Child neglect involves acts of omission, but there is no consensus as to whether the focus should be on the child’s unmet needs, the parents’ or guardians’ behavior, or actual/potential harm to children (Tang, 2008). White & Hoskins (2011) defined neglect as an act of omission that results in the failure to provide for a child’s basic needs, which in turn results in the harm of the child. In her definition of child neglect, Tang (2008) divides the child’s unmet basic needs into two categories – physical and/or psychological.
In the year 2014, there have been an estimated 702,000 victims of child maltreatment in the United States, 75.0% of which were victims of child neglect (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children 's Bureau, …show more content…
Her father Clark Wiley, who believed that his daughter was mentally retarded, kept her strapped to either a potty chair or a crib for most of her life (James, 2008). During her years of confinement, her mother Irene was the only other human who was allowed contact with Genie for no more than a few minutes per day, and only under her husband’s supervision. Otherwise, Wiley was the only person whom Genie saw for most of her childhood years (Curtiss, Fromkin, Krashen, Rigler, & Rigler, 1974). On November 4, 1970, 13-year-old Genie came to the attention of a social worker when the near-blind Irene sought disability benefits and took Genie along with her. The social worker believed that something was wrong with Genie, and after visiting the family’s home, the social worker learned that Genie was in fact older than she appeared and that she lived in deplorable conditions (McMahan, 2014). Soon afterward, both of Genie’s parents were arrested and Genie was admitted to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (Cherry, …show more content…
Her mother Irene had vision problems due to an early childhood head injury, while her father Clark Wiley (born Pearl Wiley) moved from orphanage to orphanage (Rymer, 1994). Shortly after marrying Irene Oglesby, who was twenty years his junior, Wiley increasingly intensified his physical abuse against his wife and kept her isolated from the outside world. Due to her eyesight issues, Irene had little choice but to become completely dependent on her husband and acquiesce to his demands (Curtiss, 1977). Wiley and Irene had four children, two of whom survived. Their eldest child, at the age of two months, died of pneumonia after Wiley placed her in a garage to keep away from her cries. Their second child died after choking on his own mucus at only two days old (Rymer, 1994). The hit-and-run death of Wiley’s mother about two years after Genie’s birth as well as Genie’s doctor’s suggestion that the toddler may possibly be mentally retarded set Wiley over the edge. He moved his wife, his son John, and his daughter to his mother’s house and began to completely isolate Genie from the outside world in order to “protect” her because he believed her to be severely mentally retarded (Curtiss, 1977). Furthermore, Wiley forbade both John and Irene from speaking near Genie and would severely beat them if they did so. Wiley only allowed John to go to school, and beat him frequently to ensure his silence. Wiley also
In the year 2014, there have been an estimated 702,000 victims of child maltreatment in the United States, 75.0% of which were victims of child neglect (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children 's Bureau, …show more content…
Her father Clark Wiley, who believed that his daughter was mentally retarded, kept her strapped to either a potty chair or a crib for most of her life (James, 2008). During her years of confinement, her mother Irene was the only other human who was allowed contact with Genie for no more than a few minutes per day, and only under her husband’s supervision. Otherwise, Wiley was the only person whom Genie saw for most of her childhood years (Curtiss, Fromkin, Krashen, Rigler, & Rigler, 1974). On November 4, 1970, 13-year-old Genie came to the attention of a social worker when the near-blind Irene sought disability benefits and took Genie along with her. The social worker believed that something was wrong with Genie, and after visiting the family’s home, the social worker learned that Genie was in fact older than she appeared and that she lived in deplorable conditions (McMahan, 2014). Soon afterward, both of Genie’s parents were arrested and Genie was admitted to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (Cherry, …show more content…
Her mother Irene had vision problems due to an early childhood head injury, while her father Clark Wiley (born Pearl Wiley) moved from orphanage to orphanage (Rymer, 1994). Shortly after marrying Irene Oglesby, who was twenty years his junior, Wiley increasingly intensified his physical abuse against his wife and kept her isolated from the outside world. Due to her eyesight issues, Irene had little choice but to become completely dependent on her husband and acquiesce to his demands (Curtiss, 1977). Wiley and Irene had four children, two of whom survived. Their eldest child, at the age of two months, died of pneumonia after Wiley placed her in a garage to keep away from her cries. Their second child died after choking on his own mucus at only two days old (Rymer, 1994). The hit-and-run death of Wiley’s mother about two years after Genie’s birth as well as Genie’s doctor’s suggestion that the toddler may possibly be mentally retarded set Wiley over the edge. He moved his wife, his son John, and his daughter to his mother’s house and began to completely isolate Genie from the outside world in order to “protect” her because he believed her to be severely mentally retarded (Curtiss, 1977). Furthermore, Wiley forbade both John and Irene from speaking near Genie and would severely beat them if they did so. Wiley only allowed John to go to school, and beat him frequently to ensure his silence. Wiley also