A Florida children’s author, Jennifer Wolfthal, and her husband, Joseph Wolfthal, were charged with abusing and neglecting their adopted children. The charges stem from the investigation into their 8-year-old adopted daughter, who was brought to the hospital in 2021 with organ failure, unconscious, and covered in injuries. The girl’s injuries included a swollen bruise on the back of her head, a laceration on her lip, and a broken tooth, which were deemed unlikely to be caused by falls.
The police report also stated that the home of the couple was found to have the doorknobs installed backwards, with the locks on the outside, and during a search, authorities found over 1,100 written paragraphs detailing the children’s experiences, including being forbidden from moving or speaking.
Jennifer Wolfthal will be sentenced to 12 years in prison, while her husband will be sentenced to 10 years. A spokesperson for the State Attorney’s Office said the plea and sentencing agreement ensures that the Wolfthals will spend significant time in prison while also protecting the victims from further stress.
The author of a children’s book, “A Real Friend,” still has the book available for sale on Amazon, but reviewers have been filling the comments with links to news articles about the allegations against the author. The children were moved to live with another family following the investigation.