DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A Dinwiddie couple were recently indicted for abuse, malicious wounding and multiple child injury charges last week for allegedly abusing their 14 and 16-year-old adopted sons for the past five years.
56-year-old Lynette Atkins, the teen’s legal adoptive parent, and her husband Claud Atkins, 47, are accused of physically abusing their adopted sons. The couple reportedly whipped the boys with homehold items.
“Including water hose that went to the washing machine, extension chords, electric chords, that sort of thing. Always used on the parts of the body that are covered with clothes,” said Ann Baskervill, the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Dinwiddie County.
Bakersvill says the couple forced the boys to stay in the garage and sleep with the dogs.
“There’s a blanket and a pillow on the garage floor. No heat, no electricity, no running water. In order to use the bathroom, had to knock and get permission to come inside, so usually would go outside. Really treated as sub-human,” she said.
Dinwiddie Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill said that throughout the time period the boy was staying in the garage, the boy was only allowed to eat Ramen noodles. The teen’s diet was not limited due to financial strain, Baskervill said, because other members in the household were eating nutritious meals that the teen wasn’t allowed to though.
The couple did allow the boy inside the home each morning to be groomed and bathed before school to avoid anyone noticing.
The abuse began five years ago, according to Baskervill.
The Atkins were originally charged with two counts of cruelty and injury to children for abuse that allegedly happened in the first half of 2015, between January and May. On July 21, they were indicted on additional abuse charges, along with the malicious wounding and assault charges for offenses as far back as 2009, Baskervill said.
“They had plenty of resources income of both parents plus adoption subsidies,” said Bakersvill.
Lynette Atkins is a civilian employee at Fort Lee and works at the headquarters for the base’s military police, according to Baskervill. Claud Atkins works full-time for UPS and also has a part-time job at Fort Pickett.
Meanwhile, several neighbors say they were shocked to hear about the charges.
“I do not believe that it’s child abuse at all,” said neighbor and friend Kathy Basaldua. “Yes it’s hard to be a parent, but they would never do anything to hurt there. They love them, it’s obvious, I just don’t get it.”
Both Lynette and Claud Atkins have been released on bond. They have a trial date set for October 28 in Dinwiddie Circuit Court.
