Missing Kansas Boy Was Abused, Says Kin

Adam Herrman Allegedly Spent Time Chained Up In Bathroom Of Adoptive Home

(CBS/AP)  Adam Herrman, the Kansas boy who was recently discovered missing 10 years after his disappearance, had been abused in his adoptive home, including an instance of being locked in a bathroom, according to the boy's aunt and adopted brother.

Kim Winslow, the sister of Valerie Herrman, told CBS' The Early Show that she last saw Adam, then 11, at a Superbowl party in 1999.

"He was locked into a bathroom. He was either handcuffed or chained to the bathroom faucets in the tub," said Winslow. "We were told not to use that bathroom, to use another bathroom, because he was in there supposedly because he was bad."

Adam's adoptive brother, speaking anonymously with CBS affiliate KWCH-TV in Wichita, also claimed he was abused by his adoptive parents.

"What I remember most is the abuse and how we would defend him and do everything we could not to let it happen," he said.

The search for Adam - who would be 21 if he is still alive - has confounded authorities and left family members regretting that they did not do more when they noticed he was gone.

His disappearance finally came to light last week when authorities - acting on a tip to the Sedgwick County Exploited and Missing Children's Unit - searched the empty lot in Towanda where the family's mobile home once stood.

Butler County Sheriff Craig Murphy has refused to say much about the case except that no human remains were found during the search.

Adam and two younger siblings were adopted by Doug and Valerie Herrman after being removed from their biological mother's allegedly abusive home. Valerie Herrman allegedly singled Adam out and struck him, according to Winslow.

"I've never seen Doug raise a hand to any of his kids, but I have seen Valerie raise a hand to Adam before. It was like that she picked him out of all the kids to be mean to," said Winslow.

Winslow said she doesn't believe Adam is still alive.

The publicity around the search has spawned a flood of tips to the sheriff's office. More tips are expected following Tuesday's release by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children of a computer-enhanced photo showing what Adam might look like today.

No charges have been brought against Valerie and Doug Herrman. Murphy said consideration of any charges would wait so officials can concentrate on the search for Adam. Investigators plan to scour the banks of the Whitewater River just west of the mobile home park on Saturday.

Doug Herrman, who lives in Derby and owns a masonry business, said Tuesday that the family would not comment.

Family attorney Warner Eisenbise said Adam had a history of running away and that the Herrmans feel "very guilty" they did not report him missing. The family assumed he had found one of his siblings or went back to his biological parents, he said.

Asked on NBC's "Today" show Wednesday if his clients had anything to do with Adam's disappearance, Eisenbise replied: "Not at all. Nothing at all."

The boy's biological father, Irvin Groeninger II, also expressed regret. The Indiana trucker was divorced when authorities took Adam and his siblings from their mother's home. He says he was cleared of any wrongdoing and tried to get custody of his children, but child welfare officials terminated his parental rights.

"Basically, I have lost him twice," Groeninger said.

The boy - whom he knows only by his birth name of Irvin Groeninger III - was 18 months old when Groeninger last saw him. He had hoped his son would try to contact him when he was old enough to search for his biological family.

He says he wishes he could tell his son: "I love him and I wish I had fought harder back then to get him and keep him in my custody."

While Adam and two younger siblings were adopted by the Herrmans, Adam's older biological sister, Tiffany Broadfoot, was adopted by another Wichita family. Broadfoot has not seen her brother since a birthday party when he was 7 or 8 years old.

Broadfoot said the first time she called Adam's adoptive mother she was told everything was fine and Adam was doing well. Other times she was told not to call again because Adam and his siblings did not know they were adopted.

In August or September, she called Valerie Herrman again. "The last time I talked to her she was very in my face and very adamant: `You have no business calling here. You have no right. That is not your family. Don't call here. Don't talk to us. Don't do anything. That is not your concern. Back off,'" Broadfoot said.

Linda Bush, a former sister-in-law of Valerie Herrman, remembered Adam as a timid little boy. She has not seen him since he was at least 6 years old.

"He wasn't boisterous, running around making a lot of noise like other children. And he stared a lot. That was strange," Bush said. "He gave me the creeps sometimes because he would stare. But it was nothing to hate him for."

Bush said she remembered Valerie Herrman telling the boy he was stupid.

"It was the tone. It was constant. She constantly berated him and put him down, a hateful tone," Bush said. "It was constant and we couldn't figure out what that boy had ever done to make her hate him like that."

The Herrmans did not treat Adam's two younger siblings the same way, she said.

