How Could You? Hall of Shame -John and Sonja Kluth UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Yukon, Oklahoma, adoptive parents John Edward Kluth and Sonja Kay Kluth were charged Tuesday February 22, 2011 with “three counts each of child abuse and three counts each of child neglect” on their 9-year-old daughter and 11-year-old and 15-year-old sons. Court records show that the adoptive parents were “beating, choking, whipping and burning their adopted children and feeding them pet food.”

“Prosecutors allege Sonja Kluth strangled the older boy, who at times lost consciousness, burned his skin and tongue with heated utensils, stabbed him with a knife, beat him with a broom and mop handles, squeezed his tongue with pliers and smashed his face, fingers and toes.

John Kluth is accused of punching and slapping the boy, choking him, throwing him to the ground and whipping him with a horse whip.

The younger boy was punched in the face and strangled by Sonja Kluth and had his tongue pinched by pliers, according to court papers. ”

“Sonja Kluth is accused of beating the girl with belts and broom and mop handles, throwing her to the ground, choking her, smashing her head against doors, walls and counter tops, ripping an earring from her ear, punching her in the face and hitting her in the face with a telephone, breaking her tooth. John Kluth is accused of spanking and striking her and throwing her to the ground.

Prosecutors allege the Kluths confined the boys to an unlit underground storm shelter for long periods and provided them with only dog food to eat. Court papers state the 15-year-old occasionally was locked in a dog crate and the girl was not given properly fitting shoes to wear and was sometimes only provided with cat food to eat.”

[The video has been removed from the internet]

Update 4::The biological son of the Kluths says that he and his two siblings were never abused and have been estranged from them for 7 years, after the Kluths adopted the second boy.

“Wisconsin native Bill Kluth, 35, said Monday he and his two siblings have been estranged from their parents for about seven years, after disagreeing on the way their parents were secluding the two adopted boys from the rest of the family.

“We were literally not allowed to speak with them,” Kluth said. “We told them ‘you don’t treat kids that way’ and we haven’t spoken since.”

Furthermore, “Kluth said if his mother did lose control, she should have stopped and gotten help.

“If they did do what’s being alleged, then they should be punished for it,” Kluth said.”

Natural Son Says He Was Not Abused
[The Oklahoman 3/1/11 by Ann Kelley]

Update 5: “An adopted teenage son testified Wednesday against his parents, who are accused of keeping him in a dog crate and of routinely beating him and his two siblings and making them eat dog food.”

“They were ordered to trial at the conclusion of the preliminary hearing.”

“The couple are accused of beating, choking and burning their three adopted children, ages 15, 11 and 9, according to an arrest affidavit. John Kluth told investigators the two boys and a girl came to them already abused.

The boys were confined in a darkened cellar at their Yukon home for up to seven months at a time, and the Kluths kept the eldest boy in a dog crate for up to two months, the affidavit states.”

“John Kluth admitted to excessively punishing the children, the affidavit states but blamed most of the severe abuse on his wife.

The Kluths adopted the children from Winnebago County, Wis., and had been receiving $4,500 a month in support money until Wisconsin authorities learned about thearrests.

The couple are scheduled to return to court Aug. 23. They are free on bail.”

Yukon couple ordered to trial in abuse case
[The Oklahoman 6/30/11 by Sheila Stogsdill]

“According to court documents, the Kluths locked their children in a storm cellar, fed them dog food, locked one in a dog crate and, on one account, whipped a victim with a horse whip and told them to “take it like a slave.”

“The 16-year-old said that at one point, he was locked in a dog kennel for one or two weeks. He said he was allowed out only the morning to clean his “bucket” and to eat a meal. To pass the time he would “just sit there,” he said.

The teen told the judge he and his siblings were starved, beaten, and locked in cages meant for dogs. The boy said he crawled out of his shelter after not getting fed dinner last December and started running toward Oklahoma City.

The teenager told the judge he “hadn’t been to school in four years,” and “hadn’t been allowed to leave the house since last June.”

“The boy also said his mother “would use pliers and a clothes pin to pinch his penis when he would leak his pants.”

“After the teen broke out of the kennel to get some food, he said, the Kluths started locking the kennel with a padlock.”

Teen Testifies In Yukon Abuse Case
[KOCO 6/30/11]

“The teen also told prosecutors his parents sprayed him with urine, burned him, routinely strangled him, smashed his hands and feet with a mallet, even squeezed his penis with pliers.

