Homeschooling’s 

Invisible Children

Kaya Centeno, and 4 siblings

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. The children had twin adoptive siblings, P. and Q. The Centenos adopted Kaya, S., and B., who were all biological siblings, in […]

2 Girls by Terry Miles

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 […]

James Alex Hurley

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 […]

Girl by Kimberly Howell

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 […]

Children of Michael and Shirley Gray

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” […]

Tylee Ryan and Joshua Vallow

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 […]

Son of Christopher and Nicole Crets

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 […]

4 Children of Patricia Hyler

A 14-year-old boy, M., and his three adopted siblings, were abused by their adoptive mother, Patricia Hyler. The children’s adoptive father, Tommy Hyler, worked long hours outside the home and was not charged in connection with the abuse. The children were homeschooled. Hyler adopted M. around 2012. She worked as a teacher at a church […]

Girl by Alisa Andrews

A 17-year-old girl, R., was sexually assaulted by her homeschool teacher, Alisa Andrews, over the course of nine months. Andrews was employed as a homeschool teacher by the Northwest Arkansas Christian Homeschool Education Association. She taught a biology class at Rogers Christian Church; R. took the class in fall 2018. Andrews was also the director […]

6 Children of Mary Rowles and Alice Jenkins

Six children—B. (b. 1988), Danny (b. 1990), Marissa (b. 1992), Tyler “Ty” (b. 1993), Jesse (b. 1995), and Caleb (b. 1996)—were imprisoned, starved, and tortured by their biological mother, Mary Rowles, and her partner Alice “Jamie” Jenkins. The children were homeschooled. Rowles gave birth to B. when she was in high school; B. and Danny […]