How Could You? Hall of Shame-Merlinda Avalos

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 Hillsboro, Oregon, guardian and aunt Merlinda Avalos, 49, was “arrested Thursday [June 21, 2018] on suspicion of abusing [the three children] detailed years of mistreatment to investigators in April, court documents show.

The alleged victims, a 12-year-old boy, a 10-year-old girl and a 9-year-old girl, claimed their 49-year-old aunt Merlinda Avalos routinely beat them with wooden boards, broomsticks and other items, fed them only peanut butter sandwiches twice a day, allowed them to shower once a week on Sundays in cold water, and forced them to use portable urinals during the day, according to a search warrant affidavit.

Avalos remains held Friday at the Washington County Jail on suspicion of first-degree criminal mistreatment and tampering with evidence. Avalos also has a 12-year-old biological son who lives with her, her husband, nephew and nieces at their house in Hillsboro.

Avalos’ son wasn’t subject to abuse, according to Hillsboro police spokesman Lt. Henry Reimann. No other arrests have been made.

According to the affidavit, an Oregon Department of Health and Services case worker received an abuse complaint involving the three children on April 6. The siblings and Avalos’ biological son were removed from the home and placed in DHS custody.

The son was later returned home, but the other three children were placed into foster care, the affidavit said.

The siblings were interviewed later in April about their time in the home. According to the affidavit, the kids told investigators they’d been living with Avalos since 2012 and their mother lived in another state and had been in and out of prison.

After the children had been removed in April, Avalos briefly allowed police detectives into the home that same month, the affidavit said. The kids’ room had been cleaned out and repainted. Avalos told the investigators they were planning to rent out the room, according to the affidavit.

According to the children, they weren’t allowed outside to play, to read, or have drinks or snacks, the affidavit said.

Avalos had a security camera and baby monitor in the kids’ room to keep tabs on them, the affidavit said. There was also an alarm on both sides of the bedroom door to keep them inside.

The oldest child told investigators Avalos didn’t let them use the bathroom at night, so they had to hold it until the morning or urinate on themselves.

The two eldest children slept naked on inflatable pools atop mattresses to allow urine to be cleaned up if they had an accident at night. They were naked to prevent them from running away from home, the affidavit said.

If the children urinated on themselves at night, they used a cloth and bleach to clean their beds, the affidavit said. They would then have to use the same cloth to clean themselves, causing burns on at least one of them.

It’s unclear how Avalos originally became the children’s guardian and if they were placed with her through foster care. She listed her occupation as a Department of Human Services caregiver when she and her husband filed for bankruptcy in April 2011. A spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Human Services did not immediately return a message regarding Avalos.

Avalos received monthly support to care for the children. A December 2012 filing lists $1,200 in cash and food assistance to care for the children. Then in May 2017, the children’s mother was ordered to pay Avalos $155 every month in child support.”

Hillsboro woman accused of abuse denied kids food, had alarms on doors, records show

[Oregon Live 6/23/18 by Everton Bailey, Jr.]

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