Genie

I recently watched a documentary on the case of Genie. Genie was a little girl whose parents kept her locked up in a tiny room until she was thirteen. That was when authorities found her and rescued her. She lacked primary socialization and therefore had no social skills and even impaired mobilization. She became subject to an important sociological study. Many scientists attempted to teach her all that she had missed as a child. Yet, even after years she never was completely cured. She went from foster home to foster home and eventually ended up in a home for adults with disabilities.
When she was first discovered she had vocal abilities similar to an infant. In addition she could hardly walk and eventually developed a “bunny walk”. Later she learned to speak using sign language. She spent that majority of her time immediately after her rescue in the Los Angeles Children's Hospital where she was studied intensely and put through tests. Later, after a number of unsuccessful foster homes she was allowed to return to the custody of her mother. Obviously this proved to be unsuccessful and again was sent to six more foster homes. There she developed a fear of opening her mouth. Now she lives in a home as previously stated, undisclosed, in Southern California. Despite the relative success of Genie's education the hospital which had funded her training cut off and left her with insufficient knowledge. At the time she could only speak using unconnected phrases.