Posted by Howard Richman on March 18 2007 at 16:06:35:
While most parents homeschool children that they love, some evil parents homeschool children that they hate in order to better control them.
The above photo shows Michaeala over two years ago. It accompanies a story of Michaela´s life as told by Cassondra Kirby in the Lexington (KY) Herald-leader. Last week, Michaela was found dead with bruises all over her body. Here is a selection:
Michaela was found dead last Sunday in a Winchester apartment. Michaela´s father, Patrick Watkins, and stepmother, Joy -- who had custody of Michaela for about a year -- have been charged with murder....HowardLast week, more than half a dozen neighbors and family members described acts of verbal and physical abuse by the Watkinses against the children, particularly Michaela. They said they had seen the couple slap Michaela, curse at her and call her names.
"She always looked so sad and lonely," said neighbor Nancy Bowling, 60.
Betty Stokley -- Joy Watkins´ grandmother, who lives next door to the couple -- said she had seen Patrick kick Michaela in the back, knocking her down. Stokley said Michaela was often not allowed out of her bedroom. A potty was placed beside her bed because she wasn´t allowed to use the bathroom....
The Watkinses withdrew Michaela from public school over Christmas vacation. Betty Stokley said the couple decided to home-school the child because she had health issues, including a problem with urinating on herself....
"It broke my heart," Betty Stokley said. "That child loved school. She just wasn´t the same after that."
She said the girl rapidly began losing weight when she was taken out of school.
Despite her concerns, Betty Stokley said she did not notify social workers because she knew Patrick Watkins would cut her out of her grandchildren´s lives....
Winchester police received one anonymous complaint on Jan. 26 that the Watkinses were not feeding Michaela. The call, which did not mention physical abuse, led to two home visits. Officers said Michaela looked "very skinny," but a social worker told them she had an eating disorder....