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David Pelzer was born on December 29th, 1960, in California.

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David's mother soon began to change drastically in her behavior. She beat David often now, and once she popped his arm out of place. She claimed he had fallen out of the top bunk in his bed.

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David is one day forced to put his arms and body over the kitchen stove. He is in so much excruciating pain, but figures out that if he can stall his mother more, she will give up when David's older brothers come home. He continues this method throughout his abuse.

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David goes back to school finally. But his mother makes him wear his dirty clothes to school, and it is a huge embarrassment. The bruises on his face are fully exposed, and he makes up excuses to say how they happened.

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David continues to starve, and has entered the second grade. His mother is pregnant with a fourth child, and the fighting between his parents only just begins. They fight constantly at night, mostly over the treatment of David and his brothers.

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OCT 19, 1967Isolated From The Family

David is exiled from the family by his mother. She doesn't even call him by his name anymore, only by "the boy". He returns to school with no new clothes, and luckily recieves a lunch on most days.

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JAN 6, 1968While Father Is Away

From the years 1968 to about 1971, David's abuse is continued more and more frequently. He tries stealing from other childrens lunches because of his hunger, and is only punished more severly. When David's father is away, the abuse is much greater and severe. He tries to get his father to help him, but he never offers much help. David is very lost without his father, and sleeps in the basement all alone.

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David's mom becomes very drunk, and while in her rage she stabs David accidentally. The wound is not taken care of properly, and it becomes infected soon. David tells his father, who just tells him to keep doing all the chores that his mother insists he should do.

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David's mother's games continue. He is forced to do everything for his drunken mom, and then the unthinkable happens. Soon after a fifth child is born, David's father leaves them for good. David is left with his mother in the home, and begins to lose hope of ever escaping the household.

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David Pelzer was saved from child abuse by his school teachers and principal on March 5th, 1973.