13.02.2026 21:50
Susan Rae Helton, a 53-year-old woman in Texas, USA, was brought to justice after horrifying truths emerged about her systematic torture of the adopted children for years. The mother, who locked tiny children in cages made from baby safety gates because they wanted to eat candy and took food from the kitchen, was sentenced to a total of 80 years in prison for four separate crimes.
Susan Rae Helton (53), who systematically tortured and severely neglected two of the eight children she adopted in Texas, USA, was sentenced to a total of 80 years in prison by the court.
The woman, who locked the children in cages made from baby safety gates, starved them, and physically abused them on the grounds that they "stole food," confessed that she carried out her actions "for her own comfort."
"I LOCKED THEM IN A CAGE SO THEY WOULDN'T STEAL FOOD" According to a report by The Sun, in a horror house uncovered in 2018 through a joint operation by Child Protective Services (CPS) and the police, it was determined that two siblings aged 13 and 14 were forced to live in cages "like animals." Helton, who confessed her crime during the police raid, claimed she punished the children for "looking for candy and stealing food."
The stepmother locked the children in these cages. THEY ONLY GAINED 6 KILOS IN FIVE YEARS As the investigation deepened, the extent of the tragedy the children experienced became clearer:
When the children took food from the kitchen without permission, they were kept in the cage for weeks and beaten with a belt.
It was determined that the siblings who stayed with Helton for five years only gained 6 kilos due to severe malnutrition and that their height hardly increased.
The victimized girl recounted that she was forced to stand, study, and sleep in the cage all day; she still dreams of being chased by Helton.
SHE DID IT FOR HER OWN COMFORT In a chilling confession in court, Helton stated that the reason for locking the children in the cage was to "create breathing space for herself and ensure her own comfort." The prosecution emphasized that Helton specifically targeted these two siblings among her eight adopted children.
80 YEARS IN PRISON The brave testimonies of the two siblings, now young adults, played a key role in Helton's conviction. The court sentenced her to a total of 80 years in prison, with 20 years for each count. Helton will need to serve at least 40 years in prison before she can apply for parole.