Dss is no better now then they were back then. And kids are still being taken by dss and sent to horrible people right now as we speak! This is happening because anyone can make a phone call to discuss and lie! And even if the report is proven wrong, good parents can still loose their kids in any state where weed is still illegal!,,, facts! Especially if you are the parent of a special needs child !!!!! Because they are huge money makers for social services and foster parents!!!! This is a fact!
I was beaten and horrible abused by my dad until I married at 14yrs.I still cried when he died. My tears were for my freedom, but I'll never truly be free til I pass away.😢
When you see beauty around you, the trees, the flowers, the grass, the birds, the sun and blue skies… when you see all these remember, this is you, is part of yourself. This is the world inside you. Accept only that, enjoy the emotions nature and great people give you. All the rest is not yours nor is it part of you. Smile and be courageous always. Breathe !
You are a better person than me. My abuse started when I was 6 months until 8 years old ...minus the two years I was a ward of the Courts. Which btw still denies getting arrested for three incidents. The worst beating I had I ended up in ICU for 3 months. The b^~*h is still alive! She has more than 5 strokes. KARMA!!
Please don't allow your past to dictate your future. For a child who had no control over your well-being or your safety because that was not your responsibility. However as an adult you are responsible for your safety and well-being because you're an adult not a child. That's comes from a child who also had a broken childhood but I learn to survive. God bless
Tears are streaming. If I live a thousand years, I will never understand the twisted self-gratification abusers receive from torturing children. Saddest film I've ever seen. Blessings to Katie wherever she is in the universe.
I don’t recall the authors name but I think it’s Dave Pulitzer maybe ,but there are a few books he wrote one is , a child called it. A true story based on the abuse he endured growing up and his torture was unforgettable. Written very well and leaves you speechless even trying to imagine humans put him through that!
@@Tina-xg7gq Mr Dave Pulitzer's experience can absolutely wreck your faith in humanity and also restore it because of his resilience, positivity and compassion despite such heinous dehumanization 😢
@@evezazzle5974 it was eye opening to realize how everyone failed this child but to see him have such resilience for life not to just give up when the odds were against him.
@@Tina-xg7gq you worded it so beautifully. Thank you for your kind comment Tina. May goodness locate you always 🫂❤️☀️🙏🎁💐 There's something comforting about your comment
Guys what makes a person or a creature for that matter the way they are today is not by genetic race or breed It’s the way they was taught and raised and yet most people are too blind (in a figurative way) to know what they are doing let alone be aware of the consequences of their actions and are ruining future generations it is up to everyone to keep stuff like this happening if everyone wants a better life and a better future they must stop acting careless and consider even if they do 1 thing right it will spark a better future I don’t care if everyone does not care about life we all have to stand up and do what is right
Almost fell out of my chair when the weak ass Moma said..” I thought I could take care of her again “. AGAIN??? She NEVER took care of her. I went through similar shit whereas my brother, the perv happened to be Moma’s favorite child. Go figure. She took his side. They’re both dead now. I’m still dealing with the bs. At 59yrs old
😢 so horribly true children don't ask to be brought in to the world and horrible people like that get to have children and lovley loving people that can't and deserve them wats wrong with the world 💔 heart breaking 💔😢
Yes. Unfortunately, this still happens everyday to children much less fortunate. All we can do is raise awareness of abuse and be aware of the signs, and be there for them when they need it.
Well to be fair the child was born in the mid to late 1950s back then they didn’t care if men could marry women 10 years younger than them and would be the boss of the women due to the early 1900s maybe even longer before women had to wait for their rights and all but despite all the harassment (physically and sexually because the child apparently also endured sexual abuse) for almost 15 years the child survived only for the doctors and social workers to go back and forth with trying to get her to the level she was supposed to be in but it was no use now if she is still alive today and finally became the mental level she’s supposed to be in that would be impressive but who knows
The little girl in this movie deserves and oscar for her perfomance and the mother, eek she was a real piece of work. The old man did the world a favor when he ended his life. What a story. Wow. *****
In 1970, the mother was definitely a savior, a 95% blind victim of horrible domestic abuse who felt trapped and mustered up the courage to rescue the girl from this life of torture. By 1978 she was a devil, isolating her all over again from the people who had come to care for her most and become her best friends. It is a sad story indeed.
Yes, a moment of decency that expired almost the moment she was arrested for neglect. Both parents were guilty and the state was guilty of allowing both bail. They should have stayed in jail until trial and placed in prison. A good deed out of mostly horrible choices doesn't deserve not guilty.
Unfortunately men the father who caused all that mess in the first place avoided all the hassle by committing suicide so I’m afraid if you guys wanted to “find the man who did such a thing to their own child I’m gonna give him a piece of my mind” and whatever else then you guys are too late like I mention he committed suicide to avoid all the hassle there is no way he actually regretted sending abuse to his family even if he did he too was too late be forgiven and as for the mother she suffered from partial to almost complete blindness so she was literally too blind to even try to raise her child heck she could barely even take care of herself without the fear of her deceased husband coming into her mind
Katie was improving tremendously!! It's LOVE and Stability that makes all the difference to a child's development . So sad,😢 God send angels to Katie ❤🙏🙏🙏😇😇😇😇😇
I remember studying this case in Sociology class while in College. It was the worse case ever I had to research on. I will never forget about this poor girl and the things she went through. Definitely impacted me 😢😢😢
Very good movie! I remember studying about this case in my earlier Psychology and Education classes at university. What psychology teaches us is that poor parenting is the main cause of all mental problems in adults.
@happycat0411; What about poor educators, doctors, administrations? early education has proven to be useless here. Placing the girl with younger grades was inappropriate, the brother was not questioned, and funded grants seemed to be the prize. This case was too severe and should have been handled differently. IMO
@@CVenza At the time there was very little research in this area as this was also dubbed "the forbidden experiment" thus there was an extremely high amount of interest from Education and Psychology institutions. What researchers did learn though that there id a very limited window for language acquisition and social development. Once this window of opportunity passes then language acquisition and cognitive/social development is severely impeded.
And in turn creates drug addiction and the population in prison. It's all connected and such a basic solvable problem but free will and those who can't properly raise a kid f this world up. It's the most frustrating thing ever
I couldn’t agree with you more happycat0411 so True with a capital T!! I can’t believe the mother was so selfish and cruel to Katie. She took away from her all the people that were making progress with her, cared and loved ❤her and even wanted to help her and I bet with no pay!!! So the mother got off for everything and played the victim. She may have been a victim of abuse, however If I was in her shoes, I would Have done everything in my power to get my child help, Ot just sit in the living room with her son doing nothing night after night!! And I’ll even go on to say that cataracts are no excuse. She wasn’t that bad when the abuse started and could have helped Katie earlier!! The mother was abusive too, and continued to Be abusive making wrong, Negative choices for Katie like she was punishing her??? I saw you wrote a comment here, you said you looked at this case in your schooling. So I thought you may be interested in this.....Do you ever remember seeing Opera Winfrey going to an orphanage with all Children under 3? Well it was a poor country and the nurses being very under staffed only had time to feed the babies and change their nappies and often the babies would Not get their nappies changed for a long time. There was no time as much as the nurses wanted time to hold, hug and love these precious children. The findings were that all children had limited contact with human beings. They were isolated and didn’t get the love and touch that every child, even adult needs. As they got older, they would just stare at the wall or what ever they stare at. Many babies and toddlers died from lack of human touch. You know being held, being hugged and nurtured!!! This broke my heart when I saw this all these years ago!! Those poor innocent babies!! Unwanted by their mothers and fathers, but wanted by Jesus!!! I hope something was done about these orphanages!!
My very first thought, after watching this heartbreaking movie (from the 70's, right?) was - NOTHING HAS CHANGED in ALL these years!! My 2nd thought is that this movie was so well done! The acting was supburb - I did recognize Kim Darby as Katie's mom, àll the actors were great. The same movie could have been done in real time because it was so advanced. It was excellent! Thanks for sharing!!
