Ohio couple lose
custody of adopted kids
By John Seewer,
Associated Press Writer | March
20, 2006
NORWALK, Ohio --A couple charged
with abuse for forcing some of their 11 adopted children to sleep in
cages were stripped of custody Monday, six months after a social
worker discovered the enclosures.
Juvenile Judge Timothy Cardwell
said there was a good chance Michael and Sharen Gravelle would
mistreat the children again, citing a history of sexual abuse
allegations against the father.
The couple have pleaded not guilty
to several charges, including child endangerment, in a separate
criminal case. They deny abusing the children, ages 2 to 15, and say
the cages were necessary to protect the youngsters, who suffered
from psychological and behavioral problems.
"They love their children. They
want them back. They are truly devastated," said the couple's
attorney, Kenneth Myers. He said they will appeal the ruling.
Sharen Gravelle testified that she
met her husband in 1986 at a potluck dinner for a child sex abuse
support group. She said her biological daughter had been molested by
a previous husband, and Michael Gravelle was there because he was
accused by his biological daughter of inappropriate touching.
Michael Gravelle denies the accusation.
Prosecutors accuse the couple of
locking the children in cages to discipline them. One child
testified that he was forced to sleep in a bathtub as punishment for
wetting the bed.
The children were removed from the
home in September and placed with several foster families.
Prosecutor Russ Leffler said the ruling stripping the Gravelles of
custody "allows the children to be placed with good adoptive
families."
Sharen Gravelle testified at an
earlier custody hearing that she and her husband built bunk beds for
the children and eventually added wire enclosures and alarms to help
prevent them from wandering at night and getting dangerous kitchen
utensils.
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Associated Press Writer Connie
Mabin in Cleveland contributed to this report. |
