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Toilet Training
February 14, 2013 permalink
Foster mom Patricia Vanderwagen knows how to toilet train a boy: strip him naked and hose him down outdoors in New Mexico's December weather.
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Foster mom accused of abuse
Photo: Patricia VanderwagenA Valencia County foster mom is accused of abusing the children in her custody.
35-year-old Patricia Vanderwagen was arrested in early February. CYFD says all five of the foster children she was caring for were also removed from her home.
According to the criminal complaint from Bosque Farms Police, CYFD received several complaints about Vanderwagen possibly abusing the kids.
CYFD took the kids to a physician at UNM Hospital, who reported to them the kids' injuries were not accidental. Later, in separate interviews with the kids, they had one shocking story in common.
They told investigators that on Christmas Day, one of the boys had urinated and defecated in his pants, so Vanderwagon had him strip down and stand outside in the cold while she hosed him off.
CYFD could not speak specifically to this case, but said in cases where foster parents are accused of abuse, if the allegations are substantiated, the parents lose their foster license.
Source: About KOB
