How Could You? Hall of Shame-Christopher and Lee Anne Henry UPDATED

By on 8-18-2011 in Abuse in adoption, Abuse in foster care, Christopher Henry, Foster Care, Lee Anne Henry, Ohio

How Could You? Hall of Shame-Christopher and Lee Anne Henry 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 Toledo, Ohio, former Ohio Family of the Year 1999 foster and adoptive parents Christopher and Lee Anne Henry “have been charged with physically abusing and failing to protect their 17-year-old adoptive daughter with cerebral palsy.”

“According to the indictment, the allegations date back to 2005, when the girl was 11 years old.

Mrs. Henry, 57, is charged with two counts of child endangering, including one involving accusations of “torture or cruelly abusing the child.” If convicted of the higher felony, she faces up to eight years in prison.

Mr. Henry, 58, is charged with one count of child endangering and is alleged to have failed in his duty to protect the child. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.”

“According to a May 17 Toledo police report filed after officials at the school the teen attends filed a complaint, the victim had been seen with “unexplained bruises” and had reported that she is “verbally abused at home.” The report further said she had arrived to school in the past “with wet Depends full of feces,” and that Mrs. Henry was accused of not allowing her to use the bathroom prior to school.”

“According to a police report, a search warrant was executed at the Henry home Aug. 1. Four spatulas were seized that authorities allege Mrs. Henry used to hit the victim.”

“Dean Sparks, executive director of the Lucas County Children Services Board, said Wednesday the couple had worked as foster parents for more than 30 years and had cared for more than 150 children.

He said three foster children were removed from the home in May after the allegations surfaced.

Mr. Sparks said Wednesday that over the years the Henrys had worked with the agency, complaints had been filed, but “nothing consequential was found.” He said the agency was made aware of the recent complaint in May and that it caused concerns.

He added that at that point, the foster children were removed from the home. [So the other children witnessing the ongoing abuse of this child was not cause to remove them too?Way to go CPS!]

Mr. Sparks acknowledged that staff members had been to the Henry home, yet nothing was flagged about the conditions in which their special needs daughter was living. He said he intends to provide additional training to staff about working with families who have children with severe handicaps.”

He further acknowledged that although their daughter was in a wheelchair and could not walk, the Henrys had not outfitted their home with basic items necessary for those with disabilities.”

“He admitted the agency’s relationship with the couple could have meant they were treated differently during inspections, but that the agency always looks into complaints and asks an outside agency to conduct the investigation.

“We may look at things differently, which is why we invite the police in. It’s a fail-safe effort to make sure our relationship doesn’t impinge on our judgment,” he said.

The couple have five biological children and seven adoptive children, authorities said. There are no allegations of abuse involving the other children.

According to court records, a no-contact order between the Henrys and the victim was granted Wednesday by Common Pleas Judge James Bates, and the teen has been placed in foster care.

Authorities said the couple was served with the order Wednesday.

No court dates have been set.”
Long-time foster parents charged with child endangerment
[Toledo Blade 8/17/11 by Erica Blake]

“In 1999, the Henrys had already fostered 250 kids. Now, at 58-years-olds, they stand accused of abusing and torturing their 17-year-old adopted daughter who cannot walk, uses a motorized wheelchair and suffers from cerebral palsy.

The couple adopted her when she was five years old. According to sources, the abuse began in 2005 when the couple made their adopted daughter sleep outside, beat her when she soiled herself and forced her to crawl from place to place.
If convicted, Lee Anne could face up to 13 years in prison and Christopher could face up to five years.”

Toledo ‘Family of the Year’ indicted for child endangering
[WTOL 8/18/11 by Lisa Rantala]

“Sources tell 13abc that the 17 year old girl was forced to sleep by the back door, if she wet herself she was allegedly beat, and she was forced to eat her meals on the floor.

Sparks says Washington Local school administrators even expressed concern about the young handicapped girl’s living conditions. Sparks says the handicapped teen didn’t have a wheelchair that fit her.

Sources tell 13abc there have been nine complaints reported to Children Services about the Henrys.

Sparks says those complaints were not backed up. The Henrys voluntarily gave up their 17 year old daughter while the case is open. [BULL]  They have 6 other adopted children.

