A 53-year-old Indianapolis autism therapy clinic worker has been unmasked as a convicted child neglecter who kept her three young children in a ‘house of horrors.’
In 2003, Mary Strikwerda, who went by her married name Mary Corrigan, subjected her children, a boy and two girls – ages 10, 8 and 6 – to horrid abuse the Marion County Prosecutor had called a ‘modern-day equivalent of a torture chamber.’
She and two friends, Edee Mowrer and Julie Watson, were charged with six counts of child neglect. In 2005, she pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year of home detention, a year of probation and 250 hours of community service.
In 2021, she was hired as a registered behavioral technician at an autism therapy clinic, Autism Companion Services. But in December 2023, she was fired by the therapy clinic after they were notified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) that she was a convicted felon, according to the Indianapolis Star.
But, how exactly the convicted child abuser was allowed to work at the center in the first place – and how her criminal background wasn’t caught – remains a mystery.
Mary Strikwerda, who went by her married name Mary Corrigan, was 33-years-old when she subjected her three young children to horrid abuse that the Marion County Prosecutor had called a ‘modern-day equivalent of a torture chamber.’ More than two decades later she worked at an autism center without staff knowing of her criminal background
Mary Strikwerda, now 53, seen in a current photo with blonde hair was hired in 2021 by Autism Companion Services, but was fired in December 2023 after her criminal past was exposed
Autism Companion Services (pictured) located at 7208 Dobson Street in Indianapolis is where the Mary Strikwerda worked for two years before she was fired after the nonprofit that she received her certification from discovered her criminal past
The nonprofit Behavior Analyst Certification Board that flagged Strikwerda’s criminal past was also the same group that gave her certification in May 2021, months before her hiring.
Autism Companions Services Owner Jane Hornett told the Star how ‘shocked’ the clinic’s leadership team was about her criminal past and said she would have never hired her knowing what they know now.
When the news outlet reached out to the board regarding how it finally learned of her past, officials said they do not share information from ethics investigations.
During her time at the center, Strikwerda changed to a more administrative role, though it is unclear the reason why her position changed.
There has been no indication that any child had been subjected to abuse at the center by Strikwerda.
Hornett said, ‘those who have worked with her and have known her ― I’m not sure what the right term is to use, but you’d be surprised,’ she said.
‘It was 20 years ago, and we’re just going to continue doing what we do, which is great therapy.’
A Facebook post from the center on August 2022 shows a picture of Mary Strikwerda
The Autism Companion Services works with a vulnerable population, and help children starting at age 2. Owner Jane Hornett told the Indianapolis Star how ‘shocked’ the clinic’s leadership team was upon learning the news and said she would have never hired her
The Marion County Prosecutor, Carl Brizzi said the 2003 crimes against the children included locking them in the bathroom for long periods of time without clothing, forcing them to take cold baths.
He also said ‘they were forced to drink vinegar if they said bad words.’ He added the actions, ‘crosses the line from discipline to criminal neglect.’
Additional reports noted Strikwerda’s made the children scrub the toilets and floors with chemicals that left them with burns.
A story in Star when the news first broke in 2003, reported that the probable cause affidavit cited that the oldest child, the 10-year-old boy, was hospitalized for malnutrition.
The prosecutor said at the time that the allegations raised by the children in the state’s charges were ‘corroborated by the physical injuries.’
Around the same time of the abuse, Strikwerda had worked as a house parent at a group home in a Baptist Children’s Home in northern Indiana.
Two occupants of the home – Amber Boyd, 18 and her brother Paul Boyd, 18 – alleged they received similar mistreatment from Strikwerda during their time at the home between 1999 to 2001.
The center had a table at what looks like a fair advertising their services that include autism diagnostic testing, in-center ABA therapy and in-home ABA therapy
In August 2023, the center posted on their social media a bass autism family day
Amber Boyd, 18, alleged that she and her brother, Paul Boyd, also 18,endured similar treatment at the hands of Strikwerda.
The teen told the news outlet that she and her sibling were put in the home because they were rebellious.
Amber alleged that Strikwerda made her drink vinegar to punish her for ‘gossiping.’ The young girl alleged that Strikwerda told her that God commanded her to punish the part of the body that sinned, as per the news outlet.
Other punishments they endured included withholding food, forcing them to clean the house using only toothbrushes and requiring her brother to dig holes and carry boulders around.
She also claimed she was hit by Strikwerda because she wore her skirt too short.
In June 2000 until June 2002, Strikwerda and her husband at the time, David Corrigan, were licensed foster care parents. The Indiana Department of Family and Social Services Administration said the pair did not renew their licenses.
In December 2002, the couple filed for divorce. Her husband was not charged in any crime, the news outlet reported.