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Owasso couple charged with child neglect
They are accused of locking their two adopted children out of the house for hours.

DEFENDANTS
Garold and Sherry McMillian: They were arrested after officers found a girl and boy, ages 14 and 15, outside their house without access to food, water or shelter. They were outside for at least five hours.
 
By SHANNON MUCHMORE World Staff Writer
Published: 11/25/2009  2:27 AM
Last Modified: 11/25/2009  6:30 AM

An Owasso couple who are accused of leaving their adopted children locked out of the house for hours while the biological family ate dinner and watched movies at a friend's house were charged Tuesday with two felony counts of child neglect.

Garold and Sherry McMillian, both 42, were arrested early Nov. 15 after officers discovered a girl and a boy, ages 14 and 15, outside their house without access to food, water or shelter.

They were outside for at least five hours, according to a police report.

An officer noted in the arrest report that while the teenagers were "waiting for the parents to return to the residence, it began raining, with a constant cold/chilly northeast wind blowing. I noticed that both juveniles were cold and shivering from blowing wind and cold rain (and) that they had to seek refuge in a patrol vehicle to stay warm and dry."

The children originally were with the McMillians as foster children but were recently adopted, the report says.

The McMillians told police that they have discipline problems with the adopted children and didn't see anything wrong with leaving them outside, according to the report.

A neighbor told police that she saw the girl sitting on the porch for nearly an hour. She said she offered her shelter but that the girl declined.

Officers noted that a habitual sex offender also lived within 250 feet of the home, according to the report.

The two children and a biological 13-year-old daughter were removed from their parents' home and taken to a shelter after the arrests, according to the report.

The couple posted bonds of $100,000 each and have been released from the Tulsa Jail.

A court date for both defendants is scheduled for Dec. 4.


Shannon Muchmore 581-8378
shannon.muchmore@tulsaworld.com
By SHANNON MUCHMORE World Staff Writer

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Owasso couple charged with child neglect," which was published on 11/24/2009.

Report Comment
beau3985, Tulsa (11/24/2009 4:12:52 PM)
It never ceases to amaze me, the kind of scum that walk this earth.
Report Comment
Mar, Tulsa (11/24/2009 4:13:04 PM)
Big mistake allowing these two adults to adopt those two teens. Those teens probably needs special care due to their upbringing. Leaving them outside and then not including them to participate in the dinner and movie at the friend's speaks volumes about the poor parents those two are.
Report Comment
Mar, Tulsa (11/24/2009 4:14:46 PM)
I feel sorry for those teens, they must have had lousy parents to begin with since they were put up for adoption. And then to end up with two other lousy parents, those kids just can't get a break.
Report Comment
Moses, Jenks (11/24/2009 4:16:53 PM)
Nice looking couple! I guess the jail photos aren’t air brushed!
They are having discipline problems with the two adopted children so they leave them out in the cold rain for five hours with no shelter or restroom facilities.
Do these two think this will make these two kids suddenly love and respect them?
Take all of the children away from these two idiots and find them a suitable home.
Lock these two in a cage outside, hopefully in the cold rain, for a few days!
I’m at a loss for words to say what I think of this couple.
I say again, stupid should be painful.
Report Comment
Cooldaddy, Broken Arrow (11/24/2009 4:30:23 PM)
This couple got in over their heads when they adopted. Sad situation.
Report Comment
Three Stars, Tulsa (11/24/2009 4:31:25 PM)
Maybe this happening is a blessing in disguise, first thank goodness the two kids are ok but know that it's happened they and the bio daughter are all gone from the home, no telling what other things have happened before this.

I hope for the kids they find a nice home with loving parents...that they deserve.
Report Comment
Norm, (11/24/2009 4:32:16 PM)
If you cannot trust your "discipline problem" children to stay home alone - then you should STAY HOME TOO!!! You don't go to a party, taking your OTHER two children with you!!

Gee - you think maybe the disparity in the treatment of the "natural" kids, with the adoptees has ANYTHING to do with their behavior issues???

