Topline: Officials have not confirmed the allegation but are actively investigating it.
Published: April 14, 2025 7:00 am ET
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LINCOLN COUNTY, MO – Authorities say a Missouri woman may have exchanged her adopted daughter for a monkey.
According to Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney Mike Wood, court documents reveal a school resource officer was told a rumor that a missing child in 70-year-old Brenda Deutsch’s care had been “exchanged” to someone in Texas for a monkey, KTVI reported.
Authorities have not confirmed the allegation but are actively investigating it.
“This is an allegation that’s out there that we need to look into,” Wood said, adding that both Deutsch and a friend who was involved in the case reportedly owned exotic animals.
KTVI reports indicate the investigation began after a November call to social services anonymously reported abuse in Deutsch’s home. By February, a local school district alerted authorities about excessive absences involving the child. When school officials started asking questions, they learned the child was in Texas. The school then filed a missing child report.
Eventually, Texas law enforcement located the child and confirmed her safety. She was staying with a friend of Deutsch’s who claimed she was trying to keep the child and Deutsch apart due to personal conflicts. The child, who had been in Deutsch’s care for at least four years and was eventually adopted by her, was reportedly “not getting along” with Deutsch.
Though the broader investigation remains ongoing, prosecutors moved forward with charges because another child was still living in the home at the time of Deutsch’s arrest. In total, there were two children present in the home, but officials say Deutsch had previously fostered several others.
Over 200 hotline calls have been made regarding Deutsch’s home over the years, Wood noted.
Deutsch now faces charges of neglect, abuse, and child endangerment. Court documents detail multiple incidents, including allegations that Deutsch beat the child with a paddle, wooden wall trim, and shoes. She’s also accused of withholding clothing and food.
As the case develops, investigators continue to dig into the claims, including the reported monkey exchange, to uncover the full extent of the alleged abuse and misconduct.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Missouri Woman May Have Swapped Daughter for Monkey, Authorities Say
Officials have not confirmed the allegation but are actively investigating it.
By Jacob Charles
Published: April 14, 2025 7:00 am ET
LINCOLN COUNTY, MO – Authorities say a Missouri woman may have exchanged her adopted daughter for a monkey.
According to Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney Mike Wood, court documents reveal a school resource officer was told a rumor that a missing child in 70-year-old Brenda Deutsch’s care had been “exchanged” to someone in Texas for a monkey, KTVI reported.
Authorities have not confirmed the allegation but are actively investigating it.
“This is an allegation that’s out there that we need to look into,” Wood said, adding that both Deutsch and a friend who was involved in the case reportedly owned exotic animals.
KTVI reports indicate the investigation began after a November call to social services anonymously reported abuse in Deutsch’s home. By February, a local school district alerted authorities about excessive absences involving the child. When school officials started asking questions, they learned the child was in Texas. The school then filed a missing child report.
Eventually, Texas law enforcement located the child and confirmed her safety. She was staying with a friend of Deutsch’s who claimed she was trying to keep the child and Deutsch apart due to personal conflicts. The child, who had been in Deutsch’s care for at least four years and was eventually adopted by her, was reportedly “not getting along” with Deutsch.
Though the broader investigation remains ongoing, prosecutors moved forward with charges because another child was still living in the home at the time of Deutsch’s arrest. In total, there were two children present in the home, but officials say Deutsch had previously fostered several others.
Over 200 hotline calls have been made regarding Deutsch’s home over the years, Wood noted.
Deutsch now faces charges of neglect, abuse, and child endangerment. Court documents detail multiple incidents, including allegations that Deutsch beat the child with a paddle, wooden wall trim, and shoes. She’s also accused of withholding clothing and food.
As the case develops, investigators continue to dig into the claims, including the reported monkey exchange, to uncover the full extent of the alleged abuse and misconduct.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Missouri Woman May Have Swapped Daughter for Monkey, Authorities Say
Officials have not confirmed the allegation but are actively investigating it.
By Jacob Charles
Published: April 14, 2025 7:00 am ET
LINCOLN COUNTY, MO – Authorities say a Missouri woman may have exchanged her adopted daughter for a monkey.
According to Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney Mike Wood, court documents reveal a school resource officer was told a rumor that a missing child in 70-year-old Brenda Deutsch’s care had been “exchanged” to someone in Texas for a monkey, KTVI reported.
Authorities have not confirmed the allegation but are actively investigating it.
“This is an allegation that’s out there that we need to look into,” Wood said, adding that both Deutsch and a friend who was involved in the case reportedly owned exotic animals.
KTVI reports indicate the investigation began after a November call to social services anonymously reported abuse in Deutsch’s home. By February, a local school district alerted authorities about excessive absences involving the child. When school officials started asking questions, they learned the child was in Texas. The school then filed a missing child report.
Eventually, Texas law enforcement located the child and confirmed her safety. She was staying with a friend of Deutsch’s who claimed she was trying to keep the child and Deutsch apart due to personal conflicts. The child, who had been in Deutsch’s care for at least four years and was eventually adopted by her, was reportedly “not getting along” with Deutsch.
Though the broader investigation remains ongoing, prosecutors moved forward with charges because another child was still living in the home at the time of Deutsch’s arrest. In total, there were two children present in the home, but officials say Deutsch had previously fostered several others.
Over 200 hotline calls have been made regarding Deutsch’s home over the years, Wood noted.
Deutsch now faces charges of neglect, abuse, and child endangerment. Court documents detail multiple incidents, including allegations that Deutsch beat the child with a paddle, wooden wall trim, and shoes. She’s also accused of withholding clothing and food.
As the case develops, investigators continue to dig into the claims, including the reported monkey exchange, to uncover the full extent of the alleged abuse and misconduct.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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