Susan Rae Helton, 53, was convicted in late January 2026 in Comal County, Texas, on four counts of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury for abusing her two adopted teenage children through starvation, beatings, and confinement.
Abuse Details
Starting in summer 2018, Helton—having adopted eight previously abused foster children—targeted a 14-year-old girl (48 pounds) and 13-year-old boy (50 pounds), locking them in small triangular cages made from baby gates for days or weeks, sometimes overnight, to prevent “stealing” food. They endured belt whippings for seeking food, forced standing exercises inside cages, homeschool neglect, and ignored medical care, gaining just six pounds and three inches over five years under her care.
Victims’ Conditions and Rescue
Diagnosed with severe malnutrition and failure to thrive, the siblings rapidly gained over eight pounds in under a month after Child Protective Services removed all children from the home following interviews and a surprise visit where Helton demonstrated the cage setup, admitting it was for her convenience and to curb “sugar-seeking.”
Trial and Sentence
During the two-week trial, victims testified to ongoing trauma like nightmares and survival struggles; expert Dr. Shona Rabon called it one of the worst malnutrition cases she’d seen, attributing stunted growth to caloric deprivation. Helton denied excessive punishment but admitted prolonged caging. The jury set 20-year terms per count; Judge Stephanie Bascon ran them concurrently per child but stacked for 40 years total, with parole eligibility after 20 years.
