‘Adult Baby’ Cleared of Fraud, Still Getting Social Security Checks
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Stanley Thornton, Jr. eats his dinner in his personalized highchair while in his baby bib and pajamas at his home in Redding, Calif. (© Jeremy Adair/Beyond Productions)
The California man who lives his life as an “adult baby,” complete with adult diapers, bottles, a crib and a mother-figure caregiver, says he has been cleared from suspicion of Social Security fraud and will continue to receive his disability checks.
Stanley Thornton, Jr. has a condition called paraphilic infantilism that involves role-playing as an infant. Though paraphilic infantilism is a sexual fetish for some, Thornton explains on his website that he pretends to be a baby because it makes him feel “safe” and helps him cope with the post traumatic stress he suffers from physical and sexual abuse he suffered as a child.
After Thornton’s lifestyle was showcased on National Geographic’s television show “Taboo,” Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., accused him of defrauding Social Security because the episode shows him exhibiting work skills such as building a high chair and operating his website.
John Hart, a spokesman for Coburn, told the Washington Times that the senator, also a doctor, questioned how “a grown man who is able to design and build adult-sized baby furniture is eligible for disability benefits.”
Faced with the possibility of losing his source of income, Thornton threatened suicide when questioned on the matter by the Times.
In August, however, Thornton reported on his website that his disability had been cleared and the Social Security administration confirmed that his disabilities are “continuing.” He will continue to receive the $860 monthly checks from the agency that he lives on.
In the same post on his website, Thornton defends his reasons for being on disability.
“I am not getting disability because I am a Adult Baby. No one can get on disability because they are a Adult Baby. I am on disability for legit, tested and well documented illnesses [such as] PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), depression, bipolar 2, spinal injury, heart problems…my role playing is a way for me to relax, not a disability that is being claimed for a disability.”
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Okay…I watched that episode of Taboo online. I never thought anything of it at the time, but now that it’s mentioned, good question! Why does this deviant get to claim SS and disability benefits when it’s clear that he DOES have work skills and HAS made this a life choice? Then he threatens suicide as a form of manipulation? What a baby! PUN INTENDED!
Posted by: thatwasobvious | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 12:20 pm
A reply? Your kidding? This story is bordering on stupid, and so is the legislators that allow it to happen – lunatics are running rampant! This guy is making as much on social security as my 84 year old mother, who of course, worked her whole life!! Good grief!
Posted by: gregorydoesntmatter | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 12:27 pm
How ridiculous!! He says he gets diability for depression, ADD, PTSD, and a “heart problem.” PLEASE! What about our troops that have SEVERE PTSD, depression, bi-polar disorders, etc that can’t find a job to save their life after returning from war but WANT to work?? SO backwards!
Posted by: Stacey T | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 12:33 pm
…”paraphilic infantilism that involves role-playing as an infant. “——-Who are the stupid people who approved this man’s social security payments? He gets more than people I know who worked–Is America great or what!! Would FDR roll over in his grave at this travesty? This is NOT what soc. sec. was designed for!! This is corruption, pure and simple!!
Posted by: jonnie | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 12:47 pm
Line up this guy, Shia LeBeef and Johnny Weir in a room somewhere so I can kick ALL of their asses!
Posted by: Aaron Ververs | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 1:06 pm
Don’t you just love that we get to pay into a system that helps people like him keep his fetish yet he has work skills to be able to do something in this world. My father has depression, is bi-polar, has a bad back, and has hear problems. He takes meds and is working on loosing the weight to get healthier. Does he try and cash in on SS? NO he doesn’t!! My dad is a hard working man who is doing something about his problems instead of living in a fantasy world like this guy is and collecting off it. That’s why we need to get rid of SS all together or have TIGHTER restrictions on it and have careful investigation on who gets it because people are clearly scamming the system
Posted by: Just saying | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 4:18 pm
File under; You can’t make this stuff up…..
Posted by: newcountryman | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 8:55 pm
Those cold hearted Republicans have shown they have absolutely no compassion for people afflicted with this terrible condition!
Posted by: newcountryman | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 8:59 pm
Work harder Americans – Millions on welfare depend on you!
Posted by: Logicsgood5 | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 9:15 pm
If this guy wants to get SSI for being baby, then they should put him in a nursing home so they can take care of him ! Not live at home, chillin, and running his website. People get paid to do things like that. Thats what he should do. Go find a job, BABY!
Posted by: Shannon | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 9:39 pm
sick
Posted by: henry | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 9:42 pm
ok i have add so should i get ss… i also have back problem… really thats not right…
Posted by: sarahe | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 9:42 pm
When this subhuman stated he would kill himself if his benefits were cut, they should have cut them immediately!
Posted by: Nyder | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 9:43 pm
Did this person even ever pay his 40 quarters into the SS system???
I know of people that have never paind into Ss and are on a disability.. WTF? Are the people running this establishment totally nuts??? This has got to be the worst situation for someone getting SS that I have ever heard of.
Posted by: Gary Kushlan | October 20, 2011 October 20, 2011, 10:43 pm
And he wonders why he can’t get a girlfriend.
Posted by: Roscoe Chait | October 21, 2011 October 21, 2011, 12:24 am
That is the most disturbing thing I have ever seen in my life…and I saw Nancy Grace’s nipple slip.
Posted by: Kevin | October 21, 2011 October 21, 2011, 12:28 am
wow!!! Is all i can really say wow!!! And this isnt the first time the system has failed .. My sister old roommate get ss because he claims he has depression from his mom being a alcholic..but my friends lil boy has a blood disorder and the brittle bone thing and they denied her son .. Wow !!!
