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The Incredible Story of a Feral Girl Discovered in America

tampabay.com — Three years ago police found a girl lying in her roach-infested room, naked except for an overflowing diaper. The child, pale and skeletal, communicated only through grunts. She was almost 7 years old. The authorities had discovered the rarest of creatures: a feral child, deprived of her humanity by a lack of nurturing. Here is her story.

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  • onlyaftersunset, on 08/03/2008, -2/+112...

    I'm speechless.
    • ichbeineinrcg, on 08/04/2008, -0/+10Yeah.

      All I can really do is type. That story....

      ....just....wow.

      Especially after you listen to the audio from the mother. Then the rage really kicks in.
      • success4uteam, on 08/04/2008, -33/+2Yeah, I was practically frozen solid while watching it.

        [ http://seogranted.com/home.php ]
      • Samo89, on 08/04/2008, -0/+9same here, im normally too ADD to read a story that long but it was just so unbelievable that ive ignored 2 of my favorite movies to finish reading

        truly a sad, yet hopeful story

        tho one thing i cant help to think, if her IQ was rated as below 50, i wonder if even if she had a normal early childhood if she would be able to do a significant amount more

        another thing, the article said that the mother's IQ was about 77, if memory serves me right, 76 is the upper limit of down syndrome
      • lutiana, on 08/04/2008, -0/+4How do you test the kids IQ. She responds to none of the regular stimulus and cannot talk let alone read.

        She is infantile in almost everyday, and I don't think you can gauge IQ in a baby. Hell she may turn out to be the next genius, another Einstein, but I am merely hoping that normality find its way to her eventually.
      • CryRightardCry, on 08/04/2008, -5/+4@successs4uteam
        Drop dead, you spamming dick.

        If you don't like this guy's spam, let him know at 919-816-9081 EDT.
        If you are a f'n moron and want to "make money", call him and buy his crap.
        You could earn 1000 bucks a day! Of course, if it really worked this loser wouldn't be spamming for a living.
        The success4uteam is so brilliant they think that spamming other threads will increase their business rather than their headaches.
    • Unspoken359, on 08/04/2008, -1/+3I seriously want to cry when I read this, but I was in too much of a shock.
    • Fleagleman, on 08/04/2008, -0/+2so is she apparently
    • ep53, on 08/05/2008, -0/+1Theres actualy quite alot of children raised by all different types of animals from sheep to bears its kinda of like a real life Jungle-Book. http://www.feralchildren.com/en/index.php
  • malanic, on 08/03/2008, -4/+81Her parents should be neutered.
    Along with that monster in Austria who imprisoned his daughter, they don't deserve to be called 'human'.
    • Typhoon2009, on 08/04/2008, -29/+7He actually is from Australia, not Austria. Common misconception, don't worry.
    • success4uteam, on 08/04/2008, -26/+3Jeez, neutering people? Are we that inhumane?

      [ http://seogranted.com/home.php ]
    • rz8472, on 08/04/2008, -2/+4Joseph Fritzl might actually be slightly more human than the ***** who did this. There is a 'time envelope' when a person can learn competent speech skills usually around the first 5 years of life... and as traumatized as his kids were they at least were given that opportunity. But with the passing of this envelope it may be too late for this girl to live any semblance of a normal existence.
      • Typhoon2009, on 08/04/2008, -0/+10I think there's still hope for the poor kid. She seems to be gaining cognitive skills and motor skills.
      • alwilson, on 08/04/2008, -6/+5Yeah, before you know it, she'll be on Digg and have her own mySpace page.
    • SammyStephens, on 08/04/2008, -10/+3brb basement
    • slightlygifted, on 08/04/2008, -2/+17Wow. Didn't you read the article? the mother herself is borderline retarded. Her other 2 kids are apparently retarded as well. it seems like the mom loved her but was just to stupid to raise kids.
    • k3rfuffl3, on 08/04/2008, -1/+4Retards aren't human. Like the thread starter I'm the authority on what is human and what isn't 'cause I'm just that ***** amazing.

      /sarcasm (for those who are retarded)
  • wassim2k, on 08/04/2008, -33/+17I blame cigarettes.
    • NaziHatinChimp, on 08/04/2008, -7/+4Hey I laughed.
    • unitedatheism, on 08/04/2008, -5/+2I'd say I hope for cigarettes to take care of this one. ASAP.
  • jimmypopjr, on 08/04/2008, -0/+72That is beyond insane. If you read that long article and listen to the additional audio you'll hear the mother's side of things. It won't do anything but make you angrier.

