A Missouri foster mother accused of trading a teenage girl for a monkey has avoided prison time. Brenda Deutsch, 70, was sentenced to seven years in prison for child endangerment, but a Lincoln County judge suspended the execution of the sentence and placed her on three years of probation.
Judge Thomas Frawley revoked Deutsch’s foster care license and criticized the state of Missouri for its handling of the case. He also apologized to the victims, stating the foster care system had failed them. Deutsch’s biological daughter, Brina Johnson, who testified about alleged abuse, expressed disappointment with the outcome.
Deutsch was arrested in April after an investigation into allegations that she sent the foster child, now 17, to Texas. Court documents indicated the investigation began when an anonymous caller alerted the Missouri Department of Social Services Children’s Division that Deutsch was allegedly physically and mentally abusing the child. Investigators later learned of an allegation that the girl had been traded for an exotic animal.
The teenager told investigators Deutsch informed her Texas friend that the friend could keep the child, but Deutsch would continue to receive the child's financial support. A witness told police the girl had been living in an unsanitary Texas home filled with exotic animals before being placed in the custody of child protective services in Texas.
The teenager also described alleged abuse by Deutsch, including being struck with objects and having her clothes taken away. Documents stated Deutsch once threatened to kill the girl if she did not remain quiet. Deutsch reportedly fostered more than 200 children over the years.