Theo Nash
David Pelzer's mother, Catherine Roerva Christensen Pelzer, was an alcoholic who abused him from the ages of 4 to 12. Pelzer's book, 'A Child Called It' describes the physical and mental abuse he suffered, including being starved, forced to drink ammonia, stabbed, and burned. While the exact reason for his mother's alcoholism is unknown, Pelzer's writings suggest that she singled him out among his brothers for cruel punishments and that her behaviour changed around the time he entered the first grade. Pelzer's younger brother, Stephen, has disputed the abuse allegations, while another brother, Richard, has affirmed them and described his own abuse after Pelzer was removed from the home.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Alcoholism | Alcoholic |
| Abuse | Physically and emotionally abusive |
| Mental illness | Mentally ill, unstable, disturbed |
| Child selection | Chose Dave as her "target child" |
| Games | Played torturous, unpredictable games |
| Neglect | Starved, fed spoiled scraps |
| Torture | Stabbed, burned, forced to drink ammonia |
| Slave labour | Considered Dave a slave, not a son |
| Denial | Never charged or incarcerated for child abuse |
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What You'll Learn
Emotional instability
Pelzer's book, "A Child Called 'It'", describes the severe physical and emotional abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother from ages 4 to 12. He writes about how his mother starved him, forced him to ingest harmful substances, physically assaulted him, and caused him near-fatal injuries. Pelzer's mother also referred to him as "It", denying his humanity and identity as her son.
The emotional instability of Pelzer's mother is evident in the unpredictable and torturous games she played, which left him with near-fatal injuries. Her behaviour indicates a lack of empathy and a distorted sense of reality, further exacerbated by her alcoholism. It is likely that her mental health issues, coupled with alcohol abuse, impaired her ability to form healthy attachments and maintain stable emotions.
The impact of his mother's emotional instability and abuse had a profound impact on Pelzer's life. He was placed in foster care at age 12, where he struggled to cope with his past trauma and acted out frequently. Despite the challenges, Pelzer demonstrated resilience and a strong sense of self-worth, eventually joining the U.S. Air Force and becoming a best-selling author.
While Pelzer's mother's emotional instability was a significant factor in his abuse, it is important to recognise that her actions were a choice and that society often struggles to accept that mothers can be abusive. Pelzer's story highlights the severity and impact of child abuse and the importance of intervention and support for victims.
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Alcoholism as an escape
Alcoholism is often a coping mechanism, a way for people to escape their reality and numb their feelings. It is a common response to trauma and can be a form of self-medication for those struggling with mental health issues. Dave Pelzer's mother, Catherine Roerva Christensen Pelzer, was an alcoholic, and her drinking played a significant role in the abuse she inflicted on her son.
Pelzer's book, "A Child Called 'It'", describes the severe physical and emotional abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother from ages 4 to 12. He writes about being starved, forced to drink ammonia, stabbed, burned, and forced to eat his own vomit. Pelzer's mother was emotionally unstable and would play torturous games with him, referring to him as "It" rather than by his name.
Alcoholism can be a way for people to escape their traumatic memories and painful emotions. It is possible that Catherine Pelzer turned to alcohol as a way to cope with her own mental health struggles and traumatic experiences. However, it is important to note that not everyone who experiences trauma becomes an alcoholic, and there are likely other factors at play as well.
In the book, Pelzer describes his mother's transformation when she drank. He recalls that when she was sober, she was a loving mother who cared for her sons and cooked amazing meals. However, as her drinking increased, she became abusive, choosing Dave as her target over her other sons. This "target child selection" is a common phenomenon in abusive households.
Alcohol can lower inhibitions and impair judgment, making it easier for people to act on their impulses. It is possible that Catherine Pelzer's drinking contributed to her inability to control her impulses and led to her making dangerous and abusive decisions. Alcoholism can be a complex issue, and it is often a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors that contribute to its development.
While alcoholism may have been Catherine Pelzer's way of escaping her own trauma and pain, it ultimately led to the severe abuse and neglect of her son, Dave Pelzer.
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Target child selection
Dave Pelzer, born in 1960, was the second of five boys. Pelzer's book, *A Child Called "It"* describes the abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother from the ages of 4 to 12. Pelzer's mother, Catherine Roerva Christensen Pelzer, was an alcoholic who played torturous games with him, referring to him as "It" instead of her son's name. She stopped treating him like a son and more like a slave. Pelzer's father, a fireman, was passive and did not intervene to stop the abuse. Pelzer describes how his mother starved him, forced him to drink ammonia, stabbed him, burned his arm on a stove, and forced him to eat his own vomit.
The phenomenon of "target child selection" refers to the process by which a parent chooses a specific child to abuse. In the case of Dave Pelzer, his mother singled him out of her five sons to be the target of her abuse. This selection may have been influenced by a variety of factors, including:
The child's age and vulnerability: Younger children are often more vulnerable and may be easier targets for abuse due to their smaller size, dependence on the parent, and limited ability to understand or report the abuse. Pelzer was only five years old when his mother started abusing him.
The child's temperament and behaviour: A child with a more sensitive, timid, or compliant temperament may be more likely to be targeted for abuse. Additionally, a child who is acting out or exhibiting behavioural problems may become a target for a parent's frustration and anger. Pelzer's mother may have perceived him as weaker or less likely to fight back compared to his brothers.
