Woman who reportedly fostered 200 kids accused of leaving girl at exotic animal collector
Woman who reportedly fostered 200 kids accused of leaving girl at exotic animal collector Brenda Ruth Deutsch was given a bond of $250,000.
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The month of April is National Child Abuse Prevention month. Learn more about the immediate and long-term effects on a child's physical and mental health.
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A Missouri woman is facing abuse and neglect charges after being accused of paddling and abandoning a girl with an exotic animal collector in Texas.
Brenda Ruth Deutsch, 70, was arrested on April 7 and charged with two counts of abuse or neglect of a child, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, Missouri court records show. The alleged crimes involved a girl under the age of 18, and occurred between Sept. 1, 2022, and Jan. 1, 2025, in Lincoln County, Missouri, a criminal complaint reads.
In a probable cause statement obtained by USA TODAY, a peace officer with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office wrote that the allegations against Deutsch were sparked by an anonymous tip received by the state Department of Social Services on Nov. 26, 2024, reporting alleged physical and mental abuse of a child.
Deutsch has fostered more than 200 children over the last 15 to 20 years, Lincoln County Prosecutor Mike Wood told NBC News and KSDK. According to the prosecutor and court documents, Deustsch is also being investigated in connection with allegations of leaving the girl she's accused of abusing with a fellow exotic animal collector in Texas and refusing to take her back.
Deutsch was given a bond of $250,000, Missouri court records show. She did not have a defense attorney listed in court records on Saturday.
Girl told authorities Deutsch 'hit her with a lot of different things'
During a mobile forensic interview on Dec. 4, 2024, the middle school-aged girl told authorities Deutsch "hit her with a lot of different things," the probable cause statement says. The girl described some of the objects as a paddle, trim and shoes, the court document says.
The girl also alleged that Deutsch "smacked" her on the nose so hard one time it caused it to bleed, according to the probable cause statement. The girl told authorities that she spoke to multiple people about the abuse but no one believed her.
The girl recalled an incident when one of Deutsch's family members held her down while Deutsch hit her on her bare bottom with a paddle, the probable cause document says. She said the hitting stopped when she stopped moving and was just quiet, so she just stayed still so the hitting would stop, according to the court filing.
Girl reported missing from school, located in Texas
The girl's absence from school in Missouri sparked an investigation Feb. 6, 2025, the probable cause document states. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office was told she was with the collector in Texas, according to the probable cause document.
When an investigator contacted the Eastland Sheriff's Office in Texas, he spoke with the girl who said she was enrolled in school there, the probable cause document states. Authorities then spoke to the individual who was keeping the girl in Texas, and she claimed to be friends with Deutsch and helping her out because she and the child "were not getting along," the court document says.
The woman also said she didn't wish to keep the child, but was forced to because Deutsch would not pay for a plane ticket to get the girl back home, the probable cause document says. The girl told deputies with the Eastland Sheriff's Office that the woman she was staying with didn't abuse her, but left her alone at the Texas home for a few days at a time to take care of her exotic animals, according to the court document. The woman would do this when she was out of town for work.
Court docs: Girl barely had clothes, did not eat much while at Deutsch's home
When speaking to authorities during a second forensic interview, the girl said Deutsch would take her clothes and belongings and put them in Goodwill boxes so she could donate them, according to the court document. This led to the girl barely having any clothing.
The girl also said she was not fed well while at Deutsch's home, so she had to resort to stealing food because her daily sandwiches were not enough, the probable cause document says. She added that she didn't feel safe at the Deutsch's house and "ran away a lot" but always had to go back.
The child told authorities that when Deutsch told the woman in Texas she could keep the girl, the foster mother said she'd "be keeping the check," per the probable cause document.
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