How Could You? Hall of Shame-Ukrainian Adoptive Mom Ruthann Gneiser 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 Manitowoc, Wisconsin, adoptive mother Ruthann Gneiser,31, “faces one felony count of physical abuse of a child, intentionally causing great bodily harm.”

A ” Wisconsin woman was charged Thursday with child abuse for allegedly beating and scalding her 5-year-old son who has Down syndrome”

“According to the complaint, Gneiser told an investigator she was angry and repeatedly struck the boy on his back. When he defecated in his pants, she pulled her son into the bathroom and made him stand in the shower under cold water, the complaint said. Authorities say she filled the bathtub with hot water and the boy sat in the scalding water.

The boy was screaming when he was in the cold and hot water, Gneiser told the investigator. She said she realized the water was too hot when she reached in to help her son clean his underwear and almost burned herself, the complaint said.

Gneiser said she believed the boy sat in the hot water for up to 1 ½ minutes, resulting in the boy suffering scald burns over 8 percent of his body, the complaint said.

According to the investigator, no medical attention was sought for the boy for about three hours. He was taken to a hospital Monday.

A doctor who examined the boy told the investigator that the number of his bruises were “too numerous to count,” the complaint said.

Gneiser is free on $10,000 cash bail and is due to make her first court appearance Monday. Online court records do not list a defense attorney.”

Mother accused of beating, scalding 5-year-old son[USA Today 9/25/14 by Associated Press]

“Ruthann Gneiser, 31, told investigators that she was ‘as angry as I’ve ever been.’

Medical Center of Aurora staff notified authorities after Gneiser brought the child in on Monday with ‘heavy bruising’ on his back and scald burns on more than 50 percent of his body, according to ABC 2.

The married, stay-at-home mom reportedly got angry with her adoptive son and began slapping him repeatedly on the back until he defecated in his pants.

ABC 2 reports that Gneiser made her son stand in a cold shower until he ‘got himself cleaned up.’

She then made the boy sit in hot water for up to 1 1/2 minutes only noticing that the water was very hot when she reached in and nearly burned herself, Gneiser told authorities.

The child was transferred to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin where he underwent emergency surgery, according to ABC 2.

A probable cause affidavit reports that though the incident occurred between 1 and 1.25pm, Gneiser did not seek medical attention for her son until 4.30pm — approximately three hours later.”

“Gneiser was reportedly released Tuesday on $10,000 bail with conditions prohibiting her from seeing her children — both are five-year-old boys with Down syndrome —  and from having unsupervised contact with any minor.

She was charged Thursday with ‘physical abuse of a child intentionally causing great bodily harm,’ if found guilty, Gneiser may face up to 40 years in prison, We are Green Bay reports.”

“Gneiser is due in court on Monday. ABC 2 reports that Sheriff Robert Hermann described the situation as being ‘tough.’

‘We’re investigating this at this point and still following up on a lot of information,” Hermann told ABC 2.

‘It’s tough when you’re dealing with a child that has disabilities to start with and then something so tragic happens to that child.’ ”

Woman charged for beating and scalding her 5-year-old adoptive son with Down syndrome so badly that he defecated in his pants[Daily Mail 9/26/14 by Charlene Adams]

The Gneiser’s are featured on  CHASK[Christian Homes and Special kids],where they state,”Micah’s was a domestic/local adoption. He had the privilege of knowing his parents all but his first 5 days. Lucas’ was an international adoption from Ukraine when he was 2.5 years old. ” They are also featured on First Giving.

 

REFORM Puzzle Piece

 

Update:“A Manitowoc County woman accused of beating and scalding her son, appeared in court this afternoon for an initial appearance.

Ruthann Gneiser, 31, is charged with felony child abuse.

Her five-year-old son was taken to a hospital last week, with bruises on his back and scalding burns.

The boy has down syndrome.

Officials say Gneiser told investigators she was angry, and repeatedly hit the boy on his back.

After he defecated in his pants, investigators say Gneiser filled the bath tub with hot water, and the boy sat in the scalding water.

The boy was taken to Children’s Hospital near Milwaukee.

“It’s a very serious case,” said Jacalyn LaBre, Manitowoc County’s district attorney. “We look at all the information including the information from the doctors and physicians and try to handle it as appropriately as possible.”

