Four New Jersey boys found starving; adoptive parents charged

Jet, Nov 17, 2003

Four teenage boys in the foster care of a New Jersey couple were so badly nourished that they were removed from their home and the adoptive parents were arrested.

Vanessa Jackson, 48, and Raymond Jackson, 50, were arrested and charged with four counts each of aggravated assault and 14 counts of child endangerment, prosecutors said.

Two of the teenage boys were so badly nourished that they each weighed less than 50 pounds and stood about 4 feet tall, authorities said.

An investigation into the family began after police found the Jacksons' 19-year-old son, Bruce Jackson, rummaging through a neighbor's trash.

The young man, who was adopted in 1995, measured 4 feet and weighed 45 pounds. He also had apparent heart irregularities.

The three other boys, ages 14, 10, and 9, were removed from the home and hospitalized. The 14-year-old was 40 pounds and 4 feet tall.

Investigators said the couple received a yearly stipend of up to $28,000, but kept the boys locked out of the kitchen and fed them dry pancake batter.

At least nine caseworkers were fired, including a caseworker who was supposed to be visiting the family regularly,

The case has prompted state officials to review thousands of recently completed safety assessments to see if the state of New Jersey is protecting children in its care.

The 19-year-old remained hospitalized and six other children living with the couple, including the three who were malnourished, were placed in foster homes.

Authorities said three of the boys, ages 14, 10, and 9, were locked out of the family kitchen and fed a diet of uncooked pancake batter, peanut butter and jelly and cereal. The boys told investigators they also chewed on wallboard and insulation.

Three girls in the home--two adopted and the third a foster daughter the couple wanted to adopt--all seemed to be in better shape, authorities said.

Raymond Jackson's brother said the children were emaciated because of medical conditions dating back to their births.

They were born with drug addiction and eating disorders. As long as I've known these kids, they've never grown," William Jackson said.

Camden County Prosecutor Vincent P. Sarubbi said two of the boys had fetal alcohol syndrome and two had eating disorders, but he said those conditions were not the reason the boys were emaciated.

"It appears the parents convinced the family and neighbors that these boys had eating disorders and everyone accepted that, said Colleen Maguire, special deputy commissioner at the Department of Human Services.