Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
You must be logged in to see or use the Shoutbox. Besides, if you haven't registered, you really should. It's quick and it will make your life a little better. Trust me. So just register and make yourself at home with like-minded individuals who share either your morbid curiousity or sense of gallows humor.
A Wichita Falls woman faces multiple felony charges after her 6-year-old son was admitted to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth for what the child’s doctor said was one of the worst cases of neglect they’d ever seen.
Catherine Lynn Jarvey is charged with injury to a child and exploitation of a child, a first-degree felony and a third-degree felony, respectively.
According to the affidavit, officers with the Wichita Falls Police Department were dispatched to a room at the Delux Inn on September 21, 2022, at around 1:30 a.m. regarding a welfare check that resulted in a possible injury to a child.
Responding officers said staff members identified Jarvey and her two children as the residents of the room they were dispatched to.
Officers already at the scene advised that an exterminator had been to the room and observed the victim, later identified as Jarvey’s six-year-old son.
According to the affidavit, the exterminator described the victim as looking like a skeleton lying in a pack-and-play in the room. The exterminator told authorities that when the “skeleton” turned its head, he realized it was a child who was alive.
Officers on the scene then contacted detectives with the Crimes Against Children and Juvenile Units of the WFPD.
Police said the victim was very thin and Jarvey held him in her arms like a parent would hold an infant. They said the victim could not extend his arms and legs and did not let out any noises, and they observed hair growing all over the victim’s body.
Officers on the scene noted that the child’s rib cage was curved inward and askew, his head was misshapen, and he suffered from a severe curve of the spine.
Jarvey told police she also had a 10-year-old daughter who lived in the room with them, and police observed her and noted she looked like an average 10-year-old child
According to the affidavit, Jarvey told police the victim had a number of medical diagnoses that caused his appearance, including alobar holoprosencephaly, hydrocephalus, pectus excavatum, and scoliosis.
Jarvey told officers that due to her son’s abnormal appearance, she was used to having Child Protective Services and police called.
Police said Jarvey told them she was supposed to feed the victim 8 ounces of formula every 5 hours but had missed a feeding.
While on the scene, police said they observed numerous cans of enteral formula that they found to be expired. They said of the 18 cases of formula they found, they said all the marked “use by” dates on the formula was dated for use in 2021 or prior.
Police said they also found insulin, lancets, and syringes, as well as some food, snacks, drinks, beer, and dog food in the room.
The child was transported to United Regional, where staff advised police that they suspected the victim hadn’t been fed in 24 to 48 hours due to the lack of gastric contents in their stomach. The victim was later transported to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
Dr. Elizabeth Peeler with Cook told police the victim was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with severe malnutrition and failure to thrive. The victim weighed 15 pounds and 3.4 ounces, less than the first percentile for his age and gender.
By comparison, Dr. Peeler’s report said the victim weighed 19 pounds when he was 18 months old, proving that despite his medical conditions, the victim should have weighed significantly more.
Dr. Peeler said in her report the victim was extremely small for his age and that the victim was physically wasting with loss of weight and muscle mass. She said the victim was not able to walk, talk, sit up, follow commands, and is not potty trained.
Police said Jarvey told them she hadn’t taken the victim to the doctor since 2019, though her other child had received regular healthcare exams.
According to the affidavit, Jarvey was also charged with exploitation after it was discovered she was receiving social security funds and food stamps to care for the victim.
Police said they have probable cause to believe the benefits Jarvey is receiving to care for the victim were not being used for the victim, though the nutrition, medical care, and welfare needs for herself, her daughter, and her dogs were being met.
A Wichita Falls mother faces felony charges following an “egregious” case of child neglect. WARNING: This story includes graphic details involving neglect of a child that may be upsetti…
kfor.com
A small refrigerator in the room contained peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pancakes, and sausages on a stick, as well as cans of Dr Pepper and Bud Light, the documents continue. There were Capri Sun drinks, ramen noodles, canned food, fruit snacks, brownies, and breakfast cereal in a cabinet beneath the TV, and two bags of dog food beside the bathroom vanity. Cops also found “numerous cans of Pediasure” baby formula, some of which had expired in 2020, as well as insulin, lancets, and syringes.
The child hadn’t seen a doctor since 2019, which Jarvey blamed on transportation issues, the filings go on. At the same time, a second child of Jarvey’s living with her seemed fine, had received regular medical checkups, and “looked to be average height and weight for a 10-year-old female,” according to the detective. The dogs were also seemingly well cared for, the affidavits state.
Kevin Thomas, the children’s father, shares custody with Jarvey, according to unrelated court records. He told The Daily Beast on Wednesday that he hasn’t seen Jarvey in more than a year, and said they haven’t been together in more than three years.