    The fact that the two parents who adopted her exist, understanding what a difficult time it would be, is balance in the universe against a mother that could let that happen.
    • OstrakonX, on 08/04/2008, -0/+8What the *****? Seriously.

      Listening to that stupid bitch prattle on about how hard -her- life was, rationalizing it like she actually tried to be a parent... I am physically sickened.

    • Rostin, on 08/04/2008, -14/+4What's amazing to me is that her adoptive parents are religious. The article doesn't dwell on it much, but it does say they take her to church. Based on most of what I read at digg and of Christopher Hitchens, I thought religion only made people evil and stupid. I'm at a loss for reconciling these conflicting ideas. Can someone help?
      • brokenworlds, on 08/04/2008, -0/+9Looking for an argument much?
      • LeonHRodriguez, on 08/05/2008, -0/+0I'm with you, Rostin. Diggers on a whole generally seem to think that people who are religious are all right-wing extremists who hate freedom, minorities etc.

        Remember, by burying us, you are only reinforcing the stereotype.
    • flashback99, on 08/04/2008, -1/+1There are some people in the world whom you know should never have been born and a human being like this mother is one of them.
  • xiphrex, on 08/04/2008, -0/+42The mother sounded totally oblivious to what had happened. She didnt consider her dirty! Her audio clip is shocking, absolutely shocking.
    • robotbebop, on 08/04/2008, -0/+1She's absolutely convinced that SHE's the victim, and that the state was using her daughter to attack her. It's scary how some people can't see anything beyond themselves. I feel bad for her in a sense, I definitely feel far worse for the girl.
  • FloridaNative, on 08/04/2008, -11/+76I live about 15 minutes from the birth mother. I'd like to pay a visit.
    • heliox, on 08/04/2008, -4/+58I'll pay for your gas and any tools you need.
    • werries, on 08/04/2008, -3/+31i support you
    • apzdsx, on 08/04/2008, -18/+7And do what, exactly?
    • SubaruPowah, on 08/04/2008, -4/+64I'll give you the ***** alibi.
      • jordanlgta, on 08/04/2008, -5/+7You sound very competent.
      • unknownsoldierX, on 08/04/2008, -0/+24Tuesday at 12:54 PM? Yeah, I was playing a game of Counterstrike with [FloridaNative]. Yeah that's it. And after that, he was on Digg. Yes, Your Honor. I swear.
    • inspecality, on 08/04/2008, -6/+59I'll make the obvious internet tough guy comment.
      • jordanlgta, on 08/04/2008, -7/+91"I should go and fix this crap!"

        *submits comment*

        *begins to browse porn*

        10 minutes later...

        *checks how many diggs his comment got*
      • NotSoHotPink, on 08/04/2008, -0/+4*****, you just blew my mind.
    • RoccoMcTaco, on 08/04/2008, -5/+6I'll give you the tire iron.
    • Naskin, on 08/04/2008, -3/+11I'll take footage and upload it to YouTube.
    • Samsauce, on 08/04/2008, -1/+2I'll call Tom Dickerson
    • notwizt, on 08/04/2008, -1/+26AND MY AXE
    • brokenworlds, on 08/04/2008, -1/+4I'll call David Attenborough to do voice over.
    • zip000, on 08/04/2008, -3/+7Sorry to be the voice of reason here - I know it's an ***** move - but you people really shouldn't be encouraging someone to assault or worse another person...even if that person is a complete and utter ***** like this woman.

      How would you people feel if FloridaNative actually went and killed this woman...I'm sure a lot of you would say, "I'd feel fine; she deserves it," but I'm not sure that's true.
      • Tabris, on 08/04/2008, -0/+2I'd say, "FloridaNative is a moron for listening to what someone said on the Internet".
      • GreenGrassyNoel, on 08/04/2008, -1/+1umm, actually it is true.
      • LeonHRodriguez, on 08/05/2008, -0/+0"Digger [FlordiaNative] murders borderline-retard in digg-article motivated revenge killing"
        54848 diggs
        dugg!


        - August 11th, 2008
  • jumbalia, on 08/04/2008, -3/+69I think the most shocking part is when you look at the time line and see that investigators had visited the home twice previous and had done nothing about the situation. Apparently Danielle had other siblings, but there is no mention of their current state.

    I'm a little unnerved by her adopted father saying he never wants to talk about her past. It's very unhealthy to repress negative emotions of past experiences. If she is ever able to speak I think she will need the support of her family to help fully come to terms with what she went through in her early childhood.
    • Ebiggs, on 08/04/2008, -1/+19In Dani's current state talking to her about her past would be meaningless. I believe his comment really means that he doesn't want to talk about the ***** of a home that she had to live in with her birth mother.