Exactly and why tf wasn’t she locked tf up along with her evil father … smh that women had no right talking to any of the people that helped Katie the way she did because she failed her the worse
My siblings and I are adult survivors of child abuse. The things we went through were horrific and traumatic, but when I see stories like this, I feel our story isn’t as bad as others. My mother had 2 children ( that we know of at the time)from a previous marriage, 1 girl 1boy. The girl was about 5 and the boy was about 3, from our understanding as told by aunts, uncles and cousins. Story has it, my dad got mad at my brother and he beat him to death and then took him out in the desert of California and buried him. His body has never been recovered. Then when my sister was about 11 or 12, my parents started having sex with her, she did tell a neighbor that called the police, my dad was arrested and charged, but nothing really became of it. He just had to do some counseling and probation. That all took place in the early 60’s, I was born in 62. My parents changed their names and went on the run. But the law turns out really wasn’t even looking for them. But they didn’t know that and lived a life looking over their shoulders, but do you think that stopped them from continuing the abuse? No it did not. My sister eventually had a baby boy by my dad when she was approximately 16, 17 years old. By this time, my parents had moved us out into the boondocks of Wisconsin. No one even knew my oldest sister existed(in Wisconsin anyway) then according to the story my dad told, our mother was the one that shot my sister, but dad helped cover it up because he buried her. And we moved again. My parents continued to raise my dad and sisters baby, like he was my mother’s baby. Then in 1954, I guess it was, my mother left my dad for another man, eventually having a daughter by him in 1955. She and my dad got back together when that baby was still new born. Eventually when that girl was about 16, she had a baby daughter by my dad. Again, my mom took that baby and also raised her as her own. They wouldn’t allow my sister anywhere near that baby. My sister was able to run away from home and we never heard from her again for several years. I left home at 16, because I was determined I was not going to end up having a baby especially by my dad. My mother was a very willing participant in all of the abuse. I remember her coming into our bedroom in the middle of the night and getting my sister and taking her to my dad. This mother could’ve done something a lot sooner than she did to help her daughter get out of the house. Mom may have been abused as well, but it didn’t stop her from running when she did finally. Poor Katie, went through so much. My heart breaks for her. When I saw 17 and married, my oldest brother, one of my younger brothers and I finally got the nerve up to turn our parents in. By this point it was 1979. The guy at the CPS office took the report and at one point stopped writing and turned to us and asked “Are you sure this is really what happened? Because this sounds like something Stephen King novel.” We all assured him that yes, it all happened. When the case finally went in front of a judge. The judge sat there going over the report and said “This is all too confusing, case dismissed!” We were like DISMISSED?! WTH! Yep dismissed. 70’s and 80’s I guess, were very popular when people didn’t “stick” their noses in other peoples business. By the time I was like 13, my parents had a service station, and I remember pumping gas for this guy and we automatically washed the car windows. He could hear my dad beating the literal crap out of my youngest brother out in the garage and he told me not to worry about the windshield and when his car was done filling up, man hauled ass out of there. I don’t know how many times we heard our dad say to us “If any of you ever decide to turn me in, when I get out of jail, I will plant you six feet under,” And knowing he already did that to 2 of us, we knew he meant it. My older sister told a counselor at school, damn counselor told my parents what she said and our parents pulled my sister out of school. And no one from the school thought that was odd? I guess not because they never came by to check on my sister. Years later, my oldest brother told some friends of the family and they too told our parents what my brother has told them. Our parents made up some story like my brother having mental issues, AND THE DAMN PEOPLE BOUGHT IT!!! And said “Yeah we figured as much, because we couldn’t see you all doing such horrible things.” My brother and I wanted to slap the snot out of those people 🤣🤣🤣 But we didn’t dare say a thing and my brother did what he did best, he ran away from home. Didn’t see him again for a few years, which really didn’t surprise us. Even with our horror story, there are many others out there experience things just as bad if not worse.
You are so right about everything I to went through hell and back that I stopped counting how many times I did I'm sorry you had to go through everything that you did to me nothing has really changed if anything the internet has made it home safe easier for the sick evil people to abuse kids and continue abusing kids.
WOW!! What can I say to all of that. I have so much sadness for you all. It's unforgivable not to believe children and young adults, not understanding how manipulative some parents can be.
@@karendegenerous8044 you’re so right. I have a niece that manipulates her kids so much, not just her kids. When she figures out she can’t manipulate you anymore, she alienates you out of her AND the kids lives. Her kids know how she is, but they’ve become accustomed to what she does and people coming in and out of their lives and only having her be their constant. A few of the kids confided in me before I moved out, her oldest (married daughter) told me, she wished she could’ve talked to me about her mom before I sold my house and moved from one state to another to be with her and the kids. I told I wished she would’ve, I never would’ve sold my house, the one stability I had left and sold it, then she took me for all my money. Her daughter told me, she did stole her identity and was still paying for that. They won’t speak against her because after all, she’s their mother and all they have is each other. I saw more in the 6 months I lived with her that I wish I hadn’t. It makes me so sad to see the very things that her mother did to her while she was still living at home, turning out to be the same thing she does to her kids, just in a little different ways.
This is a dark hole on RUclips I don’t know how I ended up in. I truly don’t understand how a man could be so cruel to his family and his little girl. I just can’t wrap my head around it. This world is full of evil. Edit: the mom is pure 💩 too! Wow!
@@sparrowwren8673 I really hope you are ok. I do not know you but I cannot bear the thought of anyone being cruel. There is just some horrible people out there that something has gone awry with their brain that it cannot function properly and they seem to gain pleasure from creating hurt, pain, embarrassment, degradation, isolation and they do not realise what damage that can develop in a childs mind. Anyway sending virtual hugs to you.
The mother was living in fear as very abusive, physical and verbal and and she couldn't see very well. Didn't have a job . She did try get help in end . That would been very difficult with a man who could just shot you in head when your sleeping. She probably too cared she could be locked up like her daughter or try find her and shot her or her son
Esta es una situacion de mucho daño físico y mental. Estas personas estan aterradas no se atreven a dar un paso fuera aun cuando el salvaje no este en casa. No se atreven a nada por estar tan extremadamente asustadas. Sin embargo la mamá tuv coraje para salir. No es nada facil estar sometido a un sicopata😢
Katies mum was just as crazy as her husband they should have locked her up instead she had the right to decide about what too do with her daughter the people who make important decisions in this world are all incompetent
The psychiatrist who took her into his family, used her as a research project, then dumped her back into care because his 'research' was viewed as having no intellectual basis or value & so, denied more funding, should have been disbarred. Jeannie, then put into several abusive foster homes, regressed & became selectively mute but was forbidden to use the sign language she'd been taught by the ultra religous Foster carers she ended up with long term. (A stint living with her real mother ended badly after 3months). In her adult life she was/is living in a small house with a few other challenged adults which is supervised by 2-3 resident Carers 24/7. She swims weekly & loves classical music. The female student who built a really close bond with her after she was rescued & while she was living with the Psychiatrist is now a language Professor & is still not allowed to visit her under the now deceased mothers instructions. The mothers eyesight deteriorated again after the operation the Psychiatrist paid for & she remained deeply resentful of anyone who tried to help her daughter .
Wow, thank you for the update. Glad she's being taken care of, but so upset that the mother is still controlling her from beyond the grave. The mother should have had zero rights. She continued to fail her and yet the one person she had bonded with, she forbade her from having contact with??! 😣😡
This!! When they show in the movie Katie picking up items & repeating the name, everyone being excited she was picking up language, it broke my heart remembering how all that progress was lost when genie was sent to a foster home just to be abused all over again. As if she hadn’t been through enough. People are just evil. I’ve read & watch so much about genie’s case, it’s all heartbreaking. One thing the movie got right… genie really was a beautiful little girl. I hope the student & her found a way to reunite.
@sarahholland2600 psychiatrists can’t be ‘disbarred’! Only Lawyers can be disbarred. And, thank you for telling the story - now I don’t have to waste over an hour of my life watching it myself🙄
That poor girl never had a chance… I just watched this movie and it completely wrecked me. I feel so bad for Sandra and Katie. They both deserved each other and needed one another… I pray that they reunite at least one more time
Well, the original story is about a girl that ended up with the Pseudonym "Genie" [real name withheld], and what she went through would be, and is, more horrific than depicted here. From reading about her online, she went on in her teenage and adult years going from foster home to foster home and enduring physical abuse in some of them. Her father was a nasty man and I honestly don't believe that her mother is completely innocent here.
I also think the part about her being infatuated with school bus driver is made up (just to move the plot along); however, considering the real girl did socially inappropriate things, it's possible.
@@AstrosElectronicsLab In fact, her infatuation with her school bus driver was real! Susan Curtiss's 1977 dissertation goes on to describe an adolescent crush Genie had on a certain "Mr. B", Genie's school bus driver, and even describes sexual fantasies Genie had about him.
In my eyes her mother was just as bad as her father. If the ending of the movie is any indication, she said that she ended up thinking her husband was right in how he treated their daughter. Both were monsters and her mother had one decent moment but she threw it all away because her daughter was getting more attention than she herself got. Even though someone is blind doesn't mean they are deaf and lack a sense of smell. The odor must have been unbearable and the noises that were in that house from the child's abuse was probably loud and clear. When she plead not guilty I knew something was wrong with her too. If I had been in her place I would have understood that I was just as guilty as the husband. Sure, she took the child to the correct people, but she took all of that back once she concluded that her husband was right. I mean, she even said that her daughter never did what she did once they were living together all those years later and therefore was sending her away. She was never able to do anything because she was held hostage by her own parents. What a terrible world this is.
