Topeka councilman and wife charged with child abuse

[Black Aliss]

Putting this in WWOS because there's nothing so far saying these people are fundies, but if I were a betting woman I'd bet they were, and that there's a copy of TTUAC on their bookshelf. 16 kids between the ages of 1 and 20. Four bio, two foster, and 10 adopted. Minor  children removed from the home following an investigation, and the parents jailed.

Jonathan Robert Schumm, 34, was arrested in connection with one count each of aggravated battery and, as an alternative, abuse of a child (torture or cruelly beating a child younger than 18), which is alleged to have occurred between Oct. 7 and Oct. 11, and four counts of endangering a child, which is alleged to have occurred Oct. 31.

The abuse of a child charge carries a longer sentence than the aggravated battery charge.

The aggravated battery and abuse of a child charges are felonies, and the child endangerment charges are misdemeanors.

Allison Schumm, 32, was booked into jail in connection with the same offenses as her husband, a jail official said.

But in Allison Schumm’s case, she is charged as aiding or assisting her husband in the aggravated battery charge, the judge said. In this case, aggravated battery is defined as knowingly using a weapon to cause great bodily harm, disfigurement or death, according to the charges.

Topeka is so conservative I have a hard time believing children would be removed from a home and their parents jailed if these were "just spankings". It had to have been some serious beatings and if the charges have any truth to them at all, I hope the parents rot in jail and then fry in hell.

http://cjonline.com/news/2015-11-20/jonathan-schumm-topeka-city-councilman-appears-court-handcuffs-notes-childrens

[gustava]

Thanks for the info.

[roddma]

I don't want to assume Fundie either, but one can't help it given their track record. I faill to see how these people end up with 10 adopted/2 foster kids while plenty of stable couples get turned down.I wish their could be more regulation.

[Chelio93]

http://hsinvisiblechildren.org/2015/11/21/16-children-of-jonathan-and-allison-schumm/

 

This is really close to home. Some of the links are not backed up and I do not know enough about the homeschooling curriculum to know what most of this means but here is what I could find. Their blog was shut down a couple years ago.  Jonathan's Facebook is professional but I checked to see if we had any mutual friends because I'm nosy.  Off to check on the wife.  

[apandaaries]

This is horrifying.  Sixteen children and neither parent is over 40.  Long ago, I had a friend from Kansas, and the idea of children being beaten, based on the stories she told, doesn't seem so far off.  To see that they are being taken to court is terrifying.  I can't imagine the lines they crossed.  Those poor children.

ETA: torturing children.  I will never understand how those who claim to follow Christ will engage in these hideous tactics.  They torture children, and thank God for the privilege.  There are no words.  There are no emoticons.   <---- this times thousands.  

[hoipolloi]

http://hsinvisiblechildren.org/2015/11/21/16-children-of-jonathan-and-allison-schumm/

 

This is really close to home. Some of the links are not backed up and I do not know enough about the homeschooling curriculum to know what most of this means but here is what I could find. Their blog was shut down a couple years ago.  Jonathan's Facebook is professional but I checked to see if we had any mutual friends because I'm nosy.  Off to check on the wife.  

One of the links from that site appears to be from Alison Schumm's another Xtian fundie blog, A Moment With Mom (http://amomentwithmom.com/uncategorized/schumm-family-explosion-adoption-story-part-1/):

Allison is a busy mom of 14 beautiful blessings ranging from 18 to 1 year old. She married her knight in shining armor in of May 2004 and they started the first step in their adoption journey in the end of 2005 just 18 months after they were married.  Jonathan and Allison are vocal advocates for adoption, they believe that God places the lonely in families- and keeping siblings together is the best course of action when possible.  They have adopted 2 sibling groups of 5, with the adoption finalizations occurring five years apart, to the day. Allison is certified to teach PS-MAPP and Jonathan and Allison do everything they can to help their favorite ministry Project Belong

Allison blogs at Schumm Explosion and James 1:27 Moms, she also has a passion for her work with Project Belong and their ministry. Currently, Jonathan and Allison reside in Topeka, KS and home school all 14 of their children.  Allison enjoys writing, traditional cooking, crafts and spending time with her family.

Sound like fundie Christians to me. 

ETA: The links above are to a 3-part account by Alison Schumm about the children she & her husband have adopted. Part 3 has this:

God has a wonderful sense of humor, and is such a wonderful protecting God. He saw us through everything. We didn’t even realize the hardest part was yet to come. Shortly after Tyrone and Jeremiah returned from a visit we were told that visitation would have to stop because allegations had been made against us. We would have to halt everything until the DCF investigation was completed. It took a whole month for everything to be wrapped up. It was an excruciating 30 days of not being able love on and reassure our children that our family was still 100% committed to adopting them. One of the girls even shared with us later that she would look at our photo book, pray for us and cry herself to sleep at night, terrified that we wouldn’t be able to adopt them. The allegations were of course false and as soon as the investigation was completed we were able to resume visits. We rushed the signing of the adoption placement agreement because of the time we had missed with our children. We didn’t want to risk this happening again, as the allegations had come from one of the foster families. On March 18th, 2013 we signed the APA, taking us one step closer to finalization.

 

[Pseudoname]

I'Ve started to down this rabbit hole.  Her blog is avail on the way back machine.  Schummexplosion.blogspot.com  I'm fairly certain that they are Fundies.  They mention using Maxwell's Managers of Their Home book.

One entry describes punishment for kids breaking 12 Windows and stealing a toilet roll dispenser on their 2nd day in the Schumm house. (bold mine)

Now I’m sure some of you are wondering what real life consequences there are for children who would throw rocks through 12 windows, steal a toilet paper dispenser and then lie about it.  I will tell you it wasn’t easy.  After carefully thinking about it and realizing that they were never going to be able to pay for it, Jonathan and I decided in loving our children they would have to fill 12 40 pound cat litter buckets with rocks and carry them across our 1 acre parking lot of a yard and dump them.  They were mad, they were frustrated, they thought it was stupid, but you know what? They learned that my husband and I were serious enough that they never pulled anything to this extent again.

http://web.archive.org/web/20130927163446/http://www.schummexplosion.com/

[Jana814]

What a sad story!!  

[Jeebusismycopilot]

Horrible!

So many thoughts swirling around in my head about this. And difficult questions to ask so I need to try and word this delicately. 

The court documents list 5 victims between 5 and 16. The documents also included a 12 year old was "tortured or cruelly beaten" What is so sad about this is those children already had a difficult start in life in the foster system and to then be subjected to this by the very people who supposedly were keeping them safe and providing stability, it is simply heartbreaking. 

I also wonder if this was only discovered because they were fostering children and therefore had more regular and scrupulous checks from CFS. Who knows. 

 

 

 

 

[SoybeanQueen]

Kansas native - I don't think there's any higher percentage here of people who think it's OK to hit kids. Also, they had to agree not to use physical discipline on their kids if they were in foster care. She's a PS-MAPP trainer, which means she also teaches other people *why* you shouldn't use physical discipline on already traumatized kids. That's the required class for all potential foster and adoptive (through the state) parents.

For this type of charges to be filed, I would say the abuse was much more than spanking. One of my kids had her arm broken by a biological parent, and another reported being punched in the mouth by a foster parent. Neither incident resulted in charges or penalties of any kind, other than one agency no longer placing kids with that foster parent.

[Jeebusismycopilot]

Kansas native - I don't think there's any higher percentage here of people who think it's OK to hit kids. Also, they had to agree not to use physical discipline on their kids if they were in foster care. She's a PS-MAPP trainer, which means she also teaches other people *why* you shouldn't use physical discipline on already traumatized kids. That's the required class for all potential foster and adoptive (through the state) parents.

For this type of charges to be filed, I would say the abuse was much more than spanking. One of my kids had her arm broken by a biological parent, and another reported being punched in the mouth by a foster parent. Neither incident resulted in charges or penalties of any kind, other than one agency no longer placing kids with that foster parent.

This makes it all the more disturbing. Not only has she had training in how to manage children in traumatic situations but she teaches others mechanisms to deal with troubled children. And yet it seems they obviously do not practice what they preach. 

 

[apandaaries]

Kansas native - I don't think there's any higher percentage here of people who think it's OK to hit kids. Also, they had to agree not to use physical discipline on their kids if they were in foster care. She's a PS-MAPP trainer, which means she also teaches other people *why* you shouldn't use physical discipline on already traumatized kids. That's the required class for all potential foster and adoptive (through the state) parents.

For this type of charges to be filed, I would say the abuse was much more than spanking. One of my kids had her arm broken by a biological parent, and another reported being punched in the mouth by a foster parent. Neither incident resulted in charges or penalties of any kind, other than one agency no longer placing kids with that foster parent.

I should have clarified.  I knew one family from Kansas (they did have four kids, at least!), and corporal punishment was much more common in their family than others I was close to.  Since having my daughter in CA, I've discussed spanking with many more people and now know of many others who truly and deeply believe "spare the rod and spoil the child."  It's unfortunate, but definitely out there, even in CA.  It seemed more open, though, with my Kansas friends (also the folks I know from MO seem more open about physical punishment -- not sure if it's a red/blue state thing, or differences in opinion about what is public v. private). 

Amazing that she was certified and trained to have other means of discipline, yet still went all the way into torture.  Disgusting and horrific.  They knew how damaged some of those kids were based on previous home situations, and they still went to these extremes to punish them and exert control over them.  I can't quite recall the part in the Bible where Jesus says we should beat and torture children.  Maybe someone can refresh my memory.

[Black Aliss]

Here is my Desperate. My need to breath. Shortly after Kyrsten was born, I started getting sicker. I had been sick most of my life, but doctors had never been able to tell me what was wrong. After she was born I kept getting sicker and sicker. I was suffering from depression, bipolar, IBS, numbness in my hands, complex migraines, regular migraines, insomnia and fatigue. Being a mom of 8 at the time, I couldn’t understand why God would give me 8 beautiful children and then allow me to be unable to care for them.

 

Oh, yes, just the sort of person who needs to be homeschooling. (And she was most definitely not doing it with a meek and quiet spirit, so clearly she needed MOAR MAXWELL.)

I’ve been thinking a lot about this and I’ve realized I did a pretty bad job of accomplishing what I had planned this semester. My goals this semester were primarily to figure out where my children belong in school and work on hearts. Secondarily, I wanted to work on math, grammar, spelling and penmanship, just enough to dip our toes into schooling so many.

I am not the type of person who is good at managing her time. I had to ask one of my friends to help me set up a chore chart and schedule, but once she did this I’ve been able to tweak it with very little trouble. And then we adopted again and guess what? My husband had to revamp the chore chart and schedule, but once again I was able to tweak it to make it work really well for us.

Read more at http://wonkette.com/596331/topeka-family-homeschooled-16-kids-real-good-when-they-werent-beating-em-allegedly#SmBwcAe6G2SoRM5X.99

[Jingerbread]

They're 34 and 32 with an 18-year-old, and 15 more.  I don't understand how this has been allowed.  I don't understand.  Someone else said that stable couples are turned down.  What back-alley unethical agency did they go through?  And how did they get foster kids on top of that?

[thebestusername]

Wow just wow. I am saddened that many good stable parents have to go through miles of red tape to get 1 child but somehow assholes like these manage to get 10 of them. I was kicked and punched by my father many times when he got angry and never thought to do anything about it until later but I have known about situations wherre stuff like that happened and there were only minor repercussions. This had to have been pretty serious

[Grimalkin]

They're 34 and 32 with an 18-year-old, and 15 more.  I don't understand how this has been allowed.  I don't understand.  Someone else said that stable couples are turned down.  What back-alley unethical agency did they go through?  And how did they get foster kids on top of that?

yeah, the age struck me too. If they started adopting in 2005 she would of been 22-23. What the heck?

[grandmadugger]

Here's video on it http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/Topeka-city-councilman-wife-charged-with-child-abuse-351981631.html

This is happening in my backyard basically.  We have mutual friends, though I don't know them.  I'm shocked we don't have more mutual friends since he's in local politics but it explains a lot as well.  I don't like that my snark is so close to home.  Hell, I can ignore the Phelps clan pretty well but this damn....

[older than allosaurs]

Oh Lordy. According to her self-diagnosis on her blog, Allison Schumm also is on the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum. Who knows if that is accurate; she seems to hoard medical labels as well as children. But anyone with FA effects is likely to have a very, very hard time being an effective and consistent parent and/or teacher.

[Jeebusismycopilot]

They're 34 and 32 with an 18-year-old, and 15 more.  I don't understand how this has been allowed.  I don't understand.  Someone else said that stable couples are turned down.  What back-alley unethical agency did they go through?  And how did they get foster kids on top of that?

This struck me as well. I think there was a report that the oldest was 19 or 20. I will have to go back and check. But any way you slice it, their oldest "child" is closer to them in age than most of his/her adopted siblings.  And they started adopting 10 years ago? So at 22, they adopted a 10 year old?  

And not only do I question the agency for allowing them to adopt, but they received an AWARD for being Angels of Adoption or some such thing! 

Shortly after Isaiah was born we adopted Nicole, Alisa, Emmanuel, Jaquale and Angel and started putting everything in order to adopt again. We knew we had a hole between Emmanuel and Jaquale of about 6 years, and knew God would some how fill this hole

A hole? so because there was an age gap of 6 years you thought "hey lets plug up that hole with more children!" That's not what kids are for. 

In May we received confirmation that we would be receiving the adoption tax credit, which was enough money to pay off our house. 

OOOOH I see now that's  what kids are for! Adoption tax credit means mortgage is paid off! 

 

 

[sawasdee]

Many years ago in the UK, I knew a family which regularly fostered children with physical and behavioural challenges, for which they were paid a stipend per child. Two of the boys became long term, at which point they were adopted - to quote their mother, so they knew they were hers. On adoption, the stipend stopped . It cost them as a family a considerable amount to give those boys a sense of security - and it certainly did not help them pay off their mortgage!

[JillyO]

I faill to see how these people end up with 10 adopted/2 foster kids while plenty of stable couples get turned down.I wish their could be more regulation.

Because plenty of stable couples want to adopt a single infant (often specifically a white one). Many people don't want to adopt children of color. Many people do not want to adopt older kids. Many people do not want to adopt more than one child at a time (let alone a group of five). In this case, the family adopted silblings groups of five, most of them above the age when children are most "desirable" (ugghhhh) for adoption, and all of them non-white. I wouldn't say it's a fair comparison to say "good, stable couples wait years for a placement, why do these people get 10 children."

Just to clarify, I do not mean in any way that it is a good thing that this family was approved for adoption and fostering. Just that it sadly doesn't surprise me too much.

[LaParisienne]

Wow! I do not understand everything I read in the articles but WTF? How is this even legal to adopt so many children? 

Plus, the "mother" seems really unstable, let apart the fact she homeschooled all of them. That's crazy ... What is the adoption agency ? 

Can someone tell me how the parents were charged/arrested? Were they denounced by friends/neighbors/children themselves? 

[grandmadugger]

Wow! I do not understand everything I read in the articles but WTF? How is this even legal to adopt so many children? 

Plus, the "mother" seems really unstable, let apart the fact she homeschooled all of them. That's crazy ... What is the adoption agency ? 

Can someone tell me how the parents were charged/arrested? Were they denounced by friends/neighbors/children themselves? 

Someone reported them to DCF and DCF called the police department.  He's also a financial planner as well as being a council member.  Who knows who blew the whistle but thank goodness they did.  It's possible he said something to a friend and someone called it in.  Topeka is pretty small town feeling, even though it's not small, and politics get dirty.  

[Chelio93]

http://www.khi.org/news/article/topeka-child-abuse-case-prompts-new-questions-about-gay-adoptions

 

This is the reason I lurk.  Right now, I can't even make decent argument about how jacked up this whole situation is.  Hopefully, someone more eloquent than I can read my mind and vocalize my outrage.  I will return the favor with sarcasm and smart assery.

[Black Aliss]

So, they took this 10 month old girl away from the only family she had ever known and put her into this hell-hole, where there had already been allegations of abuse. May the people at DCF who were responsible for this decision  fry in the same circle of hell as the Schumms.