Genie Wiley - TLC Documentary (2003)
Summary
TLDRThe script recounts the tragic story of a 13-year-old girl, Jeannie, discovered in Arcadia, Los Angeles, who had been kept in extreme isolation by her parents, unable to speak or walk due to her upbringing. Despite the intervention of authorities and scientists, who initially saw progress in her language development, Jeannie's traumatic past and the effects of neglect hindered her ability to fully develop language skills. As she aged, she faced further challenges, including an unstable living situation and legal disputes, ultimately leading to her living in an adult care home, disconnected from her supporters.
Takeaways
- 🏡 The 13-year-old girl, referred to as Jeannie, was discovered living in extreme isolation in Arcadia, Los Angeles, kept in a cage-like room by her parents.
- 👧 Jeannie was found wearing diapers, unable to walk or talk, and making only infantile noises, indicating severe neglect and lack of social interaction.
- 👮♂️ Authorities were alerted to the case by a social worker and found the house devoid of any signs of a child's presence, with Jeannie kept in a darkened room.
- 👨🦳 The father, Clark Wiley, was a loner who had isolated himself and his family after his mother's death in a hit-and-run accident.
- 🔒 Jeannie was locked in a bedroom at night and strapped to a potty chair during the day, with no human interaction or exposure to the outside world.
- 🚨 The mother, Irene, was blind with cataracts and too scared to resist Clark's orders, but she eventually fled, leading to the discovery of their secret.
- 🔫 Clark Wiley committed suicide before facing charges for his actions, leaving Jeannie free after 13 years of captivity.
- 🧠 Jeannie's case was of significant scientific interest, as she was as much a feral child as one raised by wolves, and scientists were eager to study her development.
- 📚 Jeannie initially made progress in learning language and vocabulary, challenging the critical period theory which suggests that language acquisition is time-sensitive.
- 💔 Despite initial progress, Jeannie's development plateaued, particularly in grammar, due to the cognitive deficits resulting from her traumatic upbringing.
- 🏢 After turning 18, Jeannie faced a series of unfortunate events, including moving back with her mother and then into state care, leading to a deterioration in her condition.
Q & A
What was the situation of the 13-year-old girl found in Arcadia?
-The 13-year-old girl was kept in extreme isolation by her parents, to the point that she never learned to talk and still wore diapers. She was found making infantile noises and was severely mistreated.
How did the authorities discover the case of the girl?
-The case was discovered by a social worker two weeks prior to the authorities taking custody of the girl.
What was the initial impression of Temple City Detective Sergeant Franklin Lee upon seeing the girl?
-Detective Sergeant Franklin Lee was shocked because the girl appeared much younger than her actual age and was severely mistreated, still in diapers and not walking or talking.
What was the condition of the house where the girl lived?
-The house was completely dark with all blinds drawn, no toys, clothes, or anything to indicate a child lived there. The girl was kept in a bedroom with a cage and a potty chair.
Who was Clark Wiley, and what was his role in the girl's life?
-Clark Wiley was the girl's father, a loner who turned his back on the world after his mother was killed in a hit-and-run accident. He imposed his will on his wife, Irene, and ordered her and their son never to talk to the girl.
How did Irene, the girl's mother, respond to the situation?
-Irene, blind with cataracts and scared, was too afraid to resist Clark's orders initially. However, she eventually seized an opportunity to flee when Clark was out.
What happened to Clark Wiley after the authorities became involved?
-Clark Wiley, who refused to talk to the authorities and acknowledge the situation, shot and killed himself just before he was to go to court.
Why was Jeannie's case scientifically important?
-Jeannie's case was scientifically important because it provided a unique opportunity to study the effects of extreme isolation on a child's development and potentially challenge existing theories about language acquisition.
What was the critical period theory, and how did Jeannie's progress relate to it?
-The critical period theory suggests that children can only learn certain things at certain times, with language being one of them. Jeannie, being a teenager, was thought to have missed her chance to learn language, but she seemed to be proving the theory wrong by learning words rapidly.
What challenges did Jeannie face in her language development?
-Although Jeannie learned a large vocabulary, she struggled with grammar and sentence structure, indicating a cognitive deficiency specifically in the area of language known as Grammar.