As a mother of three, this was one of the hardest movies I have seen. I cried, and had to pause it several times just to calm down and be able to breath again. Excellent acting by the young girl. It a WOW movie! Thank you for sharing!!! ❤️
@Lookineverywhere Oh I promise you no matter how bad & how scared I was i would have got her help earlier or at least done better by her the 2nd time around. The mom was a monster too sick youre defending her.
I read this story in 1985 in Hungary in a magazine, and it really hit me. I was 15 at the time, and I didn't actually believe it, and now I know it was true. Horrible world.
I'm a psychologist and pedagogue(childcare specialist) and have now gotten a diagnosis of ptsd & depression after working in the social system for 30 years, having worked with abused children, removing them from their parents etc etc. Evaluating casefiles, deciding whether or not a child should be taken from their parents. Talked with hundreds of children that have been exposed to the most horrific abuse. I can no longer do the work. It makes me physically sick just thinking about it. Even with my degrees - I now work in a shop that sells outdoor/hiking equipment. God bless those that still have the strength.
Every scene moves the story forward. If only Netflix writers understood this about movies. You can watch an entire 30 minutes where absolutely nothing happens.
This movie proves over and over what the Bible says,” Love is the greatest gift!” All the therapy, degrees of expertise didn’t fulfill Katie. Those things helped. What really was the key is Love. Unfortunately Love must be strong and not back down. It takes a force of love to press thru. Time and time again we learn this from movies like this. Love is the greatest force, the greatest healer and the greatest completely. We have it’s power we must believe it and walk in it.
❤@Zephrinne1 "When bad Christians happen to good people" might show how "Christians" don't all fit under under one umbrella... then there's a line from adele "sometimes in Love it lasts, but sometimes it hurts instead" but is it(love) or what you thought it(love) was that formed your opinion
I worked several years at a handicap home. It was honestly some of the best years of my life. I miss it so much. But there was a young girl I grew very attached to. She had severe autism. I realize "Katie" didn't have autism... but she still reminds me so much of the girl I took care of. Oh how I miss her.
Actually it's very possible that she had autism and that that's partly what motivated the parents. Sometimes people who are inclined to cope incredibly poorly with a difficult situation and who are ignorant cope using abuse. We didn't know as much in those days about autism and if they were expecting a well-behaved perfect child and they had a child who was somewhat detached, slow to speak, who perhaps didn't make or appreciate eye contact or holding and maybe had the occasional meltdown, that's enough to cause even good parents to be confused and disappointed. Sick parents especially those with anger problems might blame the child and go right over the edge. It seems the one who killed himself was ashamed of her as well and was thinking she might die off young enough they'd never have to let people know about her. But of course nothing but nothing makes it remotely okay or excusable or understandable that they abused the child this way. And of course any difficulties she was born with would have been made impossibly worse by such abuse. It's the exact opposite of what nurtures an autistic child to highest functioning and normal bonding with people. This is a tragedy. I think it does mean that when a child has difficulties of any kind such as not being neurotypical, it's good for caregivers to be especially alert to signs that the child may be being neglected or abused in some way. They are extra vulnerable and people who are unwell and can't cope with frustration and disappointment may be triggered more often to abuse them..
Was really hard to watch the opening scenes of the abuse that poor girl went through but what a film !!!The acting throughout the film was amazing...it was so sad that she ended up in the care system though.....best film ive watched in ages
As an adult, she is a ward of the state. I had a friend who worked with disabled adults, and the famous wild child was one of her clients. Sadly, she was aggressive because of her lack of ability to communicate
Why would they give an abused child , back to an abusive parent not in your life , being permissive to a child confuses them . Love and tenderness, but also discipline, promotes self assurance ,and confidence
Remember, this was the 70s & the social services system was in its basic infancy having to deal with the influx of fatherless children brought about by the welfare system that said we'll pay you money to have your child(ren) out of wedlock and go after the father(s) of said child(ren) for financial support. The amount of children becoming part of the foster care system were there because of the availability of drugs, the social changes coming from the opposition of the Vietnam war, etc. Pick something. It's probably true in some form today for the same reasons only molded through the Internet information and not face to face conversations. Think about it. Katie has a chance, but nobody wanted, including Saundra, to accept any REAL responsibility for failure to get the whole story from the mother & brother (or father before he committed suicide,). Knowing ANYTHING would have greatly increased Katie's success.
Actually it is a Nocturne in F minor by Frederick Chopin. But good try. (note from the film's director Harry Bromey-Davenport who also plays the piano piece on the film's soundtrack. The director is a fairly accomplished pianist. This is a tricky piece.
Ive seen real footages of Genie and even if this girl portrays of the real Genie is very good and she's doing a great job playing the role, but the way the real Genie moved and carried herself was so special and horrific due to her abuse throughout her life. I believe it would be impossible to make the real Genie justice because her situation was so sickening EXTREME. Seeing those footages was absolutely devastating and the horror she was put through is out of this world. Evil isn't the right word, I don't know what word is..
that’s what i thought. the girl is a very talented actress, but it just didn’t feel like genie. the girl’s mannerisms were too sophisticated in a way. genie acted more feral because of her cruel conditions.
What gets me is gennie practically has dropped off the face of earth... Her own brother stated in an interview he doesn't know her whereabouts it's so sad...
One of the saddest movies I’ve ever watched. How could they do that to there own flesh and blood. The start of it I was in tears 😭 I have a 3 year old I couldn’t imagine she’s my world!!
Have you ever seen the movie Sybil ? It too was based on a true story sadly. Sally Field played Sybil and imho I think that in this film was her best work as an actress. Even better that her role in Steel Magnolia's. The film Sybil came out in the 70s and reminds me of this movie here.
@MusicBound According to Wikipedia, as of 2016, the real "Genie" has been living in a private residential facility for developmentally challenged adults in an undisclosed location in California.
This movie is based on the true story of Genie Wiley. It's heartbreaking and so painful. This movie was hard to watch at times, imagine how hard the real Genie's life was. RUclips has a few videos on Genie Wiley.
The fact it’s based on true story but some of the sense not real, I feel so sorry like how could a person do that to his own daughter really some people can be really hurtful and mean and psychos like what did she do? I felt so terrible by just remembering this story but l hope she’s okay now❤️🩹.!
This is such a well-made movie! The acting is fantastic! A lot of these movies are very cheesy and not really "believable" so to speak but, this movie is great!
That foster family was the worst and totally ruined her progress. I can't believe they did that to her after all the work and progress just because the grant was gone. Its like they threw her back into abuse just when they showed her a world without it.
Her father wasn't trying to protect his daughter he was abusing her neglecting child didn't even have any clothes on as an infant. They treated her like a wild animal 😢
😭😭😭 I think I cried through that whole movie! It is ridiculous that those people were even allowed to have her back like the mother but they completely demolished her ability until someone gets her that absolutely loves her and from the heart and in the head and wants to do nothing but things for Katie and I guarantee you she would have came out a whole lot better. I just can't believe I mean no child should have to go through what she went through not one there's no reason for it!
My childhood was not physicially abusive but I was emotional abused by a lot in my family unfortunatly people don't think it's so bad because you can't see the scars
As a pastoral counselor, who works with individuals who suffer, spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically from father wounds, this incident unfortunately represents a large percentage of the population. As tragic as these wounds are, there is true healing with soul care in Jesus Christ. Soul care not only healed me from my father wound, but is also very effective with the counselees that I work with. “ For God, so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.“ (John 3:16). God bless all of those who are dealing with father or parental wounds. There is definitely hope!
@BruceLee-fd7uw your comment says a lot about who you are. I'm a professional that has dedicated my life to introducing people to real peace. You might try it yourself.
@ I think you can figure it out. And if you’re having difficulty, just read the tone of everyone else’s comments/ likes and read yours again. I’m sure you’ll see what I’m talking about.
The complete lack of genuine empathy on the part of every adult in this movie blows me away. The abused foster kids have more humanity toward each other. Human beings are a trip.
Her "mother" is disgusting! She should never had been given any rights to that little girl after her and her husband were caught. She was just as guilty as he was. So she should have lost custody and rights. She insisted on putting her in placements that were abusive as if the child hadn't already been through enough. Then she refused to let anyone who actually did care about Katie to help her. She didn't give a single F about that kid.
