How Could You? Hall of Shame -Cheryl Christopher and Elisha Christopher 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 Lexington, Kentucky, adoptive mother Cheryl Christopher, 51, was charged with “first-degree criminal abuse, first-degree wanton endangerment and unlawful imprisonment. Her husband, Elisha B. Christopher, 69, is charged with first-degree criminal abuse because he “allowed another to abuse his 9-year-old child by strangulation and did not report or prevent them from being abused by his wife,” according to a police report,”according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.

“Lexington police Sgt. Jesse Harris told the Herald-Leader that six children were involved, ranging in age from 7 to 15. He said police began investigating the Christophers on June 15, after receiving reports of possible child abuse from social services investigators.

Harris said the Christophers are not the biological parents of all of the children. He said police have gotten reports that some of the children are adopted, but detectives are still investigating.

Jill Midkiff, a spokeswoman for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said the couple are not foster parents. ”

WFIE reports that ” allegations include a child being locked in a dog cage, as well as the mother attempting to strangle two kids, and forcing them to jump off their home’s roof. ”

The six children have been placed into state care.

The Associated Press reports :”At an arraignment Friday in Fayette District Court, Judge Joseph Bovier entered not guilty pleas on their behalf because they did not have attorneys.

The Christophers were being held at the Fayette County jail.”

Kentucky woman faces abuse charges regarding adopted kids
[Lexington Herald Leader 7/22/11 by Josh Kegley]

KY couple being charged with child abuse
[WFIE 7/23/11 7/23/11 by Kelsey Wheatcroft]

Police charge Ky. woman, say she tried to suffocate children and locked 1 in dog cage
[The Republic 7/22/11 by Associated Press]

Lexington mother accused of locking child in cage, strangulation
[Lexington Herald Leader 7/23/11 by Josh Kegley]

Update: The hearing was held on Thursday, July 28, 2011. “A Lexington Police detective took the stand to lay out the case against 51 year-old Cheryl Christopher and her husband 69 year-old Elisha Christopher.

The case involves allegations of abuse inflicted on the Christopher’s six adopted children.

The children told a counselor that over the course of a few years, they were put into a dog cage with a doberman, plastic bags were put over their heads, and their eyes and mouths were covered in duct tape.

Police also say the children were locked in their rooms from the outside.

Cheryl Christopher is facing charges of criminal abuse, unlawful imprisonment and wanton endangerment. Elisha Christopher is charge with criminal abuse, because police say he witnessed the abuse but never reported it. Police also say that one time, Elisha did try to stop Cheryl from hitting one of their daughters and she stabbed him.”

“Immediately following the hearing on Thursday, Cheryl Christopher had a seizure and required medical assistance.

The judge in this case decided there is enough evidence to send this case to the grand jury. They’ll decide if this case will continue.”

“The Christophers are currently out on a property bond. One condition of that bond is that they have no contact with the children they are accused of abusing.”

Hearing held for couple charged in bizarre child abuse case
[WKYT 7/28/11 by Victor Puente]

“The investigator says four out of the six children shared remarkably similar stories about how Christopher abused them and how their father, Elisa Christopher, never reported her.”

“He said she tried to drown them with duct tape over their eyes and mouth, and even tried to suffocate them with grocery bags over their head.

The company that removed the doors from inside the home after the Christophers were evicted, found scratching and claw marks on the inside of the doors like someone was fighting to get out, the detective testified.”

Lexington Child Abuse Case Sent To Grand Jury
[Lex 18 7/28/11]

Lexington Detective “Root said Cheryl Christopher had five adopted children living with her, but the majority of abuse seemed to be directed at two girls, who were 7 to 9 years old during a period of “ongoing abuse.” Police have previously said the alleged abuse has been going on for several years.

Police were first contacted in June by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services about disturbing statements the children made during therapy sessions, he said.

“They disclosed to their counselor that their mother … had put them in dog cages with Doberman pinschers and had on several occasions attempted to drown them after duct-taping their eyes and mouth,” he said. “Both children stated that their mother had placed Kroger or Wal-Mart bags over their heads, trying to suffocate them.”

“The stories were “corroborated by siblings and outside sources that were not related to the Christophers,” Root said. ”

“John Thurman, who lives in the Deauville Drive home now, said in a phone interview Thursday he found carpet and duffel bags in the attic “as if people were living up there.”

When police interviewed the children, their stories were “remarkably similar” even though they hadn’t had contact with each other for months while in foster care.”