      I can't remember the last time I ***** cried. Today marks the latest.
      • Dundasbro, on 08/04/2008, -2/+1Eventually she is going to have to come to terms with it and talk about it to be able to move past it.
      • DragoonWraith, on 08/04/2008, -0/+1This is true. But based on how much that couple has sacrificed for this girl, I imagine that no matter how much the man doesn't want to talk about her past, he will for her when she needs it.
    • WalkerTXclocker, on 08/04/2008, -0/+5I think she is very lucky to have ended up with people who seem to truly care for her. The original feral child was sadly fought over by scientists trying to prove their cases for development. Very sad also.

      http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2112gchil ...
  • RgyaGramShad, on 08/28/2008, -0/+29http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/art ...
    a link to an article with more information
    • twiztidsinz, on 08/04/2008, -2/+4had to double check that link for a min...
      at first glance I swore it was a .exe
    • zip000, on 08/04/2008, -0/+1This is just so sad.
  • SpankyBojangles, on 08/04/2008, -0/+45Interesting that they mention the mom's IQ is 77, the threshold of intellectual functioning. I wonder what that means exactly?

    Social workers had visited the house in response to complaints on two prior occasions.

    They're to blame also. Reminds of the story of the girl in Philadelphia who died of starvation and dehydration...her bed sores were infested with maggots and her body was permanently imprinted in her mattress. Her mother was living right there in the house too.
    • BedPost, on 08/04/2008, -0/+10That wasn't incredibly ***** gross at all...
    • Aliendude, on 08/04/2008, -0/+8"The threshold of intellectual functioning" probably refers to mental retardation. Individuals diagnosed with mental retardation tend to have IQ scores a little below 70... but IQs up to 80 can indicate borderline retardation.
      • unitedatheism, on 08/04/2008, -7/+8IQs below 70 are considered creationists.

        The question is, how can you determine such thing not being biased?
        If you do an IQ test for work, you'll try your best, but in such case that this is going to be held against you, I would just take whatever answer I've found fancy.
      • worldnick, on 08/05/2008, -0/+1I think anyone who actually 'tries' at an IQ test will score over 120. I think the difference is that most people don't consider intelligence to be a 'virtue' so that will probably knock you down another 20 points for shear lack of effort. In that case there would be a big gap between people who value their performance on said test and people who are just taking the test or are forced to take it. So theoretically (my theory) is that people of similar intelligence could score very differently depending on how the see their value. You might want to ask people 'Are you good at sports' or 'Are you smart' before they take a test to find where their motivations lie.
    • worldnick, on 08/05/2008, -0/+1Have you ever seen Idiocracy?
  • caitylovesyouu, on 08/04/2008, -0/+37I live in Fort Myers, Florida, where the little girl now lives. I'm extremely surprised this story never hit local papers (at least not to my knowledge). Then again, Florida has a REALLY bad reputation with DCF, this is just another example.
    • scubachef11, on 08/04/2008, -0/+2DCF?
      • marahm, on 08/04/2008, -1/+9Department of Children and Families. Known for letting children get kidnapped and murdered on their watch. One of the last children to die was the son of some crazy woman across the road from me. I live close enough to her house throw a brick right through her window and I wish I could but she doesn't live there anymore.

        She let her drunk/high boyfriend who constantly abused the boy watch him while she went to work at the Waffle House one night. A few hours later we heard the child screaming and shortly after from what I recall he was dead. Four years old.

        I know one of the paramedics who was on the scene that night because I tame feral cats and she works for Animal Rescue. She told me only recently how bad his life was before he died - cigarette burns all over his body, bruises, broken bones - this was all done to him in the weeks/months before he was killed.

        Now DCF will take your child away if you so much as sneeze in his or her direction in a way that can be termed "aggressive". DCF has cracked down so hard that a parent cannot discipline their own child or even raise their voice at them, but still children like this one, and many more, I'm sure, fall through the cracks.

        He "killed himself" in jail the next night, BTW. Yeah, right.

        And our County's Fire Dept. still blasts the air horn in memory of that child every time they go down our street.
      • Calypsoaf, on 08/04/2008, -3/+4You heard the screams, yet did nothing?

        Your halo's slipping down.
    • ordig, on 08/04/2008, -2/+5Yeah that's what happens when you elect a Bush as your governor,

      Department of Children and Families? How ***** socialist sounding is that?