Made me cry. Also triggered grief over the abuse I suffered as a child and, later on, as an adult when I fought to protect my handicapped sister from neglect and abuse by doctors and care-workers. She was murdered in hospital during Covid. They put Covid on her death certificate, even though she tested negative for Covid twice. We need extended families. Nuclear families aren't strong enough to fight the system. We need extended families or, better still, clans - to nurture, protect and defend our children. We are all so weak now; so vulnerable to abuse, and worse, from state-funded institutions like the police, the medical system, the education system, Child Protective Services, DSS, and so on. Our society is rotting away.
Look for Genie Wiley. Genie was spitting and had bad odor. She spike in a high pitch sound. With time she could put 3 words together. Film is too much soft painted, truth was far more horrible. She did not know what felling in love was.
I agree with you. Genie was almost not human and yet they portrayed her as some sort of gifted, coy child who could communicate telepathically or something and get things from people without even saying a word or anything - just by looking at the people? Come on! She would have had no life experience to do THAT. It's a movie based on true events, it's not a "true" story on all accounts. It's been modified to make her look or seem adorable. I doubt she was pleasant to be around.
@@robbiedaug Except everything you just mentioned actually happened. David Rigler, Susan Curtiss, James Kent and even Jay Shurley described how despite her real-life unpleasantness (being completely oblivious to societal norms, an extremely damaged voice, bad smell in the early days), she had an emotional quality all her own, and she connected with people without saying a word. She had a captivating ability to charm and evoke emotion from people she had never met before. There are stories of her passing random people in the street and being given toys simply because of Genie's body language and the look in her eyes. She had incredible non-verbal communication skills, not to mention her almost superhuman gestalt perception abilities displayed during the tests. She *was* gifted. Of course not everyone who met her was enthralled or captivated by her, I'm sure a lot of people were disgusted, but all this shit I said is true. The people who worked with her described all these events. The film didn't make them up.
I agree with all the comments, it makes us think that, soo many people are hurting,....in this world,...some more than others,...let us pray for these ones in their hurting ways,😮😢, bring God's ❤ love of Jesus Christ into their,...their lives.
It's nothing short of amazing, the things we don't even think of, that children pick up from their parents. I knew a couple who had a little girl. I commented to 'Mom' how much their little girl looked like her dad. Mom was taken aback for a moment but then told me that her husband was not her daughter's father. She knew him from birth, but he was not her Dad. The time he spent with her; as she grew up, emulating his facial expressions... she developed the same facial muscles as he had. They were such great parents. It's so horrible to see children in bad homes. Parents who use their kids as leverage against the other parent... drug & alcohol use, abuse... I hope Katie is doing well. Her story is so sad.
It was a different time I suppose. Back in the late 1940s they had other children who never survived infancy, in one instance due to the father locking the baby in a dresser drawer in the garage where she later died of exposure. They kept a quiet household and the neighbours never really pried into their business until Genie Wiley (Katie Standon) was discovered. Once that happened, the hospital, believing that Genie would benefit most from a relationship with her mother, hired an attourney to chat top wham in the courtroom and get the mother off, which he successfully did. The court declared the mother a victim of a domineering husband, and it helped her case that she was 100% blind in her left eye and 90% blind in her right eye. Later on she ended up becoming a complete piece of shit, but she ultimately ended up becoming Genie's legal guardian, and that was the end of that unfortunately.
My greatest fear as a mom with a child with mental retardation is someone treating my child like this and these parents did it to there own child! I fear the day i die. The mom got her help only after she fear her husband would kill her and she end up in jail for the rest of her life!
🙏 Please keep praying to Jesus for her love and protections 🙏 And as awful as this world is, there are still more good people than bad...there are still a lot of good people in this world that would make sure your daughter was safe and cared for. I understand though, it's hard to be a parent ... Much blessings to you 🙏
I remember this case, this was one of the harshest case of isolationism known. Poor girl never had a chance. The girl also had siblings, I think 1-2 died
@@fikent5252….He is there crying in spirit. He gave man free will. Some human beings choose good, others choose evil. If God took away free will, he would have to take away even the good peoples free will. We can’t have it both ways. Do you want free will or not? But don’t worry, the evil will be in hell. God has not forgotten the abused. It’s in his Word, the Bible, that God will repay. God loves all the hurting children and adults.
As a father of two daughters, I was very sad and depressed when I saw this movie. God let us be kind to children
Dss is no better now then they were back then. And kids are still being taken by dss and sent to horrible people right now as we speak! This is happening because anyone can make a phone call to discuss and lie! And even if the report is proven wrong, good parents can still loose their kids in any state where weed is still illegal!,,, facts! Especially if you are the parent of a special needs child !!!!! Because they are huge money makers for social services and foster parents!!!! This is a fact!
Soo if u want to help do something about it!
I was going to watch this movie but I decided not to.
@@frankramirez8618 When I saw this movie, because I have two daughters myself, I had an attack of anger for a month
@@Elizabeth912-v6o
Why be so mean?
I was beaten and horrible abused by my dad until I married at 14yrs.I still cried when he died. My tears were for my freedom, but I'll never truly be free til I pass away.😢
You can be free! 💜
When you see beauty around you, the trees, the flowers, the grass, the birds, the sun and blue skies… when you see all these remember, this is you, is part of yourself. This is the world inside you. Accept only that, enjoy the emotions nature and great people give you. All the rest is not yours nor is it part of you. Smile and be courageous always. Breathe !
You are a better person than me. My abuse started when I was 6 months until 8 years old ...minus the two years I was a ward of the Courts. Which btw still denies getting arrested for three incidents. The worst beating I had I ended up in ICU for 3 months. The b^~*h is still alive! She has more than 5 strokes. KARMA!!
Please don't allow your past to dictate your future. For a child who had no control over your well-being or your safety because that was not your responsibility. However as an adult you are responsible for your safety and well-being because you're an adult not a child.
That's comes from a child who also had a broken childhood but I learn to survive.
God bless
that very sad
Tears are streaming. If I live a thousand years, I will never understand the twisted self-gratification abusers receive from torturing children. Saddest film I've ever seen. Blessings to Katie wherever she is in the universe.
I don’t recall the authors name but I think it’s Dave Pulitzer maybe ,but there are a few books he wrote one is , a child called it. A true story based on the abuse he endured growing up and his torture was unforgettable. Written very well and leaves you speechless even trying to imagine humans put him through that!
God bless those people who helped this child and others who have suffered such trauma ❤
@@Tina-xg7gq Mr Dave Pulitzer's experience can absolutely wreck your faith in humanity and also restore it because of his resilience, positivity and compassion despite such heinous dehumanization 😢
@@evezazzle5974 it was eye opening to realize how everyone failed this child but to see him have such resilience for life not to just give up when the odds were against him.
@@Tina-xg7gq you worded it so beautifully. Thank you for your kind comment Tina. May goodness locate you always 🫂❤️☀️🙏🎁💐
There's something comforting about your comment
Great acting. It breaks my heart to know that this actually happens in the world.
Terrible, terrible, terrible! Shocking! Very sad... thanks for making a film about this - no child should suffer this.
Unfortunately some of us went through the same in this real world
Guys what makes a person or a creature for that matter the way they are today is not by genetic race or breed It’s the way they was taught and raised and yet most people are too blind (in a figurative way) to know what they are doing let alone be aware of the consequences of their actions and are ruining future generations it is up to everyone to keep stuff like this happening if everyone wants a better life and a better future they must stop acting careless and consider even if they do 1 thing right it will spark a better future I don’t care if everyone does not care about life we all have to stand up and do what is right
Almost fell out of my chair when the weak ass Moma said..” I thought I could take care of her again “. AGAIN??? She NEVER took care of her. I went through similar shit whereas my brother, the perv happened to be Moma’s favorite child. Go figure. She took his side. They’re both dead now. I’m still dealing with the bs. At 59yrs old
So sorry you had to go through that. Neglectful parents seldom accept they are.
@@TheStream Main stream media will not even say anything negative about him. Just curious.., have you heard about him? I’d like to know 😊
What happened to the comment I left about Dr. Shiva running for president??? It’s been DELETED!!!! Do you see what I mean?
Exactly that's a sorry excuse of a human being she should have got time
The morning her was also terrified. It is the same thing. She is emotionally abused as well Hun. It is not that simple. I know. 💁🇨🇦
Really, some people don't deserve to have children.
Unfortunately this is just one of many what happens behind closed doors and still happening now. So sad💔
This happened in 1970
😢 so horribly true children don't ask to be brought in to the world and horrible people like that get to have children and lovley loving people that can't and deserve them wats wrong with the world 💔 heart breaking 💔😢
@@theoryofpersonality1420zar mislite da danas u 21. st. toga nema? Možda još i gore stvari koje se dešavaju djeci!
