STORM2K

11 children found in alarmed cages

WAKEMAN, Ohio (AP) - Sheriff's deputies found 11 children locked in cages less than 3 1/2 feet high inside a home, but a couple denied they had abused or neglected the children. A judge on Monday put the children, ages 1 to 14, in foster homes.

They were found in nine cages built into the walls of the house near this small city in northern Ohio, according to the Huron County Sheriff's Office. They had no blankets or pillows, and the cages were rigged with alarms that sounded if opened, Lt. Randy Sommers said.

The children told authorities they slept in the cages - 40 inches high and 40 inches deep - at night. Doors to some of the cages were blocked with heavy furniture.

Sharen and Mike Gravelle are adoptive or foster parents for all 11 children, officials said. Prosecutors were reviewing the case, but no charges had been filed as of Monday night.

A children's services investigator saw one of the children in a cage Friday, Sommers said. The sheriff's office obtained a warrant and returned to the house that evening and removed the children.

The Gravelles do not have a listed telephone number.

A woman who identified herself as Sharen Gravelle's mother but would not give her name said the children were happy in their new home.

"This year they have played and had fun and laughed like no other children have, which they have never been able to do," she said.

At a hearing, the judge placed the children in the custody of the Department of Job and Family Services, and officials placed them in four foster homes, said county Juvenile Court Administrator Chris Mushett.

Appearing with a lawyer at the hearing, the Gravelles denied they had abused or neglected the children.

County Prosecutor Russell Leffler said the children had various disabilities, including autism.

Wakeman, with a population of about 1,000, is some 50 miles west of Cleveland.

Rest assured, those responsible for this unheard of act are going to find THEMSELVES in cages and will suffer a fate MUCH worse than what they put these poor kids through Given a choice of being locked up with a lion or in prison, I'd pick the lion, at least you've got a fighting chance and you don't have to watch your back every single second.

Dennis

This article is on every local Ohio newsite this morning. And it just breaks my heart. I hope those two 'animals', let's call them what they are, they are not parents, and this was NOT a HOME, it was a prison, will get theirs.

But sadly, I fear these children are now scarred for life. I have loved being a mom so much, I can't even begin to think how these people did - to do this to an innocent, trusting child, is just evil. Pure evil. Right up there with Hitler.

Mary

I saw it on Insightbb.com this morning when I went to check my e-mails. It's just sick.

The article says that these two are foster or adoptive parents to all of them, the children had disabilities, and the situation was noticed by an investigator.

There's definintely more to this story than just this.

How can something like that happen in this day and age in America? Where are the responsible parties, governmental and otherwise. Seems that some heads need to roll for this!!!! Totally sickening!!!!

As I have come to see it, the foster-care systems in each State need MUCH more oversight and investigation than exists today.

For each nationally-reported story like this one, one could easily raise the bar by 90%, and still not meet the extent of abuse, neglect and criminal activity that is actually going on in these "homes"...in many States, pre-screening of applicants for foster parents is cursory at best, FI.

damn people are mean!

Another follow up article...the 'parents' (I use that term loosely) claim a psychiatrist told them to cage the children. Unbelievable.......I think they should cage these poor excuses for human beings and see what it feels like.

http://www.cincynow.com/news/2005/local ... ed_ap.html

Mary

Both the couple who were the "parents" and that shrink with so called "advice" hope they're all dealt with to the fullest!!!

Those poor innocent children!!

Eric

I know Eric...this story just breaks my heart! They even painted the cages primary colors! As if that was going to make a difference.....how tragic this story is.

Mary

You should(n't) have heard te "Grandmother" justifying what they did this morning on the Today show!!!! She should also be cahrged as an accesory. She lived next door and knew what was going on!!!!

Yet another disturbing article.

http://www.cincynow.com/news/2005/local ... pdate.html



Mary

You know, I can't wait until i'm a father, so I can enjoy Christmas with my kids, and watch them grow up... I don't see why any parents would have children just to do something terrible like this. If you don't want kids, DONT HAVE THEM.

