Oh.
My.
God.
Candace Clark, Michael Sisk, Michaela Clerc and Felicia Mae Garlin all swept into a small rural town in Wisconsin during the month of February in 2007.
They brought with them Garlin’s mother, Tammie Garlin, a tortured-looking 11-year-old boy who happened to be her son, three other children (who belonged to Clark), and a kidnapped girl from Florida.
They also brought with them several warrants for their arrest.
Candace Clark was wanted in Florida for the kidnapping of her 2-year-old daughter from her foster parents, and in Kentucky for financial fraud.
Michael Sisk had a warrant out for his arrest in the state of Colorado, for skipping out on his work-release program.
Over the past year, the group had lived in Florida, Maine, Kentucky, Colorado and Tennessee. In all those states, they were making a living through financial fraud with a series of aliases.
They came to Wisconsin to see snow.
After paying cash for rent on a two-story house in town, they all settled down.
Kind of like the Brady Bunch.
If the Brady Bunch ever started slowly torturing Peter Brady to death.
Tammie Garlin’s 11-year-old son went through some pretty bad times. Before I detail some of the abuse, keep in mind his mother and sister participated in this abuse.
Candace Clark and Michael Sisk whipped the boy daily with belts and extension cords. The kid was beaten, kicked and strangled until his eyes closed and he passed out..
They fed him one meal a day. He was hungry all the time.
Felicia, Candace and Michael forced him to drink gallons of water until he was vomited it all up, then kick and beat the boy while he lay on the floor.
Tammie Garlin’s son would sometimes be hogtied with his hands tied behind his back and tied to another rope which tied his feet together.
He was usually then put into a bathtub by Candace Clark and Michael Sisk and then scalding hot water was turned on.
Everyone participating in the scalding would threaten to drown him if he got out.
Sometimes water would be heated up in a pan on the stove and then he’d be chased through the house until they could throw the scalding water on him.
His sister, Felicia Garlin, thought that was particularly funny and laughed a lot whenever it happened.
The boy told investigators that these burning incidents happened more than ten times.
Pliers were found. They had been applied to the kid’s genitals which were then twisted.
Every night the boy slept naked, without blankets, in his sister’s closet.
And then the lesbian break-up happened.
Damn those lesbian break-ups.
Tammie Garlin and Michaela Clerc were lovers at one point, but had a falling out and broke up, which led Michaela to believe Tammie had cheated on her.
The whole group turned on Tammie Garlin and they started to torture her along with her son.
She began to get the scaldings, to be locked in the closet.
On June 4th, hours after a particularly savage beating, Tammie Garlin still felt sick. Felicia Garlin and Michaela Clerc dragged her into a bathroom, where Clerc slammed her head against the floor on her way out.
Annoyed with her moaning and crying, Michael Sisk went into the bathroom with her and shut the door. He came out a few minutes later and told the others that Tammie Garlin was dead.
Michaela Clerc laughed.
The group figured that they had to get rid of the body before it started stinking up the place, so, after much thought, they buried her corpse in the backyard.
Incidentally, after all this was brought out into the open, their landlord came forward to say that Michael Sisk had approached him with an offer of planting a garden over the spot where Tammie Garlin’s body was later found. Michael Sisk apparently changed his mind later on and wanted to put in a patio.
The patio never got put in, because police had finally tracked the group down for the kidnapping of the little 2-year-old girl and arrested Candace Clark, Michaela Clerc and Felicia Garlin on June 14th. Michael Sisk was captured later at a bus stop in Milwaukee. He had a ticket to Kentucky and was only captured because the bus had been delayed.
After the police took the three women down to the station for interrogation purposes, Clerc revealed during her interview that there was still an 11-year-old boy locked in a closet.
Driving back to the house, police found the boy there, sitting on the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest. He was covered in cuts, burns and scars. His feet were so badly burned he couldn’t walk.
A local 7-year-old girl said she saw them wheel the boy out and was scared. “I seen blood coming out of his forehead,” she said.
Dr. Barbara L. Knox examined and interviewed the boy at a local hospital.
Her examination showed that he had burns over most of his body, including his scalp. He had significant injuries, both old and new that could only be caused by constant, serial beatings.