Yes. Unfortunately, this still happens everyday to children much less fortunate. All we can do is raise awareness of abuse and be aware of the signs, and be there for them when they need it.
Well to be fair the child was born in the mid to late 1950s back then they didn’t care if men could marry women 10 years younger than them and would be the boss of the women due to the early 1900s maybe even longer before women had to wait for their rights and all but despite all the harassment (physically and sexually because the child apparently also endured sexual abuse) for almost 15 years the child survived only for the doctors and social workers to go back and forth with trying to get her to the level she was supposed to be in but it was no use now if she is still alive today and finally became the mental level she’s supposed to be in that would be impressive but who knows
The little girl in this movie deserves and oscar for her perfomance and the mother, eek she was a real piece of work. The old man did the world a favor when he ended his life. What a story. Wow. *****
It might be wrong to say that he should have done so as a child.
well, I shouldn't have typed that. I have no idea how that man grew up. @@Nope2022HugeTheWarningFan
@@sparrowwren8673 nope I'm pissed he didn't get to go into Solitary confinement in prison for the rest of his life!!!!!!!
The mother should have been put in jail for allowing the abuse to going on so long. I heart crys for poor Katie. Smh smh
In 1970, the mother was definitely a savior, a 95% blind victim of horrible domestic abuse who felt trapped and mustered up the courage to rescue the girl from this life of torture. By 1978 she was a devil, isolating her all over again from the people who had come to care for her most and become her best friends. It is a sad story indeed.
Yes, a moment of decency that expired almost the moment she was arrested for neglect. Both parents were guilty and the state was guilty of allowing both bail. They should have stayed in jail until trial and placed in prison. A good deed out of mostly horrible choices doesn't deserve not guilty.
Unfortunately men the father who caused all that mess in the first place avoided all the hassle by committing suicide so I’m afraid if you guys wanted to “find the man who did such a thing to their own child I’m gonna give him a piece of my mind” and whatever else then you guys are too late like I mention he committed suicide to avoid all the hassle there is no way he actually regretted sending abuse to his family even if he did he too was too late be forgiven and as for the mother she suffered from partial to almost complete blindness so she was literally too blind to even try to raise her child heck she could barely even take care of herself without the fear of her deceased husband coming into her mind
This was a sad movie, but I will never not smile when Rob is on screen. He was nothing to Sandra but supportive and the sweetest guy.
Katie was improving tremendously!! It's LOVE and Stability that makes all the difference to a child's development .
So sad,😢 God send angels to Katie ❤🙏🙏🙏😇😇😇😇😇
I remember studying this case in Sociology class while in College. It was the worse case ever I had to research on. I will never forget about this poor girl and the things she went through. Definitely impacted me 😢😢😢
Very good movie! I remember studying about this case in my earlier Psychology and Education classes at university. What psychology teaches us is that poor parenting is the main cause of all mental problems in adults.
@happycat0411; What about poor educators, doctors, administrations? early education has proven to be useless here. Placing the girl with younger grades was inappropriate, the brother was not questioned, and funded grants seemed to be the prize. This case was too severe and should have been handled differently. IMO
@@CVenza At the time there was very little research in this area as this was also dubbed "the forbidden experiment" thus there was an extremely high amount of interest from Education and Psychology institutions. What researchers did learn though that there id a very limited window for language acquisition and social development. Once this window of opportunity passes then language acquisition and cognitive/social development is severely impeded.
And in turn creates drug addiction and the population in prison. It's all connected and such a basic solvable problem but free will and those who can't properly raise a kid f this world up. It's the most frustrating thing ever
Keep studying as you have much to learn.
I couldn’t agree with you more happycat0411 so True with a capital T!!
I can’t believe the mother was so selfish and cruel to Katie. She took away from her all the people that were making progress with her, cared and loved ❤her and even wanted to help her and I bet with no pay!!!
So the mother got off for everything and played the victim. She may have been a victim of abuse, however If I was in her shoes, I would
Have done everything in my power to get my child help, Ot just sit in the living room with her son doing nothing night after night!!
And I’ll even go on to say that cataracts are no excuse. She wasn’t that bad when the abuse started and could have helped Katie earlier!!
The mother was abusive too, and continued to
Be abusive making wrong,
Negative choices for Katie like she was punishing her???
I saw you wrote a comment here, you said you looked at this case in your schooling. So I thought you may be interested in this.....Do you ever remember seeing Opera Winfrey going to an orphanage with all
Children under 3? Well it was a poor country and the nurses being very under staffed only had time to feed the babies and change their nappies and often the babies would
Not get their nappies changed for a long time. There was no time as much as the nurses wanted time to hold, hug and love these precious children.
The findings were that all children had limited contact with human beings. They were isolated and didn’t get the love and touch that every child, even adult needs.
As they got older, they would just stare at the wall or what ever they stare at. Many babies and toddlers died from lack of human touch. You know being held, being hugged and nurtured!!! This broke my heart when I saw this all these years ago!! Those poor innocent babies!! Unwanted by their mothers and fathers, but wanted by Jesus!!! I hope something was done about these orphanages!!
My very first thought, after watching this heartbreaking movie (from the 70's, right?) was - NOTHING HAS CHANGED in ALL these years!! My 2nd thought is that this movie was so well done! The acting was supburb - I did recognize Kim Darby as Katie's mom, àll the actors were great. The same movie could have been done in real time because it was so advanced. It was excellent! Thanks for sharing!!
It's actually a true movie this happened to child in the 60s and she is still living today
@@stevenbarber147 I know.
This movie was made in 2001 at least 23 years ago despite that the case was in 1970 itself about 54 years ago based on the true case
I’m
It is heart wrenching that anyone could treat a child in such ways. Sadly it still happens 😢
Where does mom get off trying to tell them how to raise the child she failed to raise properly?
She’s lucky she even gets to visit.
For real.
She was abused herself, and if not for her mom, her dad probably was going to kill her
Exactly and why tf wasn’t she locked tf up along with her evil father … smh that women had no right talking to any of the people that helped Katie the way she did because she failed her the worse
My siblings and I are adult survivors of child abuse. The things we went through were horrific and traumatic, but when I see stories like this, I feel our story isn’t as bad as others. My mother had 2 children ( that we know of at the time)from a previous marriage, 1 girl 1boy. The girl was about 5 and the boy was about 3, from our understanding as told by aunts, uncles and cousins.
Story has it, my dad got mad at my brother and he beat him to death and then took him out in the desert of California and buried him. His body has never been recovered. Then when my sister was about 11 or 12, my parents started having sex with her, she did tell a neighbor that called the police, my dad was arrested and charged, but nothing really became of it. He just had to do some counseling and probation. That all took place in the early 60’s, I was born in 62. My parents changed their names and went on the run. But the law turns out really wasn’t even looking for them. But they didn’t know that and lived a life looking over their shoulders, but do you think that stopped them from continuing the abuse? No it did not.
My sister eventually had a baby boy by my dad when she was approximately 16, 17 years old. By this time, my parents had moved us out into the boondocks of Wisconsin. No one even knew my oldest sister existed(in Wisconsin anyway) then according to the story my dad told, our mother was the one that shot my sister, but dad helped cover it up because he buried her. And we moved again. My parents continued to raise my dad and sisters baby, like he was my mother’s baby. Then in 1954, I guess it was, my mother left my dad for another man, eventually having a daughter by him in 1955. She and my dad got back together when that baby was still new born. Eventually when that girl was about 16, she had a baby daughter by my dad. Again, my mom took that baby and also raised her as her own. They wouldn’t allow my sister anywhere near that baby. My sister was able to run away from home and we never heard from her again for several years. I left home at 16, because I was determined I was not going to end up having a baby especially by my dad.
My mother was a very willing participant in all of the abuse. I remember her coming into our bedroom in the middle of the night and getting my sister and taking her to my dad.
This mother could’ve done something a lot sooner than she did to help her daughter get out of the house. Mom may have been abused as well, but it didn’t stop her from running when she did finally. Poor Katie, went through so much. My heart breaks for her. When I saw 17 and married, my oldest brother, one of my younger brothers and I finally got the nerve up to turn our parents in. By this point it was 1979. The guy at the CPS office took the report and at one point stopped writing and turned to us and asked “Are you sure this is really what happened? Because this sounds like something Stephen King novel.”
We all assured him that yes, it all happened.
When the case finally went in front of a judge. The judge sat there going over the report and said “This is all too confusing, case dismissed!”
We were like DISMISSED?! WTH!
Yep dismissed.
