Collingswood Boys (Child abuse)
Encyclopedia
The Collingswood Boys are four boys who were starved
by their adoptive parents Raymond and Vanessa Jackson, while living in Collingswood, New Jersey
. The Johnsons were arrested in October 2003 and indicted by a grand jury
on 8 counts of aggravated assault and 20 counts of endangerment for failing to provide adequate nutrition
, medical and dental care, and a clean environment for the four boys, who range in age from 10 to 19.
The case came to public attention after a neighbor found the Jacksons' 19-year-old adoptive son, Bruce, rummaging through their garbage cans for food at three o'clock in the morning on Oct 10, 2003 and called 911. The Collingswood Police Department responded to the call and found Bruce who weighed approximately 45 lb. at the time and stood only four feet tall; he was disoriented, shoeless, cold, and extremely malnourished
and the police believed him to be about seven-years-old. They then went to the Jackson home were they found his adoptive brothers who also appeared malnourished; Michael, age 9 and 23 pounds; Tyrone, age 10 and 28 pounds; and Keith, age 14 and 40 pounds.
The adoptive father Raymond Jackson, 51 died of complications from a stroke on November 14, 2004 before the case went to trial. In an interview with a New York magazine shortly before his death, Jackson claimed that 45 lb. Bruce Jackson had often gorged himself on food and had lied about conditions in the home.
Throughout the period of time when the four boys were being starved nobody came forward despite the fact that the children were often seen in public including at the Come Alive New Testament Church in Medford, New Jersey where Raymond and Vanessa Jackson and their adoptive and foster children including the four boys always sat in the front row for services. They also attended church picnics and the boys sang gospel on stage. The emaciated conditions of the four boys was blamed on medical problems by the Jacksons.
The Jacksons had six adopted children: Bruce; Keith, 14; Tyrone, 10; Michael, 9; Keziah, 12, and Jacee, 5. They also planned to adopt a 10-year-old foster child, Breanna. They received an annual subsidy of approximately $30,000 to care for their foster and adopted children.
To dozens of friends and acquaintances, the Jacksons were model parents who adopted troubled children with a host of medical problems, children no one else wanted. They believed that it was their duty and that Jesus would guide them.
Vanessa Jackson the adoptive mother eventually pled guilty and was sentenced to seven years in prison. Bruce gained 100 lbs within a year after his removal from the Jacksons' home.
Starvation
Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy, nutrient and vitamin intake. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, death...
by their adoptive parents Raymond and Vanessa Jackson, while living in Collingswood, New Jersey
Collingswood, New Jersey
Collingswood is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 13,926....
. The Johnsons were arrested in October 2003 and indicted by a grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
on 8 counts of aggravated assault and 20 counts of endangerment for failing to provide adequate nutrition
Nutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
, medical and dental care, and a clean environment for the four boys, who range in age from 10 to 19.
The case came to public attention after a neighbor found the Jacksons' 19-year-old adoptive son, Bruce, rummaging through their garbage cans for food at three o'clock in the morning on Oct 10, 2003 and called 911. The Collingswood Police Department responded to the call and found Bruce who weighed approximately 45 lb. at the time and stood only four feet tall; he was disoriented, shoeless, cold, and extremely malnourished
Malnutrition
Malnutrition is the condition that results from taking an unbalanced diet in which certain nutrients are lacking, in excess , or in the wrong proportions....
and the police believed him to be about seven-years-old. They then went to the Jackson home were they found his adoptive brothers who also appeared malnourished; Michael, age 9 and 23 pounds; Tyrone, age 10 and 28 pounds; and Keith, age 14 and 40 pounds.
The adoptive father Raymond Jackson, 51 died of complications from a stroke on November 14, 2004 before the case went to trial. In an interview with a New York magazine shortly before his death, Jackson claimed that 45 lb. Bruce Jackson had often gorged himself on food and had lied about conditions in the home.
Throughout the period of time when the four boys were being starved nobody came forward despite the fact that the children were often seen in public including at the Come Alive New Testament Church in Medford, New Jersey where Raymond and Vanessa Jackson and their adoptive and foster children including the four boys always sat in the front row for services. They also attended church picnics and the boys sang gospel on stage. The emaciated conditions of the four boys was blamed on medical problems by the Jacksons.
The Jacksons had six adopted children: Bruce; Keith, 14; Tyrone, 10; Michael, 9; Keziah, 12, and Jacee, 5. They also planned to adopt a 10-year-old foster child, Breanna. They received an annual subsidy of approximately $30,000 to care for their foster and adopted children.
To dozens of friends and acquaintances, the Jacksons were model parents who adopted troubled children with a host of medical problems, children no one else wanted. They believed that it was their duty and that Jesus would guide them.
Vanessa Jackson the adoptive mother eventually pled guilty and was sentenced to seven years in prison. Bruce gained 100 lbs within a year after his removal from the Jacksons' home.