Authorities allege that a couple in Stanislaus County, California, starved, strangled and punched a child in their care, forcing her to sleep in an uninsulated garage and wear a dog leash. According to a statement from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, they are facing 27 felony and misdemeanor charges.
As reported, the investigation started in January when deputies received a report of an 11-year-old refusing to return to the home she shared with her aunt, who is also a case manager with a child and family services organization. Read more here: https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/priscilla-mestaz-anthony-machuca-accused-of-torturing-child
Far too frequently, children are placed with foster or adoptive parents who abuse them more seriously than they were neglected or abused by their natural parents. When child welfare agencies fail to protect children from harm, or even cause it themselves, Justice for Kids is here to represent children who have been abused in these systems.
