Appearance On "Dr. Phil" Earns Child Abuse Charges For Jessica Beagley

**Dakota Valkyrie** · January 27th, 2011, 06:19 PM

Child abuse charges filed against the wife of an Anchorage police officer arose from the woman's appearance on the "Dr. Phil" show, during which the audience saw an Internet video of her disciplining her child with hot sauce and a cold shower, according to court documents filed this month.

Jessica Beagley's attorney said Wednesday he plans to enter a not guilty plea at Beagley's arraignment hearing Friday.

"She has not done anything that would warrant a criminal charge for child abuse," William Ingaldson, her attorney, said. "If this hadn't showed up on 'Dr. Phil,' there wouldn't be anybody saying anything about it."
[...]

"We've tried time outs with (him)," Beagley says in a YouTube video from the "Dr. Phil" appearance. "That is a big joke."

In the video, Beagley goes on to explain that previous discipline -- spankings, forced exercise, soap in the mouth -- didn't stop the boy from acting out and lying, so the couple turned to hot sauce.

"If we've been having a lot of problems, it'll stay in the bathroom where it's handy when we need it," Beagley tells the camera.

When she's at her wit's end, the boy gets a cold shower, Beagley says.

A different video on YouTube showing the hot sauce and cold shower punishment had more than 980,000 views.

"The video has sound and anyone watching the video can hear (the child) screaming in pain," the charging document states.

Detective Leonard Torres then interviewed Beagley, her husband, Officer Gary Beagley and their six children. Municipal prosecutor Cynthia Franklin found evidence in the detective's report that Beagley's methods of discipline were not reasonable and therefore broke Anchorage child abuse laws.
[...]

"They just felt that this went beyond acceptable disciplinary measures," police spokesman Lt. Dave Parker said. "Ultimately, a jury will have to decide if that's the case."

Beagley did not break municipal law, according to Ingaldson, her attorney. The Beagley children haven't had physical injuries or medical care for injuries, he said.

http://www.adn.com/2011/01/27/167094...ild-abuse.html

Additional issues that muddy the water:

Turns out that mom is Jessica Beagley of Anchorage, who's married to an APD officer. He's a former service member who admits using military disciplinary techniques on his young kids. The couple say one of their six children did the videotaping.

http://www.adn.com/2010/11/24/157150...olunteers.html

Russia says it will ban adoptions by American parents unless an agreement to that effect is signed between the sides, Russian Ombudsman for Children’s Rights Pavel Astakhov said commenting upon another case of violence against Russian kids in the US.

In late December, a shocking video appeared on the Internet that featured American woman Jessica Beagley forcing her adopted son to take cold shower and swallow hot sauce.

Later, the boy on the video turned out to be seven-year old Daniil Bukharov from Russia, who was adopted by an American family together with his twin brother Oleg.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/01/23/40826352.html

And there's the whole "They're Mormons" thing going on on the Interwebz but I don't think that has anything to do with this.

Dr. Phil explains what Jessica means in the videotape when she says Kristoff “pulled three cards" at school. Green means good job, yellow is a warning, blue is a time-out, orange means removal from class and red means a trip to the principal’s office. “He had three cards that day. What were they for?” Dr. Phil asks.

“He was throwing pencils, he was sword fighting with another child, and he was acting out in another class,” Jessica replies.

“Your theory is, based on that, he then lied about it? He didn’t tell you he got the three?”

“Correct.”

“Let me tell you, I would lie 100 out of 100 times. You are teaching him to lie,” Dr. Phil points out. “Based on results, what you’re doing isn’t working.”

http://www.drphil.com/slideshows/sli...ew=&versionID=

**Bohring** · January 27th, 2011, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by Dakota Valkyrie

In the video, Beagley goes on to explain that previous discipline -- spankings, forced exercise, soap in the mouth -- didn't stop the boy from acting out and lying, so the couple turned to hot sauce.

Is forced exercise and soap in the mouth considered normal? Man, I feel guilty giving my 2 year old a time-out sometimes. Is this what I have to look forward to? Ack!

**badfish76** · January 27th, 2011, 06:26 PM

I saw a lot of ppl on my FB page discussing how she should be charged with abuse for her actions.

