Father accused of starving adopted children tearfully testifies
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KELSO, Wash. – A father accused of starving his adopted children tearfully took the stand in his own defense Wednesday in a Cowlitz County courtroom.
Talk about giving up his adoptive children to authorities last year and riding with one to the hospital in Portland – a trip that eventually led to criminal mistreatment charges against him and his wife – was what brought tears to Jeff Trebilcock's eyes during his testimony.
Trebilcock and his wife, Rebecca, were arrested on criminal mistreatment charges in March 2011.
"I told them I wasn't gonna let nothin' happen to them," Trebilcock said about his children. "I felt like a failure now."
Cowlitz County authorities say the couple kept food locked up inside their west Longview, Wash. home, starving their five adoptive children while their biological children were well fed.
They say a motion sensor and gate inside the home were part of that plan. Trebilcock says those were actually to keep their oldest adoptive boy from wandering their home at night.
"We've caught him in our bedroom in the middle of the night when we were sleeping, just standing there staring at us - like four times. ... "(It) kinda freaked (us) out a little bit," he said.
Trebilcock contradicted testimony from his adoptive children last week, who said he withheld food from them as punishment.
Even though his oldest son was 50 pounds underweight when the Trebilcocks were arrested, Jeff Trebilcock said all of his children always had as much food as they wanted. He also said he never put locks on the refrigerator or to the pantry.
Trebilcock admitted he and his wife spanked their children, but he said it was very rare.
Rebecca Trebilcock is expected to testify for the defense Thursday morning.
During a break in Jeff Trebilcock's testimony, the couple embraced at the front of the courtroom silently by themselves for a long time.
I hate child spankers.
"I told them I wasn't gonna let nothin' happen to them," Trebilcock said about his children. "I felt like a failure now."Nope, you aren't a failure. You can't be a failure, if you never tried.
I just don't understand withholding food from someone especially children, there were times when my child would have friends over anywhere from only 1 guest up to 4, I would go shopping and have specific food that I know that they liked as well as a bunch of drinks for them to have. Â This started when the kids were in grade school and continued until they graduated from high school.Â
"I told them I wasn't gonna let nothin' happen to them," Trebilcock said about his children. "I felt like a failure now."... You ARE a failure.Â
I understand in this country that everyone has a right to a fair trial, but damn, I get so frustrated at the waste of tax payer dollars going for trials like this one, for the likes of these two.
Mama gets to testify today..... should be good.
I see where all the food went
"I just HAD to keep the kids away from the food, your Honor. You see, I really needed it, and the animal shelter wouldn't give us any more dogs, so, what's a porker like me to do?!?"
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Maybe that's not the way he phrased it, but it sure looks like the message.
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@donny well as the bible says, he who is without sin can throw the first stone. Did you live there, frequent there? Were you omnicient, omnipresent? Be carefull. The skeletons in your closet will be found....just wait
He doesn't look like he's starving.
@on shing dao Wow, obviously you are the PERFECT human. Sin is sin is sin...Repent, forgiven, pay the price...Wow, like I said before lookout here comes the sins of your past
Saw it again........nope no tears.
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 @Blood washed, Redeemed Wow.... it is people like you who make others mad, when we mention something as simple as prayer. You should really take some time out and reflect upon yourself. Being a fanatic isn't a good thing. BTW, you do realize you are doing a lot of judging of the other posters, don't you?
 @Blood washed, Redeemed Maybe you answer this question how is his observation of this man not having any tears poking fun at him?
Go play with your Bible.
"Even though his oldest son was 50 pounds underweight when the Trebilcocks were arrested, Jeff Trebilcock said all of his children always had as much food as they wanted."
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This statement, the pictures of the parents' bedroom food locker, and the childrens' testimony all contradict Trebilcock and his wife, neither of whom has missed any meals. These two should be ashamed of themselves. The Trebilcoick's are entitled to their day in court but the crocodile tears are not persuasive and there hasn't been any hard evidence to contradict the State's assertions, childrens' testimony, or physical evidence.
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If they are found guilty I hope they spend many, many years in the Pen. Crimes against defenseless children are among the most heinous of all.
@I812Â Not to mention the biological children were well fed also.
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"Cowlitz County authorities say the couple kept food locked up inside their west Longview, Wash. home, starving their five adoptive children while their biological children were well fed".
@I812 First of all, if you can hear and read...the child was adopted and the Youngest of the sons in the household...adopted with his sister.Â
 @Blood washed, Redeemed  @I812 Blood washed, Redeemed are you somehow related to these people you seem to want to defend people are neglecting children that deserve love and to be protected.  Parents are supposed to defend their children and provide for their children, even if it means that the parents go without.Â
@Blood washed, Redeemed And your responded with this, why?
He's just crying cause he knows he is going down.
Of course he starts out with "We prayed with them". All religious nuts will mentioned that they prayed, because then other religious nuts will be sympathetic.
@Speedster Well, he and his wife will be with the King of Kings someday. All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.Â
@Blood washed, Redeemed Well that is awesome, you mean I get to starve children, and as long as I tell a man who probably molested someone in his time that I want an invisible giant in the sky's forgiveness, I get to hang out with a king!
 @Blood washed, Redeemed  @Speedster you too fall short Blood washed, Redeemed, by defending innocent children who God wants defendedÂ
@Blood washed, Redeemed Troll!
No offense, this guy "Certainly" looks like he hasn't "Missed a meal...".... His tears look like 10 lbs of Crap, trying to squeeze into a 5lb bag...
no no no no no I stood over my parents room alot when I was tiney, freaking my mom awake. they never put up sensors. friggin pig lier!
Oh please PLEASE do not fall for fake tears, how dare you starve children!
Doesn't look like he missed any meals. Pig.
I'm not sure I saw real tears.
The tears were real. He was reading the prison menu and worrying he wouldn't be able to steal enough gruel to maintain his bloated figure.
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I'll bet the oldest adopted boy -- the one was 50 pounds underweight -- was standing over his bed, trying to work up the courage to kill that disgusting POS. I'm glad he didn't have to, and I hope this evil gastropod gets convicted on all charges, with the maximum penalties.
@badcat .....I don't understand these kind of people at all.