Six girls and five boys, ages 10 months to 18 years, were severely neglected by their parents, Jeremy and Christine Long. The children were second-generation homeschoolers—their father, Jeremy Long, had been homeschooled and wanted the same for his children. However, when the children were rescued, they were illiterate and “didn’t know the days of the week, their ABC’s, or even how to spell their own names.” There was no food in the house and the youngest children were malnourished.
The Longs had begun living together when Jeremy was 16 and Christine was 17; their oldest child Miranda was born when they were 18 and 19 respectively. All the children were homebirthed and never received vaccinations or dental care. The Long children spent their lives “without food, water, electricity, heat, education, medical care, bedding or proper clothing and shoes.”
The Longs lost custody of their children and were charged with cruelty to children and failure to educate. Jeremy Long was sentenced to three years in prison; Christine Long did not receive prison time.
Date: July 31, 2008
Location: Hephzibah, Georgia
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| Documents: | Date: |
| 11 children found in squalid rural house | 08-02-2008 |
| Father of neglected children surrenders | 08-13-2008 |
| Mother of 11 is freed on bond after cruelty arrest | 12-23-2008 |
| Father of 11 pleads guilty to neglect | 06-25-2009 |
| Special Assignment: Jeremy Long Speaks, Part 1 | 10-29-2009 |
| Special Assignment: Jeremy Long Speaks, Part 2 | 10-29-2009 |
| Judge closes hearings into reuniting parents with 10 children | 02-06-2010 |
