Multiple children rescued from the Vinton County home on Tuesday will likely be placed in foster care after receiving the medical attention they need.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Children and Youth confirmed Wednesday
that 16 children are now in the custody of Vinton County after authorities found them living in “deplorable conditions.”
There are a lot of questions surrounding what’s next for these children as they begin placement into new homes.
Multiple children rescued from the Vinton County home on Tuesday will likely be placed in foster care after receiving the medical attention they need.
All the children, whose ages range from 18 months to 18 years old, were medically evaluated. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said several of the children are in serious condition and two had to be flown to hospitals due to the severity of their conditions.
Otis Crockron, executive director of Athens County Children Services, said it is one of the most extreme cases he has heard of.
While his agency is not involved in the case, he said when this many children need placement, they are often split between multiple foster homes because it is difficult to find one family that can take them all.
Crockron said, given the conditions the children endured, that separation is likely to have a lasting emotional impact.
“They’ve learned to some degree how to navigate that and how to
survive in that space, so even bringing them into a healthy environment and, in addition, separating from their siblings, they’re going to have to learn new coping mechanisms in those situations. You’re going to be losing maybe a sister or a brother,” he said.
Crockron said Ohio has more children in foster care than it has licensed foster families.
He said while fewer children have entered foster care over the past two years, the cases themselves are becoming more complex and more severe.
Crockron added cases like this ripple far beyond one home, affecting an entire community.
In response to a question about how non-foster families can help, Crockron encouraged people to learn more about fostering and ask questions.
“If we cannot place with kinship families, we, of course, move on to foster homes. But I would encourage folks to understand that you’re changing these children’s lives by being the person to say yes when they’ve heard no in so many situations. It’s truly rewarding. And so I would encourage families if they want to know more about it, just ask questions.”
Crockron said the case is another reminder to speak out if you see something. He said anyone who suspects abuse or neglect should contact children services, which will investigate.
