Michigan couple abused their adopted children and locked them in straitjackets and dog cages

By JOE HUTCHISON, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 04:44, 14 May 2026 | Updated: 04:46, 14 May 2026 A Michigan couple abused their adopted children by locking them inside dog cages and forcing them to wear homemade straitjackets.  Jessica Klimp, 45, and Jason Klimp, 47, both pleaded no contest after abusing two of their adopted children, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said.  An investigation into the couple started in February of 2024 while they were staying in a rented home in Tennessee. One of their adopted kids was rushed to the University of Tennessee Hospital while suffering from severe dehydration and malnutrition.  A probe found that two of the adopted children were severely underweight, living off only liquified food and had only supervised access to food.  Michigan State Police then searched their home where they found a homemade straitjacket, security alarms on a bedroom door, and dog cages that were used to confine the kids.   Charges were brought against them in February of 2024, Jessica pleaded no contest on Monday, after her husband did the same in March of this year.  They also pleaded guilty to one count of Aggravated Child Abuse and were sentenced last October to 10 years behind bars for crimes in Tennessee.  Jessica Klimp, right, and Jason Klimp, left, both pleaded no contest after abusing two of their adopted children An investigation into the couple started in February of 2024 while they were staying in a rented home in Tennessee They were extradited from Tennessee to Michigan last year to face these additional charges.  Their prison terms will be served concurrently with their Michigan sentences, Nessel said.  She added: 'Kids deserve to grow up in a loving home free from abuse. The cruelty that these children endured is heartbreaking, and while no outcome can erase the trauma, I hope these convictions will provide a sense of justice and healing.' Nessel added that their parental rights have been terminated. Her office said they have four biological and four adopted children.  Jason last made a post to his social media in February of 2024, when the probe started.  In it, he said: 'Friends, please continue to cover us in prayer. Can't see the light of dawn yet. We could use that soon.' The couple have four biological and four adopted children Jason is scheduled to be sentenced in the 28th Circuit Court in Wexford County on June 16. Jessica's sentencing date has not yet been set Another post two days before that one, in which he tagged his wife, said: 'The night is darkest just before the dawn.  'We honestly felt recently as though we were running through a pretty dark time. Yesterday was a realization of darker darkness. I’m so ready for the dawn! 'Bring on that Sunrise and a wonderful ‘tomorrow!'.' He also frequently made posts showing him hunting animals as well as images of himself working as a UPS driver and pictures of him and his wife.  Jason is scheduled to be sentenced in the 28th Circuit Court in Wexford County on June 16. Jessica's sentencing date has not yet been set. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.