OH - Michael & Sharen Gravelle for child abuse, Clarksfield Twp, 2005

[LinasK]

I have a friend that adopted a RAD child. That child pissed all over the house, in the toy box, closets, kitchen drawers, on the dog constantly. He ruined 2 mattresses. He would destroy the house every night. He's 9 years old. They ripped up all the carpet and laid down tile, took everything out of his room except a small air mattress, which he's managed to put more holes in with his teeth than you can imagine. His bedroom door is alarmed. Yes her house always smells like piss. dispite new carpet, burning candles and all of the other changes. I haven't even mentioned his other issues like lying, fecal smearing, stealing and making false allegations. He's been in therapy forever.

Is he being abused? I don't think so.

The difference is- this family didn't just take in one child- they took in several(at least 8)- for the money- the father has admitted that to more than one person who testified to that fact! That alone makes it child abuse to put them in cages. I'm sure your friend doesn't cage her child, right? Your friend is to be commended, these people are NOT!!!

P.S. My mother, who passed away recently, was incontinent at the end of her life too. Burning candles doesn't remove the odor of urine from carpets, but opening windows and airing out the room does help...

 

[Linda7NJ]

Yes, resign from being a foster parent, if they felt overwhelmed.

They adopted

 

[Linda7NJ]

The difference is- this family didn't just take in one child- they took in several(at least 8)- for the money- the father has admitted that to more than one person who testified to that fact! That alone makes it child abuse to put them in cages. I'm sure your friend doesn't cage her child, right? Does she make him sleep in a bathtub either??? Your friend is to be commended, these people are NOT!!!

He slept in the tub a few nights and in their walk in closet before his room was complete.

 

[LinasK]

He slept in the tub a few nights and in their walk in closet before his room was complete.

Okay I missed that the first time I read your post, went back and edited it out of mine...

I still don't understand making an incontinent child sleep in a bathtub. I think that's cruel and no solution to the problem.

A walk-in closet can be as big as a small room, that's a far cry from a cage.

 

[californiacarrie]

I missed the adopted part somehow, sorry.
And I do agree that these children may have behaved poorly but I also think it was very poor judgement by the adoption workers to allow 11 special needs children to be in one home.

 

[Linda7NJ]

I missed the adopted part somehow, sorry.
And I do agree that these children may have behaved poorly but I also think it was very poor judgement by the adoption workers to allow 11 special needs children to be in one home.

I agree. But there is a financial incentive to get these children adopted for the state. It's not easy to find these children even foster homes to find parents willing to take them forever is a miracle in itself. People aren't exactly lining up to adopt special needs children. The sad reality is these children bounce around in foster care homes & intuitions for years and and get worse never knowing any sort of stability or real sense of family.

I think this family did have the best intentions. Clearly they could have benefited from outside support and the state should have offered it along with the subsidy.

 

[txsvicki]

I wonder if parents, adoptive or not, even get any respite care like foster parents. These people were probably getting at least 800$ per month or more for each child. They could have afforded to build on and partition rooms so that each child could have one small bedroom and maybe put up alarms and monitors and sleep in shifts if possible. We have literally had to sleep in shifts at one time. My grandkids have ADD and some learning and possible mental problems and I get practically no help financially or respite at all. The two on SSI do get a check but the other two get turned down for SSI. People who are relatives and people who adopt save the states big money. It's all about money. I've not had many soiling problems but have had furniture, beds, toys, ceramic tiles, a bathtub surround, rugs, clothes, all broken and torn up along with several fire hazards. I had to lock every cabinet and closet in the house but would never even lock them in a room for any reason. Due to no one listening to me and interference from the people at school about ritalin, I finally after 4 years got them on medication that has helped and it's not the stimulants that did the trick. Those people were idiots and neglectful to take on 11 kids, just the two of them, and so was the state.

 

[SewingDeb]

I don't think they're evil. I think they were doing the best they could in a overwhelming situation.

People put their young children in cages every night and many use cages every day. They are called cribs and playpens. It's done for safety.



I have no knowledge of them being religious

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/12/06/caged.kids.ap/index.html

 

[Linda7NJ]

Where are you getting your information? This is contrary to all the articles I've read on this case. We have a whole previous thread about it.

On Thursday, a former social worker testified Sharen Gravelle showed signs years ago of being emotionally overwhelmed by her parenting duties.

Jennifer James said Michael Gravelle contacted her in November 2000 about stress in the household and said his wife needed a break.

"He said they are having trouble handling them and that Sharen is emotionally beat. He said they loved and wanted to take care of the children," James testified.

James said Sharen Gravelle mentioned one child had tried to eat blankets and other objects, and one child was showing signs of sexual misbehavior that involved pulling down the underwear of another.

James said the Gravelles had requested respite care through which some of the children would briefly go to foster homes so the Gravelles could "recharge."

http://news.public.findlaw.com/ap/o/51/12-01-2006/b3890010bd38fc29.html

There was no locks on the cages, just alarms a child testified about his pillow was taken away because he would use it to muffle the alarm and leave the cage.

