Member-only story

Appealing Children: The Story of Henry Clark

Bruce Snyder

·16.8k Followers· Follow

Published in Appealing:: Children 5 7 5 Henry Clark

3 min read

1.3k View Claps

97 Respond

Save

Listen

On January 23, 2012, seven-year-old Henry Clark was found dead in his adoptive home in Greenville, South Carolina. He had been beaten, starved, and sexually abused. His adoptive parents, Carolyn and Michael Clark, were arrested and charged with his murder.

The Clarks had adopted Henry and his two sisters from Ethiopia in 2010. The children had been living in an orphanage, and the Clarks said they wanted to give them a better life. However, the Clarks soon began to abuse the children. They beat them with belts and sticks, forced them to sleep on the floor, and withheld food from them.

Appealing:: Children 5-7-5

by Henry Clark

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1830 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	176 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

Henry was the most severely abused of the three children. He was often beaten so badly that he had bruises all over his body. He was also forced to stand in the corner for hours at a time, and he was not allowed to go to school.

In January 2012, Henry was found dead in his bedroom. He had been beaten to death with a baseball bat. The Clarks were arrested and charged with his murder.

The Clarks' trial began in 2013. They were both found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Henry's death was a tragedy that could have been prevented. The Clarks had a history of violence, and they should never have been allowed to adopt children. Social services failed to protect Henry and his sisters, and they must be held accountable for their negligence.

Henry's story is a reminder of the importance of child protection services. We must do everything we can to protect our children from abuse and neglect.

Resources for Child Abuse Prevention and Support

* National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-4453 * National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE * Safe Horizon: 1-800-621-HOPE * Futures Without Violence: 1-800-544-9184

Appealing:: Children 5-7-5

by Henry Clark

4.8 out of 5