The mother allegedly committed a majority of the abuse, supposedly telling the boy she wanted to see him bleed and be miserable.

The victim also testified he would be confined at the family home for months at a time, never be allowed to socialize with others and said his mom encouraged him to commit suicide.

For their part, the defense painted a picture of the boy as a troubled kid who would lie, steal and cause trouble.”

Couple accused of disturbing abuse on adopted children
[KFOR 6/30/11 by Jesse Wells]

Update 6: According to Canadian County, OK court records, their case was scheduled on 8/23/11 for a trial on November 14, 2011. It was continued and trial was then set for January 9, 2012. It was continued again for trial of February 6, 2012.

On 1/27/12 it was continued again for a call docket on April 17, 2012 with jury trial on May 7, 2012.

REFORM Puzzle Pieces

Update 7: “Jury trial begins for the child abuse case against a Yukon couple. John and Sonja Kluth are accused of beating, burning, and cutting their 3 adopted children.

The Kluths are each charged with six counts of child abuse and neglect. Court Documents show investigators began looking into abuse allegations in November 2010 when the Kluths’ adoptive child was found bruised, malnourished, and sleeping in a box behind a restaurant in northwest Oklahoma City.

From a pool of 55 potential jurors, eight women and four men will hear the evidence in the case. Prosecutors warned the jurors the allegation could be difficult to hear.

Some of the accusations include locking the children in an underground storm shelter, feeding them dog food, and putting them in dog crates as punishment.

Prosecutors addressed the jurors for any concerns to be impartial due to their beliefs on subjects like corporal punishment and the Department of Human Services.

The judge excused at least one adoptive parent and a foster parent from jury duty. The majority of the jury is made up of parents. Jurors will return Tuesday, June 12 to hear opening arguments in the case.” [Did he think that they would be extra easy or extra hard on them?]

Trial Begins For Child Abuse Case Against Yukon Couple

[News 9 6/11/12 by Lisa Monahan]

Update 8:

“The oldest child, a 16-year-old son took the stand and while facing his adoptive parents told the court the countless ways he remembers being abused in the Kluth home.

The child told the courtroom for punishment Sonja Kluth would take a mallet and have any of her three adoptive children put their hands or feet on a cutting board and then use “great force” to bash them.

The child explained he has scars including whip marks on his hands, “a reminder on his big toe,” a deformed finger, and a shriveled pinky, knife point marks and burn marks.

The child swiveled in his chair as he explained how Sonja Kluth heated a spoon and then “made him pull down his pants saying she was going to burn his genitals and bottom.”

The child testified Kluth burned his side, back, and bottom. The child says he and his siblings were also put in dog crates and sprayed with urine as punishment for wetting their pants because they were waiting for permission from the Kluths to use the restroom.

The other two adoptive children are listed as witnesses. We are told they are expected to testify on Wednesday.”

Adoptive Child Testifies Against Yukon Couple In Child Abuse Case

[News 9 6/12/12 by Lisa Monahan]

Update 9: John and Sonja Kluth were convicted on Monday June 18, 2012 after the jury deliberated for 3 hours. They will be sentenced on July 4, 2012 with a recommendation of LIFE in prison.

” Sonja Kluth was convicted of all  six counts. John Kluth was found guilty of five counts.”

““I hope they get punished to the full extent of the law,” Sheryl  Duncan, a former teacher from Oklahoma City, said. “I’d prefer they       take them out back and shoot them, but that won’t happen. They  adopted those kids, promised to take care of them. I hope they rot       in prison for what they did.”

It was revealed in court that the Kluths forced their adopted  children to eat pet food, kept in dog crates and hit with mallets.  The children testified in court to the abuse they had to endure  from John and Sonja Kluth.
The jury recommended that John and Sonja Kluth be sentenced to  life in prison for the child abuse charges and 25 years for each       count child neglect.”

 

John and Sonja Kluth found guilty of 11 counts of child neglect/abuse

[Examiner 6/19/12 by Emily Riley Sutton]

Update 10: Sonja was  sentenced “to life in prison for one  count of child abuse, and 25 years for each of the other  counts.”

John received 10 years for each of the 5 counts that he was convicted of.

“Sonja Kluth says, through her attorney,  that she will appeal her conviction. Prior to John’s  sentencing, he asked the court to suspend his sentence in  order to help pay for his wife’s appeal.”

Yukon Couple Sentenced For Abusing Adopted Children

[News on 6 7/24/12 by LaShauna Sewell/News9 and Michael Konopasek]