He was malnourished.
Specific injuries to the boy included:
- a missing front upper tooth
- several burn marks on his face and scalp
- multiple burn and loop marks (from reported extension cord beatings) throughout his torso
- burns on both his hands, which had caused mummification and significant contracture of some of the fingers
- burnt and swollen arms
- burn scars on his legs and knees
- extensive burns on both feet
The boy’s final comment to Dr. Knox during the interview: “I don’t want to hurt no more.”
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And I thought the Munsters and Adams Family were weid!
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Brenda reply on July 17, 2008:
Injustice in our justice system! NO PLEAS, please! Someone fix this.
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okay, who voted no?
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i cried when i read this story!!!
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Nevermind of they are going to hell - how about how will tis kid live the rest of his life?!!?
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This is one reason I could never be in Law Enforcement, or Child Protective Services. I wouldn’t revel in the idea of these people going to prison for the rest of their lives…I would just put a .45 bullet in each of their knees and walk away.
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will reply on February 21, 2008:
a public beating everyweek is not enough punishment
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I agree with Duane, but getting a bullet in the knees would be really really G rated compared to what I would do to them. Not that I condone what they did, but they would see what they did come back to them 20-40 fold. Not too mention the severe systematic raping of them, multiple times a day. With various household items of different sizes and shapes!!! I would take particular ‘care’ in this. :) They would literally wish they were dead with every second that they had conscience thought.
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ok, Michael Sisk is my brother.Yall shouldnt be asking if theyre going to hell or not! Its not up to you its only up to one person! My brother Michael might not of even done this stuff.Its all about what theyre saying and that doesnt mean nothing.Candice is a B*tch and Im not scared to say it.She has ruined our family,not just my brothers life all of ours.The only reason my brother left Colorado is because Candice told my brother “If you want to see your kids again your going to come” and she made him go! Candice is a whitch she is into whichcraft.My brother isnt the type of person to do this stuff! He is a quite person and he would never harm anyone!! I just cant believe my brother did this stuff!
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Is it just me, but when ever I hear of people molesting or torturing children? I want some payback; prison is not enough for these people they need to physically feel the same pain they inflected to a defenseless child. I would hope people reading this in prison take my words to heart…
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First off, only those that were present and God himself knows exactly what happen in that Portage house. I find shame in the fact knowing others who we shall call “perfect mortals” have been the first to point a finger condemning Candice Clark for this immoral act. I see all of you as being nothing more than an actor yourselves, playing the all mighty role of God. We are to nod our heads in shame that any human could have done such a crime.. which may I remind that you nor I had inherited the power to visually see if others are guilty of anything through a brick wall. I am indeed thankful for the given liberties of a fair trail and also find comfort in the fact that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Nevertheless, I would not only find shame in the fact that anyone could take another’s life, I am also embarrassed to know that my fellow Americans, can find comedy in such a story where I am sure the family of Tammie Garlin have endured horrific pain while dealing with their lose. I also find zero humor in the matter pertaining to my loved and trusted sister, Candace Clark. Shame on my fellow Americans.. Rent a comedy from blockbuster, yes its that simple… I love, believe and trust in you Candace Clark not only because you are my sister but also in addition to the realism that I will never put myself in the same group as all of these perfect simpleton who think they know it all. Also want to think our lord above, we are just weeks away from welcoming our wonderful three nieces back home in Kentucky. I for one, cant find humor in this trouble situation when three innocent little lives will have to deal with this forever. They are the true innocent ones here, however guessing the mentally level of you “want to be comedians,†I am sure you will never be able to comprehend this. For all of you perfect judges who we now know instills some type of telepathic powers and have giggled in all your non-humorous statement, while accusing my sister, Candace Clark of these many sins. Now may I remind you that laughing in such a way, just might find yourself in a position where one need to repent yourself!! Hum ponder that over you Hippocrates. To all of you no-names but big talking uneducated writers, if your so proud of your dim-witted, non amusing blogs, I suggest you acquire the knowledge needed to spell your name therefore you can impute it proudly @ the end of your seeming ridiculous statements. I truly hope that someday day all of you “uneducated want to be heard intellectually challenged individuals†would not continue to be oblivious on the subject your pretend to know so well. Furthermore, I challenge all of you aspired journalists to sign your identity at the end of your labored underdeveloped premature abstracts. I will promptly take on the job of a lobbyist and will not stop until you all get your idiot medal for all your 1st grade mentally level that you so freely speck with.
