In New York City back in April of 1874, a most unusual event took place. A severely abused nine-year-old girl named Mary Ellen Wilson became the first child in America to be rescued from an abusive home. She had been beaten, burned, slashed with scissors, locked in a closet, and had never been outside of her tenement home in over 7 years. Thanks to the concern and dedication of a missionary named Etta Wheeler, the child was finally saved from her cruel captors. Henry Bergh's ASPCA -- yes, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals -- was instrumental in securing her rescue. When no other agencies would become involved, the ASPCA used its power and influence to not only save Mary Ellen, but to charter the first organization of its kind to prevent cruelty to children, the NYSPCC -- the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. This book remains the ONLY book that tells the dramatic story of Mary Ellen's life and rescue.

** FROM THE AUTHORS ** When ordering this book in the Kindle format, you will have an option to also purchase an audiobook. With THIS version comes an audiobook narrated by Deb Thomas, hired by the authors to read it. The version narrated by her is over 11 hours long. Eric A. Shelman, himself a narrator, chose to narrate the book himself, uploading the new version, based on the 150th Anniversary of Out of the Darkness: The Story of Mary Ellen Wilson. It includes a new foreword by the authors and some additional photographs. The difference is, the audiobook version done by Eric A. Shelman is about an hour shorter - only because of his slightly quicker reading speed. So rest assured, you are getting the entire story - just in less time. Thank you.