“I don’t know what she was doing,” said Thomas, who explained he is following developments in the case on television. “I’m still trying to get my kids back. I’ve been trying to find them for about a year now. I hadn’t been able to find them until I heard about what was going on.”
Wichita County JailWhen an exterminator entered room 124 at a Delux Inn in Wichita Falls, Texas, late last month, he thought he saw a skeleton lying in a pack-and-play crib.But, according to a pair of probable cause affidavits filed in Wichita County Court, “When the head of the skeleton turned...
So, I just researched this one for probably 90 minutes…fell down a rabbit hole, TBH.
This child was born with an incredibly rare disorder called Alobar holoprosencephaly. It looks like a large number of these children don’t survive pregnancy or only live hours after birth. The mom put a FB post up (in a group she started for parents of children with this disorder) in 2020 saying the doctors told her there’s nothing else they can do—that he’s not a candidate for bracing to correct his arms/legs.
Now, this doesn’t mean you don’t feed the child. We all know that.
But, this kid is not profoundly disabled due to neglect or anything else the mom did. He was never going to walk, talk, sit up, etc. From everything I’ve read, it’s rare for these kids, if born alive, to make it through infancy.
Of course, this is not mentioned in any of the news articles.
Post automatically merged:
Mom wrote this on FB in June, 2020—
Ian is currently struggling with changes that are really just a part of him growing up but is rough on him. Currently paying for his formula, because insurance has stopped and hoping they don't do the same with the feeding tubes and supplies for that. He is no longer eating solids became a choking hazard, so back to his pureed foods but only once a day 4oz to mix with his medicine. He's not happy about that because he loves his oral feeds and loves food, can't blame him though I'd be mad too. He no longer will take a bottle or cup of any kind, he was totally ok with that. I however liked that he was able and willing to intake food/drink orally. He no longer gets his beloved pacifier. It broke my heart but he would chew a hole after a couple hours of getting a new one, and after doing that for a week I decided I couldn't and wouldn't support his chewing habit any longer. Last of all his bone structure, his Scoliosis causes him extreme pain on some days but doctor doesn't want to prescribe anything for it. It is to late for braces for his legs/feet and arms/hands because the bones are now stuck in the position they are in and will continue to grow in this manner and may even become worse. There is nothing they can do about his Scoliosis no brace, and no surgery because internally things are dangerously to complicated for it. The idea of him sitting, standing, walking has been completely wiped from the possibility because of this. This being said, I know myself, and I know my son, the stubborn will power and fight he got from me will take him far so for him I still say anything is possible! He's still little but strong and growing. His favorite word now is Mama, and giving cuddles!
But, this kid is not profoundly disabled due to neglect or anything else the mom did. He was never going to walk, talk, sit up, etc. From everything I’ve read, it’s rare for these kids, if born alive, to make it through infancy.
Of course, this is not mentioned in any of the news articles.
I read a FB post from a mom of one of these kids and she said “am I wrong to wish God would take my child because I can’t watch them suffer anymore like this.” Apparently these kids have endless seizures—but I’m not sure about the one in the article. The article also mentions insulin, needles, etc—most of these kids are on insulin, so that was probably all his.
As recently as April, the boy in the article was receiving physical therapy. What in the world happened between April and now? Makes me wonder why she gave up. In that post she says insurance stopped paying for his tube feed formula. If she was living in a motel, she definitely wasn’t buying formula for him. There are lots of pics on her FB page of them in a seemingly nice home, not sure how they ended up in a motel.
A profoundly disabled child would never have services discontinued unless the parent did not follow through with medical appointments or reapplying for services (which I doubt was the case here).
Anything that did or did not happen for this child is solely the fault of the mother.
The fact that the child is able to gain weight says the mom is full of it. Expired formula means she was not using it when she had.
Thank you @GingerSnap99 for all the information on his condition, I was wondering who in all that would be having insulin injections, since if you are not diabetic, it will kill you not make you high. There seems to always be another horrible illness, condition, affliction that you never wanted to learn about.
A profoundly disabled child would never have services discontinued unless the parent did not follow through with medical appointments or reapplying for services (which I doubt was the case here).
Sorry, but... in 2013 my insurance cut my daughter's services and told me to get help from the "Affordable Care Act" to cover them. I lost my job once my Family Medical Leave ran out. All we've had since is Hub's insurance, who refuses to cover services for "chronic conditions." So, yeah, they do discontinue services.
So I guess you believe this woman held a job and paid for her own insurance.
This child was disabled from birth so she would have been assisted while still in the hospital to get disability (SSI) and medicaid (or what it is called in their state).
If she lost any benefits for that child it was due to her own in-actions or lack of advocating for that child.
My child has been disabled from birth. We have never had SSI or Medicaid. Well, she did for about 3 months in 2013, and then the Social Security Office said after review, Hubs made $40 a month too much, and we had to pay it all back. They suggested we get divorced so she'd have benefits!
