Jennifer Wolfthal, a Florida children's author and her husband pleaded guilty to abusing and neglecting their three children.
A children's author from Florida and her husband have admitted to charges of abusing and neglecting their three children, one of whom was hospitalized in critical condition due to multiple organ failure. The 8-year-old girl, as reported by local news, weighed only 40 pounds at the time of her hospitalization.
Joseph Wolfthal
Seminole County Sheriff's Office
The children endured physical punishment with a device known as a "whacker," were confined, and were prohibited from communicating with one another. Jennifer Wolfthal, 45, who authored a children's book titled "A Real Friend," and her husband, 43-year-old Joseph Wolfthal, an engineer at Lockheed Martin, each pleaded guilty to three counts of child abuse and three counts of child neglect earlier this week, according to court documents.
One child recounted a life where she had no interaction with anyone except her parents, including her siblings, and spent most of her time isolated in her bedroom, as detailed in a search warrant by Seminole County Sheriff's Deputy Sean R. Platter. Two of the children reported being punished by being sent to bed with cold water poured over them, left in that state overnight. As part of their punishment, the children were made to write sentences, investigators found.
A search of their home revealed over 1,100 paragraphs that included phrases like: "my body stays flat on the bed at all times. I was never given permission to move or say anything. Now I get to write about this along with everything else. I'm a fool." The couple was arrested in 2021 after the 8-year-old was admitted to the hospital. In addition to multiple organ failure, she suffered from sepsis, a staph infection, black eyes, open wounds, pneumonia, and malnutrition, according to records. The other children were also hospitalized for malnourishment and bruises following a welfare check at their home in Casselberry, central Florida. Reports indicate that the children were adopted.
Joseph Wolfthal
Seminole County Sheriff's Office
Platter reported that the children were so frightened to leave their rooms at night to go to the bathroom that they would have accidents. One child mentioned she hadn’t had a bath in months and was only given a mix of cereal and vegetable puree, sometimes not eating her first meal until late in the afternoon. According to an arrest record, the couple used an object referred to by one child as a "whacker" to strike them.
The children reported being hit hard enough to draw blood, often in the same areas where they were already injured. Jennifer Wolfthal's book, published in 2020, tells the story of best friends Max and Benny who have a falling out, as described on Goodreads. Benny attempts to create a new friend out of frustration. The description notes it is "a recognizable picture book about playing together, quarreling, and making up," aimed at playful children aged 4 and up.
Following the arrest, Clavis Publishing announced on Google Books and other platforms that they would cease further promotion of the book. "We were made aware of the horrific news regarding Clavis' author Jennifer Wolfthal's arrest and we strongly condemn child abuse, abandonment, and neglect, both now and always," the company stated. Jennifer Wolfthal's author bio indicates she grew up in South Florida, holds a degree in elementary education, and spent eight years teaching fourth grade at a public school. She loved fostering a passion for writing in her students and later chose to homeschool her own children.
Court records show that Jennifer Wolfthal received a 12-year prison sentence, while Joseph Wolfthal was sentenced to 10 years. Their attorneys did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Saturday.
