Alleged abuse victim speaks out

Editors note: Some names in the story are omitted to avoid identifying the victims of sexual abuse.

CELINA - Christopher said the beatings and cruelty he experienced years ago at the hands of his adoptive parents don't compare to the hurt he feels after recently learning one of the "monsters" was charged with sexually abusing his sisters.

Born and raised in Celina, the now 24-year-old and his four younger siblings in 2003 were removed from their biological parents' home due to neglect and adopted by the couple in Ashtabula County. Last week the pair was charged with kidnapping, felonious assault and endangering children.

The adoptive father also is charged with sexually assaulting the girls, now 15 and 17. Both parents last week pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Information about the alleged abuse of the former Celina children was uncovered in August 2013 after the girls escaped the home, wrecked the couple's van and eventually were mentally strong enough to tell their story to authorities, Detective Bryan Rose of the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office told The Daily Standard this week.

Rose said the girls and their now 21-year-old mentally disabled brother were malnourished, locked in their rooms for about 22 hours per day, forced to use a bucket as a toilet and repeatedly and harshly beaten with a blood-stained paddle by their adopted parents.

Christopher's other brother, now 14, also was adopted by the couple and lived at the home but reportedly was not abused.

All the children are in the process of being adopted by other families, authorities said.

"They are doing awesome," Ashtabula County Prosecutor Nicholas Iarocci told the newspaper.

Law enforcement officials said the abuse at the home escalated after Christopher turned 18 in 2008 and was forced to leave when the adoptive couple no longer could collect financial support for his care.

Christopher, who now lives in Lima with his fiance, said he worried the abuse would increase after he departed.

"I knew it (the abuse) would go too far if it wasn't stopped," he said, adding he was unaware how badly things had gotten after he left.

Christopher said he attempted to contact his siblings after leaving the home but was discouraged by a children's services caseworker.

Taller than his brothers and sisters, they always referred to him as "the giant," he said.

"I had their backs. They knew I had their backs," he added.

He was heartbroken last week when his grandmother showed him a news story that described the alleged crimes of his adoptive parents. He recognized his former home in the news photo.

"When I found out what happened to (the girls) I broke down bawling," he said. "What type of monster does this? I'll never forgive him for that, ever."

Upon learning about the charges, Christopher said he unsuccessfully attempted to contact a children's service case worker. Rose told the newspaper he interviewed Christopher last week and expects more charges against the adoptive couple to follow.

The detective noted the statute of limitations is seven years for charges of physical abuse and time is running out for claims involving Christopher.

Christopher, recalling his four-year stay, said the adoptive couple "seemed nice at first." The children initially were enrolled in a public school and later a Christian school. But by the time he turned 16, they were being home-schooled, he said.

"I didn't have any friends. They (adopted parents) didn't want anyone around; they would run them out," he said.

He was forced to spend much of each day in his room, he explained. Many times he and his siblings were dragged from their beds in the middle of the night to perform chores or correct a task they'd done incorrectly that day, Christopher said.

"There were times when we'd be up 24 hours a day if the work wasn't done right," he said. "We weren't allowed to sleep."

He recalled on several occasions using a flashlight to rake the yard and move heavy slabs of concrete in the dark.

Rose said a neighbor several years ago took a photo of the children working outside in the middle of the night. The information was turned over to children's services but no report was made, the detective said, adding he's trying to contact that neighbor.

Christopher said his adopted mother withheld food from the children as a means of punishment.

"Mostly she took her anger out on my sister or knocked around my brother who couldn't help himself because he was mentally unable," he said.

If the children "messed up," they were sometimes placed in the corner for four to six hours, he added. Another punishment was a cold shower with clothes on, he said.

"We'd pray to the Lord we wouldn't have to go outside right after that. They didn't care if we got cold," he said.

Christopher said he frequently was slapped in the face and severely whipped on his bare skin with a belt - often a "swat for every year of our age."

The mental abuse was sometimes harder to bear, he said.

"I had an overbite and they always made fun of me," he said.

Christopher said he was delighted to find out last week that his siblings are now being placed in good homes.

"I hope to see all of them in June. I want to get a picture of us together," he added.

Christopher's biological parents went their separate ways shortly after the children were removed and they lost custody. After leaving the home in Ashtabula County, Christopher was sent to his biological father's house in St. Marys. Later he moved in with his grandmother and graduated from Celina High School.

His biological father said he was devastated after hearing the news about the alleged abuse of his children.

"It was the worst day of my life," he told the newspaper.

He admitted their former Celina home was not kept very clean "but they (children) was happy and fed and not abused," he said.

The biological father said he's angry local authorities didn't adequately ensure his children were sent to a good home and he wasn't given an opportunity to get them back.

"They took them and never gave us another chance," he said.