A Missouri foster mom who allegedly traded a baby for a monkey will keep away from jail time, a decide has dominated.
Brenda Deutsch was sentenced to seven years in jail for youngster endangerment on Thursday by Lincoln County Decide Thomas Frawley, however he later suspended the sentence, Fox 2 reported.
As a substitute, the 70-year-old has to finish three years of state-supervised probation, in accordance with the outlet. If she stays out of hassle throughout that point, she is going to keep away from jail utterly.
Deutsch, of Winfield, accepted a plea deal in June after police stated that she despatched her eighth-grade-aged foster daughter, Annabella Rodriquez, to stay with a household in Texas in alternate for the monkey, in accordance with investigators.
Rodriquez, who initially selected to stay nameless, has gone on to launch a GoFundMe web page to assist her ‘regain independence’ after the ordeal.
Her state of affairs solely got here to mild after her extreme college absences triggered an investigation by the Winfield College District in February 2025, the Every day Mail beforehand reported.
Throughout the probe, officers uncovered that the woman, now 17, had been turned over to Baby Protecting Providers (CPS) in Texas after her new caretaker left her with one other household who have been unable to take care of her.
On the time, Lincoln County Prosecuting Lawyer Mike Wooden stated that the Rodriquez’s new caretakers have been ‘disabled and never capable of deal with the kid.’
Brenda Deutsch, a Missouri foster mom accused of buying and selling a foster youngster for a monkey, walked free on Thursday after a decide suspended her sentence
Deutsch allegedly traded Annabelle Rodriquez for the monkey when the woman was within the eighth grade. She claims she was despatched to a household in Texas as a part of the commerce
‘From what we are able to inform, the kid was caring for them,’ Wooden added.
After being launched, Deutsch refused to speak to the press and coated her face with a white piece of paper outdoors the courthouse, in accordance with footage obtained by the outlet.
She received in a automotive and drove away as her supporters and critics stood outdoors.
One of many folks in opposition to Deutsch is her organic daughter, Brina Johnson.
‘I’m sort of misplaced for phrases as a result of this isn’t the top we wished for,’ Johnson stated.
She testified in courtroom about alleged abuse by the hands of her mom. Johnson additionally sat subsequent to the previous foster youngster contained in the courtroom.
Johnson confirmed that Rodriquez was the truth is traded for an animal, telling the native outlet: ‘I’ve the entire dialog on my telephone, which I turned over to the detectives.’
She additionally revealed that this wasn’t Deutsch’s first monkey.
Lincoln County Decide Thomas Frawley initially sentenced the 70-year-old to seven years in jail, however he suspended the sentence. Now she shall be on three years of state-supervised probation
‘That is what she did; she had not less than seven monkeys. That is simply her factor. However she wasn’t any nicer to these monkeys than she was to a baby,’ Johnson continued.
After making his ruling, Decide Frawley referred to as Deutsch ‘reprehensible’, and slammed the state of Missouri for letting her preserve her foster care license.
Frawley revoked her license and checked out victims within the courtroom, apologizing for the system’s failures, Fox 2 reported.
‘It was good to know any person is aware of from the opposite aspect of the road that this shouldn’t have occurred. None of it ought to. And the system did fail us, failed all of them,’ Johnson said.
In the meantime, Bryan Hargis, an area supporter of Deutsch, referred to as the case ‘a travesty of justice.’
‘They’ve tried to show any person right into a villain that is not,’ Hargis stated, in accordance with the report.
He confirmed as much as courtroom final week with a number of others to point out their assist for Deutsch.
‘She’s achieved missionary work. She’s been to Africa to assist needy youngsters. She’s a really caring individual,’ Hargis added.
Earlier than she was busted over the alleged monkey commerce, authorities have been investigating Deutsch after the Missouri Division of Social Providers obtained an nameless tip in November 2024 that she was abusing the woman, courtroom paperwork stated.
The kid advised investigators her foster mom hit her within the face, whacked her with a paddle, and smacked her, leaving her with accidents and bleeding, the possible trigger doc considered by the Every day Mail stated.
Brina Johnson, Deutsch’s organic daughter, was on the courtroom listening to on Thursday. She stated that her mom has not less than seven monkeys
She advised investigators that the abuse had begun three years prior, from September 2022 to January 2025.
She additionally detailed a time when Deutsch was leaning over her whereas she lay on the lounge ground, the place the foster mom allegedly struck her and referred to as her a ‘b**ch,’ the possible trigger doc stated.
The woman claimed Deutsch instructed a member of the family to carry her down whereas she pulled down the woman’s pants and spanked her with a paddle, the doc stated.
The previous eighth grader additionally stated Deutsch threatened to ‘kill her’ and that the older girl referred to as her ‘annoying and impolite.’ She additionally stated she spoke with many individuals about Deutsch’s habits, however her complaints weren’t believed, per the doc.
She additionally advised investigators that she spent 9 months in a residential psychiatric facility when she was 14 attributable to Deutsch calling the police on her after she tried to run away, courtroom paperwork stated.
She additionally advised police that different youngsters had been abused by Deutsch.
The Every day Mail contacted Wooden and Rodriquez for remark. An lawyer shouldn’t be listed for Deutsch in on-line courtroom data.
