Home | News | Hutchins child abuse trial gets under way

Hutchins child abuse trial gets under way

By Editor 01/24/2002 00:00:00

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JIM WILLIAMS
Staff Writer

HUTCHINS - The trial of Barbara Atkinson, 30, began Tuesday, Jan. 22 in state district court in Dallas. A seven-man, five-woman jury was seated Tuesday, Jan. 15.

Barbara Atkinson and Kenneth Atkinson, 34, were arrested last June after Barbara Atkinson's eight-year-old daughter was discovered living inside a closet of their mobile home in Hutchins for months and maybe years.

Authorities said the girl suffered from malnutrition and she had been sexually abused.

A doctor at Children's Medical Center in Dallas said physicians utilized information about effects from famine and war in 'Third-World' countries in treatment of the girl. The girl was not attending school and the Atkinsons using the girl's name attempted to obtain food stamps.

Alice Mahoney, the girl's therapist, said the experience could hurt her recovery if she testified as a witness during the trial.

Mahoney said seeing people who traumatized her could cause her to enter into regression or a catatonic state.The girl is currently living with a couple in Van Zandt County.

Prosecution said they had not determined yet as press time whether she would be called as a witness.

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Comments (3 posted)

Dennis Presson 02/06/2012 16:11:52

They got life? That means they will get paroled! Where was Lauren's biological father in this? The one consolation is that Kenny will have a hard time with Bubba in prison because if there is one thing inmates hate is somebody that abuses children!

alice bowers 02/07/2012 20:47:37

Life in prison is not enough punishment for these monsters. They should be tortured and subjected to the same inhumane acts that they inflicted on their daughter. This is the worst child abuse case I've ever known.

horrified and upset 08/10/2012 11:05:19

I don't think our judicial system has the means to punish what these people did to their own flesh and blood. One day these people will get the judgement they deserve. What I cannot understand is why they fed their other children and their pets, but treated Lauren this way? Those other children had to have seen these horror as well. If they do not repent and seek salvation I fell there will be a special corner in hell for these monsters.