What happened to Jeannie's brain due to the extreme neglect?
-Jeannie's brain, due to the lack of stimulation, did not develop the capacity for language. The left part of her cortex, responsible for speech and language, became smaller, less functional, and physically changed due to the neglect.
What were the consequences of Jeannie moving back with her mother at 18?
-After moving back with her mother, Irene, it became clear that Irene couldn't cope, and Jeannie was moved into state care. This led to a series of unfortunate events, including a lawsuit and Jeannie being prevented from seeing the people who were once important to her.
Where does Jeannie live now, and what are the restrictions on her life?
-Jeannie, now a ward of the court, lives in an adult care home in Los Angeles. She is prevented from seeing the people who once meant a lot to her.
Outlines
🚨 Rescue of the Isolated 13-Year-Old Girl
In Arcadia, Los Angeles, a 13-year-old girl was found in extreme isolation, having been kept by her parents without learning to speak or walk. She was still in diapers and made only infantile noises. The case was discovered by a social worker two weeks prior. Temple City Detective Sergeant Franklin Lee, who first saw the child, compared her size to his seven-year-old daughter and was shocked by the mistreatment she had endured. The house, belonging to Clark Wiley, was dark and devoid of any signs of a child's presence. Jeannie, the girl, spent her days and nights in a cage-like bedroom, with her family forbidden to interact with her. The neighbors were unaware of her existence until the police arrived to question them about the case. Clark had dominated his wife Irene, who was blind with cataracts and too scared to resist until one day she fled. Clark later committed suicide before going to court. Jeannie's case became a scientific anomaly, as she was as much a feral child as one raised by wolves, and scientists were eager to study her.
🔬 The Scientific Study of Jeannie's Language Development
Jeannie's case was so unique that the government funded a team of scientists to study her. Child psychologist James Kent and linguist Susan Curtis were among those who took on the challenge of helping Jeannie. They treated her as a newborn, introducing her to the world and its experiences. Jeannie made significant progress, learning words rapidly and showing interest in her surroundings. This challenged the prevailing theory of critical periods, suggesting that language acquisition was not limited to early childhood. However, Jeannie's progress plateaued as she struggled with grammar and sentence structure, indicating a cognitive deficiency in this specific area. Modern brain imaging technology later revealed that the lack of stimulation during her formative years had physically altered her brain, affecting its capacity for language development.
🏠 Jeannie's Struggle with Her Past and the Legal Battle
Despite the scientific interest in her case, Jeannie's personal life was fraught with difficulties. After turning 18, she was moved back to live with her mother, Irene, in the same house where she had been abused. This arrangement was short-lived, and Jeannie was then placed into state care. Conflicts arose over her care, with Susan Curtis and other academics becoming too close to Jeannie, leading to a lawsuit. This resulted in a loss of contact between Jeannie and those who had been part of her life and recovery. As a ward of the court, Jeannie now resides in an adult care home in Los Angeles, cut off from the people who once played a significant role in her life.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Isolation
💡Child abuse
💡Feral child
💡Critical periods
💡Language acquisition
💡Cognitive development
💡Brain plasticity
💡Neglect
💡Trauma
💡State care
💡Linguistic progress
Highlights
A 13-year-old girl in Arcadia was kept in extreme isolation by her parents, never learning to talk or walk.
The girl was discovered by social workers, still wearing diapers and making infantile noises.
Detective Sergeant Franklin Lee compared the girl's size to his seven-year-old daughter, highlighting her severe mistreatment.
The house where the girl lived belonged to Clark Wiley, who had isolated himself after his mother's death.
The girl, Jeannie, was kept in a cage-like bedroom with no natural light or interaction.
Clark ordered his family not to speak to Jeannie, leading to her life of near total isolation.
Jeannie's mother, Irene, fled the house when Clark was out, revealing the family's dark secret.
Clark and Irene were arrested, with Clark later committing suicide before his arraignment.
Jeannie's case was scientifically significant, prompting government funding for a team of scientists to study her.
Child psychologist James Kent and linguist Susan Curtis became key figures in Jeannie's life and recovery.
Jeannie's progress challenged the theory of critical periods for language acquisition, as she began to learn words rapidly.
