Update: Autistic Child Left Outside In Winter Storm Sparks Outrage; Foster Parents May Face Charges

[Sugar Cookie]

A disturbing video making rounds on social media shows a child outside of a house with no coat or shoes begging to go inside. The child was allegedly put outside during the winter storm by her foster parents after having an episode due to her autism.

As of today, the girl remains in the care of those same foster parents, according to her biological mother's attorney Don Smolen.

The neighbor who recorded the incident tells News Channel 8 it happened so quickly he regrets not doing more at the moment. He also said he believes without video evidence, DHS and police may not have taken the situation seriously.

"No one believes these kids until the neighbor gets it on video," Smolen said.

He said he was enraged after seeing the video circulating on social media. He adds it shows a little girl outside in pajamas and bare feet screaming "I'm cold."

"Why are we putting a kid that's potentially on the spectrum with someone who doesn't know how to react to those kinds of situations and even if the little girl likes to go outside to calm down that doesn't mean you put her outside in pajamas in a blizzard. That's nothing but disgusting abuse," Smolen said.

Rhet Wike is the neighbor behind the camera and called Haskell Police to report what he saw on Tuesday in Haskell. Wike said the little girl's screams made him jump into action.

"I see a little girl freezing. I ran in got my phone. I pushed through my wife I ran out there got the video real quick because I knew without proof it probably wouldn't go anywhere. Then I called police. The foster dad came out and told the girl stop whining if you want to come in and she tried to get in, but he pushed her back outside," Wike said.

Wike said the child was outside for about 10 minutes in freezing temperatures.

Haskell Police tell News Channel 8 they are filing charges against the foster parents, but those charges are waiting to be signed by the Muskogee County District Attorney. The office has been closed because of the winter storm. Smolen said the biological mom reached out to him Thursday morning after seeing the video on social media. He's reached out to DHS but said his calls have not been returned.

According to Smolen the reason the little girl was placed into foster care is because the mom didn't have a stable home.

"For what they pay these foster parents to take care of these kids they could have gotten her help with an apartment. There was no abuse, there was no neglect, she had fallen on hard times," Smolen said.

News Channel 8 was able to confirm the foster mom the child on the video is living with is a teacher at Preston Public Schools. According to the district's Superintendent Mark Hudson, he responded to a text saying, "A school employee has been placed on administrative leave as law enforcement, DHS and our school go through the necessary steps of gathering information and conducting the investigation."

MSN

I hope this woman loses her job and she is never able to foster another child again.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

UPDATE (2/22/25) — The foster child left outside in freezing temperatures in Haskell has been removed from the home.

The attorney for the child's biological mother told FOX23 on Saturday that the child was moved overnight.

FOX23 will follow this for updates.

Foster child left outside in freezing temperatures in Haskell removed from home

The attorney for the child's biological mother told FOX23 on Saturday that the child was moved overnight.

www.fox23.com

 

[Sugar Cookie]

At the minimum these people were receiving $70 per day on top of $570 for room and board.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

The Muscogee Nation Attorney General filed a misdemeanor child neglect charge against Kaytlin Fultz after an investigation into the video that shows a young girl outside in freezing weather wearing only pajamas and no shoes.

The video, which was posted online, shows the girl yelling that she is cold and wants to come inside. Haskell Police say the child was living with foster parents at the time, she has since then been removed from the home.

The mother told Haskell Police, who also investigated the case and recommended charges against both Kaytlin and her husband Andrew, that the girl was outside to "reset" herself.

After an investigation, the Muskogee County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against Kaytlin Fultz and Andrew Fultz on Monday, Feb. 24.

Kaytlin and Andrew surrendered themselves to authorities in Muskogee County on Tuesday. A judge dismissed the charge against Kaitlyn Fultz, ruling that the state does not have jurisdiction because she is a tribal citizen.

On Wednesday, The Muscogee Nation Office of the Attorney General filed a charge of misdemeanor child neglect against Kaytlin Fultz of Haskell.

Haskell mother charged in Muscogee Nation court after video shows child outside shoeless in freezing cold

A Haskell foster father appeared in court Tuesday on a felony child neglect charge after video showed his foster daughter standing outside in the cold wearing only pajamas with no shoes and socks last week.

www.newson6.com

 

[Sugar Cookie]

 

[Sugar Cookie]

They will probably never be allowed to foster/adopt again and that is a very good thing.

Kaytlin Fultz was found not guilty on a child neglect charge in connection with a viral moment earlier this year when a young child was shown standing in freezing temperatures outside.

Fultz was the foster mom of a 7-year-old girl who was found outside during winter weather in pajamas and socks in Muskogee County.

Fultz was charged on Feb. 27, 2025, with a misdemeanor complaint of child neglect.

Foster mom acquitted of child neglect in viral cold weather incident in Muskogee County

A foster mom was found not guilty on a child neglect charge in connection with a viral moment earlier this year when a young child was shown standing in freezin

ktul.com

Her case was tried in tribal court the husband's case remains in state court.