Mary Fritts kidnapped her 7-year-old daughter, Emily Fritts, from Staunton, Virginia, in August 1994 to avoid allowing her ex-husband visitation rights. The mother and daughter assumed new identities and moved frequently, living in Tennessee, Oregon, Kansas, Alaska, and Montana. Mary also homeschooled Emily. Emily’s father, Rodney Fritts, hired a private investigator and spent nearly half a million dollars searching for… Read more »
In the late 1990s, 18-month-old Gail Perkins was kidnapped by her father, Adam Lee Perkins, from her Greensboro, North Carolina, home in the midst of a custody dispute. Along with his mother, Ruth Perkins, Adam fled with the girl to Alabama and later Ohio, where he claimed to be homeschooling the now 6-year-old (it is unknown whether he followed Ohio’s homeschool law or,… Read more »
In 1991, Melissa Gooding kidnapped her 2-year-old daughter, Lisa Gooding. Melissa’s parents accompanied the mother and daughter, and Lisa grew up in the company of her mother and grandparents. The family adopted assumed names and moved every few years (they lived in Illinois, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Utah before settling in Texas). Lisa was homeschooled and was never left alone… Read more »
Bryant (age 10), Alexis (age 8), and Johnathan (age 4) Morris were murdered by their father, Edward Morris, who also killed their pregnant mother Renee Lynn Morris. The murders were premeditated—Morris arranged a family trip to the Tillamook State Forest, where he shot Bryant and Johnathan, shot and stabbed Renee, then drove to a more secluded area and stabbed Alexis… Read more »
Shane Graham, age 11, disappeared in 1999 or 2000. He had autism, Down’s Syndrome, and sickle-cell anemia. His adoptive mother, Judith Leekin, is believed to have murdered him and buried him in the yard of one of her houses, although his body has not been found. Leekin also abused 10 other adopted special needs children. Leekin adopted eleven times between 1988 and 1996… Read more »
A 14-year-old boy was molested by his homeschool teacher, Merideth Johnson Vincent, over the course of a four-week period between September and October 2007. Vincent, a married mother of three, was a main teacher for a private homeschooling group and is suspected of also molesting other children. Vincent was charged with 14 counts of felony child molestation, including seven counts… Read more »
A 16-year-old girl was raped approximately 10 times by her homeschooling teacher, pastor James Monson of Gaining Ground Community Church. Pregnant with her boyfriend’s child, the girl ran away from her home in Texas in December 2011 to live with Monson, a family friend. Monson raped her in the bed they shared; she was afraid to say no. The rapes… Read more »
Madeline Kara Neumann, 11, died of undiagnosed diabetes at the home of her parents, Leilani and Dave Neumann. She had been growing weak for several weeks prior to her death, but her parents—Pentecostal Christians who were associated with the Unleavened Bread Ministry—declined to get medical help for her due to their belief that visiting a doctor is idolatry. Despite pleas… Read more »
