Two Four-Year-Old Cousins Abused By Moms and Locked in Closets for Weeks
In Kokomo, Indiana, Mary Deakyne, 4, and her cousin, Justin Leonard, 4, were abused daily by their mothers, who are sisters. The youngsters were bound and kept in a closet for weeks at a time. They were also bound with zip ties to door knobs and other household items to restrict their movements.
The children are being treated at a hospital for their injuries. Mary has several broken bones in her hands and arms in various stages of healing. Her cousin has bruises and cuts. Water and food were kept from the children for long periods of time. And a neighbor said she had never seen the children, which meant they probably never left the house.
The children’s mothers, Jennifer Leonard, 36, and Melissa Chandler, 30, face charges of neglect and aiding, inducing or causing battery. The other adults in the home are also charged. Madeline Hawk, 42, faced charges of neglect and battery, and her husband, Donald Hawk, 33, was charged with neglect.
The children’s fathers do not live with them, but little Mary’s dad does keep in touch.
All four adults are being held without bond pending initial court appearances.
I’m just hoping that with good support and lots of therapy, these children can have a normal life. As far as the adults go, lock ‘em up and throw away the key.
5 opinions for Two Four-Year-Old Cousins Abused By Moms and Locked in Closets for Weeks
Ihavekidstoo
May 11, 2008 at 12:08 pm
What kind of a “father” doesn’t see his daughter for months at a time? It’s May for god’s sake, and he last saw her in JANUARY? My husband practically weeps every time he has to take a three-day business trip and can’t see our son during that time. Even though he’s got a compelling reason to be away, he’s still wracked with guilt and misses his baby terribly.
And Mary’s father “doesn’t know what to think”? I’ll tell you what he should be thinking: “Thank God someone was watching out for my little girl because I was way too busy off doing my own thing to see that her psycho bitch mother was hurting her.” I hope to God the courts don’t get the idea to turn Mary over to her “father” because he doesn’t sound much more fit than the “mother.”
Don’t get me wrong, the “mother” deserves to be locked up for the rest of her life (in a closet-sized cell, hung from the clothes rod like a side of beef) and then rot in hell for all eternity. But once again, a child has been abused by one parent while the other allowed it to happen by either looking the other way or just not being around at all.
donnam
May 12, 2008 at 3:59 pm
I totally agree with you. I guess we can knock him outta the pool for father of the year. either a. the man didn’t care as much as he would like someone to believe , or b. he was so caught up in his own life he just didn’t bother to be more in hers. I think that both of these women ned to be bound in a closet for weeks and treated the same as they did their poor children.. I’ve got the closet anyone willing to bring the restraints?
rockdoll_71
May 12, 2008 at 8:29 pm
What a bunch of unfeeling assholes. How dare anyone treat a child, much less THEIR OWN CHILD in such a way?!! I’m at a loss. Seriously…
katmelsha
May 13, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Last night after reading this horrific story, I tucked my own 4yr old little boy into bed. I kissed his whole face and hugged him oh so tight..and just wondered…how ANYONE could ever have so much hate inside them that they would do this to a child. They must have never looked these children in thier eyes..much less felt them in thier hearts.
Today I got very upset with my son for a situation ongoing…I was soo angry with him..but for not one moment would I ever harm him or degrade him..what did I do?? I took the television away…that crushed him for the evening. When I tucked him in tonight after reading our good-night story, he told me he loved me and gave me a big gooey kiss. I melted as I do everytime he does that. This is how a parent should be with thier child..no Ifs, ands or buts..no excuse for what these monsters did to thiers. May they rot in Hell!
dangia2005
May 16, 2008 at 8:23 am
This disgusts me beyond words! How can someone do this to innocent children? I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this story since I read it. How can I follow the case to see if these horrible women get the punishment they deserve?
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