I think it was psychological or emotional abuse at the least.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · January 27th, 2011, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by Bohring

Is forced exercise and soap in the mouth considered normal? Man, I feel guilty giving my 2 year old a time-out sometimes. Is this what I have to look forward to? Ack!

I'm not sure. I'm a "hollering and ground your ass" type of gal. I really don't know what I'd resort to if I had a kid that kept pushing the limits and didn't care about any punishment I thought up. I'm pretty sure whatever I came up with wouldn't be considered "abuse". Leastwise, I hope not.

**theskyisfalling** · January 27th, 2011, 06:31 PM

Well, I guess you can go ahead and chuck some rocks at me. I have used hot sauce and cold showers to discipline my children. Certainly nothing extreme, but still they were implemented as disciplinary tools in my home and were proven to be effective.

Also, there is an underlying issue here. Many children adopted from Russia have numerous behavioral problems. Some of it is caused from physical and emotional abuse from the orphanages themselves or from the child's biological parents. Some of it is caused from chemical abuse by the mother while they are in the womb. There is a laundry list of problems involving children out in the adoptive system in Russia.

**Pete Bondurant** · January 27th, 2011, 06:35 PM

That's nothing.....my mother used to force me to listen to Elton John records.

**Valasca** · January 27th, 2011, 06:42 PM

Excuse me, sky. WHY in the FUCK do you use hot sauce? Cold showers?
I'm so angry right now I could... I don't even know what. Tie you down and force Franks Red Hot up your nose.

**theskyisfalling** · January 27th, 2011, 06:47 PM

It's okay. I expected that. It is a dot of hot sauce. Not a whole spoonful or anything. It is for when they say bad words. And they get milk immediately afterwards. Cold shower was for a wailing screaming tantrum fight. It was not ice cold. I suppose I'll be tracked down now and charged for child abuse.

**Bohring** · January 27th, 2011, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by Pete Bondurant

That's nothing.....my mother used to force me to listen to Elton John records.

I'd take the forced exercise.

Come to think of it, my mom exposed me to a whole lot of Barbara Striesand. No wonder I'm warped.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · January 27th, 2011, 06:53 PM

The thing about hot sauce is that you can become accustomed to it. I can eat pretty hot shit because we have Mexicans in the family. They can do it hotter than I can.

We painted our furniture legs with Habanero sauce to stop a dog from chewing on it. Ended up with a dog that liked to beg for our spicy food.

@Amazon Franks Red Hot is for wusses. Nice flavor but pretty useless if your going for the burn factor.

**62julietandvoid** · January 27th, 2011, 06:56 PM

UGH I think that shower clip raised my blood pressure. I hope the fat cunt gets some sort of corrective measure. Anyone notice the jesus image behind her. To me she's one of those military wives that thinks she is in the service too just because she's some fuckhole for one. Atleast she got one her knees so she was his level. SHe looks like a clown with that God awful hair.

Nothing wrong with corrective pt when one is capable and has access to water. I don't do it with my own but there's nothing wrong with it.

**Valasca** · January 27th, 2011, 07:02 PM

Jesus fricking christ, sky. Why didn't you explain that in the first place instead of leading everyone to believe you feed a bottle to the kid. Now I have to go undislike your post.
I still disagree with it, but damn. A dot isn't too harsh with milk right after.
I'm not too pissy with the cold showers because I never used hot water in the summer when I lived in Florida. And maybe cold water during a tantrum is good. What do I know.

**Bohring** · January 27th, 2011, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by Dakota Valkyrie

The thing about hot sauce is that you can become accustomed to it.

When I was a kid my parents would put Tabasco on my fingernails to stop me from biting them. Turns out I just liked it. I grew up eating a lot of Cajun food, plus I grew up in LA, so I was exposed to a ton of Mexican food. I can pretty much eat anything. We had a salsa party a few weekends ago, and one of the salsas we made had the ghost chili (formerly the hottest pepper in the world until last December when it was replaced by the Naga Viper). Awesome flavor, but one wasn't enough. So we added another - still not too bad. We added the third and last. Awesome.

So because my parents punished me with hot sauce, I probably have all kinds of holes throughout my stomach and intestinal linings.

