At 7 years old my son struggles being alone in a room for too long, so I cannot even remotely imagine how two Georgia parents left their young children alone to fend for themselves for days. Jason and Kira Askea reportedly abandoned their three young children, who were just 2, 4 and 5 years old, at local campsite Little Tallapoosa Park.
The 2-year-old child reportedly has Down syndrome and a chronic infectious disease that affected his teeth, according to WKRC. The parents allegedly also cut off his oxygen and feeding tube, which he reportedly needed for “brain development” and “caloric intake.” People reported that the youngest child allegedly sustained brain damage while left alone.
All three were discovered by a neighboring camper and were allegedly covered in feces, while two of them confessed they hadn’t eaten in days. They had been reportedly living at the campsite for a while.
According to Caroll County Jail records reviewed by People, the couple was taken into custody without bail on September 16, 2025. Both were charged with first-degree cruelty to children. The magazine stated that the couple returned to the campsite as an ambulance was taking the kids away, and they were arrested at the scene.
The three children are currently in custody of the Georgia Department of Family and Children services, WKRC reported.
I’m pretty blessed that I have a happy child, but I’ve struggled to have a second kid for seven years. Assistance via a fertility clinic or even adoption is just so astronomically expensive that I’ve made peace with my secondary infertility. When I hear things like this, however, I genuinely have a few questions for the universe. I’m by no means a perfect mom, but it seems wildly unfair that folks who can treat kids this way can have kids and continue having them. I sincerely hope those babies get to be loved the way they deserve by a family who can give them the whole world.