70’s and 80’s I guess, were very popular when people didn’t “stick” their noses in other peoples business. By the time I was like 13, my parents had a service station, and I remember pumping gas for this guy and we automatically washed the car windows. He could hear my dad beating the literal crap out of my youngest brother out in the garage and he told me not to worry about the windshield and when his car was done filling up, man hauled ass out of there. I don’t know how many times we heard our dad say to us “If any of you ever decide to turn me in, when I get out of jail, I will plant you six feet under,”
And knowing he already did that to 2 of us, we knew he meant it.
My older sister told a counselor at school, damn counselor told my parents what she said and our parents pulled my sister out of school. And no one from the school thought that was odd? I guess not because they never came by to check on my sister. Years later, my oldest brother told some friends of the family and they too told our parents what my brother has told them.
Our parents made up some story like my brother having mental issues, AND THE DAMN PEOPLE BOUGHT IT!!! And said “Yeah we figured as much, because we couldn’t see you all doing such horrible things.”
My brother and I wanted to slap the snot out of those people 🤣🤣🤣
But we didn’t dare say a thing and my brother did what he did best, he ran away from home. Didn’t see him again for a few years, which really didn’t surprise us.
Even with our horror story, there are many others out there experience things just as bad if not worse.
You are so right about everything I to went through hell and back that I stopped counting how many times I did I'm sorry you had to go through everything that you did to me nothing has really changed if anything the internet has made it home safe easier for the sick evil people to abuse kids and continue abusing kids.
WOW!! What can I say to all of that. I have so much sadness for you all. It's unforgivable not to believe children and young adults, not understanding how manipulative some parents can be.
@@karendegenerous8044 you’re so right.
I have a niece that manipulates her kids so much, not just her kids. When she figures out she can’t manipulate you anymore, she alienates you out of her AND the kids lives. Her kids know how she is, but they’ve become accustomed to what she does and people coming in and out of their lives and only having her be their constant. A few of the kids confided in me before I moved out, her oldest (married daughter) told me, she wished she could’ve talked to me about her mom before I sold my house and moved from one state to another to be with her and the kids. I told I wished she would’ve, I never would’ve sold my house, the one stability I had left and sold it, then she took me for all my money. Her daughter told me, she did stole her identity and was still paying for that. They won’t speak against her because after all, she’s their mother and all they have is each other.
I saw more in the 6 months I lived with her that I wish I hadn’t. It makes me so sad to see the very things that her mother did to her while she was still living at home, turning out to be the same thing she does to her kids, just in a little different ways.
I’m so sorry for that ,may you have a peaceful life now
Sie wurde von demselben Typus (Habitus) Mann misshandelt, der sie im Nachhinein therapieren soll? 😮 Strange.
This story was so unbelievably sad!! I think the best thing for Katie would have been for Sandra to have remained in Katie's life!!!
This is a dark hole on RUclips I don’t know how I ended up in. I truly don’t understand how a man could be so cruel to his family and his little girl. I just can’t wrap my head around it. This world is full of evil.
Edit: the mom is pure 💩 too! Wow!
You should meet my mom. She is a horror.
U got that right
@@sparrowwren8673 I really hope you are ok. I do not know you but I cannot bear the thought of anyone being cruel. There is just some horrible people out there that something has gone awry with their brain that it cannot function properly and they seem to gain pleasure from creating hurt, pain, embarrassment, degradation, isolation and they do not realise what damage that can develop in a childs mind. Anyway sending virtual hugs to you.
The mother was living in fear as very abusive, physical and verbal and
and she couldn't see very well. Didn't have a job . She did try get help in end . That would been very difficult with a man who could just shot you in head when your sleeping. She probably too cared she could be locked up like her daughter or try find her and shot her or her son
Esta es una situacion de mucho daño físico y mental. Estas personas estan aterradas no se atreven a dar un paso fuera aun cuando el salvaje no este en casa. No se atreven a nada por estar tan extremadamente asustadas. Sin embargo la mamá tuv coraje para salir. No es nada facil estar sometido a un sicopata😢
Katies mum was just as crazy as her husband they should have locked her up instead she had the right to decide about what too do with her daughter the people who make important decisions in this world are all incompetent
You ever been abused? You know how it whittles a person? It destroy s a soul.
@@Icry4us Her mother was sick too, not just her father!
That was her daughter and she did nothing to help her.
The psychiatrist who took her into his family, used her as a research project, then dumped her back into care because his 'research' was viewed as having no intellectual basis or value & so, denied more funding, should have been disbarred. Jeannie, then put into several abusive foster homes, regressed & became selectively mute but was forbidden to use the sign language she'd been taught by the ultra religous Foster carers she ended up with long term. (A stint living with her real mother ended badly after 3months). In her adult life she was/is living in a small house with a few other challenged adults which is supervised by 2-3 resident Carers 24/7. She swims weekly & loves classical music. The female student who built a really close bond with her after she was rescued & while she was living with the Psychiatrist is now a language Professor & is still not allowed to visit her under the now deceased mothers instructions. The mothers eyesight deteriorated again after the operation the Psychiatrist paid for & she remained deeply resentful of anyone who tried to help her daughter .
Wow, thank you for the update. Glad she's being taken care of, but so upset that the mother is still controlling her from beyond the grave. The mother should have had zero rights. She continued to fail her and yet the one person she had bonded with, she forbade her from having contact with??! 😣😡
This!! When they show in the movie Katie picking up items & repeating the name, everyone being excited she was picking up language, it broke my heart remembering how all that progress was lost when genie was sent to a foster home just to be abused all over again. As if she hadn’t been through enough. People are just evil. I’ve read & watch so much about genie’s case, it’s all heartbreaking. One thing the movie got right… genie really was a beautiful little girl. I hope the student & her found a way to reunite.
@sarahholland2600 psychiatrists can’t be ‘disbarred’! Only Lawyers can be disbarred. And, thank you for telling the story - now I don’t have to waste over an hour of my life watching it myself🙄
@Maureen-q6w Well whatever the word is you get my meaning!
One of the most heartbreaking stories I've ever watched. I remember it years ago. I can't watch it 😢
fantastic acting...that little girl did soo well
That poor girl never had a chance… I just watched this movie and it completely wrecked me. I feel so bad for Sandra and Katie. They both deserved each other and needed one another… I pray that they reunite at least one more time
Well, the original story is about a girl that ended up with the Pseudonym "Genie" [real name withheld], and what she went through would be, and is, more horrific than depicted here. From reading about her online, she went on in her teenage and adult years going from foster home to foster home and enduring physical abuse in some of them. Her father was a nasty man and I honestly don't believe that her mother is completely innocent here.
I also think the part about her being infatuated with school bus driver is made up (just to move the plot along); however, considering the real girl did socially inappropriate things, it's possible.
@@AstrosElectronicsLab In fact, her infatuation with her school bus driver was real! Susan Curtiss's 1977 dissertation goes on to describe an adolescent crush Genie had on a certain "Mr. B", Genie's school bus driver, and even describes sexual fantasies Genie had about him.
@@MrXenon1994 interesting.
In my eyes her mother was just as bad as her father. If the ending of the movie is any indication, she said that she ended up thinking her husband was right in how he treated their daughter.
Both were monsters and her mother had one decent moment but she threw it all away because her daughter was getting more attention than she herself got. Even though someone is blind doesn't mean they are deaf and lack a sense of smell. The odor must have been unbearable and the noises that were in that house from the child's abuse was probably loud and clear.
When she plead not guilty I knew something was wrong with her too. If I had been in her place I would have understood that I was just as guilty as the husband. Sure, she took the child to the correct people, but she took all of that back once she concluded that her husband was right. I mean, she even said that her daughter never did what she did once they were living together all those years later and therefore was sending her away. She was never able to do anything because she was held hostage by her own parents.
What a terrible world this is.
As a mother of three, this was one of the hardest movies I have seen. I cried, and had to pause it several times just to calm down and be able to breath again. Excellent acting by the young girl. It a WOW movie! Thank you for sharing!!! ❤️
Sick parents. She could have saved her. So sad . Disgusting parents
Her mother did save her.
@@Geeronimo99yeah after a billion years 😡
I dont understand how the mother kept her right as a mother 😢
😢😢 what an amazing movie. I cried. Heart breaking.
Some people should never be parents.
Thank you for sharing
The child actor of Katie is mind blowing
The mom should’ve been convicted and served time.
Definitely for NEGLECT!!!!
I agree.
@Lookineverywhere Oh I promise you no matter how bad & how scared I was i would have got her help earlier or at least done better by her the 2nd time around. The mom was a monster too sick youre defending her.
I agree.
This is heart breaking if there's still this kind of family out there, may God heal them 🙏❤️
I read this story in 1985 in Hungary in a magazine, and it really hit me. I was 15 at the time, and I didn't actually believe it, and now I know it was true. Horrible world.