P.S. Michael is an adult no one made him do anything!!!
Sondra Delaney (Candice Clarks only sister)
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PantalonesDeDios reply on April 10, 2008:
Paragraphs. They’re your friend. If you were half as intelligent as you proclaim you would not need to be educated in the matter.
Furthermore, your sister deserves far more than she will get and I hope, for the sake of anyone who managed to fumble through this half-cocked babble, you will get some of it too.
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Deanna price reply on April 30, 2008:
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!!!!!!!! i HAVE SEEN THIS BOY AND HE SAID SHE DID MOST OF IT!!
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We’re fairly positive that you meant to say “hypocrites.”
And we freely admit that are uneducated and dim-witted, but we’ll be DAMNED if we’re ever non-amusing!
After all. We have folks like you crawling in from time to time.
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Oh, lordy. The perps have suffered such anguish?
I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that the victim might have suffered more anguish.
I am also going to suggest that nobody finds humour in the actual crimes…. but that sarcasm and irony are helpful tools when trying to deal with the concept of people who choose to rape/murder/molest. Because normal people cannot understand or condone evilness, even though it is obviously PC to do that now.
It may surprise you to know that you are on a website where the majority of people are very negative about POSs that commit crimes.
Surprise!
(The name of the website should have given you a clue.)
c
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I voted no. Why?
1. The question was whether everyone is going to hell. The tortured boy probably wouldn’t, nor would the 2-yr old girl, I’m guessing.
2. There is no hell and you’re all full of it.
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Clara reply on April 23, 2008:
You’re an idiot.
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I have followed this story very closely. What really disturbs me is that the adults were pointing fingers at Tammy’s children as being “in on the whole thing†when it is obvious that they were victims here too. Why do you think Felicia was moved to juvenile court and all charges were dropped? The truth came out; she could not be the mastermind of such horrors. I saw articles where the boy was accused of abusing his mother… I think the adults in this home set standards by which these kids had to live by. They were pretty low standards and it was life or death. You did what you were told or you died. I understand that all the families involved have to live with what has happened. The problem is that the adults who lived in the home either participated or let it happen. All human beings in our society have a moral obligation to stop these things from happening. I am sure at some point in the lives of these people that they may have been upstanding members of our society, but not anymore. They committed acts of atrocity on others in front of children and to the children themselves. As a treatment foster parent I am disturbed by this. I have kids who are abused, neglected, molested and worse that live in my home. We work hard to help them get through the pain and torment and then get past it. An important message that we should send is that more people need to help keep our society on track. It needs to start at home so our kids learn how to be productive and moral members of our society. Teach parents how to parent and we can cut down a lot of this abuse. Foster parents are asked to clean up the mess that biological families have left behind. We are not always successful and not all foster parents are ethical either, but there are more good than bad. All we can do is provide loving and stable homes and a shoulder to cry on. Hours and hours of intensive therapy will be provided to these kids. If the babies in the house go back to the biological family then the bio family better be prepared to step up and provide a better and safer home. I suggest some parenting classes for all. As a foster parent I have social workers in my home every week, quarterly meetings with county workers and bio families and still keep up with continuing education requirements, we went through intensive background checks which are updated every two years. Parents can have sex and have children… does this make them a parent? The goal is always to reunite the children with their biological families. I have not had one child come into my home where the bio family was an appropriate place to go back to. So while I hear a lot of things being said here I haven’t heard many say they want to step up and help out. Think about it… all of our futures depend on upcoming generations of children. Doesn’t that scare you just a little bit?
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I agree with Someone Who Cares - I too have seen too many situations where the bio family was not an appropriate place to go back too - Histories of abuse follow a pattern and cycle. Abusers learned to abuse. But the law is to reunited kids with biological families - and until the governing powers wake up and smell the coffee - kids will continued to be treated like they are property. The cycle continues to go on.