“She wants to get her family back together as soon as possible and I’m confident we’re going to do that,” said Richard Hahn, Gneiser’s attorney.

Gneiser is due back in court on Thursday to discuss the conditions of her bond. She is currently out on a $10,000 cash bond.”

Manitowoc County mom charged with child abuse appears in court[FOX 11 9/29/14]

“Ruthann Gneiser, a 31 year-old woman living just outside Manitowoc (WI), a few miles from Lake Michigan, fundraised in 2011 for the adoption of her second child, a toddler with Down syndrome from the Ukraine who would be named Lucas. A friend, Michelle Zoromski, lauded her on her blog for her original fundraise method: she etched glassware and sold that (since deleted). Her first child, a child with Down syndrome as well, was adopted as a baby in 2009 domestically and went by the name Micah. Both kids are 5 years old.

Adoption, Special Needs, Child Abuse, Evangelicals. Yet Another Case[Daily Kos 9/29/14 By Frank Ligtvoet]

Update 2:“A Manitowoc County judge will not allow a woman charged with child abuse to see her children.

Ruthann Gneiser, who’s accused of beating and scalding her 5-year-old special needs son, asked for the no contact provision of her bond to be rescinded.

On Thursday, the Clerk of Courts office said that Judge Jerome Fox denied the motion.

Court documents reveal that Gneiser admitted to authorities that she slapped her son repeated on his back. Gneiser said the boy defecated in his pants, so she put him in the bathtub that was filled with scalding hot water for about a minute. She claimed she didn’t realize the water was too hot until she put her hand in it.

The boy was treated for bruising and burns that doctors at Children’s Hospital in Wauwatosa say cover about 8 percent of his body. Investigators had previously said the burns covered more than half of his body.

Gneiser is due in court for a preliminary hearing on October 15.”

Judge rules Ruthann Gneiser cannot see her children[WTAQ 10/2/14 by Jeff Flynt]

Update 3: “A woman accused of child abuse for allegedly putting the child in a scalding bath pleaded not guilty.

Ruthann Gneiser waived a preliminary hearing Wednesday and pleaded not guilty, according to online court records.

No trial date was set. A plea hearing is scheduled for Feb. 11.

She’s accused of beating and scalding her five-year-old son, who has Down syndrome. According to court documents, she admitted to slapping the boy repeatedly on his back. She’s also accused of making the boy sit in a bathtub filled with scalding water. Gneiser said she didn’t realize the water was too hot.

A judge previously denied Gneiser’s request to see her children. The issue of supervised contact was raised again Wednesday. The judge will hear arguments on that at a hearing Tuesday”

Manitowoc County mom pleads not guilty[Fox 11 10/16/14]

Update 4: A search of Wisconsin’s court records shows that a plea hearing in on schedule on July 16, 2015.

Update 5: Ruthann Gneiser was convicted!

A Search of Wisconsin’s court records shows that “State files an Amended Information charging 1 ct. Physical Abuse of Child, contrary to Section 948.03(3)(c) and 1 ct. Physical Abuse of Child – Intentionally Cause Bodily Harm, contrary to Section 948.03(2)(b). No contest pleas to the amended charges. Convicted. Court orders a pre-sentence investigation report to be completed by DOC. Sentencing hearing is set for 09-10-15 at 2:30 p.m. Report to be filed by 08-31-15. Court orders defendant to submit a DNA sample. “

Update 6: A Search of Wisconsin’s court records shows that”Sentence Withheld. Defendant is placed on probation to DOC for three (3) years. Conditions of probation: 1) Spend six (6) months in the county jail, under the Huber Law, on count 1 only, commencing on 10-10-15 at 8:00 a.m.; 2) Assessment, treatment, counseling as deemed appropriate by the Departments assessment process; 3) Defendant is to comply with all terms of the CHIPS orders in case no: 14 JC 53 and 14 JC 54; 4) Pay court costs of $873.00. Cash bail applied; 5) pay supervision fees in an amount to be determined by DOC. Defendant has credit for 1 day if revoked. The Court orders the sentencing memorandums of both parties along with all attachments and photos to be sealed.