A 13 year old girl and an 11 year old boy were forced by their adoptive parents, Earl and Deborah Dinkler, to run 15 laps around the property before breakfast each day. This had been going on for four years when the abuse came to light. If Earl and Deborah were not satisfied with the children’s speed, they beat the children with a belt, a miniature baseball bat, and a bamboo rod. The Dinklers also withheld food and water as punishment. The abuse came to light when the girl ran to a neighbor’s house and hid one morning, exhausted, panting, and afraid of being punished for not doing her exercises. Earl and Deborah were found guilty and convicted of cruelty.
Date: August 9, 2007
Location: McDonough, Georgia
| Documents: | Date: |
| McDonough Couple Charged With Abusing Adopted Children | 2007-08-09 |
| Police: Couple Abused Adopted Kids | 2007-08-10 |
| McDonough man posts bond in child abuse case | 2007-08-11 |
| Man, wife waive arraignment in child cruelty case | 2007-12-12 |
| Trial under way in child cruelty case | 2008-08-20 |
| Children testify against father accused of cruelty | 2008-08-21 |
| Father convicted of child cruelty | 2008-08-22 |
| Dinkler sentenced to prison in child-cruelty case | 2008-09-23 |
| DINKLER v. STATE [Earl Dinkler Appeal] | 2010-06-25 |
