Trinity Love Jones, age 9, was murdered by her mother, Taquesta Graham, and Graham’s boyfriend Emiel Hunt. Trinity was homeschooled. Graham experienced child abuse or neglect and was performing sex work around age 18. Graham “pleaded no contest in 2009 to enticing a girl [under 16] for prostitution in San Bernardino County” and was placed on probation and the sex… Read more »
Josie Ann Abney, age 10, was starved to death by her parents, Randall and Susan Abney. Josie was homeschooled. Josie was born in 2010 and adopted by the Abneys in 2013. She was the first of “12 or 13 children” that the Abneys fostered. According to her obituary, “Josie was a cute little redhead who was full of life and… Read more »
An 8-year-old boy, H., was imprisoned by his parents, Kelley and Daniel Davis. The boy and his five sisters (ranging in age from 10 to infancy) were homeschooled. Beginning at least in March 2020, H. was kept locked in a dark room with boards over the window and door overnight or, according to his parents, “when he misbehaved.” The only… Read more »
Kaya Centeno (b. 2002) disappeared while being homeschooled. Her sister S. (b. 2003) and brother B. (b. 2005) were physically, emotionally, and sexually abused by the children’s adoptive parents, Gina and Jose Centeno. It is unknown if the children’s twin adoptive siblings P. and Q. were also abused. The Centenos adopted Kaya, S., and B., who were all biological siblings,… Read more »
Two girls—G. (age 14) and B. (age 7)—were abducted by G.’s homeschool teacher, Terry Miles. Miles also sexually assaulted G. Miles met G. and began grooming her while she was visiting her father in Louisiana during the summer of 2017. According to G.’s father, “[Miles] knew [G.] for one day or something like that and then they’re hugging;” G. testified… Read more »
James Alex Hurley, age 12, who went by Alex, was tortured and murdered by his grandparents, James Sasser, Jr. and Patricia Batts, and their 14-year-old son, J.S. A family friend, Gage Roush, was also charged in connection with Alex’s death. Alex also lived with his 18-year-old aunt M.S. and his 6-year-old uncle H.S. Alex was homeschooled. Alex originally lived with… Read more »
An 11-year-old girl, D., was allegedly singled out for starvation and torture by her foster mother, Kimberly Howell. D. was homeschooled. Her four siblings, who were also Howell’s foster children, attended school and were allegedly forced to participate in the abuse. D. was allegedly forced to provide childcare for her siblings, including a 1-year-old. She was allegedly forced to cook… Read more »
Two children–Heather “Sophie” Gray (b. 2006) and Jonathan Gray–died in the custody of their adoptive parents, Michael and Shirley Gray. Three other adopted children–M., a boy born in 2005; L., a girl born c. 2007; and T., a boy born in 2009–were imprisoned, starved, and abused by the Grays. The Grays’ adult children, Anthony “Bubba” and Carolyn Gray, lived with… Read more »
Two children—Tylee Ryan, age 17; and Joshua “J.J.” Vallow, age 7—died under suspicious circumstances while under the care of their mother, Lori Vallow. The children were homeschooled. Tylee was born around 2002. Lori later married Charles Vallow, and the Vallows adopted J.J., who was autistic. The family lived in Chandler, Arizona, where the children attended school. Around 2017, Lori Vallow… Read more »
A 12-year-old boy, R., was starved, imprisoned, and tortured by his father, Christopher Crets, and his stepmother Nicole Crets. The boy was homeschooled. The other children who lived in the home were not reported to be abused. Christopher Crets had prior felony convictions for statutory rape and drug trafficking. R. was pulled from school to be homeschooled in early February… Read more »