Mary Strikwerda: Therapist hired by Indianopolis autism center despite history of abusing foster children

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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA: A 53-year-old autism therapy clinic worker in Indianapolis has been exposed as convicted child neglecter Mary Strikwerda, previously known as Mary Corrigan.

Strikwerda, then 33, faced charges of subjecting her three young children, aged 10, 8, and 6, to appalling abuse in what the Marion County Prosecutor deemed a "modern-day equivalent of a torture chamber" back in 2003.

Mary Strikwerda subjected her three young children to horrid abuse

Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi detailed the horrifying crimes committed by Strikwerda in 2003, including locking the children in the bathroom without clothing for extended periods, forcing cold baths, and even making them drink vinegar as punishment for speaking ill words.

These actions were deemed to cross "the line from discipline to criminal neglect."

Additional reports highlighted Strikwerda's use of chemicals during punishments, resulting in burns on the children. The 10-year-old boy was reportedly hospitalized for malnutrition during that period, corroborating the allegations raised by the children in the state's charges.

Mary Strikwerda was once a licensed foster caretaker 

Notably, Strikwerda and her then-husband, David Corrigan, were licensed foster care parents from June 2000 to June 2002.

However, the Indiana Department of Family and Social Services Administration reported that they did not renew their licenses. The couple filed for divorce in December 2002, with no charges filed against David Corrigan.

Strikwerda, along with two friends, Edee Mowrer and Julie Watson, faced six counts of child neglect. In 2005, she pleaded guilty, receiving a sentence of a year of home detention, a year of probation, and 250 hours of community service.

Autism Companion Services unaware of Mary Strikwerda's criminal past

Shockingly, in 2021, she managed to secure a position as a registered behavioral technician at Autism Companion Services. The clinic only became aware of Strikwerda's criminal background in December 2023 when notified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), the same organization that granted her certification in May 2021.

The circumstances surrounding how her criminal history evaded detection during the hiring process remain shrouded in mystery.

Jane Hornett, the owner of Autism Companion Services, was "shocked" at the revelation and claimed she would never have hired Strikwerda had they known about her past.

The clinic's leadership team was blindsided by this disturbing revelation, leading to Strikwerda's termination, according to the Indy Star.

During her time at the center, Strikwerda transitioned to a more administrative role, though the reasons for this change remain unclear. Despite her criminal past, there is no indication that any child under her care at the clinic was subjected to abuse.

Mary Strikwerda's abusive patterns continued during her role as house parent in 1999

Strikwerda's troubling past extended to her time as a house parent at a Baptist Children's Home in northern Indiana, where two occupants, Amber Boyd and her brother Paul Boyd, alleged similar mistreatment between 1999 and 2001.

Amber Boyd recalled enduring punishments such as drinking vinegar for "gossiping," cleaning the house with toothbrushes, and her brother being tasked with digging holes and carrying boulders. Strikwerda's alleged justification for such punishments was a divine command from God to punish the sinful part of the body.