Michigan couple convicted of abusing 16 foster and adopted children
Tamal and Jerry Flore were found guilty on multiple counts of child abuse after a trial focused on physical punishments and financial motives.
By Rafael Delgado ·
Tamal Flore was found guilty on eleven counts of child abuse on Tuesday in Lansing, Michigan. Her husband, Jerry Flore, was convicted on one count of second-degree child abuse. The verdict concludes a trial that examined the treatment of 16 children the couple fostered or adopted between 2007 and the present.
The Michigan Attorney General's office prosecuted the case. Prosecutors argued the couple used physical discipline as a cover to generate financial gain. Jurors acquitted Jerry Flore on nine other charges against him. Tamal Flore was found guilty on six counts of first-degree abuse, two counts of second-degree abuse, and three counts of third-degree abuse.
Children in the case described specific forms of physical punishment. They reported being whipped with belts and struck with metal and wooden spoons. Some were locked in rooms or the garage for days. The group was also required to sleep on a designated kitchen area they called the square for weeks at a time.
Additional punishments included strenuous physical exercises and withheld food. Children said they were denied meals if they did not finish daily housework. The Detroit News reported that seven of the 16 children in the home accused the Flores of abuse.
The court has set a date for the sentencing of both defendants. The hearing is scheduled for January 11. Jerry Flore faces up to 10 years in prison for his second-degree conviction.
