Another case where there's no mention of a mom. But there's mention of a lot of family members sucking up to the oxy-addicted, neglectful father, MARCUS MANNS. Single dad?
Also notice that this piece of trash is literally getting away with murder. He killed this baby and all he gets is two months of rehab and home confinement. Big whoop.
This is typical of the way that the lives of babies and children are undervalued, while every excuse and accomodation is made for the abuser daddy.
INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.
http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/Father_Sentenced_in_Sons_Bathtub_Drowning.html?ref=189
Father Sentenced in Son's Bathtub Drowning
Thomas Manns Jr. received home confinement and two months in rehab for his young son's bathtub drowning death.
Posted: 11:37 PM Jan 25, 2011
Reporter: WSAZ News Staff
Email Address: news@wsaz.com
UPDATE 1/25/11 @ 11:30 p.m.
BOONE COUNTY, W. Va. (WSAZ) -- A father's sentencing coincides with what would have been his son's fifth birthday. Marcus Manns drowned in a bathtub in 2006 and now, more than four years later, his father is finally paying for his crime.
Thomas Manns Jr. appeared before a judge Monday to accept the terms of his plea agreement: child neglect resulting in serious injury. The plea came with a much lighter sentence than the 15 years he could have gotten under the original charge. His penalty is home confinement and a two-month stint in rehab.
"It's a pretty tragic thing. As a parent you're supposed to protect your child and protect them from anything that can harm them," said West Virginia State Police Sgt. Charles Sutphin, the investigator in the case.
Sutphin has been working for years to make sure Manns didn't get off scot-free.
"I thought the sentencing was pretty lenient for this horrific crime," he said. "A child's life was taken over the use of a medication."
Sutphin says OxyContin played a part in the baby's death, a fact that leaves the family shaken.
"He's a great father ... he still is. He made a mistake, everybody makes mistakes ... we're all human," said Mann's aunt Janie Perdue.
Perdue says she never got a chance to really get to know the baby since he died so young.
"We have a close-knit family. We just stick together ... we're a close family, and that's what makes it so hard," she said.
Marcus' eight months on earth left a lasting impression on the family.
"He's just a smiling little angel. He's a beautiful baby, and that's how I'll remember him," Perdue said.
State Police say after Manns serves his two months in rehab at The Anthony Center, he will go before a circuit judge. They say he will probably be given one year of probation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ORIGINAL STORY
PEYTONA, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A crime that happened more than two years ago caught up to a man from Boone County Friday.
22-year-old Thomas Manns of Peytona was arrested and charged with child neglect causing death. A grand jury's indictment came back Thursday.
State Police say on October 25, 2006, he left his 8-month-old son in a bathtub with a 2-year-old. Police say he turned on the water and left the room. When he came back, he found the baby face down and unresponsive.
Manns will be back in court next month for a preliminary hearing. Right now, he's in jail on a 20-thousand dollar bond.
Manns faces three to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Dad murders mom, leaves 2-year-old daughter overnight at murder scene (Danville, Pennsylvania)
Dad WESTLEY WISE is an unemployed deadbeat with a history of attempted murder, assault, and burglary. And yet we're told that it was "an argument" that lead to the mother's stabbing death. Why not just call it a murder by a man with a long criminal record?
Of course, their 2-year-old daughter is now motherless--after being left with her mother dying in a pool of blood all night. And like a lot of killer daddies, he has to do the Daddy Drama Police Standoff thing too. What a POS.
http://dailyitem.com/0100_news/x316477911/Mom-stabbed-9-times-dies
January 26, 2011
Investigators: Suspect took medications, drank beer after Danville murder
By Francis Scarcella and Robert Stoneback
The Danville News The Daily Item Wed Jan 26, 2011, 12:58 PM EST
DANVILLE — In one of the most horrific homicides in Danville history, a borough man brutally stabbed his girlfriend up to nine times, and let her lay in a pool of blood overnight while their 2-year-old child was in the house, police said.
Westley Wise, 33, who moved to Danville from Berwick six months ago, had an argument with Jessica Frederick, 26, of 508 E. Front St., on Monday, which police say led to the stabbing.
Wise and Frederick had their 2-year-old child living with them. The child was unharmed, police said.
Between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday, Wise and Frederick began arguing over their relationship, which led to Wise grabbing a steak knife and slashing Frederick’s throat, then stabbing her up to six times while she lay on the floor, police said.
Wise then went upstairs, changed his clothes, returned downstairs and fell several times in the pools of blood, court documents said.
On Tuesday, Wise was to be picked up by his father, Barry Wise, and upon arrival Barry Wise found Frederick laying on the kitchen floor and called 911, police said.
Ambulance personnel arrived at the house, saw the body, retreated and waited for police.
According to court documents filed Tuesday night, Montour County Coroner Scott Lynn saw blood spatter on Westley Wise’s clothes and body.
Lynn asked if Wise suffered any injuries and noticed empty medication bottles at the residence, prompting him to ask wise if he had taken any medication. He admitted to taking various medications after the stabbings, police wrote in arrest papers.
Wise was transported to the Emergency Department where he was read his Miranda Warnings by Danville patrolman Chris Plafcan. Wise waived them. Plafcan noticed the dried blood on Wise’s chest while questioning him.
During questioning, Wise admitted to Plafcan and patrolman JD Stanley to cutting Jessica Frederick with a kitchen knife four or five times on the chest and neck. Wise grabbed a serrated steak knife with a black handle from the sink and slashed her between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday, police said.
He again admitted to taking the medications after the stabbings and admitted to drinking beers prior to the stabbings.
Authorities asked Wise “Do you understand your actions caused her death?” He answered “Yes.”
He later reconfirmed his statement with officers Plafcan and Stanley, Arresting Officer Williams Wilt III wrote in court docuemnts.
Wise is charged with criminal homicide and will appear at a preliminary hearing in front of Shrawder at 10 a.m. Feb. 2.
Standoff
Upon hearing the initial call, District Attorney Robert Buehner dispatched the Montour County Sheriff’s department to East Front Street. Police from Danville, Mahoning Township, Riverside borough and other neighboring townships were also on the scene by 10:30 a.m.
Danville police Chief Eric Gill and Mahoning police Chief Robert Blee spoke to the occupants of the house using a bullhorn. The older Wise came out first and was escorted to a nearby ambulance.
According to Buehner, it was at this point that the elder Wise told officers his son was still in the house and was “not in a position to come out.”
After 20 more minutes of the chiefs communicating with the suspect who was in the 500 block and across from the Danville Elementary School with neighbors and family watching, Wise emerged in the doorway holding the child, according to Buehner.
Police asked Wise to leave the girl in the doorway and come toward them, which he did. Buehner said neither man was violent or threatening.
Westley Wise and his father were taken to the Danville Police Department where they were questioned.
The 2-year-old was placed in an ambulance and was taken to Geisinger Medcical Center as a precautionary measure, Buehner said. She did not appear to be physically injured.
Following the apprehension, Buehner commended authorities at the incident, saying police were “instrumental in defusing the situation,” giving particular thanks to Blee and Gill.
Multiple knives with blood on the blades
Scott Lynn, Montour County coroner, entered the home and observed several knives in the area, which appeared to have blood on the blades. Lynn said Frederick had been dead for at least 12 hours.
Lynn arrived at the police station and spoke with Westley Wise and police reports say Wise began to tell Lynn “I hurt Jessica,” and “I stabbed her.”
Wise admitted to Danville police to cutting Frederick with a kitchen knife four or five times on the chest and neck, police said.
Wise was transported to Geisinger Medical Center for an evaluation, documents said.
Wise, who sat in hospital clothes, was arraigned before District Justice Marvin Shrawder at the Foss Clinic at Geisinger Tuesday night.
“Have you ever been in trouble before?”
As Shrawder read the charges, Wise never raised his head to look at the packed conference room.
Shrawder asked Wise several questions before explaining to him that there would be no bail.
“Have you ever been in trouble before?” Shrawder asked.
“Yes,” Wise responded.
“What were you in trouble for?” Shrawder asked.
“Simple assault,” Wise said. “It was five years ago.”
Wise gave one-word answers most of the time and Shrawder explained to him that once he was released from Geisinger, he would be taken to Montour County Jail.
Wise shook his head up and down as the judge spoke.
Westley Wise’s name was linked to criminal homicide before. Docket files from Columbia County court show he faced a criminal attempted homicide charge in February 2006, and several accompanying charges.
In that case his request for a psychiatric evaluation was granted by Judge Thomas James Jr. The attempted homicide charge was dropped.
He was convicted of simple assault and was sentenced to 30 days to 18 months confinement.
While in jail, Wise was granted a furlough to join his girlfriend at the time, Jennifer Karns, for the birth of their child at Bloomsburg Hospital.
A little more than a month prior to his February arrest, Wise was arrested on burglary charges.
Four children
During the arraignment Tuesday, Wise told the judge he had four children ages, 14, 6, 4 and 2.
He also told Shrawder he didn’t work and the nearest relation he had lived in Benton.
Buehner told the crowd gathered during a press conference that while Wise is at Geisinger he will have an armed guard outside his hospital door.
“There will be a deputy here 24 hours a day until he is released,” Buehner said.
“He will be transported directly to jail once doctors release him.”
Buehner couldn’t elaborate on why Wise was admitted, but said EMTs saw something that didn’t look right.
“It is a medical decision on how long he will stay here,” Buehner said.
Buehner also said all items found at the scene are being analyzed at the state police crime lab in Mountoursville.
Danville Elementary School and at least one day care in the area were immediately locked down after being notified of the 911 call. The school resumed normal operations at around 11:30 a.m.
Of course, their 2-year-old daughter is now motherless--after being left with her mother dying in a pool of blood all night. And like a lot of killer daddies, he has to do the Daddy Drama Police Standoff thing too. What a POS.
http://dailyitem.com/0100_news/x316477911/Mom-stabbed-9-times-dies
January 26, 2011
Investigators: Suspect took medications, drank beer after Danville murder
By Francis Scarcella and Robert Stoneback
The Danville News The Daily Item Wed Jan 26, 2011, 12:58 PM EST
DANVILLE — In one of the most horrific homicides in Danville history, a borough man brutally stabbed his girlfriend up to nine times, and let her lay in a pool of blood overnight while their 2-year-old child was in the house, police said.
Westley Wise, 33, who moved to Danville from Berwick six months ago, had an argument with Jessica Frederick, 26, of 508 E. Front St., on Monday, which police say led to the stabbing.
Wise and Frederick had their 2-year-old child living with them. The child was unharmed, police said.
Between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday, Wise and Frederick began arguing over their relationship, which led to Wise grabbing a steak knife and slashing Frederick’s throat, then stabbing her up to six times while she lay on the floor, police said.
Wise then went upstairs, changed his clothes, returned downstairs and fell several times in the pools of blood, court documents said.
On Tuesday, Wise was to be picked up by his father, Barry Wise, and upon arrival Barry Wise found Frederick laying on the kitchen floor and called 911, police said.
Ambulance personnel arrived at the house, saw the body, retreated and waited for police.
According to court documents filed Tuesday night, Montour County Coroner Scott Lynn saw blood spatter on Westley Wise’s clothes and body.
Lynn asked if Wise suffered any injuries and noticed empty medication bottles at the residence, prompting him to ask wise if he had taken any medication. He admitted to taking various medications after the stabbings, police wrote in arrest papers.
Wise was transported to the Emergency Department where he was read his Miranda Warnings by Danville patrolman Chris Plafcan. Wise waived them. Plafcan noticed the dried blood on Wise’s chest while questioning him.
During questioning, Wise admitted to Plafcan and patrolman JD Stanley to cutting Jessica Frederick with a kitchen knife four or five times on the chest and neck. Wise grabbed a serrated steak knife with a black handle from the sink and slashed her between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday, police said.
He again admitted to taking the medications after the stabbings and admitted to drinking beers prior to the stabbings.
Authorities asked Wise “Do you understand your actions caused her death?” He answered “Yes.”
He later reconfirmed his statement with officers Plafcan and Stanley, Arresting Officer Williams Wilt III wrote in court docuemnts.
Wise is charged with criminal homicide and will appear at a preliminary hearing in front of Shrawder at 10 a.m. Feb. 2.
Standoff
Upon hearing the initial call, District Attorney Robert Buehner dispatched the Montour County Sheriff’s department to East Front Street. Police from Danville, Mahoning Township, Riverside borough and other neighboring townships were also on the scene by 10:30 a.m.
Danville police Chief Eric Gill and Mahoning police Chief Robert Blee spoke to the occupants of the house using a bullhorn. The older Wise came out first and was escorted to a nearby ambulance.
According to Buehner, it was at this point that the elder Wise told officers his son was still in the house and was “not in a position to come out.”
After 20 more minutes of the chiefs communicating with the suspect who was in the 500 block and across from the Danville Elementary School with neighbors and family watching, Wise emerged in the doorway holding the child, according to Buehner.
Police asked Wise to leave the girl in the doorway and come toward them, which he did. Buehner said neither man was violent or threatening.
Westley Wise and his father were taken to the Danville Police Department where they were questioned.
The 2-year-old was placed in an ambulance and was taken to Geisinger Medcical Center as a precautionary measure, Buehner said. She did not appear to be physically injured.
Following the apprehension, Buehner commended authorities at the incident, saying police were “instrumental in defusing the situation,” giving particular thanks to Blee and Gill.
Multiple knives with blood on the blades
Scott Lynn, Montour County coroner, entered the home and observed several knives in the area, which appeared to have blood on the blades. Lynn said Frederick had been dead for at least 12 hours.
Lynn arrived at the police station and spoke with Westley Wise and police reports say Wise began to tell Lynn “I hurt Jessica,” and “I stabbed her.”
Wise admitted to Danville police to cutting Frederick with a kitchen knife four or five times on the chest and neck, police said.
Wise was transported to Geisinger Medical Center for an evaluation, documents said.
Wise, who sat in hospital clothes, was arraigned before District Justice Marvin Shrawder at the Foss Clinic at Geisinger Tuesday night.
“Have you ever been in trouble before?”
As Shrawder read the charges, Wise never raised his head to look at the packed conference room.
Shrawder asked Wise several questions before explaining to him that there would be no bail.
“Have you ever been in trouble before?” Shrawder asked.
“Yes,” Wise responded.
“What were you in trouble for?” Shrawder asked.
“Simple assault,” Wise said. “It was five years ago.”
Wise gave one-word answers most of the time and Shrawder explained to him that once he was released from Geisinger, he would be taken to Montour County Jail.
Wise shook his head up and down as the judge spoke.
Westley Wise’s name was linked to criminal homicide before. Docket files from Columbia County court show he faced a criminal attempted homicide charge in February 2006, and several accompanying charges.
In that case his request for a psychiatric evaluation was granted by Judge Thomas James Jr. The attempted homicide charge was dropped.
He was convicted of simple assault and was sentenced to 30 days to 18 months confinement.
While in jail, Wise was granted a furlough to join his girlfriend at the time, Jennifer Karns, for the birth of their child at Bloomsburg Hospital.
A little more than a month prior to his February arrest, Wise was arrested on burglary charges.
Four children
During the arraignment Tuesday, Wise told the judge he had four children ages, 14, 6, 4 and 2.
He also told Shrawder he didn’t work and the nearest relation he had lived in Benton.
Buehner told the crowd gathered during a press conference that while Wise is at Geisinger he will have an armed guard outside his hospital door.
“There will be a deputy here 24 hours a day until he is released,” Buehner said.
“He will be transported directly to jail once doctors release him.”
Buehner couldn’t elaborate on why Wise was admitted, but said EMTs saw something that didn’t look right.
“It is a medical decision on how long he will stay here,” Buehner said.
Buehner also said all items found at the scene are being analyzed at the state police crime lab in Mountoursville.
Danville Elementary School and at least one day care in the area were immediately locked down after being notified of the 911 call. The school resumed normal operations at around 11:30 a.m.
Family: Dad killed mom while she was defending kids from father (Wesson, Mississippi)
This brave murdered mom was stabbed and shot in the head by the father of her oldest daughter--even as the mother was defending the daughter's life. Seems DAVID DICKERSON had a history of stalking and harrassment, and, incidentally paid no child support either. Mom had previously obtained an order of protection against him, too. But that didn't keep him from breaking into the mother's home. An aunt who lived nearby pulled a gun on the guy, but dropped it when he threatened to kill his daughter.
Notice that Daddy had previously been arrested for an earlier murder, but charges were dropped when there wasn't "enough" evidence.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20110126/NEWS/101260341/Family++Man+shot++stabbed+child+s+mom
Family: Man shot, stabbed child's mom
Fourth Copiah death probed
Therese Apel • tapel@jackson.gannett.com • January 26, 2011
WESSON — Family members say Paula Hamilton died defending her children from the father of her eldest daughter hours before the couple were to appear in court on stalking charges she and her husband had filed against him.
Authorities say about 7 a.m. Tuesday, David Dickerson, 41, of Hazlehurst shot, stabbed and slashed Hamilton, 36, in a camper trailer behind her home.
