How Could You? Hall of Shame-Christine and Randal Arnold 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 Golden, Colorado, foster to adopt parents Christine and Randall Arnold went on trial Tuesday April 10, 2012 for felony child abuse charges stemming from an incident on September 17, 2010.

Trial begins against parents accused of abusing 7-year-old

[9 News 4/10/12 by Jeffrey Wolf]

Christine called 911 on September 17, 2010 to report that her 6-year-old child had fallen down the stairs.

“The bruises, belt buckle marks and nicks that covered the 6-year-old boy authorities found suffering from a head injury at his adoptive parents’ home were self-inflicted, according to defense attorneys for Christine and Randall Arnold.”

“Their attorneys told jurors at opening arguments Tuesday that witnesses will say the child hit himself with a wooden spoon, threw himself into furniture and down stairs and had a habit of swinging a belt around.

“This is not a normal little boy. This is a boy with a number of issues,” said attorney Peter Garin, who represents Christine Arnold.

“They said the child had a history of bonding issues and rages.

Prosecutors say the real problem was Christine Arnold, who under stress fell into a pattern of abuse that they allege was largely ignored by her husband.

When the boy got in trouble in kindergarten and first grade, he would frequently disappear from school for a few days and return with new bruises, said prosecutor Jennifer Rhoads.

She said police found a chain lock on the outside of the boy’s bedroom door and that Randall Arnold once asked a therapist whether it was normal for his wife to send the child there for 3-hour naps.

He told the school to call him — not his wife — if the boy acted up in school, Rhoads said. A teacher called home Christine Arnold three days before the 911 call to report the boy had stolen food at school.

“He didn’t have bumps and bruises head to toe until he entered the defendants’ home,” Rhoads told jurors. “He had his challenges, and she couldn’t deal.”

When the boy entered the hospital weighing 30 pounds, doctors noted he’d grown the type of hair that can signal malnutrition and was hoarding food under his pillow.

 

Parents of bruised, underweight 6-year-old to face abuse trial

[Denver Post 12/3/10 by Carlos Illescas]

 

REFORM Puzzle Pieces

 

Update: They were convicted on 4/19/12. They face “10 to 32 years in prison when they are sentenced in June.”

The arrest affidavit is in this pdf: Arnold arrest affidvait

“Christine Arnold told investigators that she was cooking and her son was playing near the stairs when she heard a crash and found him at the bottom of the stairs.

 

The boy’s father said he didn’t see any injuries on his son prior to seeing him in the hospital the day paramedics were called to the house.

 

Investigators said Randal Arnold’s statement was at odds with a phone call he made to Columbine Hills Elementary School the day before, telling the school that his son had fallen out of bed and had “banged his head.”

 

“Both parents reported that (the boy) was a difficult child and had a history of injuring himself,” the affidavit stated. Randall called his son an “abnormal child.”

 

Both parents told investigators that they never hurt the boy or struck him, according to the affidavit.

 

The parents told investigators that the boy stole food from other children at school and that they had to lock their son in his room at night because he would steal food from the kitchen at night, the affidavit said.

 

A Jefferson County social worker told investigators that the boy was measured and weighed before he was adopted from foster care in 2006.

 

He weighed 31 pounds at age 3, and weighed only 30 pounds when the 6-year-old was admitted to Children’s.

 

The hospital said the boy gained 5 pounds in five days while he was at the hospital.

 

During a subsequent interview, the boy told a forensic interviewer that he didn’t have any toys except for the ones that were in the basement and he had to ask to play with them. The boy said he ate breakfast and dinner in the kitchen alone and that his parents ate at a different time.

 

Investigators examined the boy’s room and described it as “relatively sparse,” containing a bed with a top and bottom sheet, no blanket and no pillow, two dressers and some pictures on the wall. There was a sliding chain lock on the outside of the door to the boy’s room, according to the affidavit.”

Parents Of Starved, Beaten 6-Year-Old Found Guilty

[The Denver Channel 4/19/12 by Kim Nyugen]

Sentencing Delayed Due to Couple Trying to Commit Suicide

” Sentencing has been delayed for a Jefferson County couple convicted of multiple counts of child abuse after the district attorney’s office said they attempted to commit suicide.

Christine and Randal Arnold were due to be sentenced at 1 p.m. on Monday [June 18, 2012] after they were convicted of child abuse with serious bodily injury.”

“On Monday a relative went to the Arnolds’ home to drive them to the sentencing hearing, found them unresponsive and called 911. Paramedics took the couple to the hospital and they are alive. Officials believe the Arnolds took some pills.

The child is in the care of Department of Human Services and is said to be doing really well.

The judge continued the couple’s bond so they can stay out of jail and rescheduled their sentencing for July 13.” [Seriously? Why do all of this convicts get to be out of jail before sentencing?]

Authorities Say Couple Attempted Suicide Before Sentencing Hearing

[CBS Denver 6/18/12]

Update 2: “A Littleton couple convicted of abusing a 6-year-old boy they adopted were sentenced to more than a decade in prison each Friday.

Randall Arnold was sentenced to 18 years in prison. His wife, Christine, was given 22 years in prison, said Dave DeShaunt with Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.

They were arrested on suspicion of child abuse causing serious bodily injury and cruelty toward a child knowingly or recklessly causing injury.

The boy’s plight came to light on Sept. 17, 2010 when Littleton firefighters were called to a home and told a young boy had fallen down the stairs and was unresponsive.

Paramedics said they noticed the boy had numerous bruises that were in various stages of healing, indicating they happened at different times.

The boy was taken to Children’s Hospital in Aurora where doctors determined he suffered “severe malnutrition.” Doctors said he had swelling on the brain and abrasions on his body, including U-shaped and V-shaped markings.

A search of the boy’s home turned up a leather belt with a U-shaped buckle, consistent with the boy’s bruises, the arrest warrant affidavit stated.

Christine Arnold told investigators that she was cooking and her son was playing near the stairs when she heard a crash and found him at the bottom of the stairs.

The boy’s father said he didn’t see any injuries on his son prior to seeing him in the hospital the day paramedics were called to the house.

Investigators said Randall Arnold’s statement was at odds with a phone call he made to Columbine Hills Elementary School the day before, telling the school that his son had fallen out of bed and had “banged his head.”

“Both parents reported that (the boy) was a difficult child and had a history of injuring himself,” the affidavit stated. Randall called his son an “abnormal child.”

Both parents told investigators that they never hurt the boy or struck him, according to the affidavit.

The parents told investigators that the boy stole food from other children at school and that they had to lock their son in his room at night because he would steal food from the kitchen at night, the affidavit said.

A Jefferson County social worker told investigators that the boy was measured and weighed before he was adopted from foster care in 2006.

He weighed 31 pounds at age 3, and weighed only 30 pounds when the 6-year-old was admitted to Children’s Hospital.

The hospital said the boy gained 5 pounds in five days while he was at the hospital.

During a subsequent interview, the boy told a forensic interviewer that he didn’t have any toys except for the ones that were in the basement and he had to ask to play with them. The boy said he ate breakfast and dinner in the kitchen alone and that his parents ate at a different time.

Investigators examined the boy’s room and described it as “relatively sparse,” containing a bed with a top and bottom sheet, no blanket and no pillow, two dressers and some pictures on the wall. There was a sliding chain lock on the outside of the door to the boy’s room, according to the affidavit.”

Littleton Couple Convicted Of Beating, Starving Son Sentenced

[ABC Denver 7/13/12]