Rigler, David

History

"Genie" is the pseudonym of a 13 year old girl who, on November 4, 1970, was admitted to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles as a victim of extreme isolation and deprivation by her immediate family. She was discovered after a Department of Social Services case worker took note of Genie when her mother, who was losing her eyesight, visited Social Services seeking assistance for the blind. Subsequent medical and psychological tests at Childrens Hospital noted that Genie had language and motor skills far below her age level.

In 1971, Childrens Hospital staff members intimately involved in Genie's case applied to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) for grant funding to study Genie's case history and developmental progress during rehabilitation efforts. A grant was approved and from 1971 to 1975 Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) administered the study entitled "Developmental Consequence of Extreme Social Isolation," under the direction of Dr. David Rigler. During the course of the study, members of the research team included other CHLA staff, UCLA Department of Linguistics researchers (including Dr. Susan Curtiss and Dr. Victoria Fromkin), and a variety of external consultants.

In August 1971, it was determined that for Genie's benefit she should be removed from the hospital environment and be placed in a foster home. Because of her unique and severe case, placement was difficult and it was eventually determined that she would reside with David and Marilyn Rigler. The Riglers, in addition to being research team members, were Genie's foster parents from 1971 to 1975. This unusual situation would be a factor in a lawsuit later filed by Genie's mother.

In 1975, NIMH declined to renew the grant and the study came to a close. Genie's placement with the Riglers also came to an end. Now 18 years old and legally an adult, she was released to the care of her mother, who was unable to cope with Genie's special needs. Genie was then placed in a foster home, which proved to be especially detrimental to her progress and psychological well-being. As a result, she was readmitted to Childrens Hospital in 1977 for two weeks. Upon her release, Genie was placed in another foster home.

In 1979, Genie's mother filed a lawsuit (C 276 459) against Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and David Rigler, Howard Hansen, James Kent, Vrinda Knapp, and Susan Curtiss, individually. In the suit, she alleged that CHLA and the various defendants violated the physician-patient, psycho-therapist relationship of Genie and herself when confidential information was revealed publicly. The suit was settled in 1984 and the acrimony of the lawsuit temporarily severed the relationship between the researchers and Genie's mother, resulting in several years of non-communication with her and Genie. However, in 1992 Dr. David Rigler and Genie's mother reestablished communication, and the Riglers, subsequently, visited with Genie.

Although not indicated in the collection files, according to Russ Rymer, author of the book Genie: A Scientific Tragedy, by the early 1990s Genie was living in an adult home for the mentally retarded, where it is believed she remains in 2006.

From the guide to the Collection of Research Materials related to Linguistic-Psychological Studies of Genie (pseudonym), 1895-2003, 1970-2003, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.)