The parent's perception of the child: Sometimes, a parent may develop a negative or distorted perception of a child, seeing them as inherently bad, unlovable, or deserving of punishment. This can lead to the parent justifying their abusive behaviour towards that particular child. Pelzer's mother may have viewed him as an "It" rather than a person, dehumanizing him and making it easier for her to inflict abuse.
The parent's own history and experiences: A parent's own childhood experiences, mental health issues, or trauma can influence their behaviour towards their children. Pelzer's mother may have had unresolved issues from her past that contributed to her abusive behaviour. Her drinking may have been a coping mechanism, and when she drank, her behaviour towards Pelzer changed drastically.
Family dynamics and relationships: Family dynamics can also play a role in target child selection. In some cases, a child may be targeted for abuse due to their position in the family, such as being the eldest or the youngest. Additionally, family members may inadvertently enable the abuse by remaining silent or failing to intervene. Pelzer's father and siblings did not actively stop the abuse, and his brother, Stephen, even participated in the abuse of another brother, Richard, after Dave was removed from the home.
Social and cultural factors: Societal norms, cultural beliefs, and community attitudes can also influence target child selection. In some cases, cultural norms may contribute to a parent's belief that certain behaviours or punishments are acceptable. Additionally, social isolation or a lack of support systems can increase the risk of abuse. Pelzer's family may have appeared picture-perfect from the outside, but the abuse remained hidden until teachers intervened and reported it.
It is important to note that the exact reasons why Dave Pelzer's mother singled him out for abuse may never be fully understood. However, by examining these potential factors, we can gain a better understanding of the complex dynamics that contribute to target child selection in abusive households.
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Lack of child protection laws
Dave Pelzer's story is one of the most severe child abuse cases in California's history. Pelzer's mother, Catherine Roerva Christensen Pelzer, was an alcoholic who physically and emotionally abused him from ages 4 to 12. Pelzer's father was not active in resolving or stopping the conflicts between Pelzer and his mother.
Pelzer's book, "A Child Called 'It'", describes the abuse he suffered, including being starved, forced to drink ammonia, stabbed, burned, and forced to eat his own vomit. Despite the severity of the abuse, his mother was never charged or incarcerated for her crimes. In fact, after Dave was taken away, his brother Richard became the new target of his mother's abuse and endured it for 10 years until he moved out.
One reason that Catherine Pelzer was able to evade legal consequences for her actions may have been a lack of child protection laws at the time. According to one source, "at that time, California didn't have penal codes for child protection." This lack of legal framework may have contributed to the failure to hold Pelzer's mother accountable for her abusive behavior.
The lack of child protection laws in California during the 1970s likely played a significant role in the failure to protect Dave Pelzer and other children from abuse. During that time, society often turned a blind eye to child abuse, and it was not openly discussed or acknowledged. This cultural climate, coupled with inadequate legal protections, created an environment where abusive parents could evade consequences and continue inflicting harm on their children.
The impact of this lack of child protection laws extended beyond Dave Pelzer's case. His brother, Richard Pelzer, who also experienced abuse after Dave left the home, wrote a book titled "A Brother's Journey," corroborating Dave's accounts and describing his own suffering. The fact that Richard remained in the abusive household for ten years underscores the failures of the system to intervene and protect vulnerable children effectively.
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Unstable home environment
Dave Pelzer's mother, Catherine Roerva Christensen Pelzer, was an alcoholic who subjected him to physical and emotional abuse from the ages of 4 to 12. Pelzer's book, "A Child Called 'It'" describes his mother's abusive behaviour, which included starvation, forcing him to drink ammonia, stabbing him, burning his arm on a stove, and forcing him to eat his vomit. Pelzer's father was passive and failed to intervene or stop the abuse.
Pelzer grew up in an unstable home environment marked by his mother's alcoholism and abuse. His mother's drinking caused her to transform from a loving parent to a horrific abuser. When drunk, she would engage in "target child selection", choosing Dave as the target of her abuse over his four brothers. She would stop calling him by his name, instead referring to him as "it", and moved his bed to the basement.
The abuse suffered by Pelzer caused him significant mental anguish, leading him to act out and engage in petty theft. Despite being placed in foster care at age 12, Pelzer continued to struggle with the trauma of his early life. He was moved between different foster families and eventually ended up in juvenile hall. Even after aging out of the foster care system, Pelzer continued to face challenges and enlisted in the Air Force, where he served in the Gulf War.
Pelzer's mother was never charged or incarcerated for her abuse of Dave, and she went on to abuse another son, Richard, after Dave left home. Richard also wrote a book, "A Brother's Journey", detailing his own experiences of abuse at the hands of their mother. Despite the abuse he endured, Dave Pelzer was able to forgive his mother and dedicated his life to helping others as an author, educator, and consultant.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unclear why Dave Pelzer's mother, Catherine Roerva Christensen Pelzer, became an alcoholic and abused her son. Pelzer describes how his mother was physically and emotionally abusive towards him from ages 4 to 12.
Pelzer describes how his mother starved him, forced him to drink ammonia, stabbed him in the stomach, burned his arm, and forced him to eat his own vomit.
No, Catherine Roerva was never charged or incarcerated for child abuse.
Dave Pelzer's teachers stepped in and notified the authorities, and 12-year-old Pelzer was placed in foster care.
Yes, Pelzer's brother Richard became the new scapegoat for his mother's abusive rages after he was removed from the home.
