Eleven children (b. 2002-2016) were starved and neglected by their parents, Alejandro Aleman and Kristen Meyer-Aleman. The children were homeschooled.

Child services had been aware of the family since 2013. During visits, only the oldest child, a 14-year-old boy, could speak comprehensibly; the other children spoke in grunts and gestures. Neighbors reported seeing the children scavenging in trash cans. When they were rescued, several of the children had scabies and their home was covered with feces. A dog was also found caged and covered in feces.

The abuse came to light in April 2016 when the Alemans’ then-youngest child Tayla (b. 2015) stopped breathing and Meyer-Aleman called paramedics. Tayla died on the way to the hospital due to malnutrition; authorities believe her parents deliberately starved her to death. When she died, Tayla weighed 7 lbs. and had sores, a black eye, influenza, pneumonia, and E. coli. The Alemans were charged with murder and child abuse.

Date: April 1, 2016
Location: Loxahatchee, Florida

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