A mother subjected her teenage children to appalling conditions, keeping them in makeshift cages and subjecting them to starvation and physical abuse in a house of horrors.
The two teenagers, a 14-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy, were discovered severely malnourished after enduring years of mistreatment by their adoptive mother, Susan Rae Helton, 53. Helton, who had eight adopted children, confined two of the teens in cages made from baby gates to prevent them from accessing food.
Reports indicate that Helton regularly used a belt to physically assault the children and enforced rigorous exercise routines. During their time with Helton, the pair only managed to gain six pounds over a five-year period.
The New Braunfels Police Department (NBPD) received a report from child protection services in 2018, prompting an investigation into the alleged abuse at the Texas residence. Interviews with the children residing in Helton’s home were conducted by law enforcement and child protection authorities.
According to the Comal County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, two of the children provided distressing testimonies of being starved and physically abused by Helton for attempting to access food. The other children corroborated these accounts, revealing that the victims were sometimes confined in cages for up to several weeks as punishment. The evidence indicated that Helton specifically targeted these two children.
Upon a surprise visit to Helton’s residence, police uncovered the cages made from baby gates where the two teenagers were confined. Helton confessed to using the cages as a means to control the children’s food consumption, citing concerns about them seeking sugar and stealing food.
All the children were homeschooled, and Helton consistently neglected to follow up on medical referrals. Subsequently, the victims were diagnosed with severe malnutrition.
The male teenager disclosed that they were consistently underfed and faced physical abuse or confinement in the cage as punishment. Helton was convicted on four counts of causing serious bodily injury to a child and received a 20-year sentence for each count.
The District Attorney’s office emphasized the importance of never betraying the community’s trust when caring for children. They commended the bravery of the two survivors, now young adults, for standing up against Helton in court after enduring years of abuse. Their courage and honesty were pivotal in holding Helton accountable for her actions.