Sir Clinksalot Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9319446/ Eleven kids found in cages in homeCouple denies abusing or neglecting children Updated: 12:39 a.m. ET Sept. 13, 2005 WAKEMAN, Ohio - Sheriff’s deputies found 11 children locked in cages less than 3½ feet high inside a home, but a couple denied they had abused or neglected the children. A judge on Monday put the children — who range in age from 1 to 14 and who have various disabilities, including autism — in foster homes. The children 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 Gravelles claimed a psychiatrist recommended they place the children in cages. The couple were reserved when deputies arrived at the house to remove the children, Sommers said. “The impression that we got was that they felt it was OK,” he said. Investigators believe nine of the children slept in the cages that were stacked two-high on the house’s second story. Two mattresses on a bedroom floor also showed signs of recent use, Sommers said. One of the boys said he’d slept in the cage for three years, Sommers said. Wakeman, with a population of about 1,000, is some 50 miles west of Cleveland. God, this is just sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Clinksalot Posted September 13, 2005 Author Share Posted September 13, 2005 Damnit Wes ... this is not a funny thing but you made me LMFAO!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncf Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 ^^^+^^=I swear I have never laughed this hard of something I've found on the net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disneygurlz2s Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Someone at work said they heard that they were doing this on the advice of a psychologist/psychiatrist??? Shari "you gotta wonder about some people" Shoufler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teddymonster Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 God, this is just sick. It's funny...I logged onto Yahoo and saw this headline, but I was debating whether or not to post it. Sounds like their parents should be shut away to sleep in a cage of their own for a couple years. I couldn't agree more with your comments on the situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingScooter Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 (edited) WES!!! LMAO.... dude, that's just not right... and here i am laughing.... This will be a interesting story when we hear what kinds of probs those foster/adopt'd kids have.... you never know... Under certain circumstances, psych's, counselors have been known to not only suggest such things, they will put it in writing like a perscription just in case the family gets busted. Edited September 13, 2005 by FlyingScooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derwood Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Wes, You made me laugh to the point my co-workers are peeking around my cube to make sure I am okay. Nice! d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhishyBrewer Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 WTF! People from Ohio are just screwed in the head! Wait... I'm from Ohio :shock: Explains a lot, huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingScooter Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 ^ You are right about Ohio... Anyone remember this one? http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1120 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 I hope both parents are dis-emboweled with a wooden cooking spoon. People like this don't deserve to live. They aren't abused? Give me an F**** break. These kids slept in cages with alarms on the doors so they didn't come out. It makes me sick. And I don't think that picture is funny at all Wes. I know you were trying to make humor out of the situation, but this isn't funny at all. I have a special needs kid (autistic), and this made me absolutely sick to my stomach. How can anyone make fun of this? Katie, who is in tears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyingcoasterfreak Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 I for one don't find this funny. I do think it's abuse to lock them into cages. I work with Special Need Kids in high shcool and i work with them when i do Special Olympics. This is NOT SOMETHING TO BE MAKING FUN OF. Think of people feelings on this board who have kids that are Special Needs. Just my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 ^ Well considering that one of the webmasters of this board works for the special olympics and the other one does volunteer work I totally understand what you mean. On the other hand, the photo that Wes posted is REALLY fucking funny!!!!! --Robb "Just because you see something horrible in the news doesn't mean we can't use humor as a way of dealing with it." Alvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DATman Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 ^SO very true robb. At orientation for HS, we had a comedian/cancer survivor tell us that the BEST way to deal with a situation is through humor. Wes probably isn't making fun of the children (I hope), but just finding the humor in it, which, as I was told, is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted September 14, 2005 Share Posted September 14, 2005 The story is sick (and I wouldn't care if they did very bad things to the people who did this to the children) The picture was funny. and give us a little idea on the live at the Alveys house... Jokes are always made, whatever the thing that happens.... even if we laugh with them, we sure will not approve to the real story because of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Clinksalot Posted September 14, 2005 Author Share Posted September 14, 2005 I'm sure Wes' intention was not to make light of the situation. It was to make us laugh, in spite of the situation. Just because I laughed at the picture doesn't mean I forgot what the story was about, and was any less upset by it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted September 15, 2005 Share Posted September 15, 2005 The British newspapers today said that the parents claimed they locked the kids up because they had had problems with them fighting each other during the night... Wow, yeah, that's normal, everyone who has kids who fight with each other lock them in cages. How on earth do they think that this defense justifies their actions? (Assuming that the parents have said this, of course the newspapers are often wrong.) Lou- "finds it worrying that these people were allowed by the authorities to foster eleven children" -ise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingScooter Posted September 15, 2005 Share Posted September 15, 2005 Here's a questions i have: How did they manage to have 11 kids (foster/adopted)? seems like overload to me. How could any county allow a total 13 people in a four bedroom house? The reason i say this based on a past experience w/cuyahoga county. When my wife and I split, and we disolved the marriage, the kids lived with me. the youngest stayed with til the 1st grade (I had her for four years after the break. I had my oldest til she turned 18 and moved off on her own). When we went before the judge, who had all the paperwork, he said it was good that they are living with me because she could not have 3 people in a one bedroom apartment regardless of how many beds she had. I think a lot slipped thru many cracks on this case, and several counties will have to answer some questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien666 Posted September 15, 2005 Share Posted September 15, 2005 For the mom and dad, lock them up for good. That is just not right. As for Wes, that was perfect! I fell out of my chair! Sometimes it is good to lighten up certain subjects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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