Hamilton's slaying is the fourth death authorities are investigating in Copiah County since Saturday night.
Family members said Dickerson came to Hamilton's home on Martinsville Road and attacked her. He then set the camper trailer on fire and escaped in the woods behind the home, they said.
Officers from several jurisdictions began hunting for Dickerson. A neighbor spotted him on foot about 10 a.m. on nearby Beauregard Road, and he was arrested.
Dickerson is charged with capital murder, Sheriff Harold Jones said.
Hamilton lived at the home with her husband, two children, mother and sister. All except her husband were home when, they said, Dickerson showed up armed.
Hamilton's sister, Robbin Herrington, heard someone outside and when Hamilton went out to investigate, Dickerson took her at gunpoint, Herrington, said.
"We were trying to get her away, we were throwing chairs and everything," she said.
When Herrington tried to use the phone to call police, Dickerson went after her, and Hamilton jumped in between them, she said.
"She told me, 'Don't worry about me, worry about the babies,'" Herrington said.
Hamilton's mother, Delma Varner, said Dickerson told them "he was going to kill them all." "His daughter, he punched her in the face and put a gun to her head."
Hamilton's aunt, Linda Austin, lived in the camper trailer and was home when Dickerson came to her niece's house.
Austin said she had heard gunfire outside the trailer, but she thought Dickerson was just trying to frighten Hamilton and Courtney, his 15-year-old daughter by Hamilton.
"It sounded like a cap gun, but it was definitely not a cap gun," Austin said.
Hamilton told her aunt she'd been shot in the head, and there was blood all over her shirt. She and Courtney made it to the camper trailer and were able to lock the door, but the flimsy lock did not hold up and Dickerson broke the door open, Linda Austin said.
Austin said she had her gun ready for when Dickerson came through the door, but when he pointed the gun at his daughter's head, she put it down at his command.
"I was so afraid he would kill her," she said. "I freaked out when he put the gun to the baby's head."
Austin and Courtney escaped from the camper trailer, but Austin said she doesn't remember getting out. She hid in the bushes while the trailer burned. She said she saw Dickerson splashing gas on the camper.
The fire attracted the attention of a local pastor who was driving through. He helped pull Paula Hamilton's body from the burning trailer and into the yard between the two dwellings.
Copiah County Coroner Ellis Stuart said it is unclear what kind of a knife was used to stab Hamilton, but that the gun was a .22-caliber pistol. Neither weapon had been found Tuesday, officials said.
Alan Hamilton said he received a phone call around 8 a.m. that Dickerson had burned down the camper trailer.
"I didn't hear anything about what happened to my wife until I got here," he said.
He said Dickerson "knew I would be gone to work. "He's probably been planning this."
Alan Hamilton said Dickerson had been leaving notes in the mailbox and driving past the home for quite some time. He said Dickerson had not had much of a relationship with his daughter through the years, and that he did not pay child support.
Copiah County Justice Court Clerk Carolyn Morgan said the Hamiltons had filed for a restraining order in the fall, but the time on it had run out.
Then when the harassment started up again, the Hamiltons filed stalking charges. They were scheduled to be in court at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
Dickerson was arrested on a murder charge in Copiah County from a previous crime, Jones said, but there was not enough evidence to pursue the investigation.
Hamilton's family said they will always remember that she died defending the people she loved.
"She was so brave. She died trying to save the babies," Linda Austin said. In addition to Courtney Hamilton, the Hamiltons' 2-year-old son, Austin, was at home.
In addition to Hamilton's slaying, Copiah County authorities are investigating these deaths from over the weekend:
James Shelton, 53. Around 7:15 p.m. Sunday, Lester Lavon Parker Jr., 15, allegedly shot and killed Shelton, his stepgrandfather, deputies said. Coroner Stuart said Shelton was shot in the back of the head at contact or close range with what appeared to be a 12-gauge shotgun. Parker has been charged with murder.
Merwin Tolson, 48. Tolson was found in his car in the garage of his home on Byrdtown Road Saturday night. The car caught fire and the flames spread to his house. Officials said they believe he may have fallen asleep while smoking in the vehicle after a party down the road. Stuart said there is no sign of foul play, and an autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.
Ronald Landry, 63, of Morrow, La., Landry died Saturday after falling from a deer stand. Landry, who was hunting with his friend in Copiah County, was discovered unconscious at the foot of the stand by friends, Stuart said. He was pronounced dead before he could be airlifted from the scene.
Notice that Daddy had previously been arrested for an earlier murder, but charges were dropped when there wasn't "enough" evidence.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20110126/NEWS/101260341/Family++Man+shot++stabbed+child+s+mom
Family: Man shot, stabbed child's mom
Fourth Copiah death probed
Therese Apel • tapel@jackson.gannett.com • January 26, 2011
WESSON — Family members say Paula Hamilton died defending her children from the father of her eldest daughter hours before the couple were to appear in court on stalking charges she and her husband had filed against him.
Authorities say about 7 a.m. Tuesday, David Dickerson, 41, of Hazlehurst shot, stabbed and slashed Hamilton, 36, in a camper trailer behind her home.
Hamilton's slaying is the fourth death authorities are investigating in Copiah County since Saturday night.
Family members said Dickerson came to Hamilton's home on Martinsville Road and attacked her. He then set the camper trailer on fire and escaped in the woods behind the home, they said.
Officers from several jurisdictions began hunting for Dickerson. A neighbor spotted him on foot about 10 a.m. on nearby Beauregard Road, and he was arrested.
Dickerson is charged with capital murder, Sheriff Harold Jones said.
Hamilton lived at the home with her husband, two children, mother and sister. All except her husband were home when, they said, Dickerson showed up armed.
Hamilton's sister, Robbin Herrington, heard someone outside and when Hamilton went out to investigate, Dickerson took her at gunpoint, Herrington, said.
"We were trying to get her away, we were throwing chairs and everything," she said.
When Herrington tried to use the phone to call police, Dickerson went after her, and Hamilton jumped in between them, she said.
"She told me, 'Don't worry about me, worry about the babies,'" Herrington said.
Hamilton's mother, Delma Varner, said Dickerson told them "he was going to kill them all." "His daughter, he punched her in the face and put a gun to her head."
Hamilton's aunt, Linda Austin, lived in the camper trailer and was home when Dickerson came to her niece's house.
Austin said she had heard gunfire outside the trailer, but she thought Dickerson was just trying to frighten Hamilton and Courtney, his 15-year-old daughter by Hamilton.
"It sounded like a cap gun, but it was definitely not a cap gun," Austin said.
Hamilton told her aunt she'd been shot in the head, and there was blood all over her shirt. She and Courtney made it to the camper trailer and were able to lock the door, but the flimsy lock did not hold up and Dickerson broke the door open, Linda Austin said.
Austin said she had her gun ready for when Dickerson came through the door, but when he pointed the gun at his daughter's head, she put it down at his command.
"I was so afraid he would kill her," she said. "I freaked out when he put the gun to the baby's head."
Austin and Courtney escaped from the camper trailer, but Austin said she doesn't remember getting out. She hid in the bushes while the trailer burned. She said she saw Dickerson splashing gas on the camper.
The fire attracted the attention of a local pastor who was driving through. He helped pull Paula Hamilton's body from the burning trailer and into the yard between the two dwellings.
Copiah County Coroner Ellis Stuart said it is unclear what kind of a knife was used to stab Hamilton, but that the gun was a .22-caliber pistol. Neither weapon had been found Tuesday, officials said.
Alan Hamilton said he received a phone call around 8 a.m. that Dickerson had burned down the camper trailer.
"I didn't hear anything about what happened to my wife until I got here," he said.
He said Dickerson "knew I would be gone to work. "He's probably been planning this."
Alan Hamilton said Dickerson had been leaving notes in the mailbox and driving past the home for quite some time. He said Dickerson had not had much of a relationship with his daughter through the years, and that he did not pay child support.
Copiah County Justice Court Clerk Carolyn Morgan said the Hamiltons had filed for a restraining order in the fall, but the time on it had run out.
Then when the harassment started up again, the Hamiltons filed stalking charges. They were scheduled to be in court at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
Dickerson was arrested on a murder charge in Copiah County from a previous crime, Jones said, but there was not enough evidence to pursue the investigation.
Hamilton's family said they will always remember that she died defending the people she loved.
"She was so brave. She died trying to save the babies," Linda Austin said. In addition to Courtney Hamilton, the Hamiltons' 2-year-old son, Austin, was at home.
In addition to Hamilton's slaying, Copiah County authorities are investigating these deaths from over the weekend:
James Shelton, 53. Around 7:15 p.m. Sunday, Lester Lavon Parker Jr., 15, allegedly shot and killed Shelton, his stepgrandfather, deputies said. Coroner Stuart said Shelton was shot in the back of the head at contact or close range with what appeared to be a 12-gauge shotgun. Parker has been charged with murder.
Merwin Tolson, 48. Tolson was found in his car in the garage of his home on Byrdtown Road Saturday night. The car caught fire and the flames spread to his house. Officials said they believe he may have fallen asleep while smoking in the vehicle after a party down the road. Stuart said there is no sign of foul play, and an autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.
Ronald Landry, 63, of Morrow, La., Landry died Saturday after falling from a deer stand. Landry, who was hunting with his friend in Copiah County, was discovered unconscious at the foot of the stand by friends, Stuart said. He was pronounced dead before he could be airlifted from the scene.
Dad faces 40 years in prison for murder of toddler daughter; another case of an interrupted video game (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Such a coincidence. Just today, we posted on another "frustrated" dad who apparently killed a child when his video game was interrupted. This Daddy apparently did the same. Or shortly thereafter, when his daughter was "running around" (as toddlers tend to do) while Daddy was in the shower.
This time the video game daddy is YVES MCKINNIE, and he was babysitting while Mom was out of town.
http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-20110125-toddler-death,0,4036717.story
Milwaukee father faces 40 years in prison for toddler's death
Beverly Taylor
FOX6 Reporter
5:11 p.m. CST, January 25, 2011
WITI-TV, MILWAUKEE —
A Milwaukee family mourns the death of a toddler. The little girl's father is now charged in her death. The child's mother spoke to FOX6 Reporter Myra Sanchick.
Trinitee Carson's father, Yves McKinnie, said he was taking her to Chicago to see if she could model in a catalog. Instead, her mother got a call Trinitee was rushed to the hospital.
A criminal complaint says McKinnie played video games with friends late Thursday at his apartment near 75th and Brown Deer Rd. The friends left, then he told his daughter to stay on the bed until he got out of the shower. McKinnie told police the 18-months-old was running around. He admitted to hitting her in the head. Doctors discovered even more bruising on all sides of her body.
Trinitee's mother, Natisha Carson, says a large close family and her faith is getting her through, as well as her love for her other daughter Treasure. She has memories of the past 18 months.
Carson says she is not angry. She believes her daughter is in a better place where she can't be hurt again. While she's not angry, she does want justice for the man now charged in the crime.
McKinnie faces 40 years in prison for the death of his daughter. It is his first time charged with a violent crime.
This time the video game daddy is YVES MCKINNIE, and he was babysitting while Mom was out of town.
http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-20110125-toddler-death,0,4036717.story
Milwaukee father faces 40 years in prison for toddler's death
Beverly Taylor
FOX6 Reporter
5:11 p.m. CST, January 25, 2011
WITI-TV, MILWAUKEE —
A Milwaukee family mourns the death of a toddler. The little girl's father is now charged in her death. The child's mother spoke to FOX6 Reporter Myra Sanchick.
Trinitee Carson's father, Yves McKinnie, said he was taking her to Chicago to see if she could model in a catalog. Instead, her mother got a call Trinitee was rushed to the hospital.
A criminal complaint says McKinnie played video games with friends late Thursday at his apartment near 75th and Brown Deer Rd. The friends left, then he told his daughter to stay on the bed until he got out of the shower. McKinnie told police the 18-months-old was running around. He admitted to hitting her in the head. Doctors discovered even more bruising on all sides of her body.
Trinitee's mother, Natisha Carson, says a large close family and her faith is getting her through, as well as her love for her other daughter Treasure. She has memories of the past 18 months.
Carson says she is not angry. She believes her daughter is in a better place where she can't be hurt again. While she's not angry, she does want justice for the man now charged in the crime.
McKinnie faces 40 years in prison for the death of his daughter. It is his first time charged with a violent crime.
Custodial dad enters guilty plea in shooting death of child (Las Vegas, Nevada)
We've posted on this case before. And like many of these cases, the media has a way of "forgetting" over time that an abusive and/or negligent father was in fact custodial. See earlier posts on dad ALEX KOPYSTENSKI for clarification on this issue, like this one:
http://dastardlydads.blogspot.com/2009/07/dad-leaves-gun-in-car-5-year-old-son.html
Now Dad has been sentenced to 2 - 20 years in prison for the shooting death of his 5-year-old son.
Father enters guilty plea in shooting death of child
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Posted: Jan. 25, 2011 4:32 p.m.
The father of 5-year-old Giovanni Kopystenski, who died in 2009 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, pleaded guilty to child abuse and neglect with substantial bodily harm last week.
Alex Kopystenski of Las Vegas faces two to 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 23 before District Judge Jessie Walsh.
Authorities say Giovanni was in his father's car on July 20, 2009, outside a Walgreens drive-through lane at Durango Drive and Warm Springs Road when the child picked up a loaded handgun. The boy suffered a single gunshot wound to the head.
Giovanni, who was autistic, was pronounced dead at a hospital.
http://dastardlydads.blogspot.com/2009/07/dad-leaves-gun-in-car-5-year-old-son.html
Now Dad has been sentenced to 2 - 20 years in prison for the shooting death of his 5-year-old son.
Father enters guilty plea in shooting death of child
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Posted: Jan. 25, 2011 4:32 p.m.
The father of 5-year-old Giovanni Kopystenski, who died in 2009 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, pleaded guilty to child abuse and neglect with substantial bodily harm last week.
Alex Kopystenski of Las Vegas faces two to 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 23 before District Judge Jessie Walsh.
Authorities say Giovanni was in his father's car on July 20, 2009, outside a Walgreens drive-through lane at Durango Drive and Warm Springs Road when the child picked up a loaded handgun. The boy suffered a single gunshot wound to the head.
Giovanni, who was autistic, was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Dad with history of child neglect arrested for manslaughter in death of 14-month-old son (Gainesville, Florida)
If you were to casually glance at this article, you'd think "such a pity." It's just one of those "tragic accidents." And then move on.
But look carefully, and you'll see that there are a lot of strange clues here that something is amiss.
For starters, notice that there is no mention of a mother in this story (though Daddy had a "roommate"), and that the baby died while in Daddy's bed at Daddy's house. Apparently because Dad ANTHONY ENCLARDE "rolled over" the baby. Or so we're told. (More on the mother issue later).
Also notice the following:
1) The "roommate" (not Daddy) was the one who called 911.
2) That there was an inexplicable delay of an entire hour between the time Daddy woke up and apparently noticed that something was wrong with the baby, and the time that the "roommate" finally phoned 911. Why?
3) More suspicious still: Daddy was already on PROBATION for a previous incident of child neglect back in South Carolina.
4) And notice this curious sentence: Daddy was informed when the baby was born in North Carolina about the dangers of sleeping with a baby.
What the hell? Object lesson in how to eliminate an actual human mother from the story completely! Let's make this a little more concrete, shall we?
It's apparent that a HUMAN MOTHER gave birth to a child in North Carolina--a fact that appears to have been purposefully obfuscated here. The father was present at the birth, but was not married to the mother or I'm sure we would have been notified of that fact. Somehow, this unmarried daddy either gets full custody, joint custody, or visitation of an infant despite the fact that he lived OUT OF STATE or moved out of state shortly thereafter. Notice that moms are routinely denied moveaway rights, and yet this daddy has no problems. AND he gets custody/visitation despite a previous history of child neglect. And then, somehow, manages to "accidentally" kill the child during his "caretaking" time.
I think a little more investigation is needed here. Who gave an unmarried father with a history of child neglect custody/visitation of an infant, and why? And why was this poor baby apparently shuttled between North Carolina and Florida? (And that's assuming that the mother hadn't lost her custody rights. In which case, why?) Who's responsible for this fiasco? Why the confusing coverage of this story? And why has Mom been erased from this story?
INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.
http://tdn.com/news/local/article_cccfe3d2-2b4f-11e0-98e3-001cc4c03286.html
Father charged in death of infant son
Anthony Enclarde rolled on top of the baby while they slept in the same bed.
By Karen Voyles
Staff writer
Published: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 2:08 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 2:08 p.m.
A Gainesville man has been arrested for manslaughter in the death of an infant on Jan. 10.
The baby apparently died when the man rolled on top of it while they slept in the same bed, according to the Gainesville Police Department.
It is the second recent death involving adults rolling over children sleeping in the same bed with them. The cases are unrelated.