Posted by: ashamed | October 21, 2011 October 21, 2011, 12:42 am
I am a psychiatrist. I have never heard of or seen this nonsense condition. Absolutely nonsense !!!
Posted by: Joey | October 21, 2011 October 21, 2011, 12:50 am
WHAT A CROCK !!! More interesting would be an investigation of the DOCTOR who signed off on this nonsense …
Posted by: yeah.i.said.it | October 21, 2011 October 21, 2011, 12:51 am
Oh…our tax money at work. And we wonder why the country and social security are broke.
Posted by: rulapuppt | October 21, 2011 October 21, 2011, 2:54 am
More proof that Social Security is the fraud, abuses like this are rampant in the bloated ponzi scheme which claims to be for the benefit of the elderly. This will be the same crooks running your nationalized healthcare as well, and if you think that’s going to be run any better than Social Security, then you belong in a giant baby chair too.
Posted by: nyctreeman | October 21, 2011 October 21, 2011, 4:06 am
As a Democrat, I just want to tell you Republicans, we think this is f’n rediculous too so don’t blame all of us! Who the hell is in charge of this crap????
Posted by: D_E_A | October 21, 2011 October 21, 2011, 5:44 am
“I know of people that have never paind (sic) into Ss and are on a disability.. WTF?” ~~~~~~ So do I. Most of them are quadriplegic or dying of a terminal disease. Those cheats!!! How dare they!!
From the information in the news piece alone, you can’t really tell if this guy’s SS benefits are inappropriate or not. There are issues the story doesn’t address. Yes, it appears he has some work skills that might make him employable, but what about his psychiatric state and his conduct with people? Would those make him unemployable at any occupation? Does he wet himself or poop his adult diapers, like some infantilists do? How much of his behavior can be put “on hold” long enough for him to work constructively at a task and see it through correctly? From reading, it would appear his behaviors represent the exercising of personal preferences (a fetish) that make him feel “more secure.” Okay, fine. Is he incapable then of answering a phone and taking an order? He could do that dressed in a diaper and bib from a playpen at home to his heart’s content. If the behaviors are involuntary, however — say, as the result of a traumatic head injury — that’s another matter.
Last I checked, this condition was most often a type of voluntary sexual fantasy role-playing, and most who have it are able to attend school through college, work full-time jobs, and maintain stable, longterm relationships, because the behaviors are under their conscious control.
Posted by: Minorkey1 | October 21, 2011 October 21, 2011, 6:24 am
A very close relative of mine works for Social Security . . . America doesn’t realize how many lowlifes get disabilty for things like depression, bipolar, ADHD, etc. Don’t blame Social Security, blame the doctors who allow these charlatans to get away with it. I know of whole families getting many thousands a month because ALL the children are “diagnosed” as having ADHD. Give me a break. Untold billions and billions could be saved if the government would do away with such idiotic programs that are sooo easy to manipulate.
Posted by: RonMexico | October 21, 2011 October 21, 2011, 10:18 am
Okay this isnt fair. My mom has diabetes to the point her feet hurt all the time, heart trouble (heart attacks etc) high blood pressure, her knees went out -the cartilage- and she’s wearing pins and cant walk very far, her neck has metal screws in it, and her doctor won’t even give her disability even though she cannot stand up or sit for more than a hour without it killing her. How can HE get it because he has mental problems? She is physically unable to work. This is ridiculous.
Posted by: lmno | October 21, 2011 October 21, 2011, 10:35 am
The doctors that sign off on this guy’s “disability” need to be stripped of their credentials and never be licensed to practice again. They are just as guilty of fraud as this goofy leech. If he can build a high chair and run a web site then he can work for a living and has no valid need for disability in spite of whatever physical and mental conditions he might claim to have. ADHD?!? C’mon…that’s the biggest crock of crap ever perpetrated on America. How come nobody ever heard of this 25 years ago? Did it just suddenly appear and begin to “disable” thousands of people? If you want to get someone with so-called ADHD to focus, just slap ‘em upside the head a couple times. That’ll get ‘em focused REAL quick!
Posted by: Arf40 | October 21, 2011 October 21, 2011, 11:17 am
This is one baby that needs a spanking ! Another leach on society.
Posted by: Danno | October 22, 2011 October 22, 2011, 7:32 am
poor dude is clearly ill.
Posted by: sad | October 27, 2011 October 27, 2011, 10:57 am
a
Posted by: a | October 28, 2011 October 28, 2011, 10:27 am
Will California’s Problems Ever Stop (or at least reduce)???
A week after S and P announced that California was the worst managed state in country (might as be the world !), a story broke (but NOT a “new” story; only ongoing…..”new” to me, however) that some california county was supporting ” Stanley Thornton’s” Fetish (Infantilism) in PAYMENTS through federal disability, general assistance, and State disability, and god knows what else. I was outraged and sickened by this as many others were visa vie the various blogg sites covering the story. Complaining will NOT DO ANYTHING folks. Write the decision makers and start raising some HELL. With the way our economy is, I was disgusted beyond Words, and I am going to do whatever I can to stop this abuse and bring “Reason” back into people minds and hearts. Just because someone threatens suicide, that does NOT mean for a second that an entire state should be held hostage. While workin in psychiatric hospitals for many years, I saw t his time and time again, and it made me angry beyond words. That is, “Citizenry Black Mail”…..
Posted by: Scott MacGregor | January 24, 2012 January 24, 2012, 4:53 am