A Missouri woman has been arrested for child abuse following serious allegations regarding her treatment of children in her care. The accused, 70-year-old Brenda Deutsch, reportedly used a paddle, wooden trim from walls, and a shoe to hit children, and was also accused of starving one child and taking away their clothing, as reported by KTVI.
Lincoln County prosecutors initiated criminal charges against Deutsch after a child in her custody disappeared and was later located in Texas. This child, who had been under Deutsch’s care for four years, was ultimately adopted by her.
According to KTVI, an anonymous tip was submitted to social services in November 2024, which raised concerns over the child’s well-being. By February, school officials discovered that the girl had been absent from school. Upon investigation, it was determined that the child was in Texas with a friend of Deutsch’s. A witness alleged that they were approached to take in the child in exchange for a monkey.
Deutsch’s friend claimed that she did not want her adopted daughter returned to her. Deutsch, however, maintained that she had provided the girl with a plane ticket for her return, but the friend lacked transportation to the airport.
At the time of her arrest, Deutsch was caring for two other children. Prosecutors noted that over a span of 15 years, around 250 calls had been made to a child abuse hotline concerning Deutsch’s residence, yet this marks the first occasion on which she has faced criminal charges.
Currently, Deutsch is being held on a $250,000 cash bond.
For ongoing updates on true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.
[Feature Photo: Lincoln County police]
