Sand Springs Woman Providing 'Therapeutic' Services Arrested, Accused Of Child Abuse

Tulsa County prosecutors charge a Sand Springs woman with severely abusing several children going back more than a decade. 

Deputies with the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office arrested Kimberly Ann Haley, 60, on Monday for the accusations.

Investigators say Haley was a foster parent and provided therapeutic services for children with a rare condition during the time that she is accused of multiple instances of severe physical, mental, and emotional abuse.

"They had to sleep on the floor, naked with no blankets as punishment, they weren't allowed to have food. Food was locked up in the refrigerator with a padlock on it. Cabinets were the same way.," said Det. Paul Holland with the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.

Haley has been charged with four counts of child abuse after a Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office investigation that started in June 2023 when five children talked to workers in Oklahoma's Department of Human Services.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Haley characterized herself as somebody who would provide a "therapeutic place for children with RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder)." According to the Mayo Clinic, RAD is "a rare but serious condition in which an infant or young child doesn't establish healthy attachments with parents or caregivers. Reactive attachment disorder may develop if the child's basic needs for comfort, affection, and nurturing aren't met and loving, caring, stable attachments with others are not established."

Parents seeking help in treating the disorder in their children were paying Haley hundreds and even thousands of dollars per month. According to investigators, Haley would identify potential families to work with via Facebook and through a local mental health counselor.

"They were brought to her for her to care for them. People paid her to take care of them while they were staying with her," Det. Holland said.

Details of the abuse in the affidavit were graphic, violent and extreme. Here are several examples from the affidavit:

Accused of starving kids. Being forced "to live outside in the woods, and Kimberly wouldn't give her food. Kimberly would throw food outside, but the animals would get to it first. Kimberly beat them and starved them as punishment."

Kids made to clean sewer. The kids in Haley's home "had to redo piping in the home, electrical work, clean the sewer with their bare hands, and used the bathroom in buckets."

Abusing one child at a time. Investigators were told that Haley would always have a "target child," meaning that the alleged abuse would be targeted to one child at a time. The child told investigators that Haley had a "unique way of terrifying you," adding that she would "lock the cabinets and refrigerator and would count the slices of bread and would count everything to ensure nobody was stealing food."

Made to drink pond water. Being made to "live in the wooded area behind the residence for approximately six months," surviving on "pond water and wild onions."

Encouraged kids to hit each other. In a 2016 conversation with DHS, Haley's mother told investigators that she had overheard her daughter "telling one of the children to hit another in the mouth," and that she would make the children wash their clothes in a bucket in her front yard. Haley's mother told authorities that she feared children in her daughter's care would eventually be killed.

"Most of the kids said there were "target children" and she would single one out and that was who she would focus most of her negative attention on," Det. Holland said.

While the primary investigation related to current accusations against Haley started in June, state DHS workers have been familiar with Haley going all the way back to 2008 when a case worker visited Haley's home and "observed the residence to be in deplorable conditions."

Investigators say Haley doesn't have any kids in her house anymore and hasn't had any since June of 2023. Other details from the affidavit include Haley's mother telling investigators in 2016 that she was afraid Haley was going to eventually kill one of the kids. The affidavit said the abuse was reported to DHS at least five times dating back to 2008.

"I think she got overwhelmed, brought a lot of kids in for the money and it kind of just spiraled out of control from that," Det. Holland said.

Oklahoma Human Services provided the following statement:

The allegations presented in this case are truly hard to read. Oklahoma Human Services is committed to working with law enforcement and others in this case to ensure the safety of the children involved. Children with physical, emotional, and mental health needs require highly specialized, intensive care. Any parent or guardian should always be tremendously cautious when considering a place of treatment and should thoroughly research anyone or anyplace that is going to provide therapeutic care for their child.