Many of these children were either adopted and/or foster children, of this couple. Some thought they were doing a good thing to seek out special needs children like this!

Which is more shocking, it takes a very special person/parent/caregiver to raise a special needs child I'm sure. And they willingly took this on.

Then to treat them like this is even more sad.

Mary

Miss Mary wrote:Many of these children were either adopted and/or foster children, of this couple. Some thought they were doing a good thing to seek out special needs children like this!

Which is more shocking, it takes a very special person/parent/caregiver to raise a special needs child I'm sure. And they willingly took this on.

Then to treat them like this is even more sad.

Mary

This was nothing more than a scam to collect $80K per year from Ohio and the Feds, Mary; what's worse, the "parents" have yet to be charged and incarcerated! They are still free to "skip out" as I speak...

Bill, these so called parents not only want out of jail they want their children back! They claim they miss them terribly and the children WANT to come home. Some home.....read on. Seems there is a daily update to this very sad story.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ ... 60391/1056

Parents claim 'enclosures' protected adopted children

The Associated Press

CLEVELAND - The parents under investigation for having some of the 11 special-needs children they adopted sleep in cages defended the action, saying the homemade "enclosures" were meant to protect youngsters who set fires and injured each other.

Michael and Sharen Gravelle, who live near Wakeman in northeast Ohio, authorized their attorney, David Sherman of suburban Westlake, to issue the statement detailing why they acted as they did.

The children are ages 1 to 14 and have conditions that include autism and fetal alcohol syndrome.

Huron County Prosecutor Russell Leffler said on Thursday that he filed 11 complaints with the county's Juvenile Court Division on Monday that authorized the placement of the children in foster care.

A trial has been scheduled for Oct. 27.

"The children have been out of control and have caused serious harm to themselves and each other," according to the statement from the couple's lawyer. Michael Gravelle built the "enclosures" to provide the children with a secure space while their parents slept at night.

According to Sherman, "The Gravelles love and miss their children and are devastated and brokenhearted with worry, since their children have been ripped away from them. Their motives and intentions were good. They would never harm a child. The children love their parents and want to come home."

The children have set fires, cut themselves, "pulled out nearly all of their hair," damaged the home and injured each other, according to the statement issued Wednesday evening.

Christopher Mushett, the county's Juvenile Court administrator, said the complaints filed by Leffler are not criminal charges, but a procedural action that can be taken to protect children. Mushett said nine complaints allege abuse and neglect and two complaints describe children who are dependent, or in need of care.

"It will be up to the prosecutor on Oct. 27 to present witnesses and evidence to prove these allegations. If he fails to do so, the matter would be dismissed and the children would be returned to the parents," Mushett said.

Leffler said in the brief statement, his first public comments on the case, that the complaints were based on initial reports to his office. He said he is interviewing the children.

The Gravelles received "glowing reports" from private agencies that reviewed them for the adoption of one child, said Jim McCafferty, director of the Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services, which placed a boy with the couple.

It's unclear how much the Gravelles received in government assistance.

Cleveland's county-run agency paid the family at least $500 a month to care for the one child, a boy born with HIV.

McCafferty said that, generally speaking, more than six children shouldn't be placed in a home, especially if they have disabilities.

Ohio doesn't require home visits after an adoption is finalized. Erich Dumbeck, director of the Huron County Department of Job and Family Services, said his agency did not have contact with the family before Friday's court-ordered search resulting from a complaint that he won't discuss.

Carmen Stewart, spokeswoman for the state Job and Family Services, said the state requires at least two visits by the county or private agency that handled the adoption during the six months it takes to finalize an adoption.

Update....

http://www.cincynow.com/news/2005/local ... caged.html

Saw this update while looking for another local article. Bill, I know you've been following this case, or had been.

Mary

Once again, a state's Social Service office dropped the ball, along with the local police and court system. Maybe insurance people should be placed in charge...that guy seems to have been the ONLY one to see what was going on.