Also not all of the children needed cages only the ones dangerous to themselves or others

 

[nanandjim]

...There was no locks on the cages, just alarms a child testified about his pillow was taken away because he would use it to muffle the alarm and leave the cage.

Also not all of the children needed cages only the ones dangerous to themselves or others

Can you imagine living your life in a cage? I'm sorry, but I think that this is inhumane and cruel. If the family was not equipped to handle special needs children--without the use of cages--they shouldn't have taken them in. Sorry, this is just my opinion.

 

[SewingDeb]

Can you imagine living your life in a cage? I'm sorry, but I think that this is inhumane and cruel. If the family was not equipped to handle special needs children--without the use of cages--they shouldn't have taken them in. Sorry, this is just my opinion.

I'm with you Nanandjim. This couple is not young and never should have been allowed to adopt so many special needs children. They "might" have been able to handle one, but that's not enough money for them apparently.

 

[LinasK]

People put their young children in cages every night and many use cages every day. They are called cribs and playpens. It's done for safety.

These children were in actual 4-sided cages with roofs- I've seen the pictures, they looked like chicken coops! These were no cribs or playpens!!!:behindbar

 

[Taximom]

I haven't read the transcripts or heard much testimony but I don't think the children "lived" in these "cages".

I know several families that have made enclosed bunk beds for their disabled children because they cannot afford hospital-type equipment. Some use netting. Some use chicken wire. All of them are doing so to keep them safe. None of them have their children "live" in them.

The Gravelles had too many special needs children at one time. Shame on everyone involved for that, including the Gravelles.

 

[txsvicki]

Do the other families make the beds to keep the disabled kids from rolling out at night or to keep them in so that they can't get out of bed at all at night and roam around? I wonder what group homes that have people on staff 24 hours do to handle these things. I know that they have monitors and alarms but not sure about bed situations. One of the boys testify that he was made to stay in one of the cage areas for a long time as punishment. The worse off kids should be in group homes where there is enough staff and help so that there is constant monitoring.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Do the other families make the beds to keep the disabled kids from rolling out at night or to keep them in so that they can't get out of bed at all at night and roam around? I wonder what group homes that have people on staff 24 hours do to handle these things. I know that they have monitors and alarms but not sure about bed situations. One of the boys testify that he was made to stay in one of the cage areas for a long time as punishment. The worse off kids should be in group homes where there is enough staff and help so that there is constant monitoring.

They strap the kids to their beds or medicate them

 

[Indy Gal]

I wonder if parents, adoptive or not, even get any respite care like foster parents. These people were probably getting at least 800$ per month or more for each child. They could have afforded to build on and partition rooms so that each child could have one small bedroom and maybe put up alarms and monitors and sleep in shifts if possible. We have literally had to sleep in shifts at one time. My grandkids have ADD and some learning and possible mental problems and I get practically no help financially or respite at all. The two on SSI do get a check but the other two get turned down for SSI. People who are relatives and people who adopt save the states big money. It's all about money. I've not had many soiling problems but have had furniture, beds, toys, ceramic tiles, a bathtub surround, rugs, clothes, all broken and torn up along with several fire hazards. I had to lock every cabinet and closet in the house but would never even lock them in a room for any reason. Due to no one listening to me and interference from the people at school about ritalin, I finally after 4 years got them on medication that has helped and it's not the stimulants that did the trick. Those people were idiots and neglectful to take on 11 kids, just the two of them, and so was the state.

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: Couldnt have said it better myself. These people disgust me.

 

[Indy Gal]

I haven't read the transcripts or heard much testimony but I don't think the children "lived" in these "cages".

I know several families that have made enclosed bunk beds for their disabled children because they cannot afford hospital-type equipment. Some use netting. Some use chicken wire. All of them are doing so to keep them safe. None of them have their children "live" in them.

The Gravelles had too many special needs children at one time. Shame on everyone involved for that, including the Gravelles.

http://news.public.findlaw.com/ap/o/51/12-01-2006/b3890010bd38fc29.html
Carlyle Smith, who was working for a company that provides baby sitters, testified Friday he visited the home in 2003 and left shaken after hearing Sharen Gravelle call the children monkeys.

Smith said a boy asked in mid-afternoon to use the bathroom and was told by an angry Sharen Gravelle it was not his scheduled time.

"She told him to go to his cage until morning," Smith said.

 

[Linda7NJ]

photos of the kids
http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=41836

 

[Linda7NJ]

Couple accused of caging kids had troubled marital past



Created: 9/16/2005 10:57:32 AM
Updated:9/16/2005 11:00:04 AM



NORWALK -- The adoptive mother of children who were confined in cages to sleep accused her husband four years ago of being a danger to the family.

Sharen Gravelle of Wakeman requested a separation in March 2001, saying she wanted custody of their then eight young children because of the father's-quote-"physical mistreatment of the children."

The couple eventually resolved their differences and adopted three more children. But now Huron County Prosecutor Russell Leffler has filed eleven complaints of child abuse and neglect to authorize placing the children in foster care.

The complaints are not criminal charges, and the Gravelles say they have done nothing wrong.
A judge will decide in October if the children should be permanently removed from the home.
http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=40844

 

[Linda7NJ]

one more link with pics



http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=40807