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yeah but thats when you need to start watching the kid closely. making sure he/she didn’t pick up on any of the things that the parents inflicted on him/her. as soon as that kid starts killing birds and cats then it’s probably too late.
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Foster parents like someone who cares are true heroes in our society, fixing up children damaged by their parents.
I can’t understand the apologists for the perpetrators, even if they are relatives.
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MY NAME IS LISA-SAD TO SAY THAT CANDACE IS MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.SHE MARRIED MY SON “BRANDON CLARK”APRIL,2004………THEY HAVE A DAUGHTER TOGETHER HER NAME IS “COURTNEY CLARK”I AM HER GRANDMOTHER AND I’VE NEVER GOT TO SEE HER.BECAUSE CANDACE HAS BEEN ON THE RUN FOR SO LONG.I’VE CALLED FL.KY.AND WI. TO TRY TO GET SOME INFORMATION AS TO WHERE COURTNEY WAS,AND TO SEE IF I COULD GET HER TO TAKE CARE OF HER.I’VE BEEN LIED TO FROM ALL THE OFFICALS.ALL THEY WOULD TELL ME IS SHE WAS IN A HOMELESS SHELTER.I’VE CALLED ATTORNEY’S,SOCIAL WORKERS,STATES ATT.GENERALS,I CAN’T GET ANY-ONE TO CALL BACK OR E-MAIL ME BACK,I DON’T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.I HAVE ONLY 1 PICTURE OF COURTNEY,AND I GOT THAT OFF THE INTERNET.I WOULD BE SO HAPPY JUST TO HOLD HER IN MY ARMS 1 TIME AND GIVE HER A BIG HUG.NOW I KNOW HOW YOU CAN LOVE SOME-ONE YOU’VE NEVER MET.THIS IS A VERY MESSED UP SITUATION.I HAVE PRAYED,CRIED ALOT,HOPED,WISHED,AND DREAMED OF SEING CORTNEY AND VISIT WITH HER.I HAVE NOT AND WILL NOT LOOSE MY FAITH,I KNOW GOD IS A BIG GOD AND HE CAN DO ALL THINGS……I HATE TO SEE HER CHILDREN AND FAMILY GO THROUGH HER MESSED UP LIFE.MY HEART AND PRAYERS GO TO THE 11 YEAR OLD BOY THAT SHE AND THE OTHERS TORCHERED , IT IS SO SAD FOR WHAT THEY DONE ,I JUST WANT THEM TO KNOW I DO CARE AND I AM SORRY FOR ALL THEY’VE HAD TO GO THROUGH MY HEARTS DROPS EVERYTIME I THINK OF THE 11 YEAR OLD BOY I WISH THERE WAS SOMETHING I COULD DO TO HELP HIM.IF I EVER GET THE CHANCE I WOULD LOVE TO HOLD HIM IN MY ARMS AND LOVE ON HIM.WE ALL NEED TO SHOW COMPASSION,AND DEEP LOVE ,JUST LIKE JESUS HAS FOR US ALL.THEY ALL NEED ALOT OF PRAYERS,ESPECIALLY FOR THIER SOULS.I AM NOT ONE TO JUDGE ANY-ONE THAT’S GODS’ JOB.ANY-WAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL,LOTS OF LOVE……LISA G.DALTON-STANLEY
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MY QUESTION IS HOW FAIR OR RIGHT IS IT THAT THE MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER HAS MORE RIGHTS THEN THE PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER.SHES’ KNOWN ABOUT THE CHILDREN EVERY STEP OF THE WAY,WHILE I AM LEFT IN THE DARK ABOUT EVERY-THING.I HAVE TALKED TO A FEW PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET THAT KNOWS ABOUT THE CASE OF COURTNEY AND THEY TELL ME THAT I AM NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT ANYTHING.I JUST WONDER WHY?SINCE CANDACE IS STILL MARRIED TO MY SON AND COURTNEY IS MY GRAND-DAUGHTER!!!!!!YES I AM MAD AND ANGRY ABOUT THE WHOLE SITUATION.BECAUSE I CAN’T GET ANY-ONE TO DO ANYTHING AND IN THE MEAN TIME CANACES’MOM IS DENYING ME VISITATION RIGHTS……..
