A Florida children’s book author, Jennifer Wolfthal, and her husband, Joseph Wolfthal, have been sentenced to prison for the severe abuse and neglect of their three adopted children.
The couple admitted to causing serious harm to the children, including inflicting serious sores, beating them with an object they called a “whacker,” and restricting their diet to a mixture of cereal and vegetable puree... Continue reading here ▶
Jennifer, 45, received a 12-year prison sentence, while Joseph, 43, was sentenced to 10 years as part of a plea agreement.
The situation came to light on New Year’s Day 2021 when Joseph brought one of the children to a hospital in Altamonte Springs, near Orlando. The medical staff, recognizing the severity of the child’s condition, transferred her to a specialized hospital.
She was suffering from a severe infection, organ failure, open wounds, pneumonia, and was dangerously underweight at only 40 pounds. Additionally, she had black eyes and a chipped tooth, which Joseph initially claimed were accidents.
Further investigation led authorities to remove two other children from their home, where they found evidence of poor living conditions. The children recounted regular beatings with the “whacker” and described being forced to wait until late in the day to eat.
Their meals consisted mainly of cereal flakes mixed with water and vegetable puree, and they were often punished with exercises and writing repetitive sentences as discipline.
Police discovered over 1,100 written sentences in the home, such as “I was never given permission to move or say anything else,” reflecting the harsh conditions they endured.
The children have since been placed with a new family. The plea deal was praised by the State Attorney’s Office for ensuring the Wolfthals serve significant time in prison and sparing the children from having to testify in court.
Jennifer Wolfthal had previously authored a children’s book titled “A Real Friend,” which remains listed on Amazon. However, her publisher, Clavis Publishing, has denounced her actions and is taking steps to halt further sales of her book.
