Homeschooling’s 

Invisible Children

Child of Matthew and Amy Sweeney

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.

Sweeney

An 8 year old adopted son of Matthew and Amy Sweeney ran away from home after yet another beating and sought help from a neighbor. The child had deep bruising across his arms and back that indicated that he received frequent brutal beatings, but was otherwise healthy. The neighbor reported the abuse and he was removed from his adoptive parents’ custody. The child had been adopted from Russia five or six years earlier and was being homeschooled.

Date: July 2012
Location: Bristow, Virginia

Documents: Date:
Matthew and Amy Sweeney arrested, accused of repeated abuse of son 2012-07-19
Amy and Matthew Sweeney Arrested For Felony Child Abuse In Bristow, Va. 2012-07-19
Virginia Couple Accused of Abusing Son 2012-07-19
Amy and Matthew Sweeney of Bristow, Va., charged with felony child abuse after runaway 8-year-old is found bruised, beaten 2012-07-20
A commentary of the official representative of the MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) of Russia A.K.Lukashevich in connection to abuse of a Russian adopted child in the USA 2012-07-26
Russia starts investigation over reported beating of adopted child in the U.S. 2012-07-26
U.S. Failing Over Adoption Laws Says Russia 2012-07-26
Another U.S. Child Abuse Case Surfaces 2012-07-27
Bristow – Just one week after the near-ban on U.S. adoptions from Russia was lifted, a Bristow couple were arrested and charged 2012-07-29
Abuse case jeopardizes adoption agreement between Russia and US 2012-07-29
Americans To Stand Trial For Abuse of Russian Adoptee 2013-01-08
Over 100,000 American orphans seek American love and care 2013-01-11
TFR promises to punish those responsible for the deaths of Americans orphans from Russia 2013-02-21