How Could You? Hall of Shame-Kelli Yanuzzi 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 Fort Pierce, Florida,29-year-old foster mother Kelli Yanuzzi was arrested after “they say she threw her foster daughter to the ground when she wouldn’t take a nap.” She ” is facing an aggravated child abuse charge after her two-year-old foster daughter was rushed to the hospital with a broken femur.” This happened on October 16th.

“An arrest affidavit says Yanuzzi told deputies “If the victim had taken a nap like she was supposed to, none of this would have happened.”

A spokesperson for Devereux says Yanuzzi became a licensed foster parent this summer, and was also caring for the two-year-old’s 9-month-old brother.

Both children have been placed in a different home.

Yanuzzi has posted a $20,000 bond and has been released from the St. Lucie County jail.

This is the second case of foster care abuse on the Treasure Coast in less than two months.

Port St. Lucie resident Michael Beer is currently in jail on no bond after being charged with killing his 2-year-old foster son, Trystan Adams.

Police say the boy died from injuries inflicted by Beer.

“It’s hard to see who’s going to be a good parent and who’s not going to be a good parent,” said Ken Frederick with New Horizon’s on the Treasure Coast.

Frederick has spent years working with children and families.

“Sometimes foster parents have this impression that they’re going to get this perfect child,” Frederick said.

Yanuzzi and Beer were both screened by DCF. “What stress may be on that foster parent now may not have been there when they were tested.”

Frederick is stressing the importance for foster parents to reach out for help when times get tough, rather than becoming physical with children.

Frederick says many organizations, such as his, offer services and training to parents, both foster and biological.

He also recommends calling 2-1-1.

“A 2-year-old, if someone knows children, they know that’s a difficult age. The terrible two’s is a well known fact.”

Kelli Yanuzzi: Fort Pierce foster mother arrested for breaking foster child’s leg [WPTV 11/13/14 by Megan Mc Roberts]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

 

Update: A search of St. Lucie court records shows that on 7/10/15,a docket call has been set on 08/14/2015 AT 1:00 PM . She was arraigned on 1/9/15.