Once-starving boys testify they ate garbage, dog food

[Judi Lynn]

Aug. 25, 2006, 1:29AM
Once-starving boys testify they ate garbage, dog food
In great-aunt's trial, one brother says they had to spend most of the time in hot garage


By ERIC HANSON
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle



Evidence photos show the emaciated condition of the two brothers.
BOB LEVEY: FOR THE CHRONICLE


RICHMOND — Two brothers, ages 14 and 13, took turns telling a Fort Bend County jury Thursday how they slept in a garage, ate garbage and dog food and were sometimes punished by kneeling on a concrete floor with their arms raised over their heads.

The 14-year-old described a life in which he and his brother spent most of their time locked up in a sweltering garage. The boy said they were punished for school or home infractions with whippings.

The 13-year-old told the court about getting in trouble at school for stealing food.

"Why did you steal?" prosecutor Lorretta Owen asked.

"Because I was hungry," the boy answered. "We ate out of the garbage and ate dog food."
(snip)

The boys were so severely malnourished that nurses at the emergency room broke into tears upon seeing the youths after they were taken from the Baldwin house, a doctor testified.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4140432.html
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[Broken_Hero]

1. :(

Its a mad world...

[pooja]

2. no one could see this at school??? WTF?

[uppityperson]

3. home schooled, here is bit from article.

The boys were eventually removed from Briargate Elementary and home-schooled by Barbara Baldwin.

[Judi Lynn]

4. This additional, unbearable clip from the article:

The 14-year-old said the only ventilation in the garage of the couple's Houston home was a hole at the bottom of the garage door and they were not allowed to turn on a fan in the garage.

"I would sit by the hole in the bottom of the door to get some air," the 14-year-old said.

The boy, who often answered only "yes," or "no" or "I don't recall," said he and his brother had to use a bucket to relieve themselves.

"Did you ever have a bath?" Owen asked.

"No," the boy said. "I wasn't allowed in the house."
(snip)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I read another article Thursday which mentioned the older little boy's stomach distended severely, like the children you see in photos late stages of starvation other countries.

How can this happen?

[Cronus Protagonist]

5. I'm horrified

Sad, sad story. Brought tears to my eyes.

[Sapphocrat]

6. ...

:cry: