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Biological Mother Reacts to Allegations of Child AbuseThe biological mother of three of six adopted children who Anchorage police say were abused by 51-year-old Anya Ardin James is speaking out about the alleged abuse.Related Content
The biological mother of three of six adopted children who Anchorage police say were abused by 51-year-old Anya Ardin James is speaking out about the alleged abuse. Priscilla Dipola, 38, who now lives in Tennessee said she never knew what happened to her three children when she gave up custody over to the state a decade ago because of a drinking problem. She said James was supposed to take care of the children, give them a good home, and it breaks her heart to hear about the alleged abuse.
The three children, now adults, were placed together in James’ home back in 1999 along with three other adopted children. Dipola said she regrets ever giving her children away, and said she would have fought for them if she’d known how they were going to be treated.
Charging documents allege that James severely malnourished her six adopted children, and forced them to live in five-feet-by-six-feet size rooms in the basement of the house. Police also allege the children were severely malnourished and had minimal contact with the outside world.
Neighbors, including Shayna Mcginty, said she heard stories from one of the oldest children who spoke out about the abuse to the Office of Children’s Services, which her mother confirmed.
“A lot of crazy stories that [the oldest child] had said was going on there and she thought this was normal...some pretty heartbreaking stuff,” said Mcginty.
She said the fenced home was always quiet, and it never seemed like children lived inside.
In the charging documents, Anchorage police were called on two separate occasions to the home, and neighbors say they’ve complained several times to OCS, but OCS officials say they didn’t have enough evidence to take the children from the home. Police were not available for comment.
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Anon said on Friday, May 20 at 5:41 PM
Why didn't the state do a psych eval on Anya James before she was approved to adopt children??
67440067jholderbaum said on Friday, May 20 at 4:08 PM
This is a perfect example of why we need a more compassionate system of child protection. If the bio mom had been offered substantive help with building a better life for herself and her children, we would not be reading this story. Instead, we apply the take the kids and run policy in the misguided belief that foster care will save them. We can do so much better for families in need of a little moral support and guidance to help them get their lives on track. And that's what we should be doing in most cases. The only kids who need our protection are battered kids and orphans.
67436222Leonard Henderson said on Friday, May 20 at 3:33 PM
It doesn't matter how much you pay a foster- adopter, it doesn't make them a parent nor their house a home. And it doesn't matter how badly the system treats a real mother, her natural affection never ends. The idea of fabricating "Forever Families" has never been anything but propaganda. Leonard Henderson, co-founder American Family Rights http://familyrights.us "Until Every Child Comes Home"© "The Voice of America's Families"©
67435169biomom said on Friday, May 20 at 1:03 PM
it was 1999 when the children were given up to the state for Anya James to adopt. Not 2009!
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