**Valasca** · January 27th, 2011, 07:05 PM

Hey! Ska-REW you, DV. I'm a midwesterner who never developed a taste for hot stuff. I'm delicate. (you buy that?)
Frank's is hot to me.

**Rockin Ma** · January 27th, 2011, 07:43 PM

I skipped through. I can't really watch it. I got to the shower part and she's yelling at him he's crying, it's sad. She's disciplining him and displaying anger at him at the same time. To me, that's just not right and I DO feel if she is going to go on t.v., show it to the world and get in trouble for it good.

Someone who watched these through tell me you see real loving moments too.

**TKaz** · January 27th, 2011, 08:33 PM

I couldn't watch it at all....
Lisa Whelchel (The Facts of Life actress!) had a blog wher she advocated hot sauce. I never did it, I did put a dot of natural dish soap on a tongue for the F word once! Too funny I'm worried more about the chemicals than the taste!

I DO feel however that tantrums should be played out & they need to know how to control their own emotions, not with cold water. My rule of thumb was to put them in their room in front of toys/books/etc & eventually they'd calm on their own & mom would be giving them zero attention until they did so. Occasionally they trashed something in their anger...but they were expected to pick that up once they were calm.

I think if you need Dr. Phil.....you need more help than you think!

**theskyisfalling** · January 27th, 2011, 08:46 PM

@Amazon

I thought the part in my original post where I said "Certainly nothing extreme" clarified that part about not dumping a whole bottle down their throats.

LOL- It's all good. :P

**TheMeaningOfItAll** · January 27th, 2011, 09:33 PM

I remember watching that show and I cried when I watched it. My best friend called me and we bitched about the mother and the insanity of her behavior. I understand that some children adopted from foreign countries have attachment disorders and behavioral problems. My suggestion for people is if they don't have the training and love to help a child with those types of issues, they shouldn't adopt them. I have no, I repeat, NO sympathy for this lady. She IS abusive and the charges took too long in my opinion. The poor kid should be placed with people who can help him and love him properly. Sword-fighting and throwing pencils isn't the end of the world and certainly doesn't warrant a cold shower when he lied about it. It was almost like she wanted him to lie so she could punish him. I think she liked being abusive. She got off on the power trip. He's a growing kid and maybe if she offered him some love and guidance rather than spanking, cold showers, hot sauce, yelling, etc. he would be able to control himself better. If she can't control her own frustration, how the hell does she expect HIM to?

**badfish76** · January 27th, 2011, 09:41 PM

I yell and send the kid to her room. I threaten grounding and spanking, but I don't have to resort to that.

My opinion is that she IS teaching him to lie and that she has likely never followed through on somethings that she has threatened with (like taking stuff away, or making him stay in his room when he is having a fit, likely because she doesn't want to listen to him rage in there).

I wonder why dad wasn't charged? Is he getting special treatment because he is a cop? If I lived there there would be a HELL of a ruckus over that because he KNOWS the law and ignored the violation of it under his own roof.

**Valasca** · January 27th, 2011, 10:10 PM

But sky, surely you realize "nothing too extreme" means nothing in today's society.
What I consider extreme might not be extreme to you or vice versa.

**HijabiGirl** · January 27th, 2011, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by TheMeaningOfItAll

I remember watching that show and I cried when I watched it. My best friend called me and we bitched about the mother and the insanity of her behavior. I understand that some children adopted from foreign countries have attachment disorders and behavioral problems. My suggestion for people is if they don't have the training and love to help a child with those types of issues, they shouldn't adopt them. I have no, I repeat, NO sympathy for this lady. She IS abusive and the charges took too long in my opinion. The poor kid should be placed with people who can help him and love him properly. Sword-fighting and throwing pencils isn't the end of the world and certainly doesn't warrant a cold shower when he lied about it. It was almost like she wanted him to lie so she could punish him. I think she liked being abusive. She got off on the power trip. He's a growing kid and maybe if she offered him some love and guidance rather than spanking, cold showers, hot sauce, yelling, etc. he would be able to control himself better. If she can't control her own frustration, how the hell does she expect HIM to?

