How Could You? Hall of Shame-Aaron Paul Cooper and Shelby Marie Greer

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 Midland, Texas, foster mother Shelby Greer and her fiancé Aaron Paul Cooper  were “arrested on July 7 [2025] after a months-long investigation by the Midland County Sheriff’s Office. Cooper faces multiple felony charges, including Indecency with a Child and two counts of Injury to a Child.

A second suspect, 29-year-old Shelby Marie Greer, was also arrested and charged with Injury to a Child. Both were booked into the Midland County Central Detention Center. Cooper’s bond has been set at $75,000.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by KMID/KPEJ, the case began on June 20, 2025, when deputies responded to a home on FM 1213.

A teenage girl, described as a foster child placed in the home in June 2024, reported she had been sexually assaulted by Cooper, her foster mother’s fiancé, on a near-daily basis. The abuse, she told investigators, began shortly after she moved in and continued until she “escaped the sex abuse house” and fled the residence in April 2025.

The girl detailed incidents involving groping, and sexually explicit comments, such as “you are old enough for me to (explicit).”

The victim told officials that in several situations, she awoke to find Cooper positioned over her and that he’d explicitly tell her what he did to her while she was sleeping. She also claimed he made verbal references to engaging in sexual activity with her and her sibling together.

According to the arrest affidavit for Shelby Greer, the victim also recalled Greer being present while Cooper made inappropriate comments and even responding, saying, “Do what you want.”

The affidavit states that the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services had received multiple reports alleging abuse within the home. The alleged victims include children biologically related to Cooper, as well as those under foster guardianship.

In forensic interviews at the Midland Child Advocacy Center, several children described additional incidents of abuse. One child said Cooper punched his sibling in the stomach during an argument in the hallway, leaving a scratch and redness. Another recalled being shoved into a wall and forced to stand in a corner. A different child reported being spanked so harshly with a homemade wooden paddle, called “Plank”, that bruises remained for a week.

According to the affidavit for Greer, the child victims also shared that in several instances, Greer had been present during the incidents of abuse. According to the affidavit, the children expressed fear about returning to the home.

The Midland County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is ongoing and spans incidents between June 2024 and April 2025, all occurring at Cooper’s residence on Airline Road.

In a statement released by Sheriff David Criner, the department reaffirmed its commitment to protecting vulnerable members of the community.

“We remain committed to ensuring the safety of our community by arresting those who prey upon our women and children,” Criner said.

Both suspects remain in the Midland County Detention Center as of Tuesday, July 8, and have a $75,000 bond.”

Affidavit: Foster child, multiple others abused in Midland home; couple arrested
[Yahoo 7/8/25 by Gabriella Meza]

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