than others, deputies say.

The report states that she would often not let the boy take baths -- instead of making him stand naked outside as she hosed him off. She also forced the boy to sleep in the corner of the kitchen on the floor without pillows or blankets.

According to the report, Hyler would starve the boy, and the other children would have to sneak him food. If Hyler found him with food, she would take it from his mouth and punish him.

The report states Hyler would hit the boy with a chain dog leash, belt, wooden bats, and more. She also used kitchen knives to cut his arms, back, and head. She would strangle him with her hands and a dog leash, as well.

According to the report, Hyler cut the boy's head with a knife in the most recent incident.

The report states she got mad about the child not doing his chores. She then took him to the bathroom, grabbed a knife, and started cutting him.

The boy started bleeding over the bathtub, according to the report. The knife got stuck in his head, and he was bleeding profusely.

The report states the boy fell to the ground, and Hyler stepped on his neck. She told him it was his fault the incident happened.

Hyler was arrested after another child in the home alerted deputies of what was happening.

Deputies say more charges are pending as the investigation continues. The husband will not be charged, deputies added.

The children are now in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families.