aggravated child abuse

Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Lt. Joel Kohnert and his wife Jennifer Kohnert face charges of aggravated child abuse and other offenses after their 12-year-old adoptive daughter reported severe physical and mental abuse, including being locked in a bedroom, forced to clean bodily fluids with harsh chemicals, and subjected to distressing information about her biological parents. Kohnert, on administrative leave, appeared in court as prosecutors upgraded the case to a first-degree felony.

A former couple, Jessica and Jason Klimp, were sentenced in Michigan for abusing two adopted children, with their sentences running concurrently to 10-year terms in Tennessee. The abuse included severe dehydration, malnutrition, and confinement using straitjackets and dog cages.