      I don't know about other states, but in Washington they are called CPS, Child Protective Services, which is a little more humane sounding.
    • grneye53, on 08/04/2008, -0/+2I too live here in Florida and I could tell first hand the things I witness with my dealings with D.C.F (Disturbing Children and Families everywhere! )
  • Fuxsit, on 08/04/2008, -21/+6I think people should be forced to take IQ tests if they want to adopt children
    • Appity, on 08/04/2008, -3/+10If you think IQ tests are a true test if intellect, then you have just shown your own ignorance.
    • txchica, on 08/04/2008, -0/+15The birth mother has the low IQ, not the adoptive parents. I hope that is what you meant.
    • lutiana, on 08/04/2008, -2/+8I think you should take an IQ test before posting your comments.
  • Haoie, on 08/04/2008, -1/+7It's quite unbelievable that this can happen in a modern, industrialised area.

    Without any intervention, at that.
    • Trielle, on 08/04/2008, -0/+7Society nowadays is so concerned with their own lives to notice anything else.

      I remember growing up, my step father would beat the crap out of me and no one did anything. never a call, never an investigation, nothing.

      People ignore yelling, people ignore it when they never see anyone leaving a house, people never really see what is happening. Some don't care or want to know.

      It's horrible, and it's the world we live in.

      Wow, I can't stop the tears after reading that...so horrible...
  • damian7, on 08/04/2008, -31/+5Pics or it didn't...

    Uhh... cancel that
  • JeremyK684, on 08/04/2008, -0/+26One of the saddest things I've ever read about just now :(
    damn i'm shocked...
    • gridpoet, on 08/04/2008, -0/+1I'm man enough to say that this made me cry...

      I'm thankful that she is with a family that loves her, everyday must be a wonder for her after the horror she has lived...

  • WaFFeL54, on 08/04/2008, -4/+8Its all about being a responsible human being.
  • steveoco, on 08/04/2008, -16/+23I still think that having children should be a privilege, not a right, and mostly due to population and social issues. I mean the majority of children are born in the lower classes where they have less chance at a decent upbringing. People need to meet at least some standards to bring up a child.
    • thelif, on 08/04/2008, -7/+9I'm sure that's what Bill Gates thinks of your "lower class".
    • damian7, on 08/04/2008, -10/+2grr, how dare the evil government regulate whether or not people can have kids
      argh, 9/11, secondary explosion
      2 party system
      argh, ron paul, bob barr, rawr revolution

      /douche
    • ryan83189, on 08/04/2008, -4/+7Nothing can go wrong with that!
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_eugenics#Nazi_eu ...
      • damian7, on 08/04/2008, -7/+3compare everything with the nazis ftl
      • ryan83189, on 08/04/2008, -1/+2"The Nazi's based their eugenics program on the United States' programs of forced sterilization.[6]" Sure it's a slippery slope argument, but if history has proven anything, it's that those arguments are valid. Maybe sterilization doesn't lead to genocide, but I don't want to find out.
      • damian7, on 08/04/2008, -2/+4Licenses for kids is not sterilization, look up the definition
      • spaceddaisy, on 08/04/2008, -1/+2Still forced birth control, which most likely leads to women being injected with hormones. Yeah... joy, forcing meds on people without their consent.
      • damian7, on 08/04/2008, -3/+1Enjoy overpopulation and global warming
      • spaceddaisy, on 08/04/2008, -0/+4I already do. I think it's too late to turn the tide.

        My concern with this, is who gets to decide who can have kids and who can't and for what reasons....

        Of course what happened to the poor girl from the story is pure hell and tragedy and it should have never happened. But how can you tell before hand? There are plenty of rich and smart people abusing their children. How would you decide who needs a nice sterilization or hormone treatment to render them infertile and who doesn't?
      • flashback99, on 08/04/2008, -1/+3im very much in favour of a child licence. Just like a driving license you need to prove you have a stable income, prove you have the best interests of the child at heart. ***** the politics behind it, there need to be some standards people.
    • stagmire, on 08/04/2008, -12/+8I agree 100%, and the people digging you down are naive. There are way too many poors and fats draining resources and making no significant contribution to society.
      • infiniphunk, on 08/04/2008, -3/+4In fact I would say they are a detriment to society.
    • dvdpm, on 08/04/2008, -1/+1You're completely wrong.