My child has been disabled from birth. We have never had SSI or Medicaid. Well, she did for about 3 months in 2013, and then the Social Security Office said after review, Hubs made $40 a month too much, and we had to pay it all back. They suggested we get divorced so she'd have benefits!
I see and hear of some crazy things with Medicaid and insurance. I’m a pediatric therapist and I can’t tell you how often I have kids who are on Pediasure or other supplements and the insurance is refusing to pay. We have parents donate food/formula that they don’t need anymore and then we give it to the parents who are still fighting for assistance.
The mom in this article had the insulin and needles—it sounds like he was still on insurance for that. Why she stopped doing his tube feeds is beyond me. I’m leaning towards the idea that she gave up and didn’t want to care for him anymore.
I don’t intend to sound like I’m defending mom. I’m not—she gave up and stopped taking care of her child. But, the article makes it sound like she was the cause of all of his issues…not sitting/standing, talking, head shape, muscle contractures—and she wasn’t. This child was always terminally ill.
Police said they have probable cause to believe the benefits Jarvey is receiving to care for the victim were not being used for the victim, though the nutrition, medical care, and welfare needs for herself, her daughter, and her dogs were being met.
Until it is stated anywhere else she was receiving benefits for this child and failed to take him to medical appointments so any theory that the insurance/medicaid cut her off is not currently true.
Unless someone's child is as profoundly disabled as this child the circumstances with insurance/public assistance could be very different.
If the child needs 24 hour supervision she can and probably was getting paid from the state to be her own child's caregiver. If she was taking proper care of the child she would deserve those resources.
Maybe what should be provided to these parents is in home counseling to check in with them to see if they are emotionally and mentally able to do it.
Honestly there will never be enough help and support out there for these parents and that needs to change.
She was receiving SSI for both children, and the boy was on Medicaid.
Jarvey told police she received $841 in monthly Social Security disability benefits for her son and that she also received $250 monthly in food stamps, according to allegations. The boy was also a Medicaid recipient.
In addition, Jarvey told police she received $841 in monthly disability benefits for her 10-year-old daughter, who was also a Medicaid recipient, according to allegations.
My Jacob weighs more than that. I think she was exhausted, and wanted him to die so he wouldn’t suffer anymore. Remove little guy and his sister and do to her what she did to him.
He’s so gorgeous! I would bring him home with me today. I understand having a special needs child is stressful but to do that to your own baby is unforgivable.Waterboard that soulless bitch with the expired pediasure. I’m going to picture his little face for a long time.
After a six-year-old boy was discovered to weigh 15 pounds from severe malnutrition and neglect and was described as “looking like a skeleton,” a trial date has been set for his mother.
Officers reported the boy’s rib cage was curved inward and askew, his head was misshapen and he suffered from severe curvature of the spine. Jarvey told police the victim had a number of medical issues that caused his appearance.
The victim was later transported to Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth, where he was later reported to be gaining weight and doing well.
Police said Jarvey told them she hadn’t taken her son to the doctor since 2019, though her daughter had received regular health care exams and was described as a normal 10-year-old girl.
Jarvey was also charged with exploitation after it was discovered she was receiving social security funds and food stamps. Police reportedly had cause to believe the additional funds and food stamps were not being used for the victim, but the nutritional and medical needs for herself, her daughter and her dogs were being met.
Jarvey is jailed on $70,000 bonds and appealed in a letter to the judge for a personal recognizance bond so she could “Get out, get a job and get my life in order again.”
She said she had asked her public defender to file for a plea deal and PR Bond, but he has done neither. Several months before the letter was sent, her attorney filed notification that the state was not making any plea deal in this case, and the deadline had expired.
She made an offer for 10 years probation, saying she had never been in trouble before and should be given a chance to live outside of jail walls. She said if given probation, she would go to the shelter, get a job and work hard.
A trial date has been set for a mother in a child neglect case in which authorities said her 6-year-old son only weighed 15 pounds because of severe malnutrition and neglect.
www.texomashomepage.com
It is mighty big of this bitch to offer doing 10 years of probation.
She sees that child as nothing more than a check to support herself, her healthy child and pets.
She really needs to get a long sentence - but it is Texas so she probably will not.
No matter the outcome this boy should never be returned to her.
A trial date has been set for a mother in a child neglect case in which authorities said her 6-year-old son only weighed 15 pounds because of severe malnutrition and neglect.
www.texomashomepage.com
It is mighty big of this bitch to offer doing 10 years of probation.
She sees that child as nothing more than a check to support herself, her healthy child and pets.
She really needs to get a long sentence - but it is Texas so she probably will not.
No matter the outcome this boy should never be returned to her.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
kfor.com
