11/21/2025
Megan Finlan and Steven Bauer: Severe Child Neglect
WARNING: This story has discussions of Child Abuse. Discretion is advised.
Imagine a tiny plant denied water and sunlight. It doesn't instantly die, but it withers. Its stem becomes weak, its leaves turn brown and eventually dwindle. This is the fate of a neglected child.
They crave safety, stability, and the simple affirmation of their worth, but instead, they learn a devastating lesson: "I do not matter."
Neglect is often a dangerous silence. It is the persistent absence of care that sustains growth. Missed meals, unwashed clothes, the ignored cries in the night, and the chilling emptiness where encouragement and affection should be.
In 2015, one in seven American children experienced abuse or neglect (Finkelhor et al., 2015).
One of these children is Camron, neglected by his adoptive parents, Megan Finlan and Steven Bauer.
It was his teachers who noticed first. Scratches and bruises traced his arms and legs, marks inconsistent with the carefree scrapes of childhood.
Then came the hunger. At only 32 pounds at 7 years old, Camron fantasized about food the way other children might dream about toys or birthdays. When the hunger became unbearable, he scavenged. He learned how to survive on crumbs and hope.
Teachers and staff tried to help him brush his rotting teeth discreetly. The school was forced to comply when the parents intervened.
When authorities eventually got involved, Camron admitted that Finlan and Bauer often withheld food from him and locked him in a room without a bathroom for hours on end.
Bauer and Finlan claimed that Camron had severe behavioral and psychological issues, as if this was an excuse.
Their actions were not of discipline.
They were acts of domination.
When child protective services intervened, they removed not only the boy but three other siblings from the home.
During a search, investigators found family photographs displayed throughout the house. The adopted boy was missing. He existed only in paperwork.
Finlan and Bauer were later charged with Negligent Child Abuse in 2017.
We must look beyond the immediate headlines and see neglect for what it is: a shattering of potential and a tragic theft of a childhood.
Breaking this cycle requires more than judgment. It demands vigilance, compassion, and a community-wide commitment to ensure every child is seen, heard, and cherished.
Invest in safety. AbuseRefuge.org.
