Stepfather Gets 15 Years For Abuse Of Disabled Daughter

September 14, 2012

An Escambia County man is headed to prison for making his mentally disabled daughter parade around a backyard with heavy chains holding a signboard that read “I am a liar and a theif” (sic) around her neck.

Rondal Floyd Hale, 60, was sentenced by Judge Michael Allen to 15 years state prison followed by 15 years probation upon his conviction of four counts of aggravated abuse of a disabled adult.

Law enforcement discovered on April 12, 2012, that the woman had been forced to wear the sign and repeatedly walk the perimeter of a backyard pool allegedly as punishment for  “stealing” candy from the defendant’s collection of food he claimed was for the homeless.

The sign was made of two pieces of wet plywood, approximately 3-foot squared, being held around her neck with two heavy metal chains. Deputies asked the girl to kneel down and were able to remove the signs, which  were estimated to weigh about 40 pounds. Due to the weight of the signs the chain had slightly embedded into the victim’s neck, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

The woman had also suffered a lacerated scalp which had been stitched closed with a common sewing needle and thread. Further investigation into the woman’s treatment revealed that during the previous 12 months, she had been forced to stay outside 24 hours a day for days on in and deprived of adequate shelter, food and medical attention, according to the State Attorney’s Office.

Co-defendant Clinton Michael Carr has pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated abuse of a disabled adult and battery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5, 2012. Co-defendant Deeann Marie Hale, the victim’s adoptive mother, remains set for trial.

Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

16 Responses to “Stepfather Gets 15 Years For Abuse Of Disabled Daughter”

  1. sr on October 8th, 2012 11:18 am

    to comment on the man who said there is a lack of places for the young woman to go. It is true. this alone is sad beacuse we do need places for these indiviuals. the care takers or parents will eventually pass on with nowhere for them to go or get to ill to take care of them as well. this woman was well aware of her conditions before she adopted her (i might add along time ago). So it is beond me why she did,… money? well shame on her i hope she is judged harshly for she desirves it. She should be punished twice as hard for she is the one who was supose to protect her. i personly have absolutly no sympathy for her or the men involved. Just think of how the young woman felt all these years! she desirves justice in her behalf’.

  2. Rhonda Currie on September 17th, 2012 9:52 am

    One of the sickest things I ever read .

  3. Henry Coe on September 15th, 2012 10:37 am

    @MQ, That is a good thing to hope for, but there have been a bunch of funding cuts to many social programs in Florida that helped with home health care or with other social programs.
    I’m not saying that’s the case in this situation, but to some degree it could be. That doesn’t excuse anything, but with cuts to government programs, families that are not capable of providing care end up with more on their plate then they can deal with.

    I think it years to come we will see more scenarios of families getting stressed beyond their limits wear abuse to one degree or another will occur and then the family members end up in jails and the disabled/challenged individual ends up as a ward of the state. So these cuts, that save the state money in the short term, will cost the state more in the long run while the quality of life diminished for everyone a long the way.

    I am curious in the time these abuses were going on in this case, if there was any help from the state that this family tried to get but could not?

    Are there other people in Florida today, care takers, that have more on their plate than they can deal with and have been trying to get help from the state that is no longer available? If so, what are their options?

  4. linda godwin on September 14th, 2012 9:01 pm

    that is so sad about that i have a little girl have down syndrome and you do not do that to any child and over a peice of candy that is stuip

  5. chris1 on September 14th, 2012 8:19 pm

    Should of been 115 years.

  6. Joani on September 14th, 2012 6:42 pm

    Make that… the entire 15 years.

  7. Joani on September 14th, 2012 6:41 pm

    WTG Judge Allen. Now just keep him for the entire 15 dyers.

  8. Tennelle Horning on September 14th, 2012 2:56 pm

    I agree with Melissa!! Such a sad and disturbing story:(

  9. sonors on September 14th, 2012 1:26 pm

    I wonder how many years this poor woman was in the loving care of this adoptive pair……

  10. Shawn on September 14th, 2012 1:09 pm

    One of the sickest news articles I read in April. These people deserve every harsh
    punishment they get, and then some. I only hope in prison they are made examples of by the inmates and they are subjected to a degree of abuse they inflicted on the
    disabled woman. These people make me sick to my stomach just seeing their photos. I feel so bad for the victim and only hope in time she can overcome the mental and physical abuse she suffered at the hands of these monsters. I also hope she is getting the care and love I’m sure she so desperately longed for while forced to sleep outside like an animal. My heart aches at the thought of her suffering.

  11. Just plain mad on September 14th, 2012 10:53 am

    Have fun trying to make friends in prison Mr.Hale! I hope you are reminded every single day, why you are there. I think society will do just fine without you in it!

  12. 429SCJ on September 14th, 2012 10:35 am

    Mr Hale you took pleasure in being an evil old man and inflicting pain and cruelty on the weak, well welcome to the house of pain, where the strong will rule over you.

    Happy 75th, if you make it.

  13. MQ on September 14th, 2012 10:16 am

    I hope this disabled adult is in a facility or with someone who show’s her some love and compassion. As for the ones who did this to her, there is NO punishment great enough for their lack of care and concern. A very sad story, for sure.

  14. Melissa Parker on September 14th, 2012 6:02 am

    15 years is NOT enough! That poor girl already had issues. Prayers for her. Maybe that abuser will die in prison, or better yet, a good old fashioned tail whipping from someone who has a child that they can’t. see!!!

  15. Carolyn Bramblett on September 14th, 2012 5:10 am

    We are still wondering how this woman ever got to adopt her daughter.

  16. Lynsey on September 14th, 2012 1:15 am

    This makes me sick!!