Two Michigan couples who adopted atleast 30 children face arrest as child abuse evidence comes to light

MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES: Charges were filed against Joel Brown, 54, Tammy Brown, 53, Jerry Flore, 58, and Tamal Flore, 56, who are now facing 36 counts of child abuse. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel initiated the charges after uncovering evidence of the abuse of eight adopted children in their care dating back to 2007.

Tamal and Jerry Flores are confronting the most charges, with Tamal facing 17 and Jerry facing 11, including first-degree child abuse counts that carry the potential for life imprisonment.

Charges against adoptive parents

The adoptive parents are all confronting charges ranging from conspiracy to commit child abuse to failing to report child abuse. Nessel also accuses them of misappropriating over a million dollars from the state of Michigan through the foster and adoption care systems.

Residing in the Michigan town of DeWitt, the couples had intended to adopt the children through Joel Brown, a former employee of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' children's services agency.

According to the indictment, he made use of 'his expertise in the field of child abuse investigations and the child protection laws to circumvent detection of the ongoing child abuse in home and that of the Flores.'

Both couples routinely abused their children while disguising it as simple punishment.

"The Brown and Flore families preyed upon dozens of children who were removed from previously abusive biological homes and subjected the children to prolonged routine and systemic mental and physical abuse under the guise of discipline," Nessel said in a press release.

'These two families have adopted or fostered at least 30 children toward an end of immense financial gain,' the indictment read.

What did adopted children say?

Surprisingly, both couples had previously faced child abuse charges, which were either dismissed or reduced.

"These egregious allegations highlight not only a moral and legal failure of those entrusted with the children's care, but a failure in our systems to ensure children placed in custody are properly taken care of," Nessel, the attorney general, said.

Shamber Brown, one of the adopted children, is defending the Flores and claims she was not abused. "It's really been crazy hearing the accusations just because, I mean, if I'm being totally frank, my mom is my best friend," Brown, who has lived with the Flores since 2005, told News 10.

Brown stated that she married one of Joel and Tammy Brown's sons, who is also adamant that the abuse did not occur. "They were like the one safe family I feel like that, us kids, we got to be with. I mean, I married one of their sons."

Her parents, she claims, would only punish her by making her sit in a square during a timeout. Brown believes her siblings are suffering from traumas from before their adoption.

"I would say a good half of my siblings have not gotten that ample healing just because they've been through really traumatic things – whether their memory is skewed, or they like to kick up chaos," Brown stated.

The Browns and Flores have until Friday to surrender.