Alleged Child Abusers Reportedly Receive Death Threats (Kenmore Child Abuse Update)

Newsnet5.com ^ | May 14, 2003 | Newsnet5.com

[mabelkitty]

AKRON, Ohio -- An Akron mother and her partner charged with horrific acts of abuse against six children faced a judge Monday morning.

NewsChannel5's Brad Harvey reported that there was some concern the women may try to flee the state.

Mary Rowles (pictured, far left), the mother of the children, and her life partner, Alice Jenkins (pictured, near left), are accused of abuses that include locking the children in an upstairs closet for months and feeding them animal feces.

There were rumors the women had been getting death threats, and since they didn't return to their Florida Avenue home where the abuse allegedly occurred, the judge ordered they be kept under supervision and report their whereabouts to the court.

"There's no basis to any rumor that Jenkins (is) going to leave," said Don Malarcik, Jenkins' defense attorney. "Rumors (are) going to be flying around."

"They're not risk of flight; (they are) not a danger to (the) community at large," said Kirk Migdal, Rowles' defense attorney.

Postal Worker Spots Children

NewsChannel5 also talked with the man who spotted three of the children wandering the streets last week.

The children's courageous flight to freedom began in the middle of the night when they climbed out of a window onto a second-story porch. They apparently walked in the dark down the tree-lined street, turned the corner and went onto the main road at East Avenue.

At 4:30 a.m., postal worker Jeff Russell spotted them, one carrying another piggyback.

"Here was a kid on his back, no coats," Russell said. "I thought maybe I should have stopped then and there, but I knew I was going to be back in about five minutes. So I got back, called police and said, 'This ain't right!'"

The distance between where the kids climbed out of the second-story window to where Russell found them on East Avenue is about 1 mile. At 4:30 a.m., it is a dark, dangerous place, strewn with broken beer bottles, NewsChannel5 reported.

The children were barefoot and so emaciated that Russell thought they were between 2 and 5 years old. In actuality, they were 8, 10, and 14.

Later, when the story hit the media, Russell understood his own role in the drama.

"I didn't realize exactly what was going on, and then I realized, that's gotta be it then," he said.

He also realized just what the kids had accomplished by themselves.

"I realized it was pretty crazy and that they were the real heroes then, coming out of a second floor," he said.

Meanwhile, Rowles faces five counts of child endangering. Jenkins faces seven counts. Both are due back in court on May 14.

The children remain in the custody of Summit County Children's Services.

[mabelkitty]

Radio said they were charged with 55 counts, but I have yet to find it on the net.

[Reagan is King]

These scumbags deserve absolutely the worst the prison system can dish out.

[Lijahsbubbe]

What? He saw something that drastic and waited to call police? Sheesh.

This was the first time I had heard that these 'women' had fed the children feces. What the heck. This is a perfect example of pure evil as opposed to mental illness (that was discussed on a thread about the Texas mom). Just sick.

[genefromjersey]

Oh dear ! This sounds like a HATE CRIME !!

[EggsAckley]

Unfortunately since they're both lesbians, they'll probably have a good time in prison.

Put 'em in Pelican Bay. heheheh

[katnip]

Pictures of evil. The mom is on the left, her girlfriend on right

[Tennessee_Bob]

He saw something that drastic and waited to call police?

At least he admitted it and he went back. I wonder how many saw it and went on their way?

[jhw61]

Now they have matching shirts.....how sweet.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Sure. I'm glad he did. I guess it's the protective mothering instinct in me. If I saw two kids that I thought were about 2 and 5 out on a dangerous street at 4:30 in the morning I wouldn't have waited to call police. My instinct would have been to gather them up myself.

I realize it's not his fault and I don't condemn him.

[xJones]

The children were barefoot and so emaciated that Russell thought they were between 2 and 5 years old. In actuality, they were 8, 10, and 14.

The 8 year-old weighed 28 lbs. And the two women are out on bail, incredible.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Feed 'em feces. Make them foster children of an ex-con who was in prison for abuse to women, and have CPS responsible for follow-up. And no crisp, clean clothes like they have on now.

[ImpotentRage]

Yeah! What in hell are these women doing out of jail?

[jhw61]

Make them foster children of an ex-con who abused women....huh? They should never, ever, ever come in contact with children again!

[Reagan is King]

Oops, they're a protected class too.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Right. I meant the women. Sentence them to a life of torture. Of course they should never be around children again.

[onehipdad]

Because their bond was only $1000 each. In a related incident, none of the members of the CSB including the director who earns over $112K for -? were NOT, repeat NOT indicted or arrested for overlooking this abuse case for years.

[jhw61]

Thanks, understand your post now.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

How can they charge them, this was in their private
home? Privacy laws should shield them.
Sorry I can not type anymore of this crap that
demoncraps, homosexuals, etc that they will vomit.

[gcruse]

Wow. We made all the way to 17 posts
without the sex police checking in.
That's some kind of a record.