child says the Gravelles beat kids in their care

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child says the Gravelles beat kids in their care

The girl said there was an alarm on her door but she was never told

why it was there.

NORWALK, Ohio (AP) — A foster child who spent time with an Ohio

couple accused of caging some of their adoptive children testified

Wednesday that the couple beat youngsters in their care.

The 13-year-old girl from Canton was on the witness stand in day two

of the trial of and Sharen Gravelle, accused of caging some

of their 11 adopted, special-needs children in enclosures made of

wood and chicken wire and rigged with alarms.

They are charged with 16 counts of felony child endangering and eight

misdemeanor child endangering charges.

If convicted, they face one to five years in prison and a maximum

fine of $10,000 for each felony count.

The girl testified that when she was 7, she spent time with the

Gravelles and saw children who got in trouble sent " out to the barn

to get whoopings. "

The girl, who was not adopted by the Gravelles, also said there was

an alarm on her door but she was never told why it was there. She

also testified that she was in the house when a boy was allegedly

forced to sleep in a bathroom for 81 days and said she had to scrub

the shower after someone used it.

Denial

The Gravelles deny that they abused children in their care and have

said they had to keep their adoptive youngsters in enclosed beds to

protect them. They said the children suffered from problems such as

fetal alcohol syndrome and a disorder that involves eating nonfood

items.

Under cross examination, defense attorney Ken Myers asked the girl if

she remember much about the time she spent in the Gravelle home. The

girl said she did not.

The children ranged in age from 1 to 14 when authorities removed them

in September 2005 from the Gravelle home in rural Wakeman, about 60

miles west of Cleveland, after a social worker found the cage-like

enclosures over beds. The youngsters were placed in foster care last

fall and the couple lost custody in March.

The social worker, Jo , was the first witness in the case and

finished testifying Wednesday.

Myers said the couple are guilty only of loving the children.

Huron County prosecutor Leffler said some of the adoptive

children may testify this week.