Homeschooling’s 

Invisible Children

Chandler Grafner

Content note: Case narratives include descriptions of severe violence inflicted on children, including abuse and neglect, sexual violence, torture, and murder, as well as mentions of suicide and domestic violence. They also include photos of victims and perpetrators of violence.

ChandlerChandler 2

Seven year old Chandler Grafner starved to death at the hands of his guardian, Jon Phillips. In a case described as “horrific,” Phillips locked Chandler in a dark linen closet where he died of starvation and dehydration, surrounded by his own excrement and screaming for something to eat and drink. Phillips, the father of Chandler’s half brother, Dominic, had developed an intense dislike for Chandler and withdrew him from public school to homeschool him after teachers began to suspect that he was being abused.

Date: May 6, 2007
Location: Denver, Colorado

Documents: Date:
Guardian Found Guilty of Starving Chandler to Death 2008-08-04