Death of Lydia Schatz


Lydia Charity Schatz was a 7-year-old American child of Liberian origins who was killed in 2010 by her adoptive parents in an attempt to discipline her.

Background

Kevin and Elizabeth Schatz lived in Paradise, California. They claimed to follow the teachings about child discipline of the No Greater Joy Ministries, a Fundamentalist Christian organization headed by Michael Pearl and Debi Pearl. In 2007, they adopted Lydia along with two other children from Liberia. Later that year, Kevin Schatz was interviewed in the family home by NBC 24 Action News regarding his love of children and the adoption process.
The Schatz family homeschooled their six biological and three adopted children.

Murder

On February 5, 2010, Schatz received forceful and numerous whippings with a quarter-inch plastic tubing. She was held down for nine hours by Elizabeth and beaten dozens of times by Kevin on the back of her body, causing massive tissue damage according to Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey. She was being disciplined for apparently mispronouncing a word. She died in hospital on February 6, 2010. Her sister Zariah, 11 years old, was also beaten for "being a liar and a bad influence on the 7-year-old." Zariah was hospitalized in critical condition with severe injuries but she survived.

Trial

The District Attorney points to a book written by a Tennessee Evangelist named Michael Pearl, who the Schatz's have told police they were following. Investigators say the Shatz practiced a similar form of corporal punishment on their six biological children and were training their oldest daughter in the proper way to deliver spankings.
Pearl's Web site, www.nogreaterjoy.org, suggests "A swift whack with the plastic tubing would sting but not bruise. Give ten licks at a time, more if the child resists." Kevin Schatz was found guilty of second degree murder and torture and was sentenced to serve at least 22 years of imprisonment from two life sentences. Elizabeth Schatz was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and infliction of unlawful corporal punishment and was sentenced to serve at least 13 years of imprisonment.