How Could You?Hall of Shame-Sharon Wilkerson
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 Troy, Missouri, Foster and Adoptive mom Sharon Wilkerson,55,” pleaded guilty Monday to three counts of child abuse.”
“Sharon Wilkerson, 55, … entered the plea before Circuit Judge Chris Kunza Mennemeyer as part of a deal with prosecutors. Wilkerson had faced 29 counts of child abuse. In exchange for pleading guilty to three, she received a suspended seven-year sentence and must serve 120 days of “shock time” in prison.
The charges involved one of Wilkerson’s adopted daughters and a foster child, authorities said. According to court documents, Wilkerson beat the girls with various instruments, including an arrow, a plumbing supply line, a curtain rod and hangers, in 2010 and 2011.[Hmm…How train up a Child???]
The daughter, who was 10 in 2010, disappeared that October for more than seven hours. She later said she took a walk with a family dog and became lost.
It is unclear how the abuse came to the attention of authorities.
Attorney Scott Rosenblum, who represented Wilkerson, declined to comment about any connection between the girl’s disappearance and the charges.
The children are no longer living with the Wilkersons, Rosenblum said. Prosecutor Leah Askey could not be reached for comment.”
Lincoln County mom pleads guilty of beating adopted daughter, foster child [St. Louis Today 6/16/14 by Susan Welch]
“As part of the agreement, several other charges were not pursued by the prosecution.”
“The daughter, who was 10 in 2010, disappeared in October of that year for more than seven hours. When she returned, she told reporters that she left home to go for a walk with the family dog and he started chasing squirrels. She got lost, she said, and spent part of her time away taking a nap. She returned home on her own.
At the time, her father, Tom Wilkerson, said four of their children were adopted and suffered the side effects of fetal alcohol syndrome. The children were home-schooled.
Attorney Scott Rosenblum represented Wilkerson.”
Woman pleads guilty to child abuse[The Lincoln County Journal 6/16/14 ]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Okay, everyone… let’s hear all the outrage proclaiming that Tom Wilkerson is JUST AS GUILTY as his wife for not stopping the abuse, and demanding that charges be filed against HIM also.
I’m waiting…
There is a difference between discipline and beating. It is very obvious that she was disciplining the foster kids. It’s pretty clear that she actually cared about the kids, she even home schooled them instead of pawning them off on the schools.
Your “pawned off on schools” is my “homeschooled to keep away from all the pesky mandatory reporters that a kid encounters at school”.
Concerned citizen,
Re: “…There is a difference between discipline and beating…”
There’s also a difference between “discipline” and “corporal punishment”.
Discipline means instruction in a field of knowledge, such as how to behave fairly and responsibly. Punishment is sometimes used as a negative consequence for poor behavior; for example, making kids stay out of the sandbox for five minutes for throwing sand.
Corporal punishment is a subtype of punishment which involves inflicting physical pain. Research has shown it is associated with poorer results than cognitive structuring and behavior modification plans. It also has the risk of tipping over into child abuse if the parent responds its failure to work by upping the intensity.
When you’re punishing kids by hitting them with “various instruments, including an arrow, a plumbing supply line, a curtain rod and hangers”, it’s clear that you’ve crossed over the line to child abuse.
In addition, it’s a violation of Missouri DSS policy for foster parents to use corporal punishment on foster kids.
I would like to know why Tom was not charged… I knew this family growing up and I saw Tom “spanking” (beating) his son when he was 16 years old in anger… I have no doubt this was both of the.
You’re a dumbass just because the man was angry and spanking his kid at the same time that immediately means he was beating him? How do you beat someone by spanking them?
Re: “…How do you beat someone by spanking them?…”
Ask Lydia Schatz.
Oh, wait; you can’t, because her adoptive parents spanked her so severely that she died.
This is the absolute most ridiculous piece of one sided writing I’ve ever seen!! This author is sensationalising with the words “We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.” I’ve known the Wilkersons for some years and saw the kids on almost a daily basis. Not once did I ever see any signs of abuse! All the kids were always smiling, happy and they were the most polite, well mannered children I’ve seen in years. I NEVER saw any marks on these kids whatsoever. None of you has even a clue as to the history of this “daughter”. She tried the same accusations when she was with a different family and the prosecutor in that county had the good sense to see that she was lying through her teeth. This couple has been through hell, and yes Tom is still facing charges himself. I have the solution for you Rally, since you are so concerned with this kids welfare… why don’t you go adapt this little “angel” and let’s see how you fare with raising her. But watch your back because she’s been known to attack with any weapon she can get her hands on.