On Tuesday, Anthony Scott Enclarde, 23, was arrested in connection with the death of his 14-month-old son, Ashton, after they both fell asleep on the same bed at Enclarde's home at 563 NW 31st Ave.
A week ago, Todd Jeremy Metten, 33, was arrested and charged with manslaughter in the death of his 6-month-old niece, Alyssa Catherine Metten, the daughter of his late brother.
Enclarde told Detective Victoria Young that he woke up at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 10 with his arm and part of his body on top of Ashton's chest.
Enclarde said his son exhaled a single breath but was otherwise unresponsive, so he performed CPR on the boy.
Enclarde's roommate called 911 around 11:30 a.m. after realizing the child was not responding.
Young said Enclarde could not explain the hour-long delay between when he awoke and when help was summoned.
An ambulance arrived within seven minutes, and emergency personnel found Ashton had no pulse or blood pressure and was not breathing.
He was taken to Shands at the University of Florida, where he was pronounced dead two days later, officials said.
Enclarde told investigators that when Ashton was born in North Carolina he was given information about the dangers of sleeping with a baby.
In her report on Enclarde's arrest, Young wrote that he was on probation for child neglect involving another child in Anderson County, S.C.
Enclarde was being held at the Alachua County jail Wednesday afternoon awaiting a first court appearance.
In Metten's case, detectives said he put the baby girl on a king size mattress and fell asleep next to her.
Metten told officials he realized something was wrong with Alyssa as soon as he woke up and called for help.
Alyssa was pronounced dead at Shands a short time later.
Metten posted a $75,000 bond.
In both cases, detectives said the men “failed to provide proper care” for a baby that “a reasonable and prudent person would use under the circumstances of being the caregiver.”
But look carefully, and you'll see that there are a lot of strange clues here that something is amiss.
For starters, notice that there is no mention of a mother in this story (though Daddy had a "roommate"), and that the baby died while in Daddy's bed at Daddy's house. Apparently because Dad ANTHONY ENCLARDE "rolled over" the baby. Or so we're told. (More on the mother issue later).
Also notice the following:
1) The "roommate" (not Daddy) was the one who called 911.
2) That there was an inexplicable delay of an entire hour between the time Daddy woke up and apparently noticed that something was wrong with the baby, and the time that the "roommate" finally phoned 911. Why?
3) More suspicious still: Daddy was already on PROBATION for a previous incident of child neglect back in South Carolina.
4) And notice this curious sentence: Daddy was informed when the baby was born in North Carolina about the dangers of sleeping with a baby.
What the hell? Object lesson in how to eliminate an actual human mother from the story completely! Let's make this a little more concrete, shall we?
It's apparent that a HUMAN MOTHER gave birth to a child in North Carolina--a fact that appears to have been purposefully obfuscated here. The father was present at the birth, but was not married to the mother or I'm sure we would have been notified of that fact. Somehow, this unmarried daddy either gets full custody, joint custody, or visitation of an infant despite the fact that he lived OUT OF STATE or moved out of state shortly thereafter. Notice that moms are routinely denied moveaway rights, and yet this daddy has no problems. AND he gets custody/visitation despite a previous history of child neglect. And then, somehow, manages to "accidentally" kill the child during his "caretaking" time.
I think a little more investigation is needed here. Who gave an unmarried father with a history of child neglect custody/visitation of an infant, and why? And why was this poor baby apparently shuttled between North Carolina and Florida? (And that's assuming that the mother hadn't lost her custody rights. In which case, why?) Who's responsible for this fiasco? Why the confusing coverage of this story? And why has Mom been erased from this story?
INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.
http://tdn.com/news/local/article_cccfe3d2-2b4f-11e0-98e3-001cc4c03286.html
Father charged in death of infant son
Anthony Enclarde rolled on top of the baby while they slept in the same bed.
By Karen Voyles
Staff writer
Published: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 2:08 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 2:08 p.m.
A Gainesville man has been arrested for manslaughter in the death of an infant on Jan. 10.
The baby apparently died when the man rolled on top of it while they slept in the same bed, according to the Gainesville Police Department.
It is the second recent death involving adults rolling over children sleeping in the same bed with them. The cases are unrelated.
On Tuesday, Anthony Scott Enclarde, 23, was arrested in connection with the death of his 14-month-old son, Ashton, after they both fell asleep on the same bed at Enclarde's home at 563 NW 31st Ave.
A week ago, Todd Jeremy Metten, 33, was arrested and charged with manslaughter in the death of his 6-month-old niece, Alyssa Catherine Metten, the daughter of his late brother.
Enclarde told Detective Victoria Young that he woke up at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 10 with his arm and part of his body on top of Ashton's chest.
Enclarde said his son exhaled a single breath but was otherwise unresponsive, so he performed CPR on the boy.
Enclarde's roommate called 911 around 11:30 a.m. after realizing the child was not responding.
Young said Enclarde could not explain the hour-long delay between when he awoke and when help was summoned.
An ambulance arrived within seven minutes, and emergency personnel found Ashton had no pulse or blood pressure and was not breathing.
He was taken to Shands at the University of Florida, where he was pronounced dead two days later, officials said.
Enclarde told investigators that when Ashton was born in North Carolina he was given information about the dangers of sleeping with a baby.
In her report on Enclarde's arrest, Young wrote that he was on probation for child neglect involving another child in Anderson County, S.C.
Enclarde was being held at the Alachua County jail Wednesday afternoon awaiting a first court appearance.
In Metten's case, detectives said he put the baby girl on a king size mattress and fell asleep next to her.
Metten told officials he realized something was wrong with Alyssa as soon as he woke up and called for help.
Alyssa was pronounced dead at Shands a short time later.
Metten posted a $75,000 bond.
In both cases, detectives said the men “failed to provide proper care” for a baby that “a reasonable and prudent person would use under the circumstances of being the caregiver.”
Police: Video-game playing dad murdered 1-month-old son for crying (Bedford County, Tennessee)
It sounds like a crazy or unique case. Sadly, it's not. We have many cases here at Dastardly Dads of young fathers who killed their crying infants because their video game were being interrupted. Dads just like WILLIAM JOHNSTON. (Click on the video game tab for more examples.)
The brains of young men and women (especially mothers who have gone through a pregnancy) are just not alike when it comes to things like "gaming" and the nurturing of infants. We need to stop pretend that they are identical before more babies are killed.
http://tdn.com/news/local/article_cccfe3d2-2b4f-11e0-98e3-001cc4c03286.html
Autopsy Confirms Infant's Death Was A Homicide
Posted: Jan 27, 2011 4:32 PM CST
BEDFORD COUNTY, Tenn. - An autopsy has confirmed that the death of one-month old baby in Bedford County was a homicide.
The baby, William Johnston, was in the care of his father, Andrew. The district attorney said that child abuse charges against Johnston will likely be upgraded to homicide.
Johnston was charged with aggravated child abuse in October, when his son was rushed to the hospital with brain hemorrhaging, broken bones, and bruises.
Bond Raised For Man Accused In Infant Son's Death
The baby suffered a stroke, and later died.
According to a police report, Johnston said he'd been playing video games, and little William wouldn't stop crying, so he shook him.
Johnston will appear in court next month.
The brains of young men and women (especially mothers who have gone through a pregnancy) are just not alike when it comes to things like "gaming" and the nurturing of infants. We need to stop pretend that they are identical before more babies are killed.
http://tdn.com/news/local/article_cccfe3d2-2b4f-11e0-98e3-001cc4c03286.html
Autopsy Confirms Infant's Death Was A Homicide
Posted: Jan 27, 2011 4:32 PM CST
BEDFORD COUNTY, Tenn. - An autopsy has confirmed that the death of one-month old baby in Bedford County was a homicide.
The baby, William Johnston, was in the care of his father, Andrew. The district attorney said that child abuse charges against Johnston will likely be upgraded to homicide.
Johnston was charged with aggravated child abuse in October, when his son was rushed to the hospital with brain hemorrhaging, broken bones, and bruises.
Bond Raised For Man Accused In Infant Son's Death
The baby suffered a stroke, and later died.
According to a police report, Johnston said he'd been playing video games, and little William wouldn't stop crying, so he shook him.
Johnston will appear in court next month.
Dad arrested for abusing infant; baby in critical condition (Kelso, Washington)
Dad SCOTT DANIEL SPARKS has been arrested on child abuse charges. The baby is in critical condition with abusive head trauma (also known as "shaken baby syndrome").
http://tdn.com/news/local/article_cccfe3d2-2b4f-11e0-98e3-001cc4c03286.html
Kelso father arrested for allegedly abusing child
By Tony Lystra / The Daily News The Daily News Online Posted: Friday, January 28, 2011 7:00 pm
Kelso police arrested a 30-year-old father Friday on suspicion of abusing his infant child, who was in critical condition at a Portland hospital.
Police Chief Andy Hamilton said the child's injuries are potentially life-threatening and consistent with "shaken baby syndrome."
Officers arrested the child's father Scott Daniel Sparks and booked him into jail just before 4 p.m. Friday on suspicion of first-degree assault of a child.
The baby was brought into the Emergency Department at St. John Medical Center on Monday, then transferred to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, police said in a statement.
Officers concluded their investigation Friday.
Hamilton said the child's mother and father live together in Kelso. He said he did not know the age or gender of the infant.
The Daily News' archives show Sparks and his wife had a boy at St. John in October.
"Any time we're investigating a crime against a child where a child's been injured, it's taxing on both the officers and the people involved," Hamilton said. "No one wants to see a child hurt in any way."
http://tdn.com/news/local/article_cccfe3d2-2b4f-11e0-98e3-001cc4c03286.html
Kelso father arrested for allegedly abusing child
By Tony Lystra / The Daily News The Daily News Online Posted: Friday, January 28, 2011 7:00 pm
Kelso police arrested a 30-year-old father Friday on suspicion of abusing his infant child, who was in critical condition at a Portland hospital.
Police Chief Andy Hamilton said the child's injuries are potentially life-threatening and consistent with "shaken baby syndrome."
Officers arrested the child's father Scott Daniel Sparks and booked him into jail just before 4 p.m. Friday on suspicion of first-degree assault of a child.
The baby was brought into the Emergency Department at St. John Medical Center on Monday, then transferred to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, police said in a statement.
Officers concluded their investigation Friday.
Hamilton said the child's mother and father live together in Kelso. He said he did not know the age or gender of the infant.
The Daily News' archives show Sparks and his wife had a boy at St. John in October.
"Any time we're investigating a crime against a child where a child's been injured, it's taxing on both the officers and the people involved," Hamilton said. "No one wants to see a child hurt in any way."
Dad who threw 3-year-old son off bridge sentenced to 50 years in prison (Baltimore, Maryland)
Dad STEPHEN TODD NELSON has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for the murder of his son. We have posted on this case before. Once again, we have a case where an unstable, abusive father was able to get visitation with a preschooler, who was subsenquently thrown off a bridge like so much trash.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41319797/ns/local_news-baltimore_md/
Man Who Threw Son Off Bridge Sentenced
Stephen Nelson To Serve 50-Year Prison Term
updated 1/28/2011 8:47:03 PM ET 2011-01-29T01:47:03
- BALTIMORE — WBALTV.com
The father who admitted to throwing his 3-year-old son over the Key Bridge to his death in 2008 was sentenced to a lengthy prison term on Friday.
Stephen Todd Nelson was sentenced by a judge to 50 years in prison.
Nelson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death in November.
He admitted to throwing his 3-year-old son, Turner, off the Key Bridge into the Patapsco River in February 2008. The boy's body was found five months later.
Nelson also tried to commit suicide by drinking a concoction of household cleaners.
Prosecutors said Turner wasn't the target and that Nelson was angry at the boy's mother, who had left the relationship.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Turner's mother said what Nelson did was unforgivable, cruel and selfish.
Court documents showed that Nelson claimed he couldn't allow the boy's mom to raise their son with another man. In a hospital after the incident, he said demons made him hurt his son.
But Judge Charles Peters said there's no one else to blame but the defendant.
During the sentencing, one of Nelson's sisters asked for mercy, saying he didn't deserve to spend the rest of his life in prison. She said something just went wrong. Another sister said he's not a monster and not vengeful. She said Nelson is still hurting because he also lost his son.
In a letter read by Nelson's attorney, the defendant apologized for the pain he caused and said he couldn't give an answer as to why he did it.
The judge said he would recommend that Nelson be sent to a program at the Patuxent Institution.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41319797/ns/local_news-baltimore_md/
Man Who Threw Son Off Bridge Sentenced
Stephen Nelson To Serve 50-Year Prison Term
updated 1/28/2011 8:47:03 PM ET 2011-01-29T01:47:03
- BALTIMORE — WBALTV.com
The father who admitted to throwing his 3-year-old son over the Key Bridge to his death in 2008 was sentenced to a lengthy prison term on Friday.
Stephen Todd Nelson was sentenced by a judge to 50 years in prison.
Nelson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death in November.
He admitted to throwing his 3-year-old son, Turner, off the Key Bridge into the Patapsco River in February 2008. The boy's body was found five months later.
Nelson also tried to commit suicide by drinking a concoction of household cleaners.
Prosecutors said Turner wasn't the target and that Nelson was angry at the boy's mother, who had left the relationship.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Turner's mother said what Nelson did was unforgivable, cruel and selfish.
Court documents showed that Nelson claimed he couldn't allow the boy's mom to raise their son with another man. In a hospital after the incident, he said demons made him hurt his son.
But Judge Charles Peters said there's no one else to blame but the defendant.
During the sentencing, one of Nelson's sisters asked for mercy, saying he didn't deserve to spend the rest of his life in prison. She said something just went wrong. Another sister said he's not a monster and not vengeful. She said Nelson is still hurting because he also lost his son.
In a letter read by Nelson's attorney, the defendant apologized for the pain he caused and said he couldn't give an answer as to why he did it.
The judge said he would recommend that Nelson be sent to a program at the Patuxent Institution.
Infants are dying at the hands of their fathers (Buchanan County, Missouri)
We are finally seeing the politically unpopular truth come out. Generally speaking, mothers and fathers are NOT THE SAME as infant caregivers, however much we want to say they are identical in every way. The social policy of pushing the mothers of babies into paid employment, while forcing them to rely on deadbeat daddies and boyfriends for infant care, has been an unmitigated disaster. Why do babies get killed? Let's spell it out clearly:
1) Because working moms have to rely on deadbeat daddies and boyfriends for childcare--whether they're married or not. Often they have no other real options, since their mothers and sisters are also working.
2) "Frustrated" daddies cannot deal with infant crying and the like, and too often strike out in a violent--and even fatal--way. Whether you want to blame nature, nurture or some combination thereof doesn't matter to me. The end result is the same.
We need maternity leaves and automatic custody for moms (unless their is evidence of abuse). And deadbeat daddies need to get into the workforce and out of the nursery.
http://www.newspressnow.com/localnews/26658544/detail.html
County has higher rate of child deaths
Kim Norvell
St. Joseph News-Press
POSTED: 11:12 pm CST January 28, 2011
As with any age, infants can die at any moment. Sometimes from natural causes, other times from accidents. But when a child dies as a result of serious physical injury, the public collectively becomes concerned.
“The type (of infant death) we have way too many of is abuse,” said Joyce Estes, executive director of the Northwest Missouri Children’s Advocacy Center. “We are higher than other areas of Missouri, definitely.”
According to the 2009 Missouri Kids Count study, Buchanan County had a higher rate per 100,000 child deaths (not necessarily criminal in nature), ages 1 to 14, than the rest of the state; the county also had a higher rate per 1,000 child abuse and neglect cases.
In 2010, three infants were victims of homicides that were criminal in nature, which included neglect and abuse. In January, an investigation into the death of an almost 2-year-old boy was launched by the St. Joseph Police Department. Charges have yet to be filed, but police believe his death was not from natural causes.
While there is no specific cause as to why infants are victims of child abuse, the trend seems to indicate the tragic deaths happen when a single mom is forced to trust her child with another caregiver, said Robin Hammond, executive director of the St. Joseph Youth Alliance. The national trend indicates that infant deaths as a result of trauma happen when a father is left alone with the child; in St. Joseph it’s typically the boyfriend of the child’s mother, Ms. Hammond said.
Ms. Estes said typically, infant deaths related to neglect will be the fault of the mother, while infant deaths related to abuse will be that of the father or male figure. Typically these deaths are also related to drug or alcohol abuse, which is also high in St. Joseph, Ms. Estes said.
Usually, the incidents that result in death are severe and garner media attention, said Joey Thompson, circuit manager for the Missouri Department of Social Services in Buchanan County. However, Ms. Thompson said most cases of infant deaths are the result of natural causes, such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It is rare for infant deaths to be caused by serious physical abuse, she said.
Of the 2,000 calls of suspected child abuse that Andrew and Buchanan County receive per year, only one or two are investigated as a death that is criminal in nature, Ms. Thompson said.
“It’s all preventable, none of it’s necessary,” she said. “Our agency is very threatening because we make determinations on children’s safety, but most of the work we do is to prevent further abuse and reduce the risk of abuse.”
