Woman charged with abusing adopted kids

[GaryC 7]

Woman charged with abusing adopted kids

By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer 43 minutes ago

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Abuse charges were filed Wednesday against a woman accused of fraudulently adopting and mistreating 11 New York children in order to bilk a child welfare agency out of $2 million.

Judith Leekin, 62, could face up to 160 years in prison if convicted on all 10 counts stemming from her alleged abuse of the children, including handcuffing them and holding them captive at her Port St. Lucie home, said prosecutor Ajay Whittemore.

She was charged Wednesday with aggravated child abuse, aggravated abuse of the elderly or a disabled person, witness tampering and possession of a fictitious driver license.

Whittemore said more charges were likely.

"It's definitely an evolving case. More evidence is coming in on a daily basis," Whittemore said. "We've just scratched the surface on this."

Leekin was jailed on more than $4 million bail. Her attorney, Mario Garcia, has said she would plead not guilty and denies the allegations.

Investigators believe Leekin adopted 11 children from four separate New York City agencies using various aliases from 1993 to 1996.

Port St. Lucie police say she held the children like prisoners in her home, often handcuffing them together and not allowing them to use a bathroom. The children, who now range in age from 15 to 27, told police they were never allowed to attend school, see a doctor or a dentist and were barely fed.

All the victims had scars on their wrists from being handcuffed, police said.

Nine were in Florida state care. Some of the adults suffered serious handicaps. One is blind and mumbles. Another can barely walk or stand. None appeared to have more than a fourth-grade education, police said.

People who adopt special needs children in New York City can get as much as $55 a day until the child turns 21. Authorities say Leekin used various aliases, addresses and fraudulent documents to receive up to $2 million in subsidy payments from the New York City Administration for Children's Services.

The commissioner of the New York agency, John B. Mattingly, called the allegations "abhorrent" and said his office was working to determine how Leekin came to gain custody.

He noted that the agency only began fingerprinting adults who adopted children out of foster care in 1999 — after Leekin's adoptions were processed.

Authorities located a 19-year-old homeless man Monday who they say was among Leekin's adopted children but left the home two years ago. Leekin continued to receive subsidy payments for him, police said. They were still searching for an 18 year old whom Leekin adopted.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070801/ap_on_...dopted_children

[almaty 19]

#######/ terrible ...they need to throw the book at her..and fire a bunch of social workers in new york and miami

[one...two...tree 2,762]

OMG... aren't social workers suppose to inspect the children in the home for follow-ups? Certainly, there are ways to prevent something like this from happening.

[almaty 19]

OMG... aren't social workers suppose to inspect the children in the home for follow-ups? Certainly, there are ways to prevent something like this from happening.

i agree, brother stevie, they are suppose to investigate and be dilligent in the investigation...and not half-azz..in illinois, there was a youngster killed and repeatedly complaints by neighbors and the school..the DA went after the social workers for criminal charges...

[one...two...tree 2,762]

OMG... aren't social workers suppose to inspect the children in the home for follow-ups? Certainly, there are ways to prevent something like this from happening.

i agree, brother stevie, they are suppose to investigate and be dilligent in the investigation...and not half-azz..in illinois, there was a youngster killed and repeatedly complaints by neighbors and the school..the DA went after the social workers for criminal charges...

Just tragic...I'm wondering if these social workers are inept or overloaded with cases.

[GaryC 7]

I have some first hand knowledge of things like this. My first wife had a daughter that had 4 kids. Her daughter was a alcoholic drug user that didn't take care of her kids. For 2 years we had two of our grandkids living with us and the other two were living with my ex's other daughter. The state sent in a case worker from the Catholic Charities over once a month to check us out. They had the right to look in every room, every closet and check the fridge. They would take the older grandchild (7 y/o at the time) aside and ask her all kinds of questions.

After we divorced my ex got the kids taken away from them because of my ex's violent temper. She tended to fly off the handle and go WAY overboard when she would discipline the kids. Thankfully the kids have now been adopted by a very nice family who brings them around for my parents to visit. I felt very sorry for my grandkids. They had a neglectful mother and an abusive grandmother. At least now they have a stable and loving home.

[Sonshyne 2]

This is really sad, a lot of people dropped the ball. No one checked on the welfare of these kids for years!! They didn't even realize they weren't enrolled in any school.

Some may think I'm mean... Some may not. But I truly think that people who abuse children, disabled, or elderly people should be made to go through the same miserable, uncomfortable and painful abuse they instilled on those that were left in their care.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

This is really sad, a lot of people dropped the ball. No one checked on the welfare of these kids for years!! They didn't even realize they weren't enrolled in any school.

Some may think I'm mean... Some may not. But I truly think that people who abuse children, disabled, or elderly people should be made to go through the same miserable, uncomfortable and painful abuse they instilled on those that were left in their care.

Most often the perpetrators are adult children who were victimized in the same manner. Prevention is the best method. Children who've been victimized should go through extensive rehabilitation so they won't grow up and continue the cycle of abuse.

[Sinergy 3]

[Sonshyne 2]

This is really sad, a lot of people dropped the ball. No one checked on the welfare of these kids for years!! They didn't even realize they weren't enrolled in any school.

Some may think I'm mean... Some may not. But I truly think that people who abuse children, disabled, or elderly people should be made to go through the same miserable, uncomfortable and painful abuse they instilled on those that were left in their care.

Most often the perpetrators are adult children who were victimized in the same manner. Prevention is the best method. Children who've been victimized should go through extensive rehabilitation so they won't grow up and continue the cycle of abuse.

I agree, I just hate to see or hear things like this happening.