      It's not about the class you're born in, it's about opportunities. It shouldn't matter what class you're born in, you should always be given the same opportunities - be it social, in education, health, ... - as anyone else. Keep this up for a couple of generations and your population will be better off.
      • flashback99, on 08/04/2008, -1/+2If the person is an unfit mother, opportunities don't matter. Everyone has the opportunity to choose to have a child in the first place.
      • LauV, on 08/04/2008, -0/+1yea, but it's never going to happen, a child doesn't choose his parents, look at the 3rd world.
    • Tabris, on 08/04/2008, -1/+4There's no population problem in the US. The population problem is in third-world countries. A Lot of countries in Europe are having less than one child per couple, so that the population is actually declining. Maybe they should further reduce the birthrate as well?
    • scheckler, on 08/04/2008, -1/+0dugg for postulating the basis for idiocracy
    • LauV, on 08/04/2008, -0/+1in denmark where i live, the government pay for pregnantsy with out sex (if man is shooting blanks) also for lesbians.
  • Crucible1001, on 08/04/2008, -44/+5This is retarded, she is not a feral child. She just has parents that suck. The reporters sensationalized it to make it sound better to make all of you go ooh and ah. I guess that worked.
    • rdldr1, on 08/04/2008, -1/+22You obviously haven't read the article or saw the video. You have no idea what a "feral child" is. Quit with the *****. You are the retard.
    • hexydes, on 08/04/2008, -2/+9Yeah, what are you guys talking about? She was just quiet, and possibly spoiled.

      Sincerely,

      Idiot mother of feral daughter (read article, puts in context)
  • Zlorp, on 08/04/2008, -34/+5does this have something to do with warcraft?
  • Qtip42, on 08/04/2008, -11/+1So I'm still waiting for the thing to load but isn't the point of no return for growing up properly something like 5 years old? Anything after that still develops into a handicap of sorts...?
  • stagmire, on 08/04/2008, -56/+7How long before she shows up on bangbros?
    • lilhelper, on 08/04/2008, -3/+6You sick *****!
    • Jorlock, on 08/04/2008, -1/+8If diggers believed in hell, they would tell you to go there.
    • DamienKarras, on 08/04/2008, -0/+2I believe in hell, but I think hell is too nice a place for you.
    • minnymoo, on 08/04/2008, -0/+2wtf is wrong with you? seriously.
    • DJDee85, on 08/05/2008, -2/+2I lol'ed
  • lilhelper, on 08/04/2008, -7/+11If she has had "ANY" human interaction, a few words spoken hear and there to her in her development or more importantly human physical stimulus that has been in the norm, then she can be socialized.
    but if she has had no stimulation what so ever, than she cannot make a 100% recovery. She will however be able to speak a little bit here and there through hundreds of hours of rehabilitation.
    My heart sinks for her.
    • inspecality, on 08/04/2008, -0/+5Where did you get this information?
      • disp, on 08/04/2008, -2/+1Sociology class.
      • lilhelper, on 08/04/2008, -4/+1Thats where I got it!
        It looks like she may be able to make a partial recovery, but we can never be sure. She may be at 100% in a couple of years. She has a strong spirit.
      • NeonDistraction, on 08/04/2008, -0/+3There was a special about feral children on the discovery channel a few years back, also.

        They've pretty much determined that the area of the brain that deals with speech develops as children hear and learn a spoken language. If a child is totally isolated from any other human contact during this period of development, that part of the brain does not get stimulated into development and atrophies. After so long it becomes impossible for them to truly understand spoken language.
      • DragoonWraith, on 08/04/2008, -0/+0Presumably she heard her mother and brothers talking even if it wasn't to her, though.
  • FrEaK40, on 08/04/2008, -0/+4does anyone have a mirror? the site is starting to chug.
  • Fmunkey, on 08/04/2008, -11/+2GOD DAMNIT!

    Why does my county always have tons of stuff wrong with it. First 3 hurricanes pass right over us, then that guy shoots the cop, and now this.

    ***** awesome.
    • Seann7656, on 08/04/2008, -0/+9Believe me, this kind of ***** happens everywhere in the world. Way worst things things than this too, with alot more frequency than you think. America just covers the local stories better.
    • Fmunkey, on 08/04/2008, -2/+2True, still ***** up though
      • Seann7656, on 08/04/2008, -0/+3I know. I'm speechless. How can this possibly go un-noticed for so damn long...
  • PhillyMJS, on 08/04/2008, -15/+1Did she try to defend herself from the police with a sharp, metal boomerang?
  • artfuldodga, on 08/04/2008, -3/+8what the hell is wrong with some people? :S *****... her biological parents deserve to be burned, shot up and fed to the wolves
    • disp, on 08/04/2008, -2/+3Oh that would make it better.
    • infiniphunk, on 08/04/2008, -6/+2Or rather, I would say that we should strive to improve society by being a little bit more careful as to who can have children. It's ***** sad that you need a permit to have a dog, but any brain-dead scumbag can have a kid. Sad but true.
      I know some naive liberal fool is going to digg me down and complain I am a nazi with my 'eugenics' theory crap, I don't care. Think about the conditions some children in this world have to be born into. It's time we started implementing some standards.
  • mikeophile, on 08/04/2008, -4/+21I think it's interesting that so much of what makes us "human" is encoded in us after being born. If we compare this girl or other feral children with say, a chimpanzee that has been raised as a human with sign language, I think the chimp would be more socially functional and display greater intelligence as we normally measure it. Cases like this make it glaringly obvious to me that we really are (mostly) hairless apes. I have to view the people who choose not to believe in evolution as victims of excessive and misplaced pride.