“Root told Judge Megan Lake Thornton that police were still investigating the case. Specifically, they were reading journals Cheryl Christopher forced the children to write and watching video recordings, he said. He did not elaborate about the videos.”

“Christopher’s 20-year-old daughter posted the property bond to get the couple out of jail.”

“Their attorneys, public defenders Chris Tracy and John Landon, told the judge the Christophers hadn’t had any contact with the children for almost a year, since they were taken by social services.”

Detective provides details in Lexington child-abuse case; woman has convulsions afterward
[Lexington Herald-Leader 7/29/11 by Josh Kegley]

Update 2: They were formally indicted on Tuesday September 27, 2011. Herald-Leader reports, “Cheryl Ann Christopher, 51, was indicted Tuesday on two counts of first-degree criminal abuse, two counts of unlawful imprisonment and two counts of wanton endangerment for causing “torture, cruel confinement or cruel punishment” to two children, according to the indictment.

Christopher’s husband, Elisha David Christopher, 69, was indicted on two counts of criminal abuse.”

“The indictment says the alleged abuse lasted from January 2010 to November 2010. Police have said they were first contacted in June by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services about disturbing statements that the children made during therapy sessions, he said.”

“The girls also said their mother placed plastic bags over their heads, forced them to jump off a roof and locked them in their bedrooms for extended periods.

Police have said Cheryl Christopher had five adopted children living with her, but the majority of the alleged abuse seemed to be directed at two girls, who were 7 to 9 years old at the time.

Cheryl and Elisha Christopher are scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 7.”

Lex 18 says, “Christopher’s husband, 69-year-old Elisha Christopher, is also charged with criminal abuse since police say he did not protect the kids or report the abuse by his wife.

Investigators say the six children were removed from the couple’s custody following the allegations and the Christophers were ordered not to have custody of any other kids.”

Lexington couple indicted on multiple child-abuse charges
[Lexington Herald-Leader 9/29/11 by Josh Kegley]

Lexington Couple Indicted In Child Abuse Case
[Lex 18 NBC 9/28/11]

REFORM Puzzle Pieces

Update 3: “A Lexington woman accused of abusing some of her adopted children by locking them in a dog cage and forcing them to jump off the roof of their home submitted an Alford plea Thursday, according to court documents.

Cheryl Christopher, 52, submitted an Alford plea to two counts of first-degree criminal abuse, two counts of first-degree unlawful imprisonment and two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment.

In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges that there is enough evidence to be found guilty.

Christopher had five adopted children living with her but seemed to direct the abuse toward two girls over a period of time, when the girls were 7 to 9 years old, according to previous Herald-Leader articles.

Police were first contacted in June 2011 after the children made statements during therapy sessions about abuse including being nearly suffocated with plastic bags and being padlocked inside their bedrooms for extended periods of time.

Christopher was arrested in July 2011 with her husband, Elisha Christopher, 70. He faces two charges of first-degree criminal abuse, accused of allowing the abuse to occur.

Sentencing for Cheryl Christopher is scheduled for April 4 in Fayette Circuit Court. A status hearing is scheduled Friday for Elisha Christopher.”

[Kentucky.com 3/14/13 by  Taylor Pettit]

Update 4/September 6, 2013: A search of Fayette County, Kentucky court records shows that sentencing did NOT occur on April 4, 2013. Instead, sentencing is scheduled for September 27, 2013. A case is still listed for Elisha Christopher though it appears that he died after a brief illness on April 16, 2013, according to http://www.lanestuckygray.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=2067622&fh_id=11032

Update 5:”A Fayette County judge sentenced and had some stern words Monday for a former foster mother who entered an Alford Plea to abuse charges.

Cheryl Christopher was sentenced to two years in prison, one more year than the Commonwealth recommended. But judge Pamela Goodwine said she wanted to send a message to the two girls who were victims of what she called sadistic punishment.

Christopher and her late husband, Elisha, had six adopted children. According to Lexington police, Christopher tried to drown two of them, duct taped their eyes and mouth and even locked the children in a cage with a Doberman.

Back in March, Christopher entered an Alford Plea, which means she doesn’t admit guilt, but acknowledges there’s enough evidence a jury could convict her.

Christopher claims it’s what she had to do to deal with the girls’ mental illness.

“This was her form of punishment for the girls or, quote, treatment for their mental illness,” said Goodwine. “Which again I find offensive that someone would believe the way you treat someone with mental illness is to lock them up in a room, or in a cage, with a dog.”

Judge Goodwine also noted Monday that one of the girls is thriving beautifully under the care of her new mother, where she’s being loved and taken care of. She’s even participating in sports these days.”