I agree with everything you wrote. I don't have a problem with cold showers per se, but there was a sort of sadistic quality to her presentation. Hearing him sob and scream made my back tense up and I had to shut it off. I think removing his priviledges as well as "stripping" his room would've been more effective.

**Mommyof2** · January 27th, 2011, 11:44 PM

Here is a fun way to stop your kid from throwing fits.. It worked for me. My youngest would scream and shout bloody murder. So one day I set up the video camera and let it record during one of her fits. I went about cleaning up while she just went on and on. When she finally calmed down I sat her in front of the tv and let her watch how she acted. I swear to you she was embarrassed about how bad her fit was. I still have that tape to remind her and she doesn't throw fits anymore. Now she just hopes I never show it to anyone lol.. Might not work for every kid but it sure got mine to behave.

**John House** · January 27th, 2011, 11:55 PM

LOL that's a great way to get the fits to stop (the videotaping). You tell her "Oh no, Mama's savin' this for when you turn teenager...you just remember what you feel now and don't dare step out of line, lest I have a YouTube party for everyone you know... ^_____^"

**malq** · January 28th, 2011, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by Amazon

Jesus fricking christ, sky. Why didn't you explain that in the first place instead of leading everyone to believe you feed a bottle to the kid. Now I have to go undislike your post.
.

She shouldn't have to explain Amazon,.... unless you jump to conclusions. sorry, just sayin'

**malq** · January 28th, 2011, 12:19 AM

I think if you have a good repor with your kids and there is respect., you should be able to give them that look and it's worse than any bottle of hot sauce or a spanking. That's the way mine work anyways. Never even had to yell at them. I don't think.

**Gidget** · January 28th, 2011, 01:13 AM

I couldn't watch the videos.

If this kid was adopted from a foreign country, and came from an orphanage, chances are pretty good that he didn't get a whole hell of a lot of attention from anybody. Negative attention is still attention. Which is probably why punishment is not working with this particular child.

But then what the fuck do I know, I don't have a kid.

**Gidget** · January 28th, 2011, 01:15 AM

Originally Posted by malq

I think if you have a good repor with your kids and there is respect., you should be able to give them that look and it's worse than any bottle of hot sauce or a spanking. That's the way mine work anyways. Never even had to yell at them. I don't think.

I do not remember either parent ever hitting me or even raising their voice at me. When my mother started talking to me quietly and calmly through gritted teeth, like it was all she could do to not totally lose her shit right then and there, I knew I'd gone too far and backed the hell off.

**Valasca** · January 28th, 2011, 02:07 AM

You're right, malq. I did jump to conclusions. I'm not going to apologize for wanting to protect a child, though, and I bet sky gets that. I hope.

**mommyof4** · January 28th, 2011, 05:14 AM

I have twice given my younger daughter a small amount of vinegar (1 ml) to stop biting. It worked. She was allowed to spit it out immediately and drink water.

**Cassy** · January 28th, 2011, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Bohring

Is forced exercise and soap in the mouth considered normal? Man, I feel guilty giving my 2 year old a time-out sometimes. Is this what I have to look forward to? Ack!

My oldest son was a bit of a challenge and was repeatedly suspended from school for really stupid stuff. One time in high school he had a 3 day suspension and was driving me crazy, so I handed him a toothbrush and told him to clean the grout on the floor tiles on the main floor. It took him most of the 3 days. The floor looked new he did such a good job and oddly enough, he was extremely proud of his work and bragged to anyone who came in that he cleaned the grout, LOL.

I would force exercise within reason if it was something the child was lacking in, a good jog around the lake, walking the dogs, raking the yard... works to expel a lot of the energies that cause issues, particularly with boys. Most boys have not been designed to sit still and do paperwork all day, their energy starts to leak out in inappropriate ways.

I think soap in the mouth is disgusting and dangerous. It wouldn't take much for a child to inhale that into a lung, with possible serious result.

I have two younger children that have been punished maybe a half-dozen times between them.

Some parents are waaaay too uptight about developing minds and psyches, and just need to relax. Yes, sometimes a football does go sailing by and takes out a few cups, so take the football and stick it in the cupboard for a week. Problem solved, no conversation necessary..just "the look."