    I really hope the karma swings back her way again. I think her new adoptive parents are going to do everything they can to see it does.
    • frozen1, on 08/04/2008, -3/+2People don't believe in evolution because they are indoctrinated into it, and also because this planet sucks, not to mention religion has/had many functions:

      Provides common morality
      Provides common community
      Provided the authority above 'man'

      Lastly religion is about the fear of death and the instinct to live, I really doubt christianity would have the following it has/had if the christian god promised a pat on the back and a quick death. Same goes for other religions.
  • f4nt0m4s, on 08/04/2008, -0/+16What's up with all the freaky stories in the news as of late? A guy on a bus gets decapitated, a girl winds up in pieces in a suitcase, and now this...I feel like the most messed up stories from Hollywood films are bleeding into reality. The world really is a strange and disturbing place at times.
    • DownIsTheNewUp, on 08/04/2008, -1/+5I predict an IRL Joker within 5 years and I'm not even kidding.
    • digiguy, on 08/04/2008, -0/+7You missed alot of other stories of people being locked up in basements for years.
      • f4nt0m4s, on 08/04/2008, -0/+7There was a story about a sex-slave that was locked up in someone's basement for like 15 years.

        There are days when I simply do not read or listen to the news because it is so upsetting to me. There was a story about a 70-something year old lady who was beat to death in her apartment in Chicago a few weeks ago. Apparently for no reason...there are constantly stories of abandonment, child neglect, and murder of children. It does hurt my heart and it does depress me when I hear these stories, and it really makes me hate being a human sometimes.

        I don't understand how someone can be without compassion or appreciation for the value of life.
  • TexasShiv, on 08/04/2008, -0/+55Her mother isn't rotting in jail... I want to punch my ***** wall after reading that
    • xenonflash, on 08/04/2008, -0/+18I find it insane that she was able to lose her jail time AND community service time.
    • lutiana, on 08/04/2008, -2/+8I think her uterus should have been removed with a spoon!
      • grneye53, on 08/04/2008, -1/+2A spoon ? How about a dinner date with 13 hungry pit bulls
      • Serphyas, on 08/04/2008, -0/+3Why use a spoon, cousin? Why not an axe?
    • grneye53, on 08/04/2008, -1/+3sad truth is the mother could clean herself up in the Courts eye and take that child back ! There's a killer thought , I seen just that happen and have been threw some ***** in Florida with custody of my daughter. "THE SUNSHINE STATE" it's blinding everything it does !
    • robotbebop, on 08/04/2008, -0/+2The only person she's hurting is herself now, there's no point to waste money on prison space for her when somebody who is a real danger to society deserves it.
  • Murrabbit, on 08/04/2008, -7/+10Only in Florida.
  • Super90, on 08/04/2008, -2/+16Holy *****, what an awful story. I almost started crying! You sometimes hear horror stories about protective services, but when I read a story like this, I thank god we live in a society where people (the government) can intervene and stop a horrible situation like this.
    • handmadewallaby, on 08/04/2008, -0/+7I'm in tears. Seriously, this is just deplorable and sad to just hear of the conditions that this child had to go through.
    • Smiley09, on 08/04/2008, -0/+12I am pretty much an emotionless robot, but I couldn't keep it together (and had a little cry) when I read this,
      "He couldn't believe she had never walked a dog or licked an ice cream cone. He taught her how to play peek-a-boo, helped her squish Play-Doh through her fingers. He showed her it was safe to walk on sand and fun to blow bubbles and okay to cry; when you hurt, someone comes. He taught her how to open a present. How to pick up tater tots and dunk them into a mountain of ketchup."
  • singingsox, on 08/04/2008, -2/+5I saw a special about children like this on the Discovery Channel or something. It was truly disturbing, but intriguing for me. I find stuff like that interesting.

