A foster mother from Missouri was recently arrested after authorities discovered that she traded one of the 200+ children she fostered for a monkey. Turns out it wasn’t just any monkey, but an exotic one. Furthermore, authorities also found several other monkeys in the woman’s home upon her arrest.
Brendan Ruth Deutsch is the foster mother in question, and the 70-year-old Missouri local has actually fostered more than 200 children in the past 20 years. One of Deutsch’s most recent fosters — a teenage girl — led to her arrest after she sent the child away to a poorly supervised and unsanitary Texas home from January to April.
This Texas home turned out to be an exotic animal menagerie, and its owner was an exotic animal collector who was also friends with Deutsch. Due to the investigation of Texas authorities, Missouri authorities were alerted to Deutsch’s activities. And after finding several exotic monkeys in her house, Missouri authorities are now also investigating the possibility of Deutsch trading other fostered children for the other monkeys, basically trafficking.
As for what led to Deutsch’s actions, it appears the old woman grew frustrated with the children she fostered, as revealed by Lincoln County Prosecutor Mike Wood. The Prosecutor also mentioned one of Deutsch’s conversations with her Texas exotic animal collector friend.
“It was described to me early on was that the defendant here, Brendan Deutsch, became frustrated with this individual child and asked her friend in Texas if she would just take the child and keep her. And at that point I think is when she says, ‘You know, why don’t you send a monkey and you can just keep the child?'” according to Lincoln County Prosecutor, Mike Wood, thanks to NBC News for the transcript.
Authorities were able to rescue Deutsch’s latest victim, thankfully. However, prior to the girl who got traded for a monkey, Deutsch might have already abused the other 200+ children she fostered in one way or another.
Deutsch’s Consistent History of Foster Child Abuse
Apparently, the Missouri authorities could’ve acted earlier because, according to the Missouri Department of Social Services (Children’s Division), they received more than 200 hotline calls regarding suspicious activity at Deutsch’s home. That presumably took place over the course of 20 years, and likely one call per foster child, on average.
It’s worth noting that foster children typically only stay at a foster home for several weeks to months, which is why Deutsch was able to accumulate such a high foster rate. Some of the allegations against Deutsch range from striking the children across the face until bleeding occurred. Of course, the non-physical abuse, neglect, and possible trafficking have been added to Deutsch’s record.
After the arrest, Deutsch now faces charges of three felony counts of neglect, child abuse, and child endangerment. Additionally, Deutsch’s bond was set at $250,000. Still, many people were worried about the children that Deutsch fostered and how Social Services took so long to address the suspicions.
“Is nobody checking in on these foster kids to make sure they’re where they’re supposed to be and not being abused? I kinda assumed they had a case worker who’d check in once a week or so…” wonders Redditor Spire_Citron
“200+ calls?! How many us it supposed to take?” worried Redditor CharlesBronsonsHair
