Kansas Police Find Two Starving Girls in Parents' Basement Saturday, July 22, 2006
WICHITA, Kan. — Two emaciated girls who told police they ate only when their father wasn't traveling on business, were hospitalized Friday after police found them in an advanced state of starvation.
"It's the worst case of malnutrition I've ever seen," said police Lt. E.J. Bastian, adding that the 6- and 7-year-old girls were so thin when police found them in the home's basement that "they looked like concentration camp survivors."
The girls' stepmother, whose own biological children were found healthy and well-fed upstairs, was taken in for questioning. Their father, who travels frequently on business, would be questioned when he returned to town, police said.
State social workers discovered the girls after receiving a tip and checking in on their welfare. They then called police.
The two emaciated girls told police that they ate whenever their father was home, which wasn't a lot. With the father gone this week and next week, "they were really hoping they could eat this weekend," Bastian said.
Bastian said he was so angry at what he saw that he had to take a walk down the block to regain his composure.
The house had plenty of food and the girls' stepsiblings, a 4-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy, were well cared for. They've been placed in protective custody, where the emaciated girls will go once they are healthy enough to leave the hospital.
A doctor at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita told police that it didn't appear the girls had eaten in six days or had anything to drink in three days, despite the 100-degree-plus temperatures that have baked Wichita this week.
But he also said it was obvious the girls had been starved for much longer than that.
"This isn't a six-day starvation," the doctor told a police officer, Bastian said. "Obviously, these kids have been starved for quite a while."
I saw this story somewhere else and I was disgusted.How anyone could treat an innocent child like that is beyond me. What I'd like to know is how the heck the father couldn't see there was a HUGE problem.Even if he was away on business a lot,when he was home you'd think he would see that the children were practically emaciated. People like this need to be starved and locked in a basement and see how much they enjoy it.
Well, they arrested the father yesterday. What I'd like to know is why the kids' teachers and school didn't notice what was going on with these children. Of course, it's possible that during the school year they are getting reduced or free breakfast and lunch at school.
You're assuming they were allowed to go to school. I can see them being "home schooled" so noone could see their physical condition. Just a guess,but I wouldn't be suprised......
That's true too. I just don't think too much of the notion of home schooling. I suppose there are situations in which it is the only alternative...living in remote locations...sick children...etc.
It turns out that the school had made several reports to CPS, after catching the girls going through the school dumpster looking for food. CPS said they found no reason to suspect anything abusive was going on with the girls. I hope this stirs up somekind of major investigation into CPS.
I heard on the news tonight that there was a CPS case against this couple a year ago for "spanking, kicking, hitting, throwing down, and strangulation." CPS advised them they could keep the girls if they stopped using physical punishment on them. Right! So they started starving them. Regardless, when the girls were found in the basement, their faces, heads, backs, and legs were covered with bruises. The governor has ordered an investigation into CPS. Of course, she is stomping for re-election too.
wow thats disgusting. I cant imagine ever doing that to my kids. Once again our system has desperately failed those little girls. It kind of reminds me of that book, "A child called it" have you ever read that? Man that book broke my heart, very disturbing and hard to read. I love that guy, Dave Pelzer (i think) what a fabulous human he turned out to be inspite of all the horrible things his mother did to him. Its so so sad. You gotta get a license to hunt, you got to be 21 to drink, you have to get a license to babysit certain number of kids, but ANYBODY can have children. It just isnt right.
I heard that book,"A Child Called It" was deeply disturbing and at the time was working on the Homolka/Bernardo case and never got around to reading it. But I do agree...some people just should not breed.
Oh thats awesome I would love to hear him speak. The book was terribly disturbing, but worth reading. then the second one the Lost Boy, its also sad but you really start to see his strength, then the last one A man named Dave, wow its just amazing this guy is amazing. I honestly think that if Iwould have went thru half of what he did I would be a complete and utter basket case! I guess ya never know what you can actually handle though. But ya if you enjoy reading, those are three books I would HIGHLY recommend. If you can make it thru the first one, its just such a story of triumph. I loved them.
He was wonderful...very powerful. I also went to a workshop with Roy Hazelwood from the FBI Behavioral Science Dept. and he was fabulous. He showed us all kinds of FBI videos of crime scenes and captures. It was so cool.
Oh wow that does sound cool, I would enjoy that. I am fascinated by all that crime stuff. True crime is my favorite genre of books to read and I love all the CSI shows. If I was younger I would seriously consider a career in being a crime scene investigator. Thats cool though your lucky :)
That's exactly what I'd like to do. I am finishing up my PhD in criminal justice management. I interviewed for a job with the juvenile detention facility this week. I am really hoping I get it. I'd be doing work with the juvenile offenders and their families. I've worked with battered women for 22 years, and I just got so burned out finally. I want to do something different. The job pays $20,000 less than I was making, but it is closer to home, and I am excited by the prospect.
When I went to Hazelwood's workshop, he showed us official FBI interview videos with Ted Bundy and Leonard Lake. It was really interesting.
That is awesome Stuck,and I know the system will be lucky to have you! I just hope you'll still have time for us here!
When I see these kind of child abuse cases,I just get mad.You do 10 years for having a joint in your pocket but only a month for abusing a child and then you get the poor kid back.
Wow stuck that is really cool, I am sure you will be great at it. Ya that would be neat to see those videos, I cant tell you how many times I have read a book and then rented a documentary on the subject when I find a case that interests me I just cant seem to get enough info abou it.
Ana I couldnt agree more, its disgusting that you can do more time for doing drugs then abusing kids, or sometimes even murdering someone. I dont think they should ever sentence anyone "bad" to just life, as that is so not what it means. It should always be life without the possibility of parole, or like 200 years or something etreme like that. I dont mean to start any trouble just want to have an intelligent discussion if thats cool :) so I take it you dont believe the "dingo ate my baby" story? Can you tell me why?
A few years ago, a man beat his wife to death with an iron. The news media made so much fun of it, I thought I was going to blow a gasket. The guy got five years in prison.
Oh,that's real nice.5 years.Holy crap on a corn dog. That is disgusting.
The dingo ate my baby thing.....it's just a joke Angel,it is one of the top 10 of David Letterman's excuses to call in sick to work.I'm sorry if I offended anyone.I shouldn't be making fun of that.
No Anna you didnt offend me at all, I was just curious as I had just heard the story, and I watched the movie with Meryl Streep,which I didnt care for. But no I was just curious. :)
