Kids. Innocent little tykes. When you see a cute, fresh-cheeked child, your first thought is probably to gush at that overwhelming cuteness.
But what if you just saw that child threaten to stick pins and knives in people while maintaining a horrifyingly blank face? You would be terrified! So would anyone.
That was the reaction of thousands of Americans who watched HBO’s documentary based on the story of Beth Thomas, the child who terrorized her family.
The controversial video aired in 1990 and titled “Child of Rage: A Story of Abuse” used authentic video recordings of Beth Thomas’ interviews with Dr. Ken Magid, a therapist.
It portrayed Beth as a seemingly psychopathic 6-year-old child who frightened her parents and her brother. The footage was shocking, and so these facts are too.
10 /10 Beth Suffered Abuse
There is no smoke without a fire. Contrary to what people believed, Beth didn’t just start having murderous thoughts. Beth and her brother were victims of abuse as children.
They lost their biological mother when Beth was one. And were left in the care of their biological father, who neglected them.
Her brother, Jonathan, even developed a misshapen skull because he was continually left on his back in the cot. But that’s not all.
Their father sexually abused them too. When doctors reported this, they were rescued by social services. Later, Beth and her brother were adopted by Tim and Julie Tennent, a Christian couple.
9 /10 She Tortured Her Brother
The Tennent couple showered Beth and her brother with warmth and love. They didn’t have children and had tried so hard to.
So, they gave all that affection to Beth and Jonathan. But, Beth started showing signs of aggression and exhibiting violent behaviors that jarred her adoptive parents.
It was like she had so much anger and could only let it out by hurting others. And herself. She masturbated in public and even ended up bleeding.
Her little brother wasn’t left out. She sexually abused him. And in one instance, she smashed his head into the floor several times, causing him to require stitches.