Despite her progress, Jeannie struggled with grammar and sentence structure due to her lack of exposure to language.
Modern brain imaging technology revealed the physical changes in Jeannie's brain due to extreme neglect.
Jeannie's case showed that without normal stimulation, the brain can physically alter, affecting language capacity.
After turning 18, Jeannie moved back with her mother Irene, but the situation was not sustainable.
Jeannie was then placed in state care, leading to a series of unfortunate events and legal battles.
Conflicts of interest arose as Jeannie's therapists also served as her caregivers, causing tensions.
A lawsuit prevented Susan Curtis and other academics from having contact with Jeannie, impacting her care.
Jeannie, now a ward of the court, lives in an adult care home, isolated from those who once helped her.
Transcripts
[Music]
officials in the Los Angeles suburb of
Arcadia have taken custody of a 13 year
old girl and they say was kept in such
isolation by her parents that she never
even learned to talk the girl still wore
diapers and was uttering infantile
noises social worker discovered the case
two weeks ago but the authorities are
hoping she still may have a normal
learning capacity among the first to see
the child was Temple City Detective
Sergeant Franklin Lee I took one look at
her and she wasn't much bigger than my
daughter Beverly who had just turned
seven about three months earlier and I
really had a hard time conceiving of the
idea that the child was the age that she
was the child obviously had been
severely mistreated after she was still
in diapers didn't walk she had no verbal
skills at all at that point
the last time I was on this street was
probably thirty years ago
there it is
hasn't changed much the backyard looks
the same it's all weights indeed grass
[Music]
looks the same as it did in 1970
the house belonged to Clark Wiley a
loner Clark had turned his back on the
world after his mother had been killed
in a hit-and-run accident after the
accident things in the Wiley house would
never be the same again
[Music]
the house was completely dark all the
blinds were drawn there were no toys no
clothes nothing that would ever indicate
to you that a child of any age lived
there
the child's bezel wires back in this
corner
that was the bedroom the windows were
covered to about the 3 inches from the
top which were the only natural light
that had ever come in there and all the
time the child was in the bedroom
entire furnishings as a bedroom consists
of a cage with a pulldown chicken wire
lid and some type of piece of wire
securing it when they closed it down
there was a potty chair with some kind
of homemade strapping device for 13
years Jeannie had spent her nights
locked in bed her days strapped to a
potty chair during that time Clark had
ordered his son John and wife Irene
never to talk to her
in her darkened room she had led a life
of near total isolation
even close neighbors were completely
unaware of her presence
and the police was here and they came to
question us that's when we found found
out you know what happened and you know
nobody no-nobody knew before
we found out what happened and how she
was three that I mean everybody was
shocked and just unbelievable for their
whole marriage Clark had imposed his
will on Irene and blind with cataracts
she had been too scared to resist but
one day something broke while Clark was
out buying groceries she seized her
chance and fled it was the first glimpse
the world would have of Clark and
Irene's dark secret I met Clark and I
really Temple City sheriff's station
they were both under arrest at the time
when we interviewed Irene she would make
no mention of the family whatsoever
particularly the children he attempted
along with my partner to interview Clark
he refused to talk to us he wouldn't say
a word he never even acknowledged that
he understood what we were talking about
mr. Wylie why did you keep your daughter
mr. Wylie has no comment no we haven't
had time to discuss the charge we
haven't even seen them unable to face
the truth Clark took matters into his
own hands
[Music]
this morning the authorities reported
the 70 year old Clark Wylie shot and
killed himself just before he was to go
to the court of the arraign for firing
after 13 years Jeannie was at last free
and for scientists she was just the case
they had been waiting for for 13 years
Jeannie had lived a life of complete
isolation raised in a city bedroom
Jeannie was as much a feral child as if
she had been brought up by wolves at 13
she was the size of a six year old worst
of all she had never been taught to
speak the question now could she ever
learn
[Music]
Jeanne's case was so scientifically
important that the government funded a
team of scientists to help answer the
many questions she posed
two of the scientists who would become
especially important to Jeannie or child
psychologist James Kent and linguist
Susan Curtis neither had ever
encountered a case as Extreme as
Jeannie's we looked at her yes he as a
newborn in a way even though we know she
hadn't she came with 13 years of
memories and experience it's not all of
them wonderful most of them not I think
so we thought we needed to start
exposure to what the world is gonna be
like for her outside the hospital bed -
Jeannie everything was a new experience