There is a need for resources for victims of child abuse under 6 years old, said Jennifer Soper, chairwoman of the Crisis Nursery Committee. She said the need grew a few years ago from a community response to “previous child abuse and unfortunate deaths.” She said currently there are gaps in services where infants and toddlers can stay if they are victims of abuse, which the Crisis Nursery hopes to address. The nursery will be housed at the Noyes Home for Children, which provides services for children ages 6 to 18. There is no timeline as to when the service will be completed.
Those who believe their child may be a victim of abuse can contact the Missouri Department of Social Services, St. Joseph Youth Alliance, Northwest Missouri Children’s Advocacy Center, Noyes Home for Children or their local law enforcement.
Kim Norvell can be reached at kim.norvell@newspressnow.com.
1) Because working moms have to rely on deadbeat daddies and boyfriends for childcare--whether they're married or not. Often they have no other real options, since their mothers and sisters are also working.
2) "Frustrated" daddies cannot deal with infant crying and the like, and too often strike out in a violent--and even fatal--way. Whether you want to blame nature, nurture or some combination thereof doesn't matter to me. The end result is the same.
We need maternity leaves and automatic custody for moms (unless their is evidence of abuse). And deadbeat daddies need to get into the workforce and out of the nursery.
http://www.newspressnow.com/localnews/26658544/detail.html
County has higher rate of child deaths
Kim Norvell
St. Joseph News-Press
POSTED: 11:12 pm CST January 28, 2011
As with any age, infants can die at any moment. Sometimes from natural causes, other times from accidents. But when a child dies as a result of serious physical injury, the public collectively becomes concerned.
“The type (of infant death) we have way too many of is abuse,” said Joyce Estes, executive director of the Northwest Missouri Children’s Advocacy Center. “We are higher than other areas of Missouri, definitely.”
According to the 2009 Missouri Kids Count study, Buchanan County had a higher rate per 100,000 child deaths (not necessarily criminal in nature), ages 1 to 14, than the rest of the state; the county also had a higher rate per 1,000 child abuse and neglect cases.
In 2010, three infants were victims of homicides that were criminal in nature, which included neglect and abuse. In January, an investigation into the death of an almost 2-year-old boy was launched by the St. Joseph Police Department. Charges have yet to be filed, but police believe his death was not from natural causes.
While there is no specific cause as to why infants are victims of child abuse, the trend seems to indicate the tragic deaths happen when a single mom is forced to trust her child with another caregiver, said Robin Hammond, executive director of the St. Joseph Youth Alliance. The national trend indicates that infant deaths as a result of trauma happen when a father is left alone with the child; in St. Joseph it’s typically the boyfriend of the child’s mother, Ms. Hammond said.
Ms. Estes said typically, infant deaths related to neglect will be the fault of the mother, while infant deaths related to abuse will be that of the father or male figure. Typically these deaths are also related to drug or alcohol abuse, which is also high in St. Joseph, Ms. Estes said.
Usually, the incidents that result in death are severe and garner media attention, said Joey Thompson, circuit manager for the Missouri Department of Social Services in Buchanan County. However, Ms. Thompson said most cases of infant deaths are the result of natural causes, such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It is rare for infant deaths to be caused by serious physical abuse, she said.
Of the 2,000 calls of suspected child abuse that Andrew and Buchanan County receive per year, only one or two are investigated as a death that is criminal in nature, Ms. Thompson said.
“It’s all preventable, none of it’s necessary,” she said. “Our agency is very threatening because we make determinations on children’s safety, but most of the work we do is to prevent further abuse and reduce the risk of abuse.”
There is a need for resources for victims of child abuse under 6 years old, said Jennifer Soper, chairwoman of the Crisis Nursery Committee. She said the need grew a few years ago from a community response to “previous child abuse and unfortunate deaths.” She said currently there are gaps in services where infants and toddlers can stay if they are victims of abuse, which the Crisis Nursery hopes to address. The nursery will be housed at the Noyes Home for Children, which provides services for children ages 6 to 18. There is no timeline as to when the service will be completed.
Those who believe their child may be a victim of abuse can contact the Missouri Department of Social Services, St. Joseph Youth Alliance, Northwest Missouri Children’s Advocacy Center, Noyes Home for Children or their local law enforcement.
Kim Norvell can be reached at kim.norvell@newspressnow.com.
Custodial dad's "discipline" sends 8-year-old son to hospital (Hamilton County, Tennessee)
When "discipline" leads to a hospitalization, we're not talking about discipline. We're talking about child abuse, especially when the father refused to seek medical care for the broken arm. What's so hard about that?
It's disgusting how mealy mouthed CPS is over this "fine line" between "discipline" and child abuse crap. They're purposefully making something look "complicated" that's really very simple. And I sincerely doubt they'd be performing these contorted justifications if this case had involved a custodial or single mother.
Note that there is NO MENTION of a mother at all in this case, and that the grandmother is seeking custody. So it appears that the mother is no longer living or has somehow "disappeared" (which always makes me wonder when the father is obviously violent and abusive).
It also means that LARRY NICHOLSON is obviously a custodial father--though that fact has to be teased out here. I mean, it's okay to trash custodial moms and all. But daddies are sacrosanct in the media, so we don't want to draw attention to their crimes or anything. Might give them a bad name, you know. Especially when it's apparent that he's lied about his role in all this.
http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13929267
Father's discipline sends son to the hospital
Posted: Jan 28, 2011 3:58 PM CST
Updated: Jan 28, 2011 4:38 PM CST
Larry Nicholson
HAMILTON COUNTY, TN. (WRCB)-- A child abuse case in Hamilton County is raising a lot of questions.
Eyewitness News has learned 24-year-old Larry Nicholson is charged with one count of aggravated child abuse.
Chattanooga Police say Nicholson broke his 8-year-old son's arm Saturday, but never took him to seek care.
The boy's grandmother later stepped in.
Nicholson told police he was only disciplining the child.
Police and child services agree this is clear case of abuse. Friday, the 8-year-old is in his grandmother's care, she goes to court next week to seek custody.
"In a case such as physical abuse, there can be a fine line between what is discipline, corporal punishment versus physical abuse," says Jackie Joley.
Jackie Joley with Department of Child Services agrees that in cases of abuse, the line is sometimes hard to see, then again sometimes not.
"The child stated to the grandmother that the father was spanking him, at some point he threw him down on the floor and into a wall," Sgt. Jerri Weary.
That's what Larry Nicholson's 8-year-old son told his grandmother and police Tuesday. According to reports, it happened at an apartment complex near Highway 58, after the 8-year-old took something belonging to Nicholson.
"In the process of being spanked, his father grabbed his arm too hard," says Weary.
The incident happened over the weekend, but the 8-year-old didn't receive medical treatment until he complained to his grandmother Tuesday. Doctor's at T.C. Thompson determined he had a fractured right arm.
"Yes, we all get angry, but we need to not allow our anger to end up hurting someone else," says Joley.
Joley says good tips for parents include taking a step back from the situation to make sure you never discipline out of anger. Any discipline causing bodily injury to a child is crossing the line.
"Discipline should not injure a child," says Joley.
Nicholson and the 8-year-old's grandmother declined to comment on camera.
Reports show Nicholson admitted to police he went overboard in his discipline.
On the phone, he maintained his innocence.
It's disgusting how mealy mouthed CPS is over this "fine line" between "discipline" and child abuse crap. They're purposefully making something look "complicated" that's really very simple. And I sincerely doubt they'd be performing these contorted justifications if this case had involved a custodial or single mother.
Note that there is NO MENTION of a mother at all in this case, and that the grandmother is seeking custody. So it appears that the mother is no longer living or has somehow "disappeared" (which always makes me wonder when the father is obviously violent and abusive).
It also means that LARRY NICHOLSON is obviously a custodial father--though that fact has to be teased out here. I mean, it's okay to trash custodial moms and all. But daddies are sacrosanct in the media, so we don't want to draw attention to their crimes or anything. Might give them a bad name, you know. Especially when it's apparent that he's lied about his role in all this.
http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13929267
Father's discipline sends son to the hospital
Posted: Jan 28, 2011 3:58 PM CST
Updated: Jan 28, 2011 4:38 PM CST
Larry Nicholson
HAMILTON COUNTY, TN. (WRCB)-- A child abuse case in Hamilton County is raising a lot of questions.
Eyewitness News has learned 24-year-old Larry Nicholson is charged with one count of aggravated child abuse.
Chattanooga Police say Nicholson broke his 8-year-old son's arm Saturday, but never took him to seek care.
The boy's grandmother later stepped in.
Nicholson told police he was only disciplining the child.
Police and child services agree this is clear case of abuse. Friday, the 8-year-old is in his grandmother's care, she goes to court next week to seek custody.
"In a case such as physical abuse, there can be a fine line between what is discipline, corporal punishment versus physical abuse," says Jackie Joley.
Jackie Joley with Department of Child Services agrees that in cases of abuse, the line is sometimes hard to see, then again sometimes not.
"The child stated to the grandmother that the father was spanking him, at some point he threw him down on the floor and into a wall," Sgt. Jerri Weary.
That's what Larry Nicholson's 8-year-old son told his grandmother and police Tuesday. According to reports, it happened at an apartment complex near Highway 58, after the 8-year-old took something belonging to Nicholson.
"In the process of being spanked, his father grabbed his arm too hard," says Weary.
The incident happened over the weekend, but the 8-year-old didn't receive medical treatment until he complained to his grandmother Tuesday. Doctor's at T.C. Thompson determined he had a fractured right arm.
"Yes, we all get angry, but we need to not allow our anger to end up hurting someone else," says Joley.
Joley says good tips for parents include taking a step back from the situation to make sure you never discipline out of anger. Any discipline causing bodily injury to a child is crossing the line.
"Discipline should not injure a child," says Joley.
Nicholson and the 8-year-old's grandmother declined to comment on camera.
Reports show Nicholson admitted to police he went overboard in his discipline.
On the phone, he maintained his innocence.
Mom wants inquiry into the murder of her sons during visitation (Alberta, Canada)
We've posted ont his case numerous times in the past month. Finally, the mother is speaking out over the very questions we raised here. Why was formerly custodial father JASON CARDINALE, a dad with a history of abuse and mental illness allowed to have unsupervised visitation after he was FINALLY stripped of full custody? (Notice that even then, Mom only had "interim" custody. Why?) And who gave this murderous thug custody to begin with?
Alberta mom wants inquiry into boys' deaths
Last Updated: Monday, January 24, 2011 3:23 AM MT
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2011/01/23/edm-mother-sons.html
In an exclusive interview with CBC News, an Alberta mother is speaking publicly for the first time about the day her two children were killed, allegedly by their father.
She is calling for a public inquiry into the deaths after having raised mental-health issues about the father months ago.
The two boys, aged six and three, were found dead in a north Edmonton townhouse on Dec. 20, 2010. Their father, Jason Cardinal, 31, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
The mother, who cannot be identified, said she was accompanied by a provincial family support worker on the afternoon of Dec. 19 to pick up her children.
The father had the boys for a weekend visit and the support worker was there to supervise the transfer between the parents because of an interim custody order.
The mother said she knocked on the door with the social worker and then later with a family member to try to retrieve her children. No one answered the door.
"And we kept going back every couple of hours," the mother said. Each time, no one answered.
"I was stuck. Nobody would respond. The cops wouldn't do anything," she said.
Edmonton police were called to the home by social services early that evening to check on the children's welfare. But there was no response, so they waited for a court order to enter the home.
Shortly after midnight last Dec. 20, officers found the boys' bodies, along with Cardinal, who had injuries that were not life-threatening.
"I was angry at them, and I told them, 'You can't do anything for me now,'" the mother said. "I tried. It doesn't matter anymore."
There are now questions about why the father was allowed unsupervised visits with the boys.
Ten months earlier, the Alberta Children and Youth Services took custody of the children over concerns about Cardinal's mental health — concerns the mother raised after he was allowed to have them overnight on weekends, unsupervised.
"He wasn't capable, and I know he wasn't and that's the very hard part …. My sons had to pay the ultimate price for the negligence."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2011/01/23/edm-mother-sons.html#ixzz1Ce6PobGY
Alberta mom wants inquiry into boys' deaths
Last Updated: Monday, January 24, 2011 3:23 AM MT
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2011/01/23/edm-mother-sons.html
In an exclusive interview with CBC News, an Alberta mother is speaking publicly for the first time about the day her two children were killed, allegedly by their father.
She is calling for a public inquiry into the deaths after having raised mental-health issues about the father months ago.
The two boys, aged six and three, were found dead in a north Edmonton townhouse on Dec. 20, 2010. Their father, Jason Cardinal, 31, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
The mother, who cannot be identified, said she was accompanied by a provincial family support worker on the afternoon of Dec. 19 to pick up her children.
The father had the boys for a weekend visit and the support worker was there to supervise the transfer between the parents because of an interim custody order.
The mother said she knocked on the door with the social worker and then later with a family member to try to retrieve her children. No one answered the door.
"And we kept going back every couple of hours," the mother said. Each time, no one answered.
"I was stuck. Nobody would respond. The cops wouldn't do anything," she said.
Edmonton police were called to the home by social services early that evening to check on the children's welfare. But there was no response, so they waited for a court order to enter the home.
Shortly after midnight last Dec. 20, officers found the boys' bodies, along with Cardinal, who had injuries that were not life-threatening.
"I was angry at them, and I told them, 'You can't do anything for me now,'" the mother said. "I tried. It doesn't matter anymore."
There are now questions about why the father was allowed unsupervised visits with the boys.
Ten months earlier, the Alberta Children and Youth Services took custody of the children over concerns about Cardinal's mental health — concerns the mother raised after he was allowed to have them overnight on weekends, unsupervised.
"He wasn't capable, and I know he wasn't and that's the very hard part …. My sons had to pay the ultimate price for the negligence."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2011/01/23/edm-mother-sons.html#ixzz1Ce6PobGY
Abusive dad kidnaps 3-year-old daughter after mom asks for divorce (Grand Junction, Colorado)
Make no mistake. When dads with a history of violence against women kidnap their children, the motives are not good.
Dad JASON BOGARD has a history of meth addiction, and a history of beating and choking his wife. When she asked for a divorce, he abducted their 3-year-old daughter. Nobody except those who have been drinking a lot of fathers rights koolaide could possible think this guy had good motives here. You really think he wants more daddy-daughter together time?
No. I can assure you that this type is only interested in hurting/controlling the mother by denying her contact with her child, and that the child is at very serious risk of being abused herself. The irony, of course, is that it's very likely he would have retained visitation--or even custody--in the Colorado family court system, despite fathers rights movement lies to the contrary.
Notice that this mother has had almost no real help. No Amber Alert, no nothing. This is typical of the treatment that mothers get these days.
http://www.nbc11news.com/home/headlines/Family_abductions_widespread_in_US_Paonia_mother_struggles_to_find_daughter_111765269.html
Family abductions widespread in U.S., Paonia mother struggles to find daughter
A Paonia mother searches for her three-year-old daughter, who she says was kidnapped by her abusive father.
Posted: 8:21 PM Dec 12, 2010
Reporter: Kelly Asmuth
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - Kidnappings aren't just committed by strangers. A staggering number of children are abducted by family members like their own parents.
For the past ten months, Sierra Bogard has lived in the kind of agony that only parents with kidnapped children can understand. "I just want her back, that's all," says Bogard. "It's scary, not knowing if she's okay or alive or what."
Three–year–old Shantelle Bogard was last seen with her father, Jason Bogard, the day after Sierra told him she wanted a divorce. She says she endured repeated physical and mental abuse. "He would beat me, and choke me. He's been on meth on and off for the past eight years we've been together."
When Jason Bogard disappeared with their daughter, an Amber Alert wasn't issued. The two were still married, so the looming situation didn't fit the criteria for the warning. "I don't think there should be any criteria on amber alerts. If a child is missing, they should put an Amber Alert out right away," says Kathy Greer, Shantelle's grandmother.
More than 200,000 children are abducted each year by family members, according to the most recent statistics. Sierra says multiple law agencies are working to find Shantelle, but haven't been able to track her down. "I have had a private investigator. I've had the CBI, the Missing Children's Task Force...They haven't found anything."
Sierra's only lead happened two months ago, when a friend spotted her now ex–husband in Parachute, Colorado. "He was driving in a silver Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was an older model, '98 or '99."
Until she receives the tip she's been desperate for, Sierra will continue to make posters, and pray.
Every year nearly 15,000 children are reported missing in Colorado. Hundreds of these children are still missing.
If you have any information about three–year–old Shantelle Bogard, contact the Paonia Police Department, 970-527-4822 or any of the following numbers:
970-527-6103
970-208-3587
970-209-4734
Dad JASON BOGARD has a history of meth addiction, and a history of beating and choking his wife. When she asked for a divorce, he abducted their 3-year-old daughter. Nobody except those who have been drinking a lot of fathers rights koolaide could possible think this guy had good motives here. You really think he wants more daddy-daughter together time?
