Wild Child

**Mayet** · July 6th, 2007, 02:38 PM

I avidly peruse news boards but today was the first day that I have ever heard this story. It amazed me and saddened me. Not about the child or parents but once again about child safety.... that family was visited twice two years before and the little girl was left there....

what a sad story.. it makes you realise how many things are wrong with this world today

In late 1994, and again in January 1995, phone calls were made to the Austin division of Child Protective Services. A young CPS worker responded to the complaints and spoke to the Barrs at their house. The worker left without giving a report to his seniors or outlining a safety plan. But in October 1995, a third report of "unlivable" conditions at the house was made to CPS.

According to a neighbor, rats were "living in a nest on the front porch" and "climbing up the screen door." Those eerie moaning noises that echoed through the streets were still being heard several times a week.

CPS dispatched a second worker to follow up. After making an initial visit, the worker documented concerns about the safety conditions in the home and wrote a brief safety plan for the Barrs. After the worker said that CPS would follow up and make additional home visits, the worker left. For the next two years, the Barrs remained in the home, undisturbed by CPS and their neighbors.

In October of 1997, a fourth call complaining about the living conditions at the house was placed to CPS, and a worker once again responded. And a child who few knew existed was finally removed from the home. This "wild child" had never gone to school, or played outdoors. The girl was a 9-year-old named Victoria.

**NooNoo** · July 6th, 2007, 03:37 PM

She isn't the first and is not likely to be the last unfortunately. I read of one child who was found chained to a commode, she spent so much time sat on it while her "carers" were out that she actually had a brown mark that wouldn't come off from the seat. She was unable to speak and the psychiatrists had a field day with nature versus nurture arguments.

**Guts3d** · July 6th, 2007, 04:05 PM

I count my blessings... My parents left me be just enough to make me self sufficient. I can't imagine life like those kids endured.

**street1** · July 6th, 2007, 07:09 PM

Mayet,You found the subject that makes tears roll down street1's cheeks.

That is why the death penalty doesn't bother me whatsoever.

The children can never be done like that.If I had discovered the little girl,
I would have shot the parents on the spot.

Good thing I wasn't a law enforcement officer.I would have surely ended
up a vigilante...............RANT!

**mAc InvAder** · July 6th, 2007, 08:48 PM

i totally agree w/ street1 don't leave a gun near me, just terrible!!!!!!!!!

**Mayet** · July 7th, 2007, 12:51 AM

WHY though.. why did they hide her away...

its like To Kill a Mockingbird, or flowers in the attic.. in other words like something out of fiction.. that kind of reality should not exist today

**geoscomp** · July 7th, 2007, 11:23 AM

Victoria's mother, Diana Barr, spoke to ABC News to give her side of the story. Now 55 years old, she lives in state-subsidized housing. She said that at an early age, she knew that Victoria was different from other children, and tried to protect her by keeping her inside the house.

Presiding over the custody case, Judge Scott McCown said he could see Diana's affection. "Every decision she made was a bad one. But somehow, she had communicated that love and created a bond of empathy," he said. "Diana had mental health issues, she had developmental issues. She herself was barely coping with life. And she didn't meet her child's needs. Did she love her child? Yes. I've seen a lot of mean parents who don't love their children. And one of the things they do is abandon them to the state. Diana hung in there, and she has hung in there for all these years."

She was placed in foster care though..after being found..and has now graduated from high school..even though she is still unable to speak, she uses asl to communicate..what a tragedy though. From what I've read her primary socialization was with a community of rats..her initial vocalizations when found were squeeks, and when given paper, shoe would tear it up to make a nest. Also interesting..the mother was one of two children of the wild childs grandparents..it seems the two grand parents and the brother and sister lived in the house, and the sister got pregnant, producing the child..it sounds like a family of neanderthals living in a cave

**Mayet** · July 7th, 2007, 05:17 PM

yeah I read that I went and pulled up quite a few links on the story. I was thinking perhaps inscest when I first read it. I bet the poor girl was a guinea pig for psychiatrists though