Genie Wiley is her name. Sadly she wasn't the only child to be treated this way. 😔
There are considerably more nice people in the World than bad. Never. Forget 😇 But remember all 🩷.
Great movie⭐️ sad this actually happened to a child and is currently still an everyday issue in the world😔🤎🙌🏽
Incredibly sad..😢
the girl's story was much more traumatic than the case in the movie
If people only knew ....the childhood of some
Mine was a tragic, comedy at best.
Ty for saying this.😢 God bless you your heart is good. 🙋🇨🇦Survivor.
I couldn’t bare too 😪😪
I'm a psychologist and pedagogue(childcare specialist) and have now gotten a diagnosis of ptsd & depression after working in the social system for 30 years, having worked with abused children, removing them from their parents etc etc. Evaluating casefiles, deciding whether or not a child should be taken from their parents. Talked with hundreds of children that have been exposed to the most horrific abuse. I can no longer do the work. It makes me physically sick just thinking about it. Even with my degrees - I now work in a shop that sells outdoor/hiking equipment. God bless those that still have the strength.
Every scene moves the story forward. If only Netflix writers understood this about movies. You can watch an entire 30 minutes where absolutely nothing happens.
@tonigillette9217. YES!! I guess time is money in today's world.
This movie proves over and over what the Bible says,” Love is the greatest gift!” All the therapy, degrees of expertise didn’t fulfill Katie. Those things helped. What really was the key is Love. Unfortunately Love must be strong and not back down. It takes a force of love to press thru. Time and time again we learn this from movies like this. Love is the greatest force, the greatest healer and the greatest completely. We have it’s power we must believe it and walk in it.
Kind of a crazy comment 👀. Sounds like something that Christian foster family would have said
❤@Zephrinne1
"When bad Christians happen to good people" might show how "Christians" don't all fit under under one umbrella... then there's a line from adele "sometimes in Love it lasts, but sometimes it hurts instead" but is it(love) or what you thought it(love) was that formed your opinion
Jesus is love.
You don’t need a bible for that……l
Oh yeah that Bible believing family was sooooo perfect and ideal for Katie...
La prestation de Tana Steele est incroyable , magnifique ...
Quel drame ! Merci pour le film .
I worked several years at a handicap home. It was honestly some of the best years of my life. I miss it so much. But there was a young girl I grew very attached to. She had severe autism. I realize "Katie" didn't have autism... but she still reminds me so much of the girl I took care of. Oh how I miss her.
The formative years of being severely abused and neglected 😢
The world needs special people like you, who truly care for those in need. Thank you
Same. It's the only work I've ever done and its given such a sense of satisfaction and peace. All humans need is kindness
Actually it's very possible that she had autism and that that's partly what motivated the parents. Sometimes people who are inclined to cope incredibly poorly with a difficult situation and who are ignorant cope using abuse. We didn't know as much in those days about autism and if they were expecting a well-behaved perfect child and they had a child who was somewhat detached, slow to speak, who perhaps didn't make or appreciate eye contact or holding and maybe had the occasional meltdown, that's enough to cause even good parents to be confused and disappointed. Sick parents especially those with anger problems might blame the child and go right over the edge. It seems the one who killed himself was ashamed of her as well and was thinking she might die off young enough they'd never have to let people know about her. But of course nothing but nothing makes it remotely okay or excusable or understandable that they abused the child this way. And of course any difficulties she was born with would have been made impossibly worse by such abuse. It's the exact opposite of what nurtures an autistic child to highest functioning and normal bonding with people. This is a tragedy. I think it does mean that when a child has difficulties of any kind such as not being neurotypical, it's good for caregivers to be especially alert to signs that the child may be being neglected or abused in some way. They are extra vulnerable and people who are unwell and can't cope with frustration and disappointment may be triggered more often to abuse them..
I had a very similar childhood unfortunately. Foster and adoption homes tortured me for profit. This is a sick world we live in.
Awful . I'm sorry .
@@patriciadupree3636 ty 💜
It's more sick than you think 😢
Was really hard to watch the opening scenes of the abuse that poor girl went through but what a film !!!The acting throughout the film was amazing...it was so sad that she ended up in the care system though.....best film ive watched in ages
I agree. This film reminds me of the movie Sybil. Sally Field played Sybil in the 70s. And it too was based on a true story.
As an adult, she is a ward of the state. I had a friend who worked with disabled adults, and the famous wild child was one of her clients. Sadly, she was aggressive because of her lack of ability to communicate
This mother is the most evil thing
Louise was manipulated and gaslit by her husband for years. And she talked about Katie as if she were an object, not a person.
Why would they give an abused child , back to an abusive parent not in your life , being permissive to a child confuses them . Love and tenderness, but also discipline, promotes self assurance ,and confidence
Remember, this was the 70s & the social services system was in its basic infancy having to deal with the influx of fatherless children brought about by the welfare system that said we'll pay you money to have your child(ren) out of wedlock and go after the father(s) of said child(ren) for financial support. The amount of children becoming part of the foster care system were there because of the availability of drugs, the social changes coming from the opposition of the Vietnam war, etc. Pick something. It's probably true in some form today for the same reasons only molded through the Internet information and not face to face conversations. Think about it. Katie has a chance, but nobody wanted, including Saundra, to accept any REAL responsibility for failure to get the whole story from the mother & brother (or father before he committed suicide,). Knowing ANYTHING would have greatly increased Katie's success.
happens all the time… many kids end up dead
The name of the song played on the piano is called Nocturne in F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1 by Gerrit Zitterbart.
Actually it is a Nocturne in F minor by Frederick Chopin. But good try. (note from the film's director Harry Bromey-Davenport who also plays the piano piece on the film's soundtrack. The director is a fairly accomplished pianist. This is a tricky piece.
@@harry3232008 never heard of Zitterbart. I was glad to see your comment.
Ive seen real footages of Genie and even if this girl portrays of the real Genie is very good and she's doing a great job playing the role, but the way the real Genie moved and carried herself was so special and horrific due to her abuse throughout her life. I believe it would be impossible to make the real Genie justice because her situation was so sickening EXTREME. Seeing those footages was absolutely devastating and the horror she was put through is out of this world. Evil isn't the right word, I don't know what word is..
that’s what i thought. the girl is a very talented actress, but it just didn’t feel like genie. the girl’s mannerisms were too sophisticated in a way. genie acted more feral because of her cruel conditions.
the most realest autobiography ever.
What gets me is gennie practically has dropped off the face of earth... Her own brother stated in an interview he doesn't know her whereabouts it's so sad...
She's living in a small house with 3 other mentally challenged people and 2 to 3 heath visitors call every day
One of the saddest movies I’ve ever watched. How could they do that to there own flesh and blood. The start of it I was in tears 😭 I have a 3 year old I couldn’t imagine she’s my world!!
Have you ever seen the movie Sybil ? It too was based on a true story sadly. Sally Field played Sybil and imho I think that in this film was her best work as an actress. Even better that her role in Steel Magnolia's. The film Sybil came out in the 70s and reminds me of this movie here.
One of the darkest movies I've ever seen, I wonder where she is now
she is alive, lives somewhere in california
@MusicBound According to Wikipedia, as of 2016, the real "Genie" has been living in a private residential facility for developmentally challenged adults in an undisclosed location in California.
@jackiekelly4776 I know that, I want to know what she looks like now, I don't there's pictures, NERD 🤓
@@jonathannilsson8646if you call basically being a vegetable alive
The sad thing is this happens for real
Probably the most powerful film I have ever seen truly heartbreaking
They destroyed the life of a a smart precious girl. Tragic!
What that precious child had to endure... ❤
😳 oh my God,, this is the most heartbreaking movie l have ever seen,,Proof that Evil does exist in this world 😢
Oh, it exists. I speak from experience
You should see the movie Sybil from the 70s starring Sally Field as Sybil.
More proof continuous proof
This movie is based on the true story of Genie Wiley. It's heartbreaking and so painful. This movie was hard to watch at times, imagine how hard the real Genie's life was. RUclips has a few videos on Genie Wiley.
That mother should have been arrested from the beginning. She was just as bad as the father.
Very good, but also very sad movie.
The fact it’s based on true story but some of the sense not real, I feel so sorry like how could a person do that to his own daughter really some people can be really hurtful and mean and psychos like what did she do? I felt so terrible by just remembering this story but l hope she’s okay now❤️🩹.!
This is such a well-made movie! The acting is fantastic! A lot of these movies are very cheesy and not really "believable" so to speak but, this movie is great!