No. I can assure you that this type is only interested in hurting/controlling the mother by denying her contact with her child, and that the child is at very serious risk of being abused herself. The irony, of course, is that it's very likely he would have retained visitation--or even custody--in the Colorado family court system, despite fathers rights movement lies to the contrary.
Notice that this mother has had almost no real help. No Amber Alert, no nothing. This is typical of the treatment that mothers get these days.
http://www.nbc11news.com/home/headlines/Family_abductions_widespread_in_US_Paonia_mother_struggles_to_find_daughter_111765269.html
Family abductions widespread in U.S., Paonia mother struggles to find daughter
A Paonia mother searches for her three-year-old daughter, who she says was kidnapped by her abusive father.
Posted: 8:21 PM Dec 12, 2010
Reporter: Kelly Asmuth
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - Kidnappings aren't just committed by strangers. A staggering number of children are abducted by family members like their own parents.
For the past ten months, Sierra Bogard has lived in the kind of agony that only parents with kidnapped children can understand. "I just want her back, that's all," says Bogard. "It's scary, not knowing if she's okay or alive or what."
Three–year–old Shantelle Bogard was last seen with her father, Jason Bogard, the day after Sierra told him she wanted a divorce. She says she endured repeated physical and mental abuse. "He would beat me, and choke me. He's been on meth on and off for the past eight years we've been together."
When Jason Bogard disappeared with their daughter, an Amber Alert wasn't issued. The two were still married, so the looming situation didn't fit the criteria for the warning. "I don't think there should be any criteria on amber alerts. If a child is missing, they should put an Amber Alert out right away," says Kathy Greer, Shantelle's grandmother.
More than 200,000 children are abducted each year by family members, according to the most recent statistics. Sierra says multiple law agencies are working to find Shantelle, but haven't been able to track her down. "I have had a private investigator. I've had the CBI, the Missing Children's Task Force...They haven't found anything."
Sierra's only lead happened two months ago, when a friend spotted her now ex–husband in Parachute, Colorado. "He was driving in a silver Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was an older model, '98 or '99."
Until she receives the tip she's been desperate for, Sierra will continue to make posters, and pray.
Every year nearly 15,000 children are reported missing in Colorado. Hundreds of these children are still missing.
If you have any information about three–year–old Shantelle Bogard, contact the Paonia Police Department, 970-527-4822 or any of the following numbers:
970-527-6103
970-208-3587
970-209-4734
Homicide charges likely again dad in death of 1-month-old son (Normandy, Tennessee)
Dad ANDREW KEITH JOHNSTON may be charged with homicide in the death of his 1-month-old son. Appears that the baby suffered general abuse in addition to abusive head trauma, which left the infant lethargic. In a panic, Daddy then put the kid in cold water to revive him, which caused hypothermia, especially in a newborn. But of course, cold water does nothing to help when you have a hemorrhage in the brain. The baby died after being removed from life support.
http://www.wkrn.com/Global/story.asp?S=13922417
Homicide charges likely against Normandy father
Posted: Jan 27, 2011 4:01 PM CST
NORMANDY, Tenn. – Homicide charges are likely to be filed against a Normandy man charged with abusing his one-month-old son, who later died from his injuries.
An autopsy from the state medical examiner office determined the cause of death of the infant to be homicide, according to a report in the Shelbyville Times Gazette, and the aggravated child abuse charge against the child's father, 18-year-old Andrew Keith Johnston, would likely be amended.
Johnston's son died last October 22 after doctors at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville removed him from life support a night earlier.
Authorities became aware of the alleged abuse on the night of October 15, after a call went out about an unresponsive baby on Normandy Road.
The baby was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for hypothermia and his condition seemed to be improving.
According to a report filed with the Tullahoma Police Department, the child was normal and responsive until a few days later, when his mother noticed that the infant's left eye was extremely dilated, and it was discovered that the child had hemorrhaging in the brain.
The child was taken to Vanderbilt where doctors reported the boy also had broken ribs and fingerprint marks on one of his legs.
The boy's father told hospital personnel that he put the baby in cold water in the shower for a few minutes in an attempt to wake him.
A preliminary hearing has been set for February 24 during which a judge will determine whether there is enough evidence to bind Johnston over to the Bedford County grand jury.
http://www.wkrn.com/Global/story.asp?S=13922417
Homicide charges likely against Normandy father
Posted: Jan 27, 2011 4:01 PM CST
NORMANDY, Tenn. – Homicide charges are likely to be filed against a Normandy man charged with abusing his one-month-old son, who later died from his injuries.
An autopsy from the state medical examiner office determined the cause of death of the infant to be homicide, according to a report in the Shelbyville Times Gazette, and the aggravated child abuse charge against the child's father, 18-year-old Andrew Keith Johnston, would likely be amended.
Johnston's son died last October 22 after doctors at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville removed him from life support a night earlier.
Authorities became aware of the alleged abuse on the night of October 15, after a call went out about an unresponsive baby on Normandy Road.
The baby was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for hypothermia and his condition seemed to be improving.
According to a report filed with the Tullahoma Police Department, the child was normal and responsive until a few days later, when his mother noticed that the infant's left eye was extremely dilated, and it was discovered that the child had hemorrhaging in the brain.
The child was taken to Vanderbilt where doctors reported the boy also had broken ribs and fingerprint marks on one of his legs.
The boy's father told hospital personnel that he put the baby in cold water in the shower for a few minutes in an attempt to wake him.
A preliminary hearing has been set for February 24 during which a judge will determine whether there is enough evidence to bind Johnston over to the Bedford County grand jury.
Custodial dad acquitted of sexually abusing 10-year-old daughter, even though he's guilty of beating her (Multnomah County, Oregon)
Outrageous! Increasingly, we see that laws and the legal system are tilting in favor of sexual abusers, molester daddies, and assorted pedophiles of all stripes.
Dad AARON ANTHONY FLORES was acquitted of sexual abuse charges because Judge Leslie Roberts decided to privilege the word of a CONVICTED CHILD BEATER/RELIGIOUS NUTCASE over the word of a 10-year-old female child. Even though the father initially lied about the beating to the police, a beating that had photographic evidence gathered by official investigators. Oh yea, that's a lot of paternal credibility.
Not only that, notice that NO CHILD ABUSE EXPERTS WERE ALLOWED TO TESTIFY either. Nobody that could explain or elaborate upon the child's testimony. Nope, any experts in this case were silenced by the Oregon Supreme Court.
And all that Daddy got for the beating was three years probation. And he won't even have to put up with annoying (and largely useless) anger management classes either.
Notice that this was also a CUSTODIAL FATHER, since there is reference to the little girl now preferring to live with her mother in "a household free of strict rules" (read: a household where she was with a nurturing mother--as nature intended--and where she wasn't being beaten or molested). Which leads to the great unanswered question here: Who gave Daddy custody and why? Of course, there is no attempt to answer that here.
Have no doubts that requiring a child's testimony in these matters--as opposed to the testimony of police, social workers, doctors, or social workers--is a direct impact of fathers rights lobbying and general political influence. Refusing to believe the allegations of timid, frightened, and traumatized children--while blindly adopting the denials of fathers--is also a direct impact of the fathers rights movement. As is refusing to believe the allegations of protective mothers or other family members regarding the sexual abuse of children. In fact, protective family members are routinely smeared as mentally ill "alienators" these days, and swiftly stripped of custody or even visitation rights.
What's done is done. Here is the truly scary part. After molester daddy finishes his three years of probation, HE CAN REFILE FOR CUSTODY OF HIS DAUGHTER.
This is called "grow your own victims," folks. How daddies can now grow their own sexual victims, and almost nobody can intervene.
And explain to me again how poor daddies are oppressed by the legal system?
Hat tip to Denom Shi.
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/01/portland_child_sex_abuse_trial.html
Portland child sex abuse trial comes down to the word of 10-year-old against her father's
Published: Friday, January 28, 2011, 6:30 PM Updated: Friday, January 28, 2011, 7:48 PM
By Aimee Green, The Oregonian
The 10-year-old wasn't allowed to cut her hair. She had to wear long sleeves and skirts down to her ankles, even while swimming. She had to attend her father's Pentecostal church three times a week.
But worse, the girl testified earlier this month in Multnomah County Circuit Court, her father beat her with a board after she allowed her aunt to trim her hair. Investigators photographed the bruises.
In a soft, timid voice, the girl also said her father had repeatedly put his hands down her underpants at night.
A doctor found no physical evidence of sexual abuse, which is often the case. The defense attorney contended the girl made up the story because she wanted to live with her mother in a household free of strict rules. No child-abuse experts were allowed to testify that they believed she had been the victim of sexual abuse.
It was the 10-year-old's word alone.
After a three-day trial, Judge Leslie Roberts acquitted the girl's father, Aaron Anthony Flores, of all 10 counts of unlawful sexual penetration and sexual abuse, saying she had reasonable doubt about the girl's testimony. But the judge did find the 29-year-old Northeast Portland man guilty of beating his daughter and sentenced him to three years of probation.
The case illustrates how the ground has shifted in child sexual abuse prosecutions. High court rulings in recent years have made it more difficult to get convictions and have put a greater burden on children making accusations.
A 2004 U.S. Supreme Court ruling made children's testimony a necessity. Before the ruling in Crawford v. Washington, prosecutors could sometimes convict child molesters based solely on testimony from police officers, social workers or doctors, who would relay statements that a child had made about being abused.
Many cases don't get prosecuted, according to prosecutors, because many children are overcome with embarrassment or are too afraid to sit in a room with the trusted adult who abused them. Others are too young to clearly tell what happened, especially in the intimidating setting of a courtroom.
Oregon Supreme Court rulings in 2009 and 2010 have prevented prosecutors from calling on the testimony of child-abuse experts, who could back up the testimony of a child despite the lack of physical evidence. The court ruled that hearing an expert's opinion -- absent physical evidence of abuse -- "does not tell the jury anything that it could not have determined on its own."
While prosecutors say the state and U.S. court rulings amount to more hurdles, defense attorneys say the rulings have helped level an uneven playing field for those accused of one of society's most egregious crimes.
"There's so much prejudice that goes along with that type of allegation," said Karla Nash, a Deschutes County attorney who defended Kermit Southard, whose appeal spurred one of the Oregon Supreme Court's landmark decisions. "A lot of the time it feels like (we're) trying to prove someone's innocence," Nash said, rather than prosecutors trying to prove an alleged molester's guilt.
The stakes are huge.
Oregon's version of Jessica's Law, requires defendants convicted of raping, sodomizing or sexually penetrating a child under 12 must serve at least 25 years -- although they could be sentenced to double or triple that under multiple charges. Defense attorneys say the threat of such sentences puts pressure on defendants to take a plea bargain regardless of whether they are guilty.
Earlier this month in Multnomah County Circuit Court, defense attorney Ronald Fishback pressed the girl to admit that she conjured up the stories of physical and sexual abuse because she hated her father.
Immediately after the 10-year-old showed her mother and step-grandmother the bruises, they called Portland police.
Her father was booked into jail on accusations of criminal mistreatment but was released later that day because of jail crowding. Fishback said when the girl learned this, she claimed she'd been sexually abused so her dad would go back to jail.
Fishback also argued that the girl's story was riddled with inconsistencies.
Prosecutor Nathan Vasquez said the girl was always consistent about the core details of what happened. She told police, child-abuse interviewers and the judge alike that she had been beaten with the board and that her father had sexually penetrated her. When the judge said the girl didn't use specific enough terminology to describe where she was touched, the prosecutor disagreed.
"You have a child who is trying to come forward, and in the best way she can, trying to tell you about the way she was sexually abused," Vasquez said.
Flores was the one who was inconsistent, Vasquez said. When police confronted him about the beating, he denied it. "It is Mr. Flores who can look a police officer in the face and lie to him over and over again about a very apparent beating of a child."
Vasquez contended the girl rightfully wanted to get out of "her father's house of fear" because she'd been battered and molested. He said the girl didn't immediately tell a trusted adult about being molested because it often takes children time to feel comfortable enough talking about something so horrible.
Under Fishback's questioning, however, she admitted that she was enjoying the perks of living with her mother, now that her father was in trouble with the law.
"I noticed that now you have some nail polish on your fingers?" Fishback asked.
"Um-hmm," she said.
"And you have pierced ears with earrings?" Fishback asked.
"Yes," the girl said. "I am very excited. I finally get to be a kid."
Experts had diagnosed the girl as a sex-abuse victim because she was able to tell a narrative, offered consistent details and she didn't appear to be coached by an adult urging her to make up a story. The girl's counselor also wasn't allowed to testify during trial that she diagnosed the girl with post traumatic stress disorder from physical and sexual abuse.
After a few hours of consideration, Roberts, the judge, said she's convinced Flores beat his daughter with the board, but she was not convinced to "a moral certainty" that the sexual abuse charges were true.
Roberts said she saw inconsistencies in the girl's story and was troubled by them. Roberts noted the girl told child-abuse interviewers she had been forced to clean the toilet after the beating, but she didn't mention that on the stand. The judge also said the girl testified that her head had been held under water but had not told interviewers.
After the judge announced her verdict, the girl cried.
Vasquez, the prosecutor, told the girl she was courageous for speaking out. And that because she spoke out, she was living in a safe place now.
Delivering such news "really, absolutely, is the hardest part of my job," Vasquez said.
At his sentencing last week, Flores said he was relieved the ordeal was over. He apologized for "spanking" his daughter, and said he loved her very much. He said the girl's mother had conspired against him to destroy his reputation.
"My daughter is not the only victim in this case," Flores said. "...I feel I was unjustly incarcerated for three months" before trial.
The prosecutor asked the judge to sentence Flores to anger-management classes and a mental-health evaluation, but the judge declined.
The judge, however, followed the prosecutor's recommendation to sentence Flores to parenting classes. Although Flores won't be allowed to see his daughter during his three years of probation, he could seek custody after that. Flores also hopes to have a baby with his new wife.
-- Aimee Green
Dad AARON ANTHONY FLORES was acquitted of sexual abuse charges because Judge Leslie Roberts decided to privilege the word of a CONVICTED CHILD BEATER/RELIGIOUS NUTCASE over the word of a 10-year-old female child. Even though the father initially lied about the beating to the police, a beating that had photographic evidence gathered by official investigators. Oh yea, that's a lot of paternal credibility.
Not only that, notice that NO CHILD ABUSE EXPERTS WERE ALLOWED TO TESTIFY either. Nobody that could explain or elaborate upon the child's testimony. Nope, any experts in this case were silenced by the Oregon Supreme Court.
And all that Daddy got for the beating was three years probation. And he won't even have to put up with annoying (and largely useless) anger management classes either.
Notice that this was also a CUSTODIAL FATHER, since there is reference to the little girl now preferring to live with her mother in "a household free of strict rules" (read: a household where she was with a nurturing mother--as nature intended--and where she wasn't being beaten or molested). Which leads to the great unanswered question here: Who gave Daddy custody and why? Of course, there is no attempt to answer that here.
Have no doubts that requiring a child's testimony in these matters--as opposed to the testimony of police, social workers, doctors, or social workers--is a direct impact of fathers rights lobbying and general political influence. Refusing to believe the allegations of timid, frightened, and traumatized children--while blindly adopting the denials of fathers--is also a direct impact of the fathers rights movement. As is refusing to believe the allegations of protective mothers or other family members regarding the sexual abuse of children. In fact, protective family members are routinely smeared as mentally ill "alienators" these days, and swiftly stripped of custody or even visitation rights.
What's done is done. Here is the truly scary part. After molester daddy finishes his three years of probation, HE CAN REFILE FOR CUSTODY OF HIS DAUGHTER.
This is called "grow your own victims," folks. How daddies can now grow their own sexual victims, and almost nobody can intervene.
And explain to me again how poor daddies are oppressed by the legal system?
Hat tip to Denom Shi.
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/01/portland_child_sex_abuse_trial.html
Portland child sex abuse trial comes down to the word of 10-year-old against her father's
Published: Friday, January 28, 2011, 6:30 PM Updated: Friday, January 28, 2011, 7:48 PM
By Aimee Green, The Oregonian
The 10-year-old wasn't allowed to cut her hair. She had to wear long sleeves and skirts down to her ankles, even while swimming. She had to attend her father's Pentecostal church three times a week.
But worse, the girl testified earlier this month in Multnomah County Circuit Court, her father beat her with a board after she allowed her aunt to trim her hair. Investigators photographed the bruises.
In a soft, timid voice, the girl also said her father had repeatedly put his hands down her underpants at night.
A doctor found no physical evidence of sexual abuse, which is often the case. The defense attorney contended the girl made up the story because she wanted to live with her mother in a household free of strict rules. No child-abuse experts were allowed to testify that they believed she had been the victim of sexual abuse.
It was the 10-year-old's word alone.
After a three-day trial, Judge Leslie Roberts acquitted the girl's father, Aaron Anthony Flores, of all 10 counts of unlawful sexual penetration and sexual abuse, saying she had reasonable doubt about the girl's testimony. But the judge did find the 29-year-old Northeast Portland man guilty of beating his daughter and sentenced him to three years of probation.
The case illustrates how the ground has shifted in child sexual abuse prosecutions. High court rulings in recent years have made it more difficult to get convictions and have put a greater burden on children making accusations.
A 2004 U.S. Supreme Court ruling made children's testimony a necessity. Before the ruling in Crawford v. Washington, prosecutors could sometimes convict child molesters based solely on testimony from police officers, social workers or doctors, who would relay statements that a child had made about being abused.
Many cases don't get prosecuted, according to prosecutors, because many children are overcome with embarrassment or are too afraid to sit in a room with the trusted adult who abused them. Others are too young to clearly tell what happened, especially in the intimidating setting of a courtroom.
Oregon Supreme Court rulings in 2009 and 2010 have prevented prosecutors from calling on the testimony of child-abuse experts, who could back up the testimony of a child despite the lack of physical evidence. The court ruled that hearing an expert's opinion -- absent physical evidence of abuse -- "does not tell the jury anything that it could not have determined on its own."
While prosecutors say the state and U.S. court rulings amount to more hurdles, defense attorneys say the rulings have helped level an uneven playing field for those accused of one of society's most egregious crimes.
"There's so much prejudice that goes along with that type of allegation," said Karla Nash, a Deschutes County attorney who defended Kermit Southard, whose appeal spurred one of the Oregon Supreme Court's landmark decisions. "A lot of the time it feels like (we're) trying to prove someone's innocence," Nash said, rather than prosecutors trying to prove an alleged molester's guilt.
The stakes are huge.
Oregon's version of Jessica's Law, requires defendants convicted of raping, sodomizing or sexually penetrating a child under 12 must serve at least 25 years -- although they could be sentenced to double or triple that under multiple charges. Defense attorneys say the threat of such sentences puts pressure on defendants to take a plea bargain regardless of whether they are guilty.
Earlier this month in Multnomah County Circuit Court, defense attorney Ronald Fishback pressed the girl to admit that she conjured up the stories of physical and sexual abuse because she hated her father.
Immediately after the 10-year-old showed her mother and step-grandmother the bruises, they called Portland police.
Her father was booked into jail on accusations of criminal mistreatment but was released later that day because of jail crowding. Fishback said when the girl learned this, she claimed she'd been sexually abused so her dad would go back to jail.
Fishback also argued that the girl's story was riddled with inconsistencies.
Prosecutor Nathan Vasquez said the girl was always consistent about the core details of what happened. She told police, child-abuse interviewers and the judge alike that she had been beaten with the board and that her father had sexually penetrated her. When the judge said the girl didn't use specific enough terminology to describe where she was touched, the prosecutor disagreed.
"You have a child who is trying to come forward, and in the best way she can, trying to tell you about the way she was sexually abused," Vasquez said.
Flores was the one who was inconsistent, Vasquez said. When police confronted him about the beating, he denied it. "It is Mr. Flores who can look a police officer in the face and lie to him over and over again about a very apparent beating of a child."
Vasquez contended the girl rightfully wanted to get out of "her father's house of fear" because she'd been battered and molested. He said the girl didn't immediately tell a trusted adult about being molested because it often takes children time to feel comfortable enough talking about something so horrible.
Under Fishback's questioning, however, she admitted that she was enjoying the perks of living with her mother, now that her father was in trouble with the law.
"I noticed that now you have some nail polish on your fingers?" Fishback asked.
"Um-hmm," she said.
"And you have pierced ears with earrings?" Fishback asked.
"Yes," the girl said. "I am very excited. I finally get to be a kid."
Experts had diagnosed the girl as a sex-abuse victim because she was able to tell a narrative, offered consistent details and she didn't appear to be coached by an adult urging her to make up a story. The girl's counselor also wasn't allowed to testify during trial that she diagnosed the girl with post traumatic stress disorder from physical and sexual abuse.
After a few hours of consideration, Roberts, the judge, said she's convinced Flores beat his daughter with the board, but she was not convinced to "a moral certainty" that the sexual abuse charges were true.
Roberts said she saw inconsistencies in the girl's story and was troubled by them. Roberts noted the girl told child-abuse interviewers she had been forced to clean the toilet after the beating, but she didn't mention that on the stand. The judge also said the girl testified that her head had been held under water but had not told interviewers.
After the judge announced her verdict, the girl cried.
Vasquez, the prosecutor, told the girl she was courageous for speaking out. And that because she spoke out, she was living in a safe place now.
Delivering such news "really, absolutely, is the hardest part of my job," Vasquez said.
At his sentencing last week, Flores said he was relieved the ordeal was over. He apologized for "spanking" his daughter, and said he loved her very much. He said the girl's mother had conspired against him to destroy his reputation.
"My daughter is not the only victim in this case," Flores said. "...I feel I was unjustly incarcerated for three months" before trial.
The prosecutor asked the judge to sentence Flores to anger-management classes and a mental-health evaluation, but the judge declined.
The judge, however, followed the prosecutor's recommendation to sentence Flores to parenting classes. Although Flores won't be allowed to see his daughter during his three years of probation, he could seek custody after that. Flores also hopes to have a baby with his new wife.
-- Aimee Green
Baby dies after being shaken by dad; dad annoyed by baby crying before Superbowl game (Pompton Lakes, New Jersey)
Notice that back in 1996, UNNAMED DAD shook his 8-week-old son to keep him from crying before the Super Bowl. Two days later, the baby died. It was not until 2001 that Dad was convicted, and by 2003, he was out on parole.
Yup, our society values the lives of babies so very highly. NOT. Especially when "frustrated" fathers are responsible for their deaths.
And after all this time, Daddy still keeps his name out of the media. NIIICE.
http://www.northjersey.com/community/history/back_in_the_day/114914944_Feb__4__1996_Infant_dies_after_Super_Bowl-related_injury.html
Back in the Day, Feb. 4, 1996: Infant dies after Super Bowl-related injury
Sunday, January 30, 2011
By BRYAN LAPLACA
COLUMNIST
The Pompton Lakes community was in shock as the story unfolded about a neighbor charged with murdering his infant son allegedly in a frenzied attempt to stop him from crying before the Super Bowl.
A 34-year-old father allegedly shook his son and dropped him while trying to keep him quiet. The man maintained that that his son’s death was an accident.
Even those wanting to believe the injuries sustained by 8-week-old baby on Sunday, Jan. 28 that led to his death two days later were an accident, they found his father’s actions difficult to understand, it was reported.
"Others rejected pity or compassion and felt only outrage as the circumstances of the man's actions were revealed day after day across their television screens and in their morning newspapers," reported Suburban Trends.
The man was initially charged with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a minor and child neglect. He was subsequently arraigned on those charges by Municipal Court Judge Stephen Lichon and the man was remanded to Passaic County Jail on $100,000 bail.
When the baby died, however, the charge against his father was upgraded to murder and he was arraigned in Passaic County Superior Court. He was subsequently released on $200,000 bail.
According to police officials, the man’s wife had left her husband at home briefly Sunday afternoon to do some shopping. The couple reportedly planned to host a small Super Bowl party later that day.
When she returned, police said, she noticed that the baby was unusually lethargic and called doctors. The couple subsequently took their infant son to Chilton Memorial Hospital in Pompton Plains, and he was then transported to the Morristown Memorial Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit due to the gravity of his condition.
The baby was placed on life support at Morristown Memorial and when doctors diagnosed his condition as possibly resulting from "'Shaken Baby Syndrome," they notified the Prosecutor’s Office.
Dr. David Bollard of Sparta Medical explained that Shaken Baby Syndrome is "the result of violently shaking a baby back and forth. It causes a hemorrhage at the base of the brain or it can tear the spinal cord at the base of the brain."
In diagnosing this condition, Dr. Bollard said, "You will usually find a pool of blood at the base of the brain and the infant will go into respiratory arrest and death will follow. The injury is equivalent to a hangman's fracture. The injury occurs when the brain is banged violently against the inside of the skull."
The man’s wife and 2-year-old daughter, as well as other family members and friends, were in court with him days later in a show of support of his contention, expressed by his attorney Kalman Geist, that the injuries the father apparently caused his son were accidental.
On Sept. 21, 2001, the man was convicted on one count of endangering the welfare of a minor and faced a maximum term of five years in prison. He was paroled on February 18, 2003.
Yup, our society values the lives of babies so very highly. NOT. Especially when "frustrated" fathers are responsible for their deaths.
And after all this time, Daddy still keeps his name out of the media. NIIICE.
http://www.northjersey.com/community/history/back_in_the_day/114914944_Feb__4__1996_Infant_dies_after_Super_Bowl-related_injury.html
Back in the Day, Feb. 4, 1996: Infant dies after Super Bowl-related injury
Sunday, January 30, 2011
By BRYAN LAPLACA
COLUMNIST
The Pompton Lakes community was in shock as the story unfolded about a neighbor charged with murdering his infant son allegedly in a frenzied attempt to stop him from crying before the Super Bowl.
A 34-year-old father allegedly shook his son and dropped him while trying to keep him quiet. The man maintained that that his son’s death was an accident.
Even those wanting to believe the injuries sustained by 8-week-old baby on Sunday, Jan. 28 that led to his death two days later were an accident, they found his father’s actions difficult to understand, it was reported.
"Others rejected pity or compassion and felt only outrage as the circumstances of the man's actions were revealed day after day across their television screens and in their morning newspapers," reported Suburban Trends.
The man was initially charged with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a minor and child neglect. He was subsequently arraigned on those charges by Municipal Court Judge Stephen Lichon and the man was remanded to Passaic County Jail on $100,000 bail.
When the baby died, however, the charge against his father was upgraded to murder and he was arraigned in Passaic County Superior Court. He was subsequently released on $200,000 bail.
According to police officials, the man’s wife had left her husband at home briefly Sunday afternoon to do some shopping. The couple reportedly planned to host a small Super Bowl party later that day.
When she returned, police said, she noticed that the baby was unusually lethargic and called doctors. The couple subsequently took their infant son to Chilton Memorial Hospital in Pompton Plains, and he was then transported to the Morristown Memorial Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit due to the gravity of his condition.
The baby was placed on life support at Morristown Memorial and when doctors diagnosed his condition as possibly resulting from "'Shaken Baby Syndrome," they notified the Prosecutor’s Office.
Dr. David Bollard of Sparta Medical explained that Shaken Baby Syndrome is "the result of violently shaking a baby back and forth. It causes a hemorrhage at the base of the brain or it can tear the spinal cord at the base of the brain."
In diagnosing this condition, Dr. Bollard said, "You will usually find a pool of blood at the base of the brain and the infant will go into respiratory arrest and death will follow. The injury is equivalent to a hangman's fracture. The injury occurs when the brain is banged violently against the inside of the skull."
The man’s wife and 2-year-old daughter, as well as other family members and friends, were in court with him days later in a show of support of his contention, expressed by his attorney Kalman Geist, that the injuries the father apparently caused his son were accidental.
On Sept. 21, 2001, the man was convicted on one count of endangering the welfare of a minor and faced a maximum term of five years in prison. He was paroled on February 18, 2003.
Moms who kill children are rare, but complex (Tampa, Florida)
As I have often suggested here, killer moms typically dominate the headlines--especially if they're perceived as attractive, middle-class, or white. Female criminals are often titillating and shocking to the general public in that way. But cut to the bottom line, as highlighted in this article: in most cases, intentional first-degree murder is generally committed by FATHERS AND STEP FATHERS, not moms.
Despite that fact--or perhaps because of that fact--you have probably heard of every killer mom listed below. When these names are repeated again and again in a media echo chamber, it leads the public to believe that moms are more dangerous to children that fathers (a belief encouraged by the fathers rights movement to encourage father custody). Just not true. Killer dads seldom get mentioned outside the local press unless they wipe out the whole family in a bloody massacre. And even then, these dads seldom linger in the news for long. That's why the public can seldom rattle off killer dads by name. By contrast, all you have to do is say the names of Susan, Andrea, and Darlie, and most literate people know what you're talking about.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/jan/30/MENEWSO17-moms-who-kill-children-are-rare-but-comp/
Moms who kill children are rare, but complex
BY DONNA KOEHN
The Tampa Tribune
Published: January 30, 2011
TAMPA - They form an ignominious roster of women accused of committing a crime as horrific and taboo as it gets.
•Susan Smith, convicted of two counts of murder for rolling her Mazda Protégé into a South Carolina lake with her two toddlers inside, buckled into their car seats.
•Andrea Yates, confined to a state mental hospital for methodically drowning her five children in her bathtub in a Houston suburb.
•Darlie Routier, on death row in Texas for killing her sons, ages 5 and 7, then shocking television viewers by decorating their graves with Silly String a few days after their burial.
•And, on Friday, Julie Schenecker, a Tampa Palms stay-at-home mom who police say shot her two teenagers in the head with a .38-caliber revolver for being "mouthy."
Filicide — the killing of a child older than age 1 by a parent — is rare. In most cases, it involves a father or stepfather lashing out in a fit of rage or frustration.
Rarer still is a mother who intentionally kills her children, and most of those slayings involve infants or toddlers.
The deaths of the Schenecker children — Beau, 13, and Calyx, 16 — already has garnered national attention for its aberration and brutality.
"Public reaction can be harsher for a mother," says lawyer Lyann Goudie, who defended Kristina Gaime, a Land O' Lakes nurse who killed her 6-year-old son and attempted to kill herself and her 8-year-old son by asphyxiation in the family minivan in 1999.
"People wonder how you can kill someone you carried in your body for nine months," Goudie says.
Experts, too, attempt to understand the dynamics of maternal filicide based on few cases. Kathleen Heide, a professor of criminology at the University of South Florida who counsels victims of family violence, says mothers who kill older children typically suffer from severe mental illness.
"Killing their children and then committing suicide is common," she says. "This is a sign of overwhelming despair. They usually have a major depression with psychosis."
Police say Schenecker, 50, left a detailed note indicating she intended to take her own life after killing her children.
Schenecker shook uncontrollably and had a wide-eyed, haunted look as she was led to jail Friday. She was taken to Tampa General Hospital's intensive care unit hours later, suffering from an unspecified condition she had before being booked.
* * * * *
No outsiders can know exactly what went on behind closed doors at the home on Royal Park Court in the upscale, gated subdivision.
Schenecker's husband, Parker, a colonel in U.S. Army intelligence, was in Qatar at the time of the slayings.
But Heide says mothers who kill older children usually are married, and frequently are the primary caregivers of the family. They often have a number of stressors that can include financial problems, ongoing abusive adult relationships, conflict with family members and limited social support.
"Often in tony neighborhoods, people put up a front," Heide says. "She may have felt particularly alone."
Heide says Schenecker's demeanor and the fact she apparently remained in the home all night with her dead children suggests she could be in a dissociative state, unable to deal with the reality of what has happened.
"She may tell police she did it, but she also may feel as if she watched herself do it, as if she were in a movie," she says. "There's often a sense of unreality."
Geoffrey McKee, a forensic psychologist and author of the book "Why Mothers Kill," says he knows of few cases in which a mother has killed her teenage children.
"The primary dynamic in those situations is conflict over the children's independence," says McKee, clinical professor in the neuropsychiatry department at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. "It might involve issues of curfew or getting the car keys."
* * * * *
McKee, who has spent more than 30 years studying and interviewing homicidal mothers, including Susan Smith, has developed five categories of mothers who kill.
Psychotic/depressed mothers often feel hopeless and are the most likely to commit suicide after killing their children. They sometimes believe they are saving their children from a life of misery or think their children are possessed or defective. Mothers contemplate or carry out plans to kill themselves in 41 percent to 56 percent of all cases of maternal filicides.
Another type of woman who kills her children is the detached mother, who fails to develop a sense of closeness with her infant, McKee says. They are girls who give birth at home or a school restroom and try to hide the infant's body, or exhausted mothers frustrated by colicky babies and suffering from postpartum depression.
Abusive/neglectful mothers act out in rage or fail to meet their babies' needs, but they rarely deliberately kill their children. Shaken baby syndrome is one example.
Retaliatory mothers seek to punish a husband or other family member.
Psychopathic mothers may be narcissistic, motivated by money, addicted to drugs or have Munchausen syndrome by proxy, in which they purposely harm their children for attention.
"Psychotic/depressed mothers are significantly more likely to use a gun to kill their children," McKee says. "As the age of the victim increases, the level of violence also increases."
dkoehn@tampatrib.com
Despite that fact--or perhaps because of that fact--you have probably heard of every killer mom listed below. When these names are repeated again and again in a media echo chamber, it leads the public to believe that moms are more dangerous to children that fathers (a belief encouraged by the fathers rights movement to encourage father custody). Just not true. Killer dads seldom get mentioned outside the local press unless they wipe out the whole family in a bloody massacre. And even then, these dads seldom linger in the news for long. That's why the public can seldom rattle off killer dads by name. By contrast, all you have to do is say the names of Susan, Andrea, and Darlie, and most literate people know what you're talking about.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/jan/30/MENEWSO17-moms-who-kill-children-are-rare-but-comp/
Moms who kill children are rare, but complex
BY DONNA KOEHN
The Tampa Tribune
Published: January 30, 2011
TAMPA - They form an ignominious roster of women accused of committing a crime as horrific and taboo as it gets.
•Susan Smith, convicted of two counts of murder for rolling her Mazda Protégé into a South Carolina lake with her two toddlers inside, buckled into their car seats.
•Andrea Yates, confined to a state mental hospital for methodically drowning her five children in her bathtub in a Houston suburb.
•Darlie Routier, on death row in Texas for killing her sons, ages 5 and 7, then shocking television viewers by decorating their graves with Silly String a few days after their burial.
•And, on Friday, Julie Schenecker, a Tampa Palms stay-at-home mom who police say shot her two teenagers in the head with a .38-caliber revolver for being "mouthy."
Filicide — the killing of a child older than age 1 by a parent — is rare. In most cases, it involves a father or stepfather lashing out in a fit of rage or frustration.
Rarer still is a mother who intentionally kills her children, and most of those slayings involve infants or toddlers.
The deaths of the Schenecker children — Beau, 13, and Calyx, 16 — already has garnered national attention for its aberration and brutality.
"Public reaction can be harsher for a mother," says lawyer Lyann Goudie, who defended Kristina Gaime, a Land O' Lakes nurse who killed her 6-year-old son and attempted to kill herself and her 8-year-old son by asphyxiation in the family minivan in 1999.
"People wonder how you can kill someone you carried in your body for nine months," Goudie says.
Experts, too, attempt to understand the dynamics of maternal filicide based on few cases. Kathleen Heide, a professor of criminology at the University of South Florida who counsels victims of family violence, says mothers who kill older children typically suffer from severe mental illness.
"Killing their children and then committing suicide is common," she says. "This is a sign of overwhelming despair. They usually have a major depression with psychosis."
Police say Schenecker, 50, left a detailed note indicating she intended to take her own life after killing her children.
Schenecker shook uncontrollably and had a wide-eyed, haunted look as she was led to jail Friday. She was taken to Tampa General Hospital's intensive care unit hours later, suffering from an unspecified condition she had before being booked.
* * * * *
No outsiders can know exactly what went on behind closed doors at the home on Royal Park Court in the upscale, gated subdivision.
Schenecker's husband, Parker, a colonel in U.S. Army intelligence, was in Qatar at the time of the slayings.
But Heide says mothers who kill older children usually are married, and frequently are the primary caregivers of the family. They often have a number of stressors that can include financial problems, ongoing abusive adult relationships, conflict with family members and limited social support.
"Often in tony neighborhoods, people put up a front," Heide says. "She may have felt particularly alone."
Heide says Schenecker's demeanor and the fact she apparently remained in the home all night with her dead children suggests she could be in a dissociative state, unable to deal with the reality of what has happened.
"She may tell police she did it, but she also may feel as if she watched herself do it, as if she were in a movie," she says. "There's often a sense of unreality."
Geoffrey McKee, a forensic psychologist and author of the book "Why Mothers Kill," says he knows of few cases in which a mother has killed her teenage children.
"The primary dynamic in those situations is conflict over the children's independence," says McKee, clinical professor in the neuropsychiatry department at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. "It might involve issues of curfew or getting the car keys."
* * * * *
McKee, who has spent more than 30 years studying and interviewing homicidal mothers, including Susan Smith, has developed five categories of mothers who kill.
Psychotic/depressed mothers often feel hopeless and are the most likely to commit suicide after killing their children. They sometimes believe they are saving their children from a life of misery or think their children are possessed or defective. Mothers contemplate or carry out plans to kill themselves in 41 percent to 56 percent of all cases of maternal filicides.
Another type of woman who kills her children is the detached mother, who fails to develop a sense of closeness with her infant, McKee says. They are girls who give birth at home or a school restroom and try to hide the infant's body, or exhausted mothers frustrated by colicky babies and suffering from postpartum depression.
Abusive/neglectful mothers act out in rage or fail to meet their babies' needs, but they rarely deliberately kill their children. Shaken baby syndrome is one example.
Retaliatory mothers seek to punish a husband or other family member.
Psychopathic mothers may be narcissistic, motivated by money, addicted to drugs or have Munchausen syndrome by proxy, in which they purposely harm their children for attention.
"Psychotic/depressed mothers are significantly more likely to use a gun to kill their children," McKee says. "As the age of the victim increases, the level of violence also increases."
dkoehn@tampatrib.com
Dad charged with murder after 4-year-old daughter dies of "extreme alcohol poisoning" (Alpharetta, Georgia)
UNNAMED DAD has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of his 4-year-old daughter, who died from "extreme alcohol poisoning." Also arrested is the girl's aunt, whom I presume to be the father's sister. So where is Mom? Big mystery.
INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.
http://www.ajc.com/news/north-fulton/girl-died-of-extreme-819035.html
Girl died of ‘extreme alcohol poisoning'
By Ty Tagami
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A 4-year-old who died after rescue workers removed her from an Alpharetta apartment died of "extreme alcohol poisoning," police said Saturday.
Two Haitian nationals, the girl's father and aunt, were arrested in the incident and charged with murder and felony child cruelty, said Alpharetta police spokesman George Gordon. Their names have not been released.
Police and firefighters who responded to a call for help at Planter's Ridge condos on Homestead Trail just after midnight found the child Friday morning. The girl was airlifted to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite, where she was pronounced dead, said Gordon.
Formal charges are pending.
INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.
http://www.ajc.com/news/north-fulton/girl-died-of-extreme-819035.html
Girl died of ‘extreme alcohol poisoning'
By Ty Tagami
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A 4-year-old who died after rescue workers removed her from an Alpharetta apartment died of "extreme alcohol poisoning," police said Saturday.
Two Haitian nationals, the girl's father and aunt, were arrested in the incident and charged with murder and felony child cruelty, said Alpharetta police spokesman George Gordon. Their names have not been released.
Police and firefighters who responded to a call for help at Planter's Ridge condos on Homestead Trail just after midnight found the child Friday morning. The girl was airlifted to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite, where she was pronounced dead, said Gordon.
Formal charges are pending.
A cruel murder that eats away at a hapless mum (Tanzania)
A moving piece by Sharifa Kalokola on killer fathers in Tanzania. No doubt there are many cultural issues that affect these issues, and those should be researched. But I suspect the fundamental dynamic is the same whether you're in Tanzania or Tucson, Arizona. It's the same sense of male entitlement, generously sprinkled with a lot of narcissism. The belief that women and children are nothing more than the father's possessions, to keep or dispose of depending on the day's whim. It's an obsession with controlling the lives of women and children, where controlling life itself becomes the ultimate power trip.
http://thecitizen.co.tz/sunday-citizen/38-soundliving/7765-a-cruel-murder-that-eats-away-at-a-hapless-mum.html
A cruel murder that eats away at a hapless mum
Sunday, 30 January 2011 11:11
By Sharifa Kalokola
Father kills his four children. Dad executes four-year-old girl – these are familiar stories battling for headline space in the media of late. The many cases of paternal filicide in Tanzania are now a major cause for concern.
Filicide – the killing of one’s son or daughter has become a curse in Tanzania. It boggles the mind just to think how all this could be happening in a society generally reputed to have very kind and warm-hearted people.
A 43-year-old father, identified as Evans Damian allegedly quarrelled with his wife recently in Arusha. Later, he is said to have taken his fight to a more disastrous level. He is said to have woken up around 2 am, and hacked his children, including twins, one after another, with an axe.
After the horror killings that have shocked many in the remote village, the apparently possessed father, committed suicide.
Revenge killings
Tracking the source of such revenge killings, one easily finds a common denominator in most of the cases: sexual jealousy.
Hell breaks loose when the husband grows jealous or perhaps catches his wife with another man. He settles the score with the wife first. But to hurt her more, he destroys the most precious possession any woman cherishes - her child.
The demon-possessed husband carries out his revenge by killing the children, and then to escape earthly justice, he commits suicide.
Poor innocent children become the victims of their parents’ trust issues! To many children in crisis-ridden families, the things that pose the biggest threat to their lives are their own parents. What a sad situation?
And the cases are growing by the day, yet it is sad that filicide remains a rarely studied subject in Tanzania. There is no science-based evidence to prove the real causes of this madness, except findings from some studies conducted abroad, where situations are different from ours.
But having said all this, it is the mother who suffers the most in the end. With a husband gone and children murdered life becomes intolerable for the woman, who finds herself in such a way.
The guilty feeling that one is somehow responsible for the death of her own children eats away at you like a deadly cancer.
You do not need to be the one wielding the axe to feel guilty. The mere fact the kids are dead because you have been fighting is enough to eat your conscience.
Which begs the question: What role can a mother play to protect her child from this evil?
http://thecitizen.co.tz/sunday-citizen/38-soundliving/7765-a-cruel-murder-that-eats-away-at-a-hapless-mum.html
A cruel murder that eats away at a hapless mum
Sunday, 30 January 2011 11:11
By Sharifa Kalokola
Father kills his four children. Dad executes four-year-old girl – these are familiar stories battling for headline space in the media of late. The many cases of paternal filicide in Tanzania are now a major cause for concern.
Filicide – the killing of one’s son or daughter has become a curse in Tanzania. It boggles the mind just to think how all this could be happening in a society generally reputed to have very kind and warm-hearted people.
A 43-year-old father, identified as Evans Damian allegedly quarrelled with his wife recently in Arusha. Later, he is said to have taken his fight to a more disastrous level. He is said to have woken up around 2 am, and hacked his children, including twins, one after another, with an axe.
After the horror killings that have shocked many in the remote village, the apparently possessed father, committed suicide.
Revenge killings
Tracking the source of such revenge killings, one easily finds a common denominator in most of the cases: sexual jealousy.
Hell breaks loose when the husband grows jealous or perhaps catches his wife with another man. He settles the score with the wife first. But to hurt her more, he destroys the most precious possession any woman cherishes - her child.
The demon-possessed husband carries out his revenge by killing the children, and then to escape earthly justice, he commits suicide.
Poor innocent children become the victims of their parents’ trust issues! To many children in crisis-ridden families, the things that pose the biggest threat to their lives are their own parents. What a sad situation?
And the cases are growing by the day, yet it is sad that filicide remains a rarely studied subject in Tanzania. There is no science-based evidence to prove the real causes of this madness, except findings from some studies conducted abroad, where situations are different from ours.
But having said all this, it is the mother who suffers the most in the end. With a husband gone and children murdered life becomes intolerable for the woman, who finds herself in such a way.
The guilty feeling that one is somehow responsible for the death of her own children eats away at you like a deadly cancer.
You do not need to be the one wielding the axe to feel guilty. The mere fact the kids are dead because you have been fighting is enough to eat your conscience.
Which begs the question: What role can a mother play to protect her child from this evil?
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Dad's sexual offences appeal quashed (Ballarat, Australia)
Let me get this straight. At one point, this sicko molester UNNAMED DAD actually exchanged "marriage vows" with his minor daughter, the one he had been raping since the age of 8? And this was at some lakeside location, huh?
Why does this sound like a single father, with no mother in the home?
Thank goodness the Supreme Court of Victoria showed some sense, and recognized that this major creep was not worthy of any appeal against his comparatively modest jail term.
http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/news/general/fathers-incest-appeal-quashed/2056380.aspx
Father's incest appeal quashed
25 Jan, 2011 12:01 AM
A MAN sentenced to 12 years' prison for sex offences against his daughter in Ballarat has lost an appeal against his jail term.
The man, who cannot be identified, had his appeal heard in the Supreme Court of Victoria earlier this month.
In June 2009, the man, then aged 48, pleaded guilty in Ballarat County Court to three counts of an indecent act with a child under 16 and seven counts of incest by a parent.
He received 12 years' prison with a non-parole period of 10 years.
A Supreme Court appeal judgement stated that the man started sexually abusing his daughter when she was eight.
After the girl turned nine, the man was having regular sex with her, which continued for many years.
"At one point ... the appellant took her to Lake Wendouree ... at his suggestion they exchanged 'marriage vows'," the judgement stated.
The court was told from then until the man was arrested in December 2007, he had sex with his daughter at least 10 more times.
The judgement stated that while the man readily admitted his offending to the police but attempted to minimise the seriousness of his behaviour.
He told a forensic psychologist "I don't think I was sexually abusing her, I was in love with her. She was like an adult ... she was very smart ... I was in a catch-22," the judgement read.
After he was sentenced, the man appealed it on the grounds that the judge erred in finding there was no evidence of his remorse, that the judge erred by imposing a non-parole period and that the sentences and non-parole period imposed were manifestly excessive.
But the Supreme Court found there was no basis for the appeal.
The judgement stated that if ever there was a case warranting such a severe punishment, this was it.
"The appellant's sexual abuse of his daughter was protracted and of the most heinous nature ... it is difficult to imagine a significantly worse case of repeated incest," it read.
"Nothing less than a lengthy term of imprisonment would have sufficed to reflect the community's abhorrence of what took place."
Why does this sound like a single father, with no mother in the home?
Thank goodness the Supreme Court of Victoria showed some sense, and recognized that this major creep was not worthy of any appeal against his comparatively modest jail term.
http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/news/general/fathers-incest-appeal-quashed/2056380.aspx
Father's incest appeal quashed
25 Jan, 2011 12:01 AM
A MAN sentenced to 12 years' prison for sex offences against his daughter in Ballarat has lost an appeal against his jail term.
The man, who cannot be identified, had his appeal heard in the Supreme Court of Victoria earlier this month.
In June 2009, the man, then aged 48, pleaded guilty in Ballarat County Court to three counts of an indecent act with a child under 16 and seven counts of incest by a parent.
He received 12 years' prison with a non-parole period of 10 years.
A Supreme Court appeal judgement stated that the man started sexually abusing his daughter when she was eight.
After the girl turned nine, the man was having regular sex with her, which continued for many years.
"At one point ... the appellant took her to Lake Wendouree ... at his suggestion they exchanged 'marriage vows'," the judgement stated.
The court was told from then until the man was arrested in December 2007, he had sex with his daughter at least 10 more times.
The judgement stated that while the man readily admitted his offending to the police but attempted to minimise the seriousness of his behaviour.
He told a forensic psychologist "I don't think I was sexually abusing her, I was in love with her. She was like an adult ... she was very smart ... I was in a catch-22," the judgement read.
After he was sentenced, the man appealed it on the grounds that the judge erred in finding there was no evidence of his remorse, that the judge erred by imposing a non-parole period and that the sentences and non-parole period imposed were manifestly excessive.
But the Supreme Court found there was no basis for the appeal.
The judgement stated that if ever there was a case warranting such a severe punishment, this was it.
"The appellant's sexual abuse of his daughter was protracted and of the most heinous nature ... it is difficult to imagine a significantly worse case of repeated incest," it read.
"Nothing less than a lengthy term of imprisonment would have sufficed to reflect the community's abhorrence of what took place."
Dad "person of interest" in murder of mom, abduction of 4-year-old son (Fiji)
Dad DEVESH KUMAR SHARMA is a "person of interest" in the apparent "honor killing" of his wife--whose burned body was found on a New Zealand roadside--and the the subsequent abduction of their 4-year-old son. The boy and the father were recently located in Fiji.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/4578049/Burnt-body-husband-found
Burnt body - husband found
Last updated 12:38 25/01/2011
A four year old boy, flown out of the country by his father the day after his mother's body was found burnt on a roadside, has been found by Fijian Police.
Detective Senior Sergeant Nigel Keall of the Waikato CIB said the boy was found when Fijian police located his father. NZ Police are currently working to verify the boy's well being.
"The boy's father is a person of interest in relation to the homicide enquiry into the death of his wife, 28-year-old Ranjeeta Sharma, of South Auckland whose body was found west of Huntly Thursday night. Our inquiry is continuing and we are seeking further clarification from Fiji Police of the circumstances surrounding the father being located. Until we have had further discussions with Fiji police we are unable to add more at this stage."
It is feared Mrs Sharma, 28, was the victim of an honour killing, after her charred body was found on a rural road.
The day after her body was discovered, her husband - named by relatives as Devesh Kumar Sharma - flew to Fiji with son Akash.
It was thought he was in the western Lautoka area, however a senior police officer in Sharma's home town of Ba, a town on Viti Levu's northern coast, said he has also been asked to look for him there.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman Chris Wilson said New Zealand does have an extradition agreement with Fiji.
"At this stage it is a police matter and we will provide police with any assistance they require of us."
Sharma and his wife are both Fiji nationals. Her car was recovered at Auckland airport.
Police are now working with Interpol to ascertain the safety of the child.
Investigation head Detective Senior Sergeant Nigel Keall said the woman's husband was "a person of considerable significance" in the investigation.
On Sharma's Facebook page she posted a photo of herself and Akash in December, writing: "my little boy my life".
There are many photos of Akash.
On the social networking site she says she is married, studied at the Manukau Institute of Technology, worked at Middlemore Hospital and is from Suva in Fiji.
Michael Clark, director of the Manukau-based training provider Corporate Academy Group, said Sharma completed a healthcare programme last year and she had been expected to return this year to complete more papers.
"She was a very good student," he said.
Classmate Rachael Gapes said Mrs Sharma was a "quite friendly" woman who "used to keep her personal life away from the class".
"I know she was determined to finish the course. She was sometimes shy but very determined. She was very helpful."
Gapes said she had not met Mrs Sharma's husband, but she had met her son, who was "always happy to see his mum".
Sharma was employed at Middlemore Hospital, in South Auckland. Staff from the hospital would not comment about her.
Former neighbour Neville Callander said yesterday the family had lived in a small town-house in Manurewa for about three months last year.
He said he would say hello over the fence to Sharma, who he said was "friendly, but timid", and would see her playing with her young son.
Her husband was a courier driver who would have fellow drivers over on Friday nights for drinks.
Mr Sharma's Hamilton-based relatives revealed he was prone to outbursts of anger.
The relatives did not want to be named but said the couple moved to New Zealand in 1998 and got married in Fiji in 2002.
One relative said Sharma's parents were in Australia, but he did have aunts and uncles in Fiji.
His parents had not heard from him and were anxious for the safety of the couple's son, Akash.
"They don't know where he is; no-one has heard from him.
"Everyone is worried. We are worried about the son ... there's so many questions floating around in my head, it's hard."
Mr and Mrs Sharma visited the Hamilton couple earlier this month and all appeared normal, the female relative said. "We sat down and had dinner and they left. Everything was fine, everything was normal. They seemed happy."
However, Sharma did have anger issues, she said. "I think he's a bit off-minded.
"His behaviour is a bit weird. You never know when he is very nice or when he's going to get weird.
"Even when you're talking he can get violent. The way he talks and he gets really angry and acting crazy."
The female relative said the couple were transient and wouldn't stay in the same house for any longer than six months.
Callander said he came home to find the couple had left one Saturday about six months ago.
He understood they left with rent owing.
Police would not comment on a motive yesterday. The brutal death looks like an honour killing - a type of murder carried out in the Indian subcontinent when the victim was seen to have brought shame upon the family - according to an expert.
"Burning is often the chosen method, because it gets rid of evidence and it can be made to look like an accident," said Priyanca Radhakrishnan of the Shakti Community Council, a national organisation that provides support for ethnic victims of domestic violence.
"We've seen quite a few high-risk cases in Wellington alone ... women who have come to our refuge and got out of situations which could have ended up in honour killings."
The most clear case of honour killing was that of Gulshad Banu Hussein, 23, who died within minutes after she was set alight by former boyfriend, Ahmad Riyaz Khan, at the Shell service station in Atkinson Ave, Otahuhu, in 2004. The motivation was said to be her rejection of him.
Amnesty International activism support manager Margaret Taylor said thousands of women were the victims of honour killings worldwide every year. Many went unreported, but Human Rights Watch estimated there were 5000 "bride burnings" a year in India alone.
"Even in Western countries it has occurred, because these immigrant populations are coming to them. The immigrant communities have more at risk ... because the women don't always speak good English and they are more isolated at home."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/4578049/Burnt-body-husband-found
Burnt body - husband found
Last updated 12:38 25/01/2011
A four year old boy, flown out of the country by his father the day after his mother's body was found burnt on a roadside, has been found by Fijian Police.
Detective Senior Sergeant Nigel Keall of the Waikato CIB said the boy was found when Fijian police located his father. NZ Police are currently working to verify the boy's well being.
"The boy's father is a person of interest in relation to the homicide enquiry into the death of his wife, 28-year-old Ranjeeta Sharma, of South Auckland whose body was found west of Huntly Thursday night. Our inquiry is continuing and we are seeking further clarification from Fiji Police of the circumstances surrounding the father being located. Until we have had further discussions with Fiji police we are unable to add more at this stage."
It is feared Mrs Sharma, 28, was the victim of an honour killing, after her charred body was found on a rural road.
The day after her body was discovered, her husband - named by relatives as Devesh Kumar Sharma - flew to Fiji with son Akash.
It was thought he was in the western Lautoka area, however a senior police officer in Sharma's home town of Ba, a town on Viti Levu's northern coast, said he has also been asked to look for him there.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman Chris Wilson said New Zealand does have an extradition agreement with Fiji.
"At this stage it is a police matter and we will provide police with any assistance they require of us."
Sharma and his wife are both Fiji nationals. Her car was recovered at Auckland airport.
Police are now working with Interpol to ascertain the safety of the child.
Investigation head Detective Senior Sergeant Nigel Keall said the woman's husband was "a person of considerable significance" in the investigation.
On Sharma's Facebook page she posted a photo of herself and Akash in December, writing: "my little boy my life".
There are many photos of Akash.
On the social networking site she says she is married, studied at the Manukau Institute of Technology, worked at Middlemore Hospital and is from Suva in Fiji.
Michael Clark, director of the Manukau-based training provider Corporate Academy Group, said Sharma completed a healthcare programme last year and she had been expected to return this year to complete more papers.
"She was a very good student," he said.
Classmate Rachael Gapes said Mrs Sharma was a "quite friendly" woman who "used to keep her personal life away from the class".
"I know she was determined to finish the course. She was sometimes shy but very determined. She was very helpful."
Gapes said she had not met Mrs Sharma's husband, but she had met her son, who was "always happy to see his mum".
Sharma was employed at Middlemore Hospital, in South Auckland. Staff from the hospital would not comment about her.
Former neighbour Neville Callander said yesterday the family had lived in a small town-house in Manurewa for about three months last year.
He said he would say hello over the fence to Sharma, who he said was "friendly, but timid", and would see her playing with her young son.
Her husband was a courier driver who would have fellow drivers over on Friday nights for drinks.
Mr Sharma's Hamilton-based relatives revealed he was prone to outbursts of anger.
The relatives did not want to be named but said the couple moved to New Zealand in 1998 and got married in Fiji in 2002.
One relative said Sharma's parents were in Australia, but he did have aunts and uncles in Fiji.
His parents had not heard from him and were anxious for the safety of the couple's son, Akash.
"They don't know where he is; no-one has heard from him.
"Everyone is worried. We are worried about the son ... there's so many questions floating around in my head, it's hard."
Mr and Mrs Sharma visited the Hamilton couple earlier this month and all appeared normal, the female relative said. "We sat down and had dinner and they left. Everything was fine, everything was normal. They seemed happy."
However, Sharma did have anger issues, she said. "I think he's a bit off-minded.
"His behaviour is a bit weird. You never know when he is very nice or when he's going to get weird.
"Even when you're talking he can get violent. The way he talks and he gets really angry and acting crazy."
The female relative said the couple were transient and wouldn't stay in the same house for any longer than six months.
Callander said he came home to find the couple had left one Saturday about six months ago.
He understood they left with rent owing.
Police would not comment on a motive yesterday. The brutal death looks like an honour killing - a type of murder carried out in the Indian subcontinent when the victim was seen to have brought shame upon the family - according to an expert.
"Burning is often the chosen method, because it gets rid of evidence and it can be made to look like an accident," said Priyanca Radhakrishnan of the Shakti Community Council, a national organisation that provides support for ethnic victims of domestic violence.
"We've seen quite a few high-risk cases in Wellington alone ... women who have come to our refuge and got out of situations which could have ended up in honour killings."
The most clear case of honour killing was that of Gulshad Banu Hussein, 23, who died within minutes after she was set alight by former boyfriend, Ahmad Riyaz Khan, at the Shell service station in Atkinson Ave, Otahuhu, in 2004. The motivation was said to be her rejection of him.
Amnesty International activism support manager Margaret Taylor said thousands of women were the victims of honour killings worldwide every year. Many went unreported, but Human Rights Watch estimated there were 5000 "bride burnings" a year in India alone.
"Even in Western countries it has occurred, because these immigrant populations are coming to them. The immigrant communities have more at risk ... because the women don't always speak good English and they are more isolated at home."
Dad burns 2-year-old daughter after "marital dispute" with mom (Zambia)
Dad JOHN PHIRI was so upset by his wife DARING to ask about food for the children that he forced their 2-year-old daughter to sit on a hot charcoal brazier.
Notice that in Zambia, suburban stupidity is apparently not very common. No moronic neighbors proclaiming "shock" or how the perp was such a "nice guy." Nope, the neighbor quoted here knew very well that Daddy was "fond" of beating his wife.
Observe that in the same area, another 10-month-old child was recently killed by her father in reaction to a "marital dispute" with his wife.
http://ukzambians.co.uk/home/?p=9586
Zambia: Father burns 2 year old baby after marital dispute with wife
25th January 2011
By Zumani Katasefa
A two year old baby was burnt on her buttocks by her father after a marital dispute with wife.
Lucy Nampungwe Phiri of Kitwe’s Twatasha compound told UKZAMBIANS yesterday that her husband John Phiri picked the child and made her sit on a hot charcoal brazier.
“It was after I asked him about food for the children that is when he got upset and started shouting at me and threatened to beat me.
“I told him that I was just worried about the children who had not eaten anything for two days. I told him that he was the father of the children and that he is responsible to ensure they have food. That was when he picked the child and put him on fire,” she said.
Mrs. Phiri further narrated that she quickly picked up the child from the fire and called for help from neigbours.
“At this point my husband ran away from home but people started chasing him, so that he could be taken to the police,” she said.
Mrs. Phiri said she took her child to the clinic and reported the matter to the police. She said police are still pursing the matter adding that she would like her husband punished for the offence.
And her neigbour, Bridget Banda, who witnessed the incidence told UKZAMBIANS that Mr. Phiri was fond of beating his wife each time she asked him about food.
Mr. Phiri, 33, has seven children most of them do not go to school, just two attend community school.
Last week, police on the Copperbelt arrested a man of Chingola town for murder after he allegedly threw his ten month old daughter into a well. The man threw his daughter following a marital dispute with his wife.
Notice that in Zambia, suburban stupidity is apparently not very common. No moronic neighbors proclaiming "shock" or how the perp was such a "nice guy." Nope, the neighbor quoted here knew very well that Daddy was "fond" of beating his wife.
Observe that in the same area, another 10-month-old child was recently killed by her father in reaction to a "marital dispute" with his wife.
http://ukzambians.co.uk/home/?p=9586
Zambia: Father burns 2 year old baby after marital dispute with wife
25th January 2011
By Zumani Katasefa
A two year old baby was burnt on her buttocks by her father after a marital dispute with wife.
Lucy Nampungwe Phiri of Kitwe’s Twatasha compound told UKZAMBIANS yesterday that her husband John Phiri picked the child and made her sit on a hot charcoal brazier.
“It was after I asked him about food for the children that is when he got upset and started shouting at me and threatened to beat me.
“I told him that I was just worried about the children who had not eaten anything for two days. I told him that he was the father of the children and that he is responsible to ensure they have food. That was when he picked the child and put him on fire,” she said.
Mrs. Phiri further narrated that she quickly picked up the child from the fire and called for help from neigbours.
“At this point my husband ran away from home but people started chasing him, so that he could be taken to the police,” she said.
Mrs. Phiri said she took her child to the clinic and reported the matter to the police. She said police are still pursing the matter adding that she would like her husband punished for the offence.
And her neigbour, Bridget Banda, who witnessed the incidence told UKZAMBIANS that Mr. Phiri was fond of beating his wife each time she asked him about food.
Mr. Phiri, 33, has seven children most of them do not go to school, just two attend community school.
Last week, police on the Copperbelt arrested a man of Chingola town for murder after he allegedly threw his ten month old daughter into a well. The man threw his daughter following a marital dispute with his wife.
Dad gets 11 years jail for raping 7-year-old daughter (Singapore)
UNNAMED DAD has been sentenced to 11 years in jail--and 17 strokes of the cane--for raping his 7-year-old daughter. Dad blames booze. This appears to be in Singapore, but it's not entirely clear.
Notice that there is no mention of the girl's mother.
INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Crime/Story/A1Story20110125-260257.html
Rapist father gets 11 years jail
Tue, Jan 25, 2011
AsiaOne
She was only seven years old when her father raped her.
In his defence, the 42-year-old man pleaded that he had been under the influence of alcohol at the time of his offence. He apologised and asked for a chance to "become a responsibile human being for myself and my family." He did it only once, he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, he was sentenced to 11 years jail and given 16 strokes of the cane.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Sabrina Choo disregarded intoxication as a mitigating factor. She said the rape had been committed by the very man who was supposed to protect and care for the child.
The man had previous convictions. He was last sentenced to three years and six months’ jail in October 2002 for consuming a controlled drug.
Notice that there is no mention of the girl's mother.
INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Crime/Story/A1Story20110125-260257.html
Rapist father gets 11 years jail
Tue, Jan 25, 2011
AsiaOne
She was only seven years old when her father raped her.
In his defence, the 42-year-old man pleaded that he had been under the influence of alcohol at the time of his offence. He apologised and asked for a chance to "become a responsibile human being for myself and my family." He did it only once, he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, he was sentenced to 11 years jail and given 16 strokes of the cane.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Sabrina Choo disregarded intoxication as a mitigating factor. She said the rape had been committed by the very man who was supposed to protect and care for the child.
The man had previous convictions. He was last sentenced to three years and six months’ jail in October 2002 for consuming a controlled drug.
Dad arrested for beating mom and their 18-month-old child; was on probation for battering her before (Salinas, California)
Dad FERNANDO SOLANO JR. has been arrested for beating his girlfriend and their 18-month-old child. At the time he was on probation for previously battering her.
Guys like this respond to one thing: jail. Nice-y nice crap like probation makes no impact on their thick skulls whatsoever. It just tells them that the justice system doesn't take violence against women and children seriously. So neither should they.
http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20110125/NEWS01/101250311
Salinas man arrested in spouse abuse
January 25, 2011
A Salinas man was arrested in Soledad on Sunday after his girlfriend reported he beat her and their young child.
Police were called to the girlfriend's home on Cesar Chavez Street at about 9:30 p.m. When they arrived they met with the woman, who officers said had cuts and bruises on her face and a swollen eye. Her 18-month-old had a bloody nose.
The woman told police that her boyfriend, the child's father, had beaten her outside of her apartment and then dragged her inside where he kicked and choked her into unconsciousness. He also used a knife to repeatedly cut her and hit the couple's child, according to Soledad police.
After officers took the woman's report, they learned a man matching the boyfriend's description was at a bowling alley, reportedly looking sweaty and nervous.
When officers got there they found Fernando Solano Jr., 31, of Salinas, and arrested him on suspicion of child endangerment, attempted murder and other crimes.
Solano is currently on probation for battering his girlfriend on other occasions.
Guys like this respond to one thing: jail. Nice-y nice crap like probation makes no impact on their thick skulls whatsoever. It just tells them that the justice system doesn't take violence against women and children seriously. So neither should they.
http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20110125/NEWS01/101250311
Salinas man arrested in spouse abuse
January 25, 2011
A Salinas man was arrested in Soledad on Sunday after his girlfriend reported he beat her and their young child.
Police were called to the girlfriend's home on Cesar Chavez Street at about 9:30 p.m. When they arrived they met with the woman, who officers said had cuts and bruises on her face and a swollen eye. Her 18-month-old had a bloody nose.
The woman told police that her boyfriend, the child's father, had beaten her outside of her apartment and then dragged her inside where he kicked and choked her into unconsciousness. He also used a knife to repeatedly cut her and hit the couple's child, according to Soledad police.
After officers took the woman's report, they learned a man matching the boyfriend's description was at a bowling alley, reportedly looking sweaty and nervous.
When officers got there they found Fernando Solano Jr., 31, of Salinas, and arrested him on suspicion of child endangerment, attempted murder and other crimes.
Solano is currently on probation for battering his girlfriend on other occasions.
Dad accused of leaving 3-year-old son alone appears for court hearing (Pasadena, California)
Dad JOE LOUIE KURIHARA is accused of going to a party and getting drunk--and then "forgetting" that he left his 3-year-old son alone in his car. For 25 hours we apparently forgot. Freaking unbelievable. And after that, resisting arrest and battering a police officer. Now that's a classy final touch to this fiasco, isn't it?
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_17193305
Man accused of leaving son alone appears for court hearing
Posted: 01/25/2011 11:07:02 AM PST
PASADENA - A West Covina father charged in October with felony child endangerment after allegedly getting drunk and forgetting he left his 3-year-old son alone for 25 hours inside a car in a Pasadena parking lot appeared in court for a hearing Tuesday but was ordered to return next month.
A pretrial hearing for Joe Louie Kurihara, 23, was postponed until Feb. 8, Pasadena Superior Court officials said.
Kurihara is charged with the felony child endangerment count, along with four misdemeanor charges. According to police he had left a party in Pasadena with 3-year-old Dylan.
Police said they later encountered Kurihara staggering down a sidewalk and arrested him for public drunkenness. It wasn't until the next morning, after Dