How Could You? Hall of Shame-Caterina Whitten case-Adult Death
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 Lowell, Arkansas, adult adoptee Caterina Whitten, 29, died due to negligent homicide on January 3, 2015. She had five disabled adopted siblings. Her 73-year-old adoptive father is now charged in her death.
Caterina was blind and ” malnourished with cockroach bites on her head, as well as a scrape on her forehead.” She “was diagnosed with Fraser syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.
Investigators say Whitten’s wife, a nurse, was helping him care for the six adults until she died. Court records show his adopted daughter would go through periods where she wouldn’t eat well, but he would give her double calorie and double protein boosts, which usually helped. The probable cause report shows Whitten telling police he wished he had called for help sooner before his adopted daughter stopped breathing.”
“Police say things were so out of hand in the house that there were dirty diapers scattered about and cockroaches crawling everywhere. The five other adopted adults with disabilities were taken to the hospital to be checked out and are staying elsewhere.
David Whitten is due in court on Feb. 10 to face charges of negligent homicide and six counts of endangering the welfare of an incompetent person.”
‘A really sad story’: Neighbors react to tragic death of Lowell woman
[4029 news 1/7/25 by Chip Scarborough]
“Whitten told police that Caterina had been healthy up until Christmas Day. Her siblings – four men and a woman with conditions including Down syndrome and severe autism – tried to bring her downstairs to open presents, but she collapsed to the floor and refused to move.
He claimed that Caterina frequently went through periods where she wouldn’t eat, so he initially didn’t think anything of her behavior. And he said that he gave her Boost calorie and protein shakes but police found no evidence of those pre-made drinks in the home.
When asked why he didn’t call for help sooner, given her listlessness, Whitten claimed that he didn’t want to ‘overuse’ the emergency room before admitting it was a ‘mistake’ not to call 911 while she was suffering.”
“Amid the scurrying cockroaches, police noted mysterious dried brown fluids on the bed and pillows, the box spring and on the walls. A responding detective ordered a rape kit after he observed a separate room with nothing in it but a bed, a woman’s dress and blood on the wall. “
“The dishwasher was full of rotting food buildup and cockroaches; the fridge also had molding food. The bathrooms – which only had one working toilet and soiled toilet paper wadded up in the out-of-order ones – had floors and sinks covered in filth.”
“He was booked at Benton County Detention Center and held on a $25,000 bond. “
[Daily Mail 1/18/25 by Sophie Gable]
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