Parents of more than 100 children removed from a private high-discipline academy for children have been told to pick up their kids and take them home. State and local authorities have taken the children from the Heartland Christian Academy in northeast Missouri after another allegation of child abuse there. Deputy Director of the Division of Family Services Jerrie Jacobs-Kenner says the first obligation is to make sure children are safe. The Lewis County prosecutor is quoted saying he’ll charge an employee with abuse. Five workers have pleaded not guilty to abuse charges growing out of an incident last June. The founder of Heartland claims he’s being harassed by government officials.
