By MIKE FLETCHER
DELPHI — Madeline Hawk, the woman police accused of abusing and torturing two children in 2008 on South Home Avenue in Kokomo, was sentenced to 14 years in prison Wednesday in Carroll County Circuit Court.
Police came across the abuse in May 2008 when an officer responded to the 1100 block of South Home Avenue to a complaint of a mother being denied access to her daughter.
There, officers learned that two 4-year-old children were held in closets for up to three weeks at a time, bound with zip ties, and suffering from open wounds and bruises, according to police reports.
Officers then arrested the kids’ mothers, Melissa Chandler, 31, and Jennifer Leonard, 28, as well as Madeline and Donald Hawk, who rented the home.
After several continuances and a change of venue, the mothers pleaded guilty to a Class C felony child abuse and were sentenced last year to eight years in prison, the maximum by law. The women, who are sisters, admitted to not alerting officials to the abuse. Donald Hawk, 34, also pleaded guilty to a neglect charges and received six years in prison.
Both sisters said Madeline Hawk was the one who beat the kids with wooden spoons and tied them up with flex ties as punishment. Both testified at their sentencing hearing that when they moved in with the Hawks, Madeline took control and began disciplining both children.
Carroll Circuit Court Judge Donald Currie sentenced Madeline Hawk to 14 years in prison with four years suspended.
She pleaded guilty to two C felony neglect earlier this year instead of going to trial. A Class B felony charge of battery was dismissed in exchange for her plea.
“It’s been very disturbing for these two children and what they had to go through,” Howard County Prosecutor James Fleming said after the sentencing. “They are doing better and are in foster care. We hope they will continue to thrive and grow into normal adults.”
All four cases were moved out of Howard County due to pretrial publicity in the case.
Kokomo police said the case was one of the worst abuse cases in Kokomo’s history.
Chandler and Leonard lived in a home on South Home Avenue with Donald and Madeline Hawk when the abuse and torture occurred, according to Kokomo police.
The mothers were initially charged with eight counts of battery and neglect in the bizarre case that has received statewide media attention.
• Mike Fletcher is the Kokomo Tribune crime reporter. He can be reached at 765-454-8565 or mike.fletcher@kokomotribune.com.
