Homeschooling’s 

Invisible Children

28 Children of Kathy and Dan Blackburn

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.

Twenty-eight children adopted from Haiti (ranging in age from infant to 11 years when adopted in 1987), several with special needs, were neglected and physically abused by their parents, Kathy and Dan Blackburn. Several of the girls also reported being sexually abused by Dan Blackburn and, it is suggested, by their older brothers. The children were homeschooled. The Blackburns also had two biological sons (ages 20 and 18 in 1987).

The abuse came to light when some of the girls reported the sexual abuse to Kathy and she filed for divorce. Custody of the children was first awarded to Dan Blackburn but eventually awarded to Kathy Blackburn. Many of the children were subsequently enrolled in public school.

Date: 1995
Location:
Shelbyville, Indiana

>

Documents: Date:
Couple Back in U.S. With 28 Haitian Children 1989-12-19
27 HAITIAN CHILDREN CELEBRATE YULE PRESENTS: PIECES OF PAPER 1991-12-26
CHRISTMAS FOR 28 ADOPTED CHILDREN IS MORE GIVING THAN IT IS RECEIVING 1992-12-17
BIG FAMILY WANTS TO MOVE, BUT NEW NEIGHBORS SQUAWK 1993-02-02
Shelbyville Journal; Real Home at Last for a Family of 30 1994-03-15
FAMILY PROBLEM: 23 TEENAGERS 1994-09-18
OFFERS OF HELP POUR IN TO COUPLE WITH 28 ADOPTED HAITIAN CHILDREN 1994-09-25
Deliver us from evil – Reader’s Digest article 1995-00-00
Sex abuse claimed in adoptive family 1996-04-10
REPORTS SAY MOTHER SHOULDN’T GET CUSTODY OF 28 ADOPTED ORPHANS 1996-05-15
PARENTS MAY LOSE 25 KIDS 1996-06-06
ADVOCATE SAYS 28 KIDS BELONG WITH ADOPTIVE DAD 1996-06-11
TESTIMONY SAYS MOM OF 28 IN A CULT 1996-06-12
DAD GETS CUSTODY OF 19 HAITIAN KIDS 1996-07-05
WOMAN CHARGED WITH THREATS TO HAITIAN ADOPTEES 1996-12-05
CHILD ADVOCATE FACES 2 CHARGES 1996-12-05
PROBLEMS IN HOME WITH 19 CHILDREN 1997-02-22
FATHER OF HAITIAN KIDS ORDERED TO QUIT WORK A JUDGE SAYS HE SHOULD GO ON WELFARE TO SUPPORT THE 17 ADOPTEES. 1997-03-03
HAITIAN KIDS’ FATHER AWAITS WELFARE AID 1997-03-11
ADOPTIVE FATHER OF 19 AWAITS WELFARE CHECKS 1997-03-13
HAITIAN KIDS’ HOME NOT SAFE, OFFICIALS SAY 1997-04-03
HAITIAN KIDS’ PARENTS ANSWER WELFARE RULING SEVERAL OF THE 19 ADOPTED CHILDREN NEED STATE SERVICES, WELFARE OFFICIALS SAY. 1997-04-04
HAITIAN KIDS’ MOTHER GETS LEGAL CUSTODY 1997-07-29
DAD LOSES FIGHT FOR HAITIAN KIDS 1997-07-30
Working hard to catch on; Exposed late to football, Shelbyville’s Blackburn has progressed far. 2000-09-22
Blackburns may be evicted from home 2002-06-11
An answer to prayer 2002-07-04
Ministers’ group asks ex-missionary to go; Association wants group for foster kids to move in; mom, 8 kids refuse to leave. 2002-08-23
Superior Court to hear objections in Blackburn case 2003-05-09
Home built with hope may be auctioned; Money from sale would be shared between ministerial group and adoptees’ mother. 2005-03-30
Son delays sale of house; Man’s offer prompts judge to extend bids on home that sheltered 28 Blackburn children. 2005-04-20
Faith tells woman this home is hers; Hearing Monday could end legal fight 2005-05-15
Ex-missionary must move, judge rules; Home where woman raised 28 Haitian orphans is sold 2005-05-17
28 children adopted by Kathy and Dan Blackburn