Sparks admits he’s concerned his employees may have dropped the ball in this case. [Ya think?] He says his staff needs additional training. Sparks says as of last week, the Henrys turned in their foster parenting license and withdrew from the program.”
Toledo foster parents charged with endangering child
[ABC 13 WTVG 8/17/11]

Update: “Lee Ann and Christopher Henry’s son is also facing charges, accused of beating up a sibling. The teen faced a judge today in juvenile court. He’s locked up at the Lucas County jail. His next court day is August 30. ”

“Sources tell 13abc that the Henrys’ home was not handicap accessible .”

Local Foster Parent Reactions

“The Hoodlebrinks fear this case could create more red tape for current and potential foster parents.

“I think there will be more on-the-spot checks coming in, and I think it’s very difficult. Each foster home has their own foster case worker that surveys their home and does their home,” Wendy says. “You do develop a bond with that person, and just like you would with anybody and I can see that becoming a problem between a foster parent and foster worker.”

More on-the-spot checks = good! How would that be a “problem” unless you have been hiding something?
Foster mom hopes abuse case won’t cause more red tape

[ABC 13 WTVG 8/23/11]

Update 2: “The adopted son of a Toledo couple facing charges for abusing one of their disabled children appeared Monday in Lucas County Juvenile Court, where he admitted assaulting another family member.

Jordan Henry, 18, of 3001 Brock St. admitted to a charge of delinquency in connection with felonious assault.

He was found responsible for the assault on his brother, who also was adopted.

Henry is the son of Lee Ann and Christopher Henry, who face felony child-endangering charges for the alleged abuse of their now 17-year-old adopted daughter who has cerebral palsy.

The Henrys, who have been longtime foster parents for Lucas County Children Services, have an October trial date pending before Common Pleas Judge Myron Duhart.

Authorities said Jordan Henry, who was 17 at the time of the assault, choked his brother and broke his nose because the brother cooperated with authorities’ arrest of his parents.

Henry faces an additional Toledo Municipal Court felony charge of intimidation for allegedly threatening a witness in the assault case.

Henry, who is in custody at the Lucas County jail, is to appear on the intimidation charge Tuesday, court records indicate.”

Man, 18, admits assault on brother
[Toledo Blade 9/13/11]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update 3: “The case of a Toledo couple charged with abusing their adopted daughter who has cerebral palsy is set for trial Nov. 18 [2013] in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.

LeeAnne Henry, 60, of 3001 Brock Dr. is charged with two counts of endangering children for allegedly abusing her daughter in 2005 when she was 11. Her husband, Christopher Henry, 60, is charged with one count of endangering children for allegedly failing to protect the child.

In court Tuesday, Judge Myron Duhart agreed to modify a no contact order between the couple and their son, Marcus Henry, a potential witness in the case. Frank Spryszak, an assistant Lucas County prosecutor, said Marcus was moving out of state and wanted to be able to see the Henrys. Judge Duhart also ruled that the victim in the case could see her siblings if she chose to.

The Henrys were indicted on the charges in 2011, but the case was delayed last year when Judge Duhart ruled that attorney Ann Baronas, who had been a special advocate for foster children in the Henrys’ care, could not represent Mrs. Henry in the criminal case. Mrs. Henry is now represented by Toledo attorney Rick Kerger.”

Child abuse case set 
for trial in November

[Toledo Blade 7/10/13]

Update 4:”On the day a former Toledo foster mother and her husband were to go on trial for the alleged abuse of their adopted daughter, the woman entered a plea agreement Monday that led to her conviction on a misdemeanor charge.

Lee Anne Henry, 60, of 3001 Brock Dr. entered an Alford plea to failure to provide for a functionally impaired person, a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $750 fine.

Prosecutors said they would ask Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Myron Duhart to dismiss two felony child-endangerment counts against Mrs. Henry and a single child-endangerment count against Christopher Henry, 61, when Mrs. Henry is sentenced Feb. 25.

In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit to committing a crime but acknowledges evidence is sufficient for a conviction and that trial could result in a more severe sentence. The court treats it as a guilty plea.

As Judge Duhart explained that an Alford plea means a defendant denies committing the crime, Mrs. Henry said, “I do.”