Bush said she first heard Adam was missing last month, when Valerie Herrman called her and said police thought the boy was missing and may have been murdered. That was the first she heard that Adam had a history of running away.

Bush said the Herrmans told other family members that they had turned Adam back to the Department of Social and Rehabilitative Services. She said she had no reason to believe otherwise because the couple had other foster children who went back to state custody.

"They had turned other children back, whether voluntary or mandated," Bush said. "Nobody had any reason to disbelieve. Who would think of something so heinous happening? Nobody did."

[spakat1]

you know it''s a shame when every one who spoke to the reporter witnessed some kind of abuse to this child and yet said nothing to no one. Are they not just as guilty in some sort of odd way. The system is also to blame here....did they check on this child? I hope this poor lost child at last has finally found a better place, whether in life or death.

[staycalm]

He was probably staring all the time because he was trying to understand, inside his head, why God has allowed him to have such a miserable life and I am asking the same question. Each young life is so precious but their joy and self-confidence is a fragile thing that can be snuffed out. This is one of the greatest crimes any adult can commit. Even if she didn''t murder his body, she surely murdered his young soul. Shame on this woman.

[donotfear]

I don''t believe the Herrmans. No parent, adoptive or biological, would just ''assume'' their missing 11 year old went back to family. Get real, they didn''t care what happened to the boy. The Herrmans are guilty of neglect, without a doubt. It''s plain and simple, a fact as obvious as the deceptive nose''s on their face. Duh, it''s so plain...11 year old minor "runs away", nobody reports it!!!????? That has got to be the lamest, stupidest example of ''excuse'' I''ve ever seen. The very fact that they didn''t report the child missing is evidence they didn''t want to draw attention to it. In addition, they are guilty for not reporting it!! My gut feeling tells me this child is gone forever. Sometimes the evidence is so plain we can''t see it when it''s right out in front of us. Like we''re in denial.

[gingersmart]

The question to the biological father is now what will you do on behalf of Adam''s sake? Your rights were wrongfully terminated; other parents and biological relatives feel the same way when their babies and children are taken away and given to strangers.

[anglea75]

God Bless Adam. As for his "family" & I use that term extremely loosely: The coals are being raked downstairs to keep them good & hot for them as we speak.
ALL Children are a gift from God and should be treated accordingly.

[ms1-1-1]

- Ladies and Gents:

If only you could hear me screaming now...

No charges have been brought against Valerie and Doug Herrman.

This is great police work ain''t it, fax me an applicaton quick,

Kim Winslow, the sister of Valerie Herrman, told CBS'' The Early Show that she last saw Adam, then 11, at a Superbowl party in 1999.

"He was locked into a bathroom. He was either handcuffed or chained to the bathroom faucets in the tub," said Winslow. "We were told not to use that bathroom, to use another bathroom, because he was in there supposedly because he was bad."

Doug Herrman, who lives in Derby and owns a masonry business....

My guess Adam''s body is under cement where the family''s mobile home once stood... USE A JACKHAMMER PEOPLE...

[wolf77creek]

I agree with the statements about the buying & selling of children, It should be illegal. The only cost should be for the hospital & doctor at birth. In regards to young children having children & getting more support to raise them, all the children I have been around or heard of are living off welfare, living at home with their parents, going to college for free, free medical for both kid & mom, & in most cases the parents are stuck taking care of the kid more than the mom who is out sleeping around & partying every night. I have yet to see a good outcome from these situations. I say if you are under age & living at home your parents should pay for & support the children they allow you to bring in the world, not the rest of us. Of course every one of them claim they have been on the "pill" at the time of conception!!! I do beleive most keep the baby so they can sit at home & collect welfare & party on, it has nothing to do with love for the child.

[gingersmart]

Just a reminder; the biological family had to battle the government for custody of Adam (not easy). The sister of Adam is doing the right thing in looking for her brother.

[differnet]

wolfcreek77, but you see, they didn''t think the child had dissappeared. They were told that Adam was returned to state custody. It was such a relief to their psyche that he was no longer being abused that they were happy with the story. In addition, it is rather believable. I can fault them for not calling the authorities when they saw the child chained or beaten. I cannot fault them for believing the story that was told to them by people who treated their other children well. Most people think that abusers abuse all their children equally, but that isn''t always the truth. One child is often singled out for the abuse.

[gingersmart]

The Department of Social Services in this county and these "adopted parents" need to be thoroughly investigated. All monies the "adopted" family gained from Adam should be returned and the fact they they lied about "returning their adopted child" need to be investigated. This is something that should easily be investigated.