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Ohio Children Caged Like Animals!

© Susan Maree Jeavons

Inside a Clarksfield, Ohio, home were eleven adopted special needs children. All of these children were physically or emotionally challenged, and either had HIV, Downs Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, or were Autistic. When authorities found them, many were allegedly locked inside wood and chicken wire cages, trapped like animals. The parent's attorney claims that they did this to protect their children from themselves and each other at night. However, prosecutors reported that after interviewing the children, they know that the cages were used not only at night, but during the day as well, and were also used for punishing the children.

One neighbor told of hearing children's screams. After a social worker visited the home and made a report, police found eleven children ranging in ages from 1-14. Nine of them were imprisoned in these two feet high by three feet long enclosures. Apparently the parents had painted each cage a bright, cheery color, and painted rainbows and animals on the walls. Still, the children had no pillows and no blankets, only a rubber mat. It was also reported that one child was allegedly forced to sleep in the tub after the parents tired of cleaning his excrement from the cage.

Authorities say that the house reeked of urine, and that some of the children may have been in the enclosures for three years or more. Who would really know the truth? The checks and balances that were suppose to be in place to protect these children, failed miserably! One news report said that a social worker approved the enclosures. Another said that a psychiatrist suggested that the parents use them.

The parents of these children adopted them from different agencies and counties in northern Ohio, and received over $4000.00 a month in adoption subsidies, also known as Adoption Assistance Payments (AAP). They were paid more than $4000 a month to protect these children. In addition, the parents had to sign a contract called an adoption assistance agreement with the state.

Did the state investigate these people before placing eleven special needs children in their care? Why did it take social services three years to notice that something was wrong? Who was responsible for making certain that eleven children were safe? Were eleven children just too many to handle? There is absolutely no justification for what happened inside this Ohio home!

It seems to me that this would be unheard of today, but the fact is there are many St. John's Road scenarios throughout this country and others. How many others helpless children are caged or confined? How many innocent children are afraid to tell, and are waiting to be rescued from parents or other caregivers? Will they too have to wait for years?