The Evil Mother: Angela McAnulty Starved and Tortured her Daughter to Death

Paramedics said 15-year-old Jeanette Maples resembled a 'concentration camp victim.' Her horrifying injuries -hip wounds to the bone, broken teeth, and apparent starvation- were inflicted by her mother.

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Angela McAnulty, the mother of three children, a girl and two boys, lost custody of them to the Califonia Department of Children’s Services in 1995 due to suspicions of “abuse and neglect.” The children were all under age 2 at the time. The children’s father, Anthony Maples, was in prison on drug charges and was not active in the kids' lives.

Five and one-half years later, Angela proved herself worthy of a second chance, earning reunification and custody of her children in 2001.

That is when the trouble began.

Angela met Richard McAnulty, married, and the family relocated to Oregon.

The two boys were well cared for, healthy, happy, and well-loved. They attended public school and had lots of friends. Content by Criminal Matters.

Angela Hated Jeanette

And then there was Janette, the eldest of the clan, who was despised by her mother, for reasons even Angela cannot explain. She hated Jeanette so intensely that she abused, tortured, starved, and enslaved her daughter until she died.

Richard participated in abusing and neglecting Jeanette and never intervened when Angela took things too far.

Family members, friends, school officials -everyone around Jeanette reported abuse to the Department of Children’s Services, many of them multiple times. All the signs were there: Jeanette was hungry and appeared malnourished. She was withdrawn and nervous and always showed bruises on her body.

Jeanette tried to hide her bruises and injuries by wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants to school. She could not conceal it from everyone, however. Jeanette confessed to a friend that her mom abused her, and in 2007, DHS officials visited the McNulty home. Sadly, the agents believed Angela’s version of events instead of Jeanette's.

Jeanette continued to suffer as family, friends, and educators continued their attempts to protect her by placing calls to DCFS.

On December 9, 2009, paramedics responded to a 911 call reporting Jeanette cold and not breathing. She laid on her back in the living room with wet hair. Her face was bruised, there were cuts above her eyes, and she did not wear a shirt. Her frame was emaciated and frail, so much so, you could see her bones.

Jeanette was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital. She weighed 50 pounds, her front teeth were broken, and severe wounds covered her neck and legs. She was dehydrated, her lips cut and maimed from years of prolonged abuse. Content written by Criminal Matters. Her face was disfigured, and her head bore bandages to cover injuries. A huge area of skin torn from her hip area revealed the bone.

Jeanette’s ‘Torture Room’

Angela claimed she was unsure how Jeanette got all those bruises on her body, although she denied abusing her. Detectives' heard far different accounts once they spoke to Richard and the couple's two boys. A plethora of evidence suggesting abuse also filled the home.

A special “torture room” created just for Jeanette held various leather belts and torture devices, many containing bits of Jeanette’s skin or hair. Her blood spattered the carpet and walls inside this room. Jeanette was not allowed food or water, although she did drink water from the toilet. Angela and Richard locked the cupboards and counted the number of items inside the fridge.

Arrests & Sentencing

Police arrested Angela and Richard McAnulty, charging the former with aggravated murder and the latter with murder by abuse.

Angela was originally sentenced to death, although the sentence was later commuted to life in prison. Richard pleaded guilty to his charge and was sentenced to life in prison with parole possibility after 25 years.

Rest in peace, sweet Jeanette. I hope the other children are doing well.