How Could You? Hall of Shame-Sheila and Wyatt Clark 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 Mahnomen, Minnesota,49-year-old foster parent Sheila Clark “is charged with second-degree assault, three counts of maltreatment of a minor, child endangerment and three counts of domestic violence.

Valley News Live was the first to report this case back in April when officials charged Clark’s 22-year-old son, Wyatt, with three felony counts of criminal sexual conduct against three children under the age of 13.

Deputies were made aware of the sexual abuse by one of the victims in mid-February. The victim disclosed Wyatt Clark had sexually penetrated and had sexual contact with them numerous times over the last three years, as well as two other children in the home. All three child victims were placed in Sheila Clark’s home in Mahnomen County back in 2019 as foster children, court documents state. On February 15, White Earth Police and Indian Child Welfare removed ‘numerous children’ from the home.

New court documents reveal further interviews with the young victims, where the children told investigators Clark would send the kids to sleep in Wyatt’s bed with him as punishment. The victims stated much of their abuse happened with Wyatt Clark during these punishments.

The victims also stated Clark would tell the children if they did not behave, she was going to give them ‘back to ICW,’ or ‘unadopt’ them. Documents say the victims told investigators Clark once grabbed one of the children by their hair, drug him through the house, threw him outside and locked the child out. Documents say the incident happened in Dec. 2021 and the child did not have shoes, socks or a coat on.

Documents go on to allege Clark instructed two of the victims not to say anything to investigators while they were being removed from her care.

The two victims did eventually open up to officials, and disclosed Clark was ‘not really nice.’ The victims described being spanked by Clark with Clark’s hand, a ‘whooping stick,’ fly swatter, or stated sometimes Clark would have another child go get ‘a piece of log to whoop us.’ Another child disclosed Clark hit him in the head with a pan, court documents allege.

Documents say one of the victims disclosed the sexual abuse by Wyatt to Clark, and Clark allegedly told the child she called police. Court documents state Clark never called law enforcement to report the sexual abuse of the foster children.

Wyatt Clark remains in custody in the Marshall County Jail. His next court date has not yet been set.

Sheila Clark is not in custody. Her first court appearance is slated for September 2.”

Mahnomen foster mom charged with abusing kids, covering up sexual abuse
[Valley News Live 8/15/22 by Bailey Hurley]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:“A Mahnomen man at the center of a disturbing sexual assault investigation involving multiple foster children has been sentenced in one of the cases against him.

23-year-old Wyatt Lee Clark now stands convicted of three felony counts of criminal sexual conduct against three children under the age of 13. Court documents say the abuse went on for more than three years. A Mahnomen County judge sentenced Clark to 30 years in prison.

Deputies were made aware of the sexual abuse by one of the victims, identified in court documents as Victim A, in mid-February, 2022. The victim disclosed Clark had sexually assaulted them numerous times over the last three years, as well as two other children in the home.

All three child victims were placed in the home of Clark’s mother in Mahnomen County back in 2019 as foster children, court documents state. On February 15, White Earth Police and Indian Child Welfare removed ‘numerous children’ from the home, documents say.

Forensic interviews were soon conducted with the victims where documents say one of the children stated Clark did ‘gross’ things to them as well as the other two children.

Documents state Clark agreed to speak to investigators in early March 2022 and admitted to numerous incidents of sexual penetration and sexual contact with the victims. Clark also told officers that he thought about the children sexually all the time and could not hold back his urges. According to court documents, Clark stated children under 10 ‘were best ‘because they aren’t as smart as older ones, and went on to say the victims didn’t really understand what he was doing to them because of their age.

Clark is charged in another case in Mahnomen County, where he’s accused of abusing two more foster children. Clark’s mother, Sheila is also charged in connection to the abuse allegations. Both cases are ongoing.”

Mahnomen man sentenced to 30 years for sexually abusing foster kids
[Valley News Live 5/3/23 by Bailey Hurley]