How Could You? Hall of Shame-Shawn and Stephani Stovall

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 Mount Vernon, Missouri, foster parents Shawn and Stephani Stovall,both 41, “were ordered bound over for trial Monday on charges that they abused a 2-year-old boy placed in their care.”

“Associate Judge Scott Sifferman found probable cause at a preliminary hearing in Lawrence County Circuit Court to order Shawn M. Stovall, 41, and Stefani M. Stovall, 41, both of Mount Vernon, to stand trial on single felony counts of child abuse. The judge set their initial appearances in a trial division of the court for Dec. 11.

A call to the state’s child abuse hotline in July prompted an investigation by Mount Vernon police and the Missouri Department of Social Services that led to the charges against the Stovalls.

A probable-cause affidavit states that the biological mother of the child noticed bruises on her son’s forehead, neck, chin, upper torso, sides, buttocks, legs, ears and genitals during a supervised visit. The boy was taken to the Children’s Center in Joplin for an examination, and photographs were taken documenting the bruises, cuts to his lips and an infected abscess on his buttocks, according to the affidavit.

The document states that the boy was first placed in the Stovalls’ care on May 12.”

Foster parents facing child abuse charges in Lawrence County

[Joplin Globe 10/24/17 ]

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