A 70-year-old Missouri woman who fostered hundreds of children over the years is now at the center of a deeply troubling investigation, accused of severe child abuse — and under scrutiny over bizarre allegations that she may have handed over a foster child in exchange for a monkey.
Brenda Deutsch, a longtime foster parent in Winfield, Missouri, is facing felony charges of child abuse, neglect, and endangerment, according to the Lincoln County Prosecutor’s Office. Authorities have confirmed she is currently being held on a $250,000 bond.
The case took a shocking turn when the child in Deutsch’s care was discovered in Texas — hundreds of miles from her Missouri home — following suspicions raised by school officials after the girl stopped showing up for class earlier this year.
“Criminal investigations go far beyond headlines. These are real people, real lives, and real harm,” the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “Our priority is justice — for the victims and for the community.”
The investigation has revealed what officials describe as a “culture of abuse and neglect” in Deutsch’s home, according to Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney Mike Wood. He told reporters that this is not a case of a single misstep, but a long-standing pattern of harm.
Wood also confirmed that authorities are actively exploring reports suggesting the child may have been traded for an exotic monkey. At least two witnesses have provided information about the monkey being transported back to Missouri after the child was handed over, though officials stress the investigation is ongoing and the nature of that transaction is not yet fully understood.
The girl, now in protective custody, reportedly told investigators she had endured repeated beatings from Deutsch — including being struck with wooden molding, shoes, and a paddle. Her story emerged after Texas authorities, prompted by Missouri investigators, tracked her down and removed her from the home where she had been staying.
Prosecutor Wood told reporters that the couple who had been caring for the girl in Texas were themselves disabled and not capable of meeting her needs. He alleged that the young girl was essentially left to care for them.
The Missouri Department of Social Services had reportedly received over 200 calls about conditions at Deutsch’s home in the past, though it remains unclear how many were investigated or what action was taken in response.
As authorities dig deeper into a case that now spans states and potentially decades, they say they expect the inquiry to be lengthy. “We’re looking at more than ten years of allegations,” Wood noted in a statement.
Deutsch is scheduled to appear in court next Tuesday as the investigation continues to unfold.
