Overview

• Brenda Ruth Deutsch, a 70-year-old foster mother from Missouri, has been arrested and charged with felony counts of child abuse, neglect, and endangerment.
• Authorities are investigating witness claims that Deutsch attempted to trade a foster child for an exotic monkey, with multiple witnesses corroborating the allegation.
• The teenage victim reported enduring severe physical abuse, including being struck with wooden objects, shoes, and a paddle, as well as being sent to unsanitary living conditions in Texas.
• Deutsch, who has fostered over 200 children, is under scrutiny for a potential decade-long pattern of systemic abuse, with further charges expected as investigations continue.
• She is currently being held on a $250,000 bond, with her next court appearance scheduled for Tuesday, as officials work to verify the allegations and identify additional victims.