"Jane" BAILEY - 11 yo - / Arrested: Father and stepmother John and Jacqueline Bailey - Tavares, FL

Lake County couple starved 11-year-old girl, DCF officials say



Tavares High School teaching assistant, church counselor charged with child abuse


Published On: Apr 15 2013 06:33:38 PM EDT
Updated On: Apr 15 2013 10:30:59 PM EDT




TAVARES, Fla. - A Tavares High School teaching assistant and his wife, a church counselor,
have been arrested on child abuse charges after police say their 11-year-old was so malnourished officers thought she was 7 years old.

Jacqueline Bailey and her husband, 46-year-old John Bailey, were arrested on Friday after police say they starved the 11-year-old and kept the refrigerator and pantry door locked so she wouldn't be able to
get food.

Department of Children and Families officials said the girl weighs approximately 40 pounds and remains hospitalized.
Police said the Baileys made the girl stand in a bucket of bleach, causing chemical burns. They also monitored her every move with a door chime outside of her bedroom that would alert them whenever she left.

Neighbors tell Local 6 they were shocked to hear the abuse charges.

“No child deserves to be treated that way that's definitely not the way any good parent would treat their children,” says Karin Carroll.

19-year-old Colton Baldwin says he would always talk with John Bailey at Tavares High School.

“Mr. Bailey was really cool, it doesn't sound like something he would do, but you never know,” he said.

Neighbors and students say its the last thing they expected from what they thought was a wholesome family.

John Bailey not only worked with children, but is a former law enforcement officer while his wife served as a counselor at Citadel of Hope Church in Leesburg.

“It's a sad day you hate to see a little child abused by a family that you hope would take care of their own kids,” says Aaron Pederson who lives across the street.

Jacqueline Bailey, the girl's stepmother, has since posted bond. John Bailey was still in jail as of Monday evening.

The girl has been put in DCF protective custody. Two other children lived in the home and did not show any visible signs of abuse or neglect, DCF officials said. They remain with a relative at this time.

Child protection officials visited with the girl over the weekend, describing her to be in good spirits, and "very thankful," according to a release.

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/Lake-County-couple-starved-11-year-old-girl-DCF-officials-say/-/1637132/19759710/-/p88qkhz/-/index.html