    There was actually a boy and girl raised by mostly feral dogs. So a boy being raised by wolves isn't as farfetched as people might like you to believe. Stuff like this actually happens.
    • SquigglyP, on 08/04/2008, -0/+2it's interesting, but that sort of stuff usually happens in third-world countries. You don't normally see this sort of thing happening in populated, modern places. Unfortunately, the cases of feral children in these areas are typically due to the extreme negligence of the parent(s).
    • DarkoKun, on 08/04/2008, -7/+3What else do you find interesting?
  • norman619, on 08/04/2008, -4/+9The "parents" should be stripped of their humanity and get the death penalty.
  • Thrdstringer, on 08/04/2008, -0/+7This puts life into perspective.
  • 2clone, on 08/04/2008, -36/+3She's not feral, she's what a normal american look like.
  • carve, on 08/04/2008, -13/+5As an aside, in Australia dirty hippies are known as "ferals". I love that term- I wish it'd catch on here.
    • mikeophile, on 08/04/2008, -6/+10As an aside, people who use pejorative, bigoted terms against groups of people are known as "assholes".
      • carve, on 08/04/2008, -4/+5How is "feral" more bigoted than "hippie". I think it is rather more descriptive. Are you an Aussie? Oh- and you are a hypocrite.
  • SquigglyP, on 08/04/2008, -18/+2This is the third or fourth front page article on Digg today that was on Fark two or three days ago.

    WTF Digg. We used to be better than this.
    • DamienKarras, on 08/04/2008, -0/+1PROTIP: Digg and Fark are both news sites where the articles are submitted by users and voted upon for front page membership.
      • SquigglyP, on 08/05/2008, -0/+1wrong. Fark admins decide what stories they run, and also re-write the clever text to make sure it's funny and not whatever all these cretins must be writing in those things. But see... Fark isn't a news site. It's not news. It's not important *****. It's ***** that doesn't matter at all, and which - several days from now - you'll completely have forgotten about.

        Digg used to be above that. Digg used to be actual ***** news that was important news, or useful news, but that no mainstream news outlet was covering.

        And stop with the retarded internet ***** like "PROTIP:". It's just ***** stupid.
  • 2clone, on 08/04/2008, -16/+1Behold the result of the american edumacation system.
  • darkciti2, on 08/04/2008, -17/+5This is why Churches should have to pay taxes: They promote stupidity and blind thoughtless adherence.

    Mega Churches are FOR PROFIT institutions and should be investigated under Federal RICO statutes.
    • TexasShiv, on 08/04/2008, -2/+16Please STFU. This has nothing to do with that.
    • Atomic1fire, on 08/04/2008, -0/+9Bernie and Diane are humble, unpretentious people who would rather picnic on their deck than eat out. They go to work, go to church, visit with their neighbors, walk their dogs. They don't travel or pursue exotic interests; a vacation for them is hanging out at home with the family. Shy and soft-spoken, they're both slow to anger and, they say, seldom argue.

      They had everything they ever wanted, they said. Except for a daughter.

      (sounds like the adopters were christian people)

      Bernie led Danielle to the playground, she pulling sideways and prancing on her tiptoes. She squinted in the sunlight but let him push her gently on the swing. When it was time for them to part, Bernie swore he saw Danielle wave.

      That night, he had a dream. Two giant hands slid through his bedroom ceiling, the fingers laced together. Danielle was swinging on those hands, her dark eyes wide, thin arms reaching for him.

      (makes it a little more evident that the people doing more for the girl were the ones going to church and aside from that, It does not say anything about church attendence from the biological mother which you believe and if you think I got my facts wrong
      http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/art ...
      I just chose those two sections to prove a point )
      • unitedatheism, on 08/04/2008, -2/+1Come on, let's not get religion into that.... The guy made a pointless point there just because church promotes stupidity and earns over it that doesn't have to be related to this history at all.

        And then you replied saying that just because the new fathers are christian (yeah, like... there are almost no christians in USA) means that christians are good. Well, first of all I really doubt that the old mother wasn't a christian also, probably they just 'forgot' to mention that.
  • KibblesnBitts, on 08/04/2008, -2/+23I don't care where this came from, whether it's Fark or MSN or whatever......this story was too deep for words, and I'm glad its posting on Digg allowed me to read it.

    But nothing was more gut-wrenching than the deal that allowed her mother to avoid time in prison. This is one of few cases in which if someone were to whisk her away and do Hostel-like things to her....She'd be getting off way too easily
    • SquigglyP, on 08/04/2008, -5/+3yeah, I don't really care either, but Digg used to be a place where you could find interesting stories the main-stream was ignoring first. Hell, there used to be science and tech stories that you could find no where else unless you were going to 1000 international news sites on a daily basis to see what they were talking about. Now, all we get here are the leftovers from other sites like Fark, Slashdot and various tech / political blogs.
    • wexmajor, on 08/04/2008, -0/+14I'm honestly baffled that making a deal with her was even necessary. Getting charged with 20 years worth criminal neglect doesn't automatically revoke parental rights? What the hell are we paying these law-makers for anyway?
  • Maevirko69, on 08/04/2008, -18/+3if we hadn't gone to war in iraq this woman would have had the money to support her child so in reality this is george bush's fault
    • Typhoon2009, on 08/04/2008, -0/+6Oh shut the hell up. I see plenty of needy people at my community outreach program who, although poor, take care of their kids.
      • hamdoken, on 08/04/2008, -0/+0Ever seen any robots at you community outreach program? ***** can dance.
  • T440, on 08/04/2008, -2/+66"The mother's statement was: 'I'm doing the best I can,' " the detective said. "I told her, 'The best you can sucks!' "

