Family of Accused Parents Claim Medical Condition, Not Abuse

By Kyle Meenan First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The imagery was stunning. A home in a quiet Southside neighborhood, said to be hiding a bizarre secret.

JSO Chief of Investigations Steve Weintraub told reporters Tuesday how a tip to authorities in January led them to the home of Wilson and Brenda Sullivan. The first officers to arrive immediately called the Department of Children and Family Services.

"They noticed that the children, particularly a seventeen year old, looked to be frail, looked to be undernourished. In fact, he was a 17-year old weighing 49-pounds which conceivably is the weight of a 6-1/2 year old," said Weintraub.

Three other Sullivan children were immediately taken into protective custody by the DCF.

But Ordrianne Sullivan, Wilson's sister, told First Coast News it wasn't neglect.

"I know that there's medical documentation stating why whatever they're trying to accuse them of, why the child may be small."

JSO's arrest report quotes one local doctor who said the boy suffered from, "Psycho-Social Dwarfism."

"Which is nutritional and emotional starvation of the child," said Weintraub.

"There's documentation why that child is the size that he is," countered Ordrianne Sullivan at the family's home.

"There's something medically wrong with him. There's nothing that my sister did to him to cause what they're accusing them of."

We read a portion of the arrest docket to Ms. Sullivan:

"...the investigation further revealed that this child had to sleep in a large crib with a wood framed top locked down with a chain and padlock on one side."

Sullivan responded, "Those children have been out in our family for eight years. They're not weekend foster kids who's mom doesn't want to be bothered with them for the weekend. These kids are our family! It's wrong! I'm telling you it's wrong! They're (Wilson and Brenda) being railroaded. They're being lied on," said Ordrianne Sullivan.

Wednesday morning, the Sullivans are scheduled to be arraigned in the Duval County Court. Authorities are still contemplating whether additional charges will be filed for the children now in protective custody.

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