No Justice,
Re: “…All the kids were always smiling, happy and they were the most polite, well mannered children I’ve seen in years…”
Are you aware that in the ‘To Train Up A Child’ subculture kids are punished for NOT smiling and seeming happy at all times, particularly before strangers? “Showing a surly attitude” is considered a sin– one that should be corrected by “the rod”.
It’s NORMAL for basically happy kids to show a range of emotional responses, including “negative” ones like anger and sadness upon occasion. Kids who are ALWAYS smiling and on their company manners without ever being seen to “let their hair down” are as much of a red flag for possible child abuse as kids who always seem glum and dispirited. Or at least, it shows that you don’t know them well enough to make an informed judgement about whether they’re being abused or not.
To “No Justice” if you read Sharon’s interviewed deposition, which is available for viewing on casenet, you will clearly see that she admits to the abuse and even offers additional information of more abuse and weapons used to hit the kids with. She does not deny anything. She was kind enough to tell the interviewer she had used many household items such as plastic hangers or anything else she could find around the house. She also admitted to making the girl “timeout” in the room under the stairs for a couple hours at a time. The sad thing is that she actually believes she was trying to help her by hitting her with things and did her best to only hit her on the bottom. She also said that all her friends do it this way too, so if you are one of those people, you may want to watch yourself the next time you think it is ok to hit your child. It is NEVER ok to strike a child, especially with an object. That is abuse, not discipline. Children of this kind of abuse are often so scared of letting on to anyone about it because they been convinced they are at fault. Stop accusing the victim. I have three children and have never had to spank one of them, ever! They are very well behaved children. It is amazing what a good talk will do. Instead of constantly telling her what a bad person she was, she needed more positive reinforcement and an opportunity to talk about her emotions. She came from a home that already spanked her in this cruel manner, why would Sharon think it was ok to do it again?
It’s a shame she already had 19 a counts that they didn’t add the boys charges for the same abuse. They didn’t that she would plee guilty because she was a coward and couldn’t face the “ harsh” punishment. These boys still needs there justice.
What part of “In exchange for pleading guilty to three, she received a suspended seven-year sentence and must serve 120 days of “shock time” in prison.” did you not get? To criticize my opening is really something!That is how I open each these cases!
Way to slander a child ! Bravo! Hats off to you,you numbskull!
No thanks I am not going to “adapt” this child!God, at least get your spelling right when you rant!
I have known the Wilkerson’s for over 30 years, though I haven’t seen them in a number of years. I read something else posted about this case, and it was questionable. The reason I say that is because it didn’t give a balanced or full disclosure of some basic facts. It didn’t address the fact that four of the children were siblings, and younger. It didn’t mention that the girl who made the allegations to the neighbors was older, from Russia, and not related to the others….that raises some questions, which were not addressed. Nor did the “hero” prosecutor mention the issues the older Russian girl had at her previous location, serious problems. Spanking is not a strange or abusive occurrence, I was paddled as a child, mostly with a fly swapper, sometimes with a switch, and rarely with a belt. The older girl hiding one of the younger children’s asthma medications was a malicious activity, not to mention dangerous. Was it motivated from jealousy? I don’t know, but needless to say there were many unanswered questions in the “heroes” article. And as far as questioning the four siblings….I’d like to see a transcript of that. What were they asked, and how were the questioned framed, i.e. did they camp out on spankings? Did any of us really like the discipline we received as children….at the time? The prosecutor’s article was telling as she noted that this discipline was performed in the name of “religion.” Tom and Sharon were just collateral damage. Religion, and specifically Christianity was the real focus of the charade.
Research has shown that corporal punishment is associated with poor outcomes for all children. And “punitive discipline”– however it’s administered– has negative results on children adopted from orphanages. Perhaps you can spank kids whom you’ve raised from birth, who know that you’d run into a burning house to save them, without doing much psychological harm. Maybe. But not kids adopted as older kids.
No, noting that the abusers defended themselves by claiming that “my religious beliefs entitle me to ignore state policies forbidding corporal punishment of foster kids” does NOT make this an attack on Christianity. This is an attack on child abuse, no matter what cockamamie rationalizations the perpetrators come up with to excuse themselves.
BTW, the “older child” you keep referring to was only ten years old at the time. TEN.