How Could You? Hall of Shame-Sammy Fridenberg

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 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, “Alexis Yauneridge and her younger sister, Sarah Payne, say they were 2 and 3 when they were placed in foster care after their biological mother died from brain cancer.

They were adopted the same day their mother died.

Yauneridge said the abuse robbed her of a normal childhood. “I didn’t have a real childhood. What’s a real childhood when you’re being abused?” she said.

Payne said, “I was sexually assaulted, and mentally and emotionally abused for years.”

“The sisters say they were sexually abused by a man more than three decades older than them, someone who was supposed to protect them.

Yauneridge described a threat she said she endured as a child: “When I was 8 years old, he took me out to the back pasture with a gun to my head and told me if I said anything, he would make me disappear like the two foster girls that went missing.”

Court records show Sammy Fridenberg is charged with six counts of lewd molestation, first-degree rape of a victim under 14, forcible sodomy, and lewd or indecent acts to a child under 16.

Under a plea deal, he is set to be sentenced to 25 years in prison on seven counts and 20 years on two counts.

He is scheduled to be formally sentenced next week.

Payne said the abuse has had lasting effects. “I have a complex: post-traumatic stress disorder, and a generalized anxiety disorder,” she said.

Both sisters say DHS is to blame and are backing proposed changes tied to Senate Bill 1570, which would reform the agency.

Yauneridge said, “My only goal is to make sure this doesn’t happen again. It doesn’t take decades for you to open your eyes and see what is going on.”

Asked about the changes SB 1570 would make, DHS said in a statement: “Oklahoma Human Services continues to build momentum and improve outcomes for children and families through initiatives like A Home for Every Child. We applaud Chairman Rosino’s passion and support for our work to make Oklahoma the safest state for children.”

Yauneridge rejected the agency’s response. “Their statement is an absolute joke,” she said.

Payne said, “That does nothing for the trauma that these children have had to endureup into their adulthood.”

The sisters say they are determined to advocate for other children who may not have a voice. “Regardless of what I went through, I’m going to continue to fight because no child should ever have to go decades before they’re protected,” Yauneridge said.

Yauneridge and Payne have started a Facebook group called 2 Sisters Fighting for Reform.”

‘I didn’t have a real childhood:’ survivor sisters say DHS failure left lifelong trauma
[OKC Fox 2/23/26 by Robert Hagan]

REFORM Puzzle Piece