Author and engineer husband unveiled for dual existence in abusive household
In Florida, Jennifer and Joseph Wolfthal were found guilty of mistreating the children they had adopted.
An author from Florida, recognized for writing books on friendship, was accused by authorities of mistreating and neglecting her adopted children along with her husband.
According to plea agreements obtained by Planet Chronicle Digital, Jennifer Wolfthal, the author of "A Real Friend," and her husband, Joseph Wolfthal, an engineer for Lockheed Martin, pleaded guilty on Jan. 13 to aggravated child abuse and neglect of a child with great bodily harm.
According to the plea agreement, Jennifer Wolfthal will receive 12 years in prison and her husband will be sentenced to 10 years behind bars.
"The Wolfthals will spend considerable time in prison under this plea and sentencing agreement, which safeguards the already-traumatized victims from the additional stress of testifying, as stated by a spokesperson for Florida's 18th judicial circuit's State Attorney's Office. The State Attorney's office ensured that law enforcement and the children's new guardian supported this sentence before agreeing to it."
In 2021, an investigation into the couple was initiated following the hospitalization of their 8-year-old adopted daughter, who suffered organ failure, was unconscious, and had injuries. The couple had two other adopted children, a 9-year-old and an 11-year-old.
The police report states that the girl's height and weight make it unlikely that the swollen bruise on her head, laceration on her lip, and broken tooth were caused by off-balance falls.
READ JENNIFER WOLFTHAL'S PLEA AGREEMENT: APP USERS CLICK HERE
READ JOSEPH WOLFTHAL'S PLEA AGREEMENT: APP USERS CLICK HERE
Investigators discovered two other children with symptoms of malnourishment, bruises, and neglect at the family home while the girl was in the hospital.
The locks on the children's bedroom doors were placed on the outside, with the doorknobs installed backwards.
In further searches of the home, authorities discovered over 1,100 written paragraphs containing the text: "I remain flat on the bed at all times. No one ever granted me permission to move or speak. Now I get to write about this experience, along with everything else. I am an idiot."
Despite the book being available on Amazon, reviewers have been adding links to news articles regarding the author's accusations in the comments section.
The investigation revealed that the Wolfthals' adopted children were also victims of abuse. As a result, they were relocated to live with a different family.
GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB
Planet Chronicle Digital's Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
us
You might also like
- In the Bryan Kohberger case, a judge in Idaho hears a defense motion regarding the murders.
- A fire broke out in Los Angeles County, prompting officials to issue evacuation orders.
- As fears of ICE raids intensify, a bustling Chicago district, often referred to as the "Mexico of the Midwest," has become a ghost town.
- Injured in a shooting at Antioch High School in Tennessee, three people were left in a lockdown.
- A German national who worked at the Pentagon during 9/11 was allegedly killed by a Vermont Border Patrol agent, according to the family.