Not much has changed in the last 50 years. Pretty sad
Just like the results of slavery
That foster family was the worst and totally ruined her progress. I can't believe they did that to her after all the work and progress just because the grant was gone. Its like they threw her back into abuse just when they showed her a world without it.
Genie’s brother is still out there… somewhere… remember that next time before you make fun of someone not acting right.
Actually he died in 2011, but yes, I agree with your sentiment.
Her father wasn't trying to protect his daughter he was abusing her neglecting child didn't even have any clothes on as an infant. They treated her like a wild animal 😢
So hard to watch. Heart wrenching.
I am glad that she survived, but what a horrible life. I am familiar with this story when I was much younger.
😭😭😭 I think I cried through that whole movie! It is ridiculous that those people were even allowed to have her back like the mother but they completely demolished her ability until someone gets her that absolutely loves her and from the heart and in the head and wants to do nothing but things for Katie and I guarantee you she would have came out a whole lot better. I just can't believe I mean no child should have to go through what she went through not one there's no reason for it!
My childhood was not physicially abusive but I was emotional abused by a lot in my family unfortunatly people don't think it's so bad because you can't see the scars
It's not a competition, stop living as the victim
Yo vine aquí porque está pelicula esta basada en hechos reales y sinceramente que me rompe el corazón el miles de pedazos☹☹😭😭😢😢💔💔💔
As a pastoral counselor, who works with individuals who suffer, spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically from father wounds, this incident unfortunately represents a large percentage of the population. As tragic as these wounds are, there is true healing with soul care in Jesus Christ. Soul care not only healed me from my father wound, but is also very effective with the counselees that I work with. “ For God, so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.“ (John 3:16). God bless all of those who are dealing with father or parental wounds. There is definitely hope!
Oh sit dwn, ur just a Bible basher
@BruceLee-fd7uw your comment says a lot about who you are. I'm a professional that has dedicated my life to introducing people to real peace. You might try it yourself.
@TripleCCounseling Oh really, and what does it say about me then?
Go ahead and show me how Christian you actually are 😆
@ I think you can figure it out. And if you’re having difficulty, just read the tone of everyone else’s comments/ likes and read yours again. I’m sure you’ll see what I’m talking about.
There were two heroes in this movie: Katie and Sandra
Honorable mentions: Rob, Beverly, and Colleen
The complete lack of genuine empathy on the part of every adult in this movie blows me away. The abused foster kids have more humanity toward each other. Human beings are a trip.
Her "mother" is disgusting! She should never had been given any rights to that little girl after her and her husband were caught. She was just as guilty as he was. So she should have lost custody and rights. She insisted on putting her in placements that were abusive as if the child hadn't already been through enough. Then she refused to let anyone who actually did care about Katie to help her. She didn't give a single F about that kid.
There are so many evil people in this world
True statement
Mother talks out of her ass about what's best for the child but allowed her to be abused for years
I wish I could protect 😢 all the children in the world. Innocent babies 😢😢😢
If you hear,see or know something, say something and come forward, please 🙏🙏🙏🙏💯♥️💯🙏🙏🙏🙏 you can save a life ‼️✨✨✨‼️
I can’t even hardly make it through the first three minutes. 😢
Agree 😢
Made me cry. Also triggered grief over the abuse I suffered as a child and, later on, as an adult when I fought to protect my handicapped sister from neglect and abuse by doctors and care-workers. She was murdered in hospital during Covid. They put Covid on her death certificate, even though she tested negative for Covid twice. We need extended families. Nuclear families aren't strong enough to fight the system. We need extended families or, better still, clans - to nurture, protect and defend our children. We are all so weak now; so vulnerable to abuse, and worse, from state-funded institutions like the police, the medical system, the education system, Child Protective Services, DSS, and so on. Our society is rotting away.
If I could talk, i would
Interesting movie. Sad, too. Thanks for posting it.
You're welcome
Look for Genie Wiley. Genie was spitting and had bad odor. She spike in a high pitch sound. With time she could put 3 words together. Film is too much soft painted, truth was far more horrible. She did not know what felling in love was.
I agree with you. Genie was almost not human and yet they portrayed her as some sort of gifted, coy child who could communicate telepathically or something and get things from people without even saying a word or anything - just by looking at the people? Come on! She would have had no life experience to do THAT. It's a movie based on true events, it's not a "true" story on all accounts. It's been modified to make her look or seem adorable. I doubt she was pleasant to be around.
@@robbiedaug Except everything you just mentioned actually happened. David Rigler, Susan Curtiss, James Kent and even Jay Shurley described how despite her real-life unpleasantness (being completely oblivious to societal norms, an extremely damaged voice, bad smell in the early days), she had an emotional quality all her own, and she connected with people without saying a word. She had a captivating ability to charm and evoke emotion from people she had never met before. There are stories of her passing random people in the street and being given toys simply because of Genie's body language and the look in her eyes. She had incredible non-verbal communication skills, not to mention her almost superhuman gestalt perception abilities displayed during the tests. She *was* gifted. Of course not everyone who met her was enthralled or captivated by her, I'm sure a lot of people were disgusted, but all this shit I said is true. The people who worked with her described all these events. The film didn't make them up.
I don't think shuffling her around from house to house helps either
They could've kept her with the therapist lady who wanted to help her the most.
I agree with all the comments, it makes us think that, soo many people are hurting,....in this world,...some more than others,...let us pray for these ones in their hurting ways,😮😢, bring God's ❤ love of Jesus Christ into their,...their lives.
Thankyou to whomever.
Suprisingly accurate depiction of what may be the saddest story I have ever heard...I wonder for how long this movie will have made me a cynic.
That scream caught my off guard at 2:54 💀
😮 poor kid never stand a chance
I can't believe the mom still had rights!!!!!
It's nothing short of amazing, the things we don't even think of, that children pick up from their parents.
I knew a couple who had a little girl. I commented to 'Mom' how much their little girl looked like her dad. Mom was taken aback for a moment but then told me that her husband was not her daughter's father. She knew him from birth, but he was not her Dad.
The time he spent with her; as she grew up, emulating his facial expressions... she developed the same facial muscles as he had. They were such great parents.
It's so horrible to see children in bad homes. Parents who use their kids as leverage against the other parent... drug & alcohol use, abuse...
I hope Katie is doing well. Her story is so sad.
56:31 what song is this does anyone know?
Edit: found it! Its called Nocturne No. 15 in F Minor, Op. 55, No.1
The mother was a weirdo..didnt the DSS check on her?
It was a different time I suppose. Back in the late 1940s they had other children who never survived infancy, in one instance due to the father locking the baby in a dresser drawer in the garage where she later died of exposure. They kept a quiet household and the neighbours never really pried into their business until Genie Wiley (Katie Standon) was discovered. Once that happened, the hospital, believing that Genie would benefit most from a relationship with her mother, hired an attourney to chat top wham in the courtroom and get the mother off, which he successfully did. The court declared the mother a victim of a domineering husband, and it helped her case that she was 100% blind in her left eye and 90% blind in her right eye. Later on she ended up becoming a complete piece of shit, but she ultimately ended up becoming Genie's legal guardian, and that was the end of that unfortunately.
That's such a depressing story.
My greatest fear as a mom with a child with mental retardation is someone treating my child like this and these parents did it to there own child! I fear the day i die. The mom got her help only after she fear her husband would kill her and she end up in jail for the rest of her life!
🙏 Please keep praying to Jesus for her love and protections 🙏 And as awful as this world is, there are still more good people than bad...there are still a lot of good people in this world that would make sure your daughter was safe and cared for. I understand though, it's hard to be a parent ... Much blessings to you 🙏
I remember this case, this was one of the harshest case of isolationism known. Poor girl never had a chance. The girl also had siblings, I think 1-2 died
They all died. She's the only sibling still alive.
Seen this about 10 years ago, very disturbing to say the least, couldn't a second time.
Thanks!
What a brilliant movie but a sad one. Thanks for the upload🎥 ❤
If this film has also left you feeling very sick! And given you panic attacks please like this comment so that I know I'm not alone! Please.
Very nice and toucing movie😊. I m blessed that having cerebral palsy i currently live with my mother and family😏 thanks🙏 b to god.
It was a very great movie .Is one of the most heart breaking movies that i was watching.The little girl did her acting very well .
Children are the most unprotected people on earth. But jesus loves them 🙄🙄🙄😒
Where is Jesus when these poor children needed him ?
@@fikent5252….He is there crying in spirit. He gave man free will. Some human beings choose good, others choose evil. If God took away free will, he would have to take away even the good peoples free will. We can’t have it both ways. Do you want free will or not? But don’t worry, the evil will be in hell. God has not forgotten the abused. It’s in his Word, the Bible, that God will repay. God loves all the hurting children and adults.