Frank Spryszak, an assistant Lucas County prosecutor, told the court that between September, 2005, and July, 2011, Mrs. Henry failed at times to properly care for her adopted daughter who has cerebral palsy — failing to get her wheelchair repaired, sending her to school in diapers that were too small or without properly cleaning her, and forcing the girl to take baths and perform other tasks at home that she was unable to do without assistance.

Washington Local Schools staff contacted Lucas County Children Services so many times with concerns about the Henrys’ daughter, Mr. Spryszak said, that Mrs. Henry eventually pulled her out of classes and home-schooled her.

Mr. Henry stood next to his wife during the brief hearing, holding her hand or resting his hand on her back.

Mrs. Henry’s attorney, Rick Kerger, said afterward he was pleased with the resolution of the case, which began in 2011 and was delayed in part by Judge Duhart’s decision to disqualify her original attorney from the case because that attorney had previously been appointed as a special advocate for former foster children in the Henrys’ care.

She entered the Alford plea, he said, because “she’s got other children at home, and she can’t run the risk, for them, of being convicted” of the more serious charges.

Mr. Kerger said the couple took care of more than 100 foster children over the years, and while they are no longer foster parents, they have seven adopted children at home.

Mr. Spryszak said prosecutors offered the plea agreement because some witnesses, including a former foster child in the Henrys’ care, had recanted statements they’d made about what happened to the victim in the case, and because they could not prove the victim had suffered “serious physical harm,” which is a statutory requirement for a felony child-endangerment conviction.

“From the way it was indicted to the way it ended up, certainly is a substantial reduction. However, the evidentiary issues we would have had to overcome at trial validates this plea agreement,” Mr. Spryszak said.”

Adoptive mom takes plea deal in abuse case

[The Toledo Blade 1/28/14 By Jennifer Feehan]

8 Comments

  1. LCCS doesn't care for kids. They go in the home you tell them the problems and they stop typing. You say positives they are typing away.

    If you even think of getting a child diagnosed or treatment for their issues that CSB caused they just move the kids. They actually make your life miserable so you ask for the kids to be removed. Then move them till they come along someone who will do whatever they want as long as they know when to be ready for the 'monthly' visit.

  2. This is Rally.That is awful! Have you reported this to the Lucas County Ombudsman? Contact info at http://www.co.lucas.oh.us/index.aspx?NID=160 They are supposed to fix complaints with their social workers and cases.At minimum it would leave a paper trail with them.

  3. Not the Ombudsman but many of the supervisors and they just prefer to do whatever possible to get rid of us. Plan to call them though. Wish I could find a good lawyer who would fight them just because it's the right thing to do. That was our problem we got no financial help and it drained us financially.

    I did call to voice concern over the case and was told to move on with my life and focus on my kids instead. Unlike them I have trouble sleeping because I have a conscieous. Even though I know they caused this still sucks not knowing how they are doing.

    Finding all these cases where foster kids are hurt in foster homes. Something to think about big families that are on TV are judge but they support themselves by doing TV/interviews. Yet no one has a problem with a home like the Henry's. if I heard them correctly they had 3 additional foster kids if they did not transport and they are all fine they make $1350. If they transport add another 720. Now they had 7 adoptive kids at minmum each child is probably getting $200 a month but being in system that long and CP and other disability it can easily be 1K of tax payer dollar per child. This is not including SSD that the kids get or food stamps/WIC. All on our tax dollar.

    Yet family members offer to step up and instead are denied help. Whole system makes me sick. Have to get my will in order to insure that my kids don't end up in children services hands if I die. They harm kids not protect them.

  4. I allowed the Henry's to adopt three of my children and i was never told anything bad about them and CBS is a joke.

  5. Anonymous, it doesn't sound like followup or sharing of any information was done in this case. Very sad. I hope your children are ok. I found another update today and will post under Update 2 shortly.

  6. Anyone else find it interesting one of the guardian of liteum for LCCS is the defendants attorney. I know she claimed to represent our foster children and she never showed up except once before a court hearing to terminate parental rights. She had no idea what was best for the children.

  7. Wow 2 years before the pretrial even starts. This case is a joke.

  8. Wow chris henry use to be my boss wtf

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