Cleveland woman arrested for mistreating foster children

Cleveland woman arrested for mistreating foster children
Saturday, December 18, 2010
WTAM 1100

(Cleveland) - A 12 year old girl told Cleveland police she planned to fall down the stairs at her school and hurt herself---so she wouldn't have to go back to her foster home.

The little girl told police a horrifying tale of mistreatment at the hands of her foster parent in the home in the 10-thousand block of Edgewater Drive in Cleveland.

Cleveland police Sergeant Sammy Morris says the child and two foster siblings claim they were forced to sleep either in the basement or the attic of the home, and were often locked up.

The youngsters told police they fear being beaten by the foster mother, and had to steal blankets because there were no beds for them. They told police she took light bulbs out of the attic fixtures.

When police went to the home, they found locks on the basement door. In the attic, they found blankets on the floor and no light bulbs. Sergeant Morris stated that the foster mother told them she locks the children up "because they steal stuff."

Cleveland police have arrested a 46 year old woman pending charges of domestic violence and endangering children. They say the woman had a total of seven children living in the home---three biological children and four foster children.

Officers made the arrest after they were called by a social worker from Marion Selzer School. The worker was concerned about signs of abuse that she saw on one of the children.

All seven children living in the home are now in the custody of the Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services. The woman is in jail.

Technically, the 4 foster kids were already in CPS custody.  Nothing to see here.  Move along.  Don't give it a second thought.