I hope these two idiots lose custody of ALL the kids!
Report Comment
Ryanoceros, Tulsa (11/24/2009 4:34:07 PM)
You know, she kinda looks like a heavier Katy Perry....admit it, she kinda does.
Report Comment
FaithnHim, Crested Butte, (11/24/2009 4:34:40 PM)
Hopefully the neighbors that recognize their mug shots will be eagerly awaiting their return home. It probably wont be a warm welcome and it shouldn't be. Poor kids never stood a chance.
Report Comment
ami, (11/24/2009 4:41:27 PM)
You people have no idea what you are talking about when it comes to this family. This is just one piece of a complicated story. These parents and their biological children have suffered a great deal of greif by adopting these children. These are not only good people they are God fearing people that tried to help these children and give them a loving home. They adopted these children that already had problems from their previous home. Information that DHS kept from this family prior to adoption. This family needs our prayers not our judgemental comments!! I will also be praying for people like you that are so quick to judge...shame on you!
Report Comment
Ric, Broken Arrow (11/24/2009 4:44:27 PM)
This is where the tearing and scarring begins...
Report Comment
okierose, Tulsa County (11/24/2009 4:53:18 PM)
ami: What you say may be true, but they should have treated ALL their children the same. The least they could have done is lock them INSIDE the house. Poor decisions.
Report Comment
Carrie, Tulsa (11/24/2009 4:53:41 PM)
So, ami, you're saying it's okay to leave your children outside for at least 5 hours without access to food, water, and shelter while you enjoy a party?
Report Comment
beau3985, Tulsa (11/24/2009 4:57:20 PM)
Dusty, I think you and I might agree on more than we think.
Report Comment
lucky girl, mine (11/24/2009 4:57:42 PM)
Again, God is great, beer is good and people are crazy
Report Comment
true2form, Grand Lake (11/24/2009 4:58:18 PM)
ami,
Sounds like a little bigger dose of god's fear is in order for these folks.
Report Comment
FaithnHim, Crested Butte, (11/24/2009 4:58:51 PM)
Ami - I agree these parents need our prayers; however, the children have suffered quite enough.
Report Comment
ami, (11/24/2009 5:04:20 PM)
The adopted children did not want to go with them and I agree they made a mistake by not making them go with them when they left the home. (Are you people perfect?!)These children are not neglected and I bet if you ask their adopted children today if they had good parent's they would say YES!
Okierose~FYI from someone that has known this family before and after they adopted these kids. They do treat ALL their children the same!
Carrie~All you know about is this distorted exagerrated story in the paper.
Come on people have a heart!!
Report Comment
Samantha J., tulsa (11/24/2009 5:04:47 PM)
ami-
These people are bad news, they dont have a heart taking their kids to eat dinner and leave the adopted kids outside in the rain,this is not right in any way, shape or form. I'm not usually the one to judge but wrong is wrong, what if someone treated your kids like that at school or anywhere for that matter????
Report Comment
2ndjoyce, BA (11/24/2009 5:06:19 PM)
Please forgive us, ami. We don't realize how difficult it is to raise adopted children. We've only raised biological ones and that's been a breeze. (sarcasm)

Seriously, if you have insight, please share. We are only commenting on what TW reports. And it doesn't look so good for your friends.
Report Comment
ami, (11/24/2009 5:16:23 PM)
I know it looks bad for my friends. I am just saying that this is not a pattern with this family and they are not bad people. They made one mistake which has cost them dearly. I know they will overcome this and move on with their lives which includes their adopted children who seem to have a new appreciation for their parents today.
Report Comment
Samantha J., tulsa (11/24/2009 5:18:40 PM)
Well im glad you finally realize that they're not as great as you thought they were
Report Comment
forkandknife, Tulsa (11/24/2009 5:30:38 PM)
New appreciation for their adopted parents? Are these children even old enough to spell appreciation?

Either way. In my book. This is wrong. There is no way to make this right. I totally agree with what .:Samantha J:. said.
Report Comment
uklynbereg, (11/24/2009 5:32:05 PM)
This story illustrates how hard it is to find adoptive parents for older kids.
Report Comment
fjm1952, sapulpa (11/24/2009 5:34:35 PM)
take all the kids away from them they dont diserve them they have no common sence, you do not leave children out side for 5 hrs alone, if you dont want them send them back to dhs they will try to find them a strong family that will treat them as there own
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