we did what you would do with with your
own kids if you were introducing into
the world you take them out and hold
them up and show them sort of judged
from how they reacted to whether this
was too much or not enough and you could
move on and do the next thing
Jeannie was making amazing progress as
the experts looked on they realized that
she might be the answer to the question
that had troubled science for so long so
we seized this wonderful opportunity
that she provided us in as loving away
as we could but using it to finally get
our chance to address head-on specific
hypotheses and notions about human
language and the human mind these
hypotheses were based on the latest
ideas about how children's brains
developed according to the theory young
children could only learn certain things
at certain times called critical periods
language was one of these critical
periods and according to the theory
genie who was now a teenager had missed
her chance forever
but incredibly Jeannie seemed to be
proving the theory wrong as this footage
shows Jeannie was blossoming not only
was she delighted by the world around
her but she was learning the words for
the new things she was seeing
she was extremely interested in
everything around her she wanted to know
the word for everything around her she
wanted to engage people all around her
she was not mentally deficient her
lights were on and everyone who worked
with her from teachers to therapists to
me knew that she was not [ __ ] it was
clear as day and as she began to learn
more more words hundreds of words much
more rapidly than they ever imagined
and swinging them together I began to
think maybe I will be wrong maybe she
will be the one that will prove that
this hypothesis is incorrect but Jeanne
could not escape the effects of her past
so easily she was still haunted by her
traumatic upbringing trapped by the
memories of the awful fate she had
suffered and linguistically she had
stopped making progress
she learned tons of which she has an
enormous vocabulary but language is not
words language is grammar languages
sentences how do you make a sentence
what can be a sentence what is esand
how do you automatically know something
sentence
so wasn't because he was cognitively
deficient in other respects it was
because she was cognitively deficient in
this island of human mind the mental
faculty that we called Grammer at the
time Jeannie was found brain science was
in its infancy but today we have a much
clearer picture of what actually happens
in cases of extreme neglect like genies
in genies brand the left part of her her
brand they her cortex that that has
those neural systems responsible for
speech and language because she never
heard any words and because she was
never taught spoken to very often they
didn't get stimulated and because they
weren't stimulated they got smaller and
less functional and disconnected and
ultimately that part of the brain
literally physically changes today with
modern imaging technology we can
actually see what happens in the brains
of feral children and the effects are
shocking without normal stimulation
their brains are smaller and malformed
and the earlier this neglect begins and
the longer it carries on the worse the
damage will be starved of stimulation
Jeanne's brain had simply not developed
the capacity for language and now that
she was a teenager she would never be
able to learn despite this Genie
continued to be a closed part of
everyone's life but there was more
trouble ahead
[Music]
children have to belong to somebody when
they grow up and she was still a child
and she needed a family to belong to so
that's what we would have like a family
that she could belong to what happened
what did happen is about the worst
outcome I think we would have envisioned
on her 18th birthday
Janie moved back with her mother Irene
into the house in which she had been so
terribly abused but after only a few
weeks it was clear that Irene couldn't
cope from here Jeannie was moved into
State care with terrible consequences I
was a student and people wouldn't listen
to me people who needed to intervene did
not listen to me and so I spent lots and
lots of time on the phone pleading with
people to intervene and save this person
who had had the worst experience of
deprivation and isolation in all with
her medical history Jeannie moved from
home to home sometimes with the very
people who served as her therapists this
potential conflict of interests raised
tensions among the many people involved
in her life and a tug of war erupted
over the child as Jeannie's condition
deteriorated Irene decided that Susan
Curtis and the other academics had
become too close to Jeannie a lawsuit
followed
I went from being asked to be her
guardian - one week later being
prevented from seeing her or phoning her
and ever since then I've been prevented
from having any contact at all so
although I have lots of you know that
I'm still a scientist I'm still
interested in knowing things about her
language now and all kinds of
interesting things I would like to
pursue academically primarily I would
just like to see her now a ward of the
court
Jeanne lives in an adult care home
somewhere in Los Angeles prevented from
seeing the people who once meant so much
to her
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