    YES!!!
  • BeyondDGrave, on 08/04/2008, -7/+2Florida...
  • bmhart, on 08/04/2008, -0/+5Wow, that just completely ruined my weekend. Talk about spirit crushing.
    • QuarterRican, on 08/04/2008, -0/+2It is sad what happened. I look at it the other way around though. It is great that the little girl is going to get a chance to thrive with a family that loves her.
  • Typhoon2009, on 08/04/2008, -0/+81"He gave her his old toys, his "kid movies," his board books. He even moved out of his bedroom so she could sleep upstairs. His parents painted his old walls pink and filled the closet with cotton-candy dresses."

    I think her brother is the most mature 9 year old I've ever heard of. That's incredibly selfless.
    • Scottievm, on 08/04/2008, -0/+32That was a particularly touching part of the story. I'm really happy that this girl managed to find such a great family in the end.
    • KingKeys, on 08/04/2008, -2/+4Maybe I understood it wrong, but I felt that him being placed in the laundry room, on a daybed and next to the washing machine was a bit of a speed bump in the whole story.

      I just got this twisted mental image of the parents holding each other as they stand over their new daughters' bed, lovingly gazing down as she sleeps soundly - bright vibrant warm colors all around (the little glow worm emitting its comforting little light). And then we have this dark damp and "scary" little room with loud machinery tumbling next to this sad now-neglected little boy as he clutches to his only means of safety, a little walkie talkie with no one actually on the other end to respond.

      I know I'm probably wrong.
  • animejunky, on 08/04/2008, -7/+3with parents like that you sometimes wonder why children kill them later on in life or have a social handicap. If i later found out that a vigilantly sought out this horrible parent and killed her/or made her suffer i would be very satisfied with our race.

    people that that should be killed. no exception it will make the world a better place because reform doesn't help the people affected by the perpetrator.

    oh and ***** the appeal system.
    • alwilson, on 08/04/2008, -0/+1So in other words, you support lynch mobs?
      • chokeaduck, on 08/04/2008, -0/+2In this situation, apparently he does.
  • ryan83189, on 08/04/2008, -8/+2"The Nazi's based their eugenics program on the United States' programs of forced sterilization.[6]" It's a slippery slope argument, but if history has proved anything, those arguments are valid.
  • zalery, on 08/04/2008, -0/+6There was a very similar case back in the 70s, however, this girl was kept in a room for 13 years

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genie_(feral_child)
    • jserio, on 08/04/2008, -0/+1I think Nell was based on this case.
    • wexmajor, on 08/04/2008, -0/+5Genie had a much less happy ending. I'm glad this one seems to be turning out better.
  • Silthrim, on 08/04/2008, -0/+28This story left me... speechless... I just don't know what to say. I literally cannot comprehend NOT wanting to care for and love and nurture your child. This woman disgusts me in every way possible. There is no excuse whatsoever for what she did. This girl's life could have been completely turned around if the mother had done what every mother should do with no questions asked. Danielle has my prayers and I believe that with the proper care and love, she can someday hopefully become a smart beautiful young woman. Her mother deserves much more than the sentence she received. I'm sure every one of you would agree with me. I wish Danielle and her wonderful new family the best of luck.
  • t0x25, on 08/04/2008, -2/+24I don't condone men hitting women but If I were at the scene when she was found I'm not sure if I would be able refrain myself from beating the ***** out of that lady.

    How she could even say that she was trying to take care of her is insane.
    • induren, on 08/04/2008, -0/+5That mother prolly had serious head probs. I'm not saying that's an excuse but honestly that's all it could have been. No normal person does that.

      That's the only thought that would keep me from smacking her.
  • Khast, on 08/04/2008, -4/+14Real mother :EPIC FAIL
    Foster mother : EPIC WIN

    Any "human" who can't take care of a child, and her "Best" is this...should not be allowed to have children. Her real mother should be locked up for life.

    Dianne, you are an inspiration, the child has made dramatic improvements since coming under your care. I hope that one day Dani can function in society, and tell her story. Keep up the good work.
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