Jennifer and Joseph Wolfthal (Seminole County Sheriff’s Office).
A Florida children’s book author and her husband are headed to prison for the horrifying abuse and neglect of their three adoptive children which included ruptured sores, beating with a “whacker” and feeding them only a mixture of cereal and vegetable puree.
Jennifer Wolfthal, 45, and Joseph Wolfthal, 43, on Monday pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse and neglect of a child with great bodily harm. As part of the plea deal, a judge sentenced Jennifer Wolfthal to 12 years in prison while her husband will spend a decade behind bars. The abuse came to light on New Year’s Day 2021 when Joseph Wolfthal brought one of the kids to a hospital in Altamonte Springs, a suburb of Orlando.
Doctors quickly realized the child was in dire straits and transferred her to a hospital with a pediatric intensive care unit. She had a “staph infection, sepsis, renal and liver failure, open infected wounds on both legs and pneumonia in both lungs,” a probable cause arrest affidavit says. The sores on her right lower leg were infected and had ruptured, she had a chipped tooth, two black eyes and weighed just 40 pounds, which was “very underweight” for the girl’s age. Her age is redacted from the report.
Joseph Wolfthal tried to blame the girl’s injuries on falls and brushing her teeth “too hard,” but based on the girl’s height and weight, investigators determined it was unlikely she could inflict these injuries upon herself. Deputies with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Wolfthal home where they found two other children in poor condition. They were removed from the home.
Two of the children were interviewed by investigators. Both described regular beatings at the hands of their adoptive parents. The Wolfthals would strike the kids with what they called a “whacker,” described as “being oblong and covered with fabric and was used regularly to deliver corporal punishment.” One of the kids also said that sometimes they were not allowed to eat until as late as 3 p.m., and when they were allowed to eat, food consisted of a mixture of cereal flakes, water and vegetable puree. Punishments, which the kids said occurred almost every night, also included exercises and writing sentences.
When cops searched the home they found over 1,100 written paragraphs that said “My body stays flat on the bed at all times. I was never given permission to move or say anything else. Now I get to write about this along with everything else. I’m a fool.” Deputies also found 10 other phrases written multiple times.
The children are now living with another family. The 18th Judicial State Attorney’s Office released the following statement to Law&Crime about the plea:
“This plea and sentencing agreement ensures that the Wolfthals will spend significant time in prison while it protects the already-traumatized victims from the stress of having to testify,” the statement said. ” The State Attorney’s Office made sure law enforcement and the children’s new guardian supported this sentence before agreeing to it.”
Jennifer Wolfthal wrote a children’s book called A Real Friend, which remains on sale on Amazon for $6.32. Her biography described her own childhood.
“As a child, you would find her immersed in anything creative — drawing, dancing, and playing teacher with her stuffed animal students,” it reads.
The bio goes on to say she taught fourth grade for eight years before home schooling her own children. Her publisher, Clavis Publishing, denounced her after her arrest in a description of her book.
At Clavis, we believe that children are beautiful and deserve our utmost respect and care. That is why we publish books to enrich their lives and help them grow up learning to know themselves, how to interact with others in a good way and how the world works. We were made aware of horrific news regarding one-time, Clavis’ author Jennifer Wolfthal’s arrest and strongly condemn child abuse, abandonment and neglect, today and always. We will do what’s within our power to cease commercialization of her book further.
It is a heartbreaking day as news has surfaced that two parents are headed to prison for the abuse and neglect of their adoptive children. This tragic situation sheds light on the importance of proper screening and monitoring of adoptive parents to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable children.
The parents, who were entrusted with the care of these children, instead inflicted unimaginable harm on them, leaving physical and emotional scars that will last a lifetime. It is a stark reminder that not all individuals who seek to adopt have the best intentions, and that thorough background checks and ongoing support systems are crucial in preventing such atrocities.
As a society, we must do better to protect our most vulnerable members and hold those responsible for their mistreatment accountable. Our hearts go out to the children who have endured such trauma, and we hope that they are able to find healing and solace in a safe and loving environment moving forward.
Let this be a wake-up call to all of us to prioritize the safety and well-being of children in all circumstances, and to never turn a blind eye to signs of abuse or neglect. Together, we can work towards a future where every child is cherished, protected, and able to thrive in a loving and nurturing environment.
Tags:
- Parents in prison
- Child neglect
- Adoptive child abuse
- Legal consequences
- Family tragedy
- Child welfare
- Parental responsibility
- Criminal charges
- Abuse and neglect
- Foster care impact
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