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IT’S NOT UP TO ANY OF US TO SEE THEY HAVE THIERE PAYBACKS,GOD HAS VENGANCE AND HE WILL SEE THAT JUSTICE WILL BE DONE.AS FAR AS THE OTHER GRAND-MOTHER “DANA “HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU NEVER GOT TO SEE YOUR GRAND-DAUGHTER OR IF YOU FOUND OUT SOME=ONE ELSE HAD HER JUST LIKE YOU HAD COURTNEY AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME!!!!!!!!!!IT’S NOT RIGHT THE WAY YOU DONE ME,YOU JUST LIKE EVERY-ONE ELSE HAVE VIOLATED MY RIGHTS TO MY GRAND-DAUGHTER,SO MAYBE YOU NEED TO WALK IN MY SHOES FOR A WHILE.CAUSE GOD HAS VENGANCE IN ALL AREAS…WHAT YOU DO COMES BACK TO YOU GOOD OR BAD…….
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Shan reply on March 15, 2008:
That is so sad that one Grandma had the kids and did not tell the other. So that she could see them too. Hmmmmm Wonder how she would fill if she never got to see her son again………….
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I cant believe that someone could be this cruel. How would she feel if someone done this to her Daughter. To be honest I dont think that it would faze her… And as far as the Paternal GrandMother goes. She has been done Dirty. She has rights too. And she should be able to meet her Grand baby. I hope that she gets to have her FOREVER. And Candace is put away till the end of time. And yes God will judge her. And I sure wouldnt want to be in her shoes. She is less than a human…..LET THE GRAND MOTHER SEE HER GRAND DAUGHTER.
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YES GOD was there and he saw all and heard all. Thats why they all will pay for the hell they put these people through. NO ONE shouls have to endure what they went through. PEOPLE ARE SICK SICK SICK. Mentally screwed up.
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Chalk me up to one that cried too. Nothing more I can say and thats fairly unusual for me…
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This story truly made my heart hurt. I hope that little boy will get to experience what it feels like to be loved.
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Candace Clark plead no contest Thursday July 3, 2008 http://www.wiscnews.com/pdr/news/294693
Trial would have begun on Monday July 7th and was to be televised nationwide on TruTV (formerly Court TV)
Facing a maximum sentence of 78 1/2 years - Clark will be 102 if she is ever released.
Sisk’s trial is scheduled for August.
No contest in WI means GUILTY. WI has jail terms - no death penalty here.
For her relatives proclaiming her innocence - she’s had her day in court and has pleaded which cancels her trial.
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Max The Cat reply on July 4, 2008:
Looks like she was forced to plead straight-up guilty on all the charges that involved the kid. No way were they going to give her the slightest chance to cop out her responsibilty on that stuff, which is as bad as the murder IMHO. With “No Contest”, you’re not required to admit any guilt, so you can always say I took the plea for whatever BS reason you can think of. It’s the Judge that finds you guilty. The advantage to the prosecution is, because you copped the plea, you can’t ever appeal.
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You know, I read a lot of fucked up shit on the internet because I am an information junkie. It amazes me how this type of abuse (or any abuse for that matter) can still happen these days. I tucked in my seven year old daughter last night and just sat there next to her bed after she fell asleep. A tear actually fell from my eye knowing my baby NEVER had to endure that upon my hands. How can anyone have a child and torture them the way these people have done is beyond me. I have a hard time raising my voice at my daughter, let alone hit her. That’s a big no-no.
How these people managed to drag all these kids across the US, the whole time beating them and torturing them and NO ONE saw or heard anything. I have a hard time believing that. I really hope that these people burn in hell for hurting that boy the way they did. He will never be normal. He will never feel loved. Imagine being beat and belittled by your whole family! Where else do you have to go?
My God, it’s just so sad.
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What the FUCK!! I hope they all get beaten to death. No chair, no hanging, no jail. They should endure the same pain they put that boy through, and then they should be killed. They are scum, and deserve to die.
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They all plead out. I’ll be surprised if any of them do over 10 years. Good work DA’s.
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Meth. Meth. Meth.
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