Rhino
08-01-2007, 10:48 AM
Cops: Woman Collected $2M in Welfare as Adopted Children Starved
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A Florida woman accused of using aliases to adopt 11 New York children received as much as $2 million in child welfare payments even as she starved, bound and abused them, police said Tuesday.
Investigators initially believed Judith Leekin, 62, had adopted nine children, but authorities in New York said Tuesday that Leekin adopted 11 children in all from New York City's foster care system between 1993 and 1996.
Authorities believe Leekin held the adopted children like prisoners in her Port St. Lucie home, often handcuffing them together and forcing them to soil themselves because they weren't allowed to use the bathroom.
"It's abhorrent," said John B. Mattingly, commissioner of the New York City Administration for Children's Services.
Leekin remained jailed in lieu of $4.5 million bail on 11 charges, including counts of aggravated child abuse, false identification and witness tampering, as well as four counts of aggravated abuse of a disabled adult.
Leekin's lawyer said his client denies the allegations....http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,291673,00.html
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A Florida woman accused of using aliases to adopt 11 New York children received as much as $2 million in child welfare payments even as she starved, bound and abused them, police said Tuesday.
Investigators initially believed Judith Leekin, 62, had adopted nine children, but authorities in New York said Tuesday that Leekin adopted 11 children in all from New York City's foster care system between 1993 and 1996.
Authorities believe Leekin held the adopted children like prisoners in her Port St. Lucie home, often handcuffing them together and forcing them to soil themselves because they weren't allowed to use the bathroom.
"It's abhorrent," said John B. Mattingly, commissioner of the New York City Administration for Children's Services.
Leekin remained jailed in lieu of $4.5 million bail on 11 charges, including counts of aggravated child abuse, false identification and witness tampering, as well as four counts of aggravated abuse of a disabled adult.
Leekin's lawyer said his client denies the allegations....http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,291673,00.html