You might remember a post I made last 26 October regarding a family from Wakeman, OH that had eleven adopted, disabled children who were alleged to have been kept in "cages."
I wrote a strongly-worded post defending the parents from the press who seemed interested mainly in selling papers with sensationalist stories of the "caged children."
I just received a new comment that severely upbraided me for that story. Then, as now, I'm open to whatever is just the plain truth about this situation, including whether I was just plain wrong. And, again, I'm asking for anyone who has any more detailed information about this situation, especially if you live nearby, to please step forward. The last thing I want to do is to defend the abusers of children, even if it's to join a pile-up on parents who are simply doing the best they can.
Amongst all the allegations floating about, there are two about which I have no doubt. First is that there is a little more information available now than I ever saw then, fortunately (and perhaps by my own fault—to whatever extent I made errors because of my own lack of due diligence in research, I should be held to account).
Repeat: to whatever extent I screwed up, I deserve to be reprimanded and held accountable in whatever ways you see fit.
Second is this statement, from the comment:
Three months ago when the Gravelle case first came to light, it was clear that they were treating their adopted children like animals.
That wasn't at all clear unless you simply believed some people's stories and disbelieved others.
For example, the children were in the "cages" only to sleep, and even then they could get out any time they wished, according to some (including the reporter from the Cleveland Plain Dealer who toured the home). The issue of the alarms is a non-issue, since if the children are in the kind of shape that require their being confined for their own safety in the first place, then it would be irresponsible not to have alarms warning the parents that they were roaming the house alone at night. But, like most of the issues involved here, it depends on who you believed at the time.
Now, it seems, they were found locked in those cages last September, which were smaller besides.
Nine children were found locked in cages in their home in Wakeman in Huron County, NewsChannel5 reported.
The sheriff said the kids, ages 1 to 14, were found in the cages with no blankets or pillows on Friday. The wooden cages, estimated to be about 3 feet by 3 feet, were built into the walls. Officials are not releasing the photos of the cages, but the sheriff described them as makeshift cellblocks.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer link is no longer active, but described the enclosures as considerably larger, being built around existing beds. Now, the exact dimensions are seldom given (usually the height, which is variously described as "less than 3 feet" and "about 3-and-a-half feet," which hardly matters if they are sleeping quarters only).
I suppose there must be a good reason for not releasing the photos. The photos posted with the story reveal nothing of the house's interior.
So, were they locked in or not? This story says that the parents themselves told authorities that the children were, in fact, locked in these cages, which seems unlikely—but with this story, anything's possible. In fact, the issue that was the deal-breaker for me was the allegation that the Gravelles would take in eleven children with severe disabilities and raise them just for the money, which amounted to about $100,000 per year, again, depending on who you believe. This just wasn't credible to me. But I've been wrong before, and Steel certainly seemed to think I was here.
In addition, Michael Gravelle is accused of sexually molesting his biological daughter, and their adopted children may not be as "handicapped" as the Gravelles claim they are (and just what documentation is required before the state will pay for child support isn't clear).
The commenter also mentions the children's race, but until someone can make the case that race somehow made a difference in how the childrean were treated, it's a non-issue to me, in spite of "the long denial of the humanity of black people in America." Black people, generally, are treated far better in this country than in many other countries, say, in Africa, but that doesn't get racists off the hook, nor should it.
Needless to say, I've got lots more reading to do, but I'd appreciate any pointers you can give, even if they only point out my own errors.
UPDATE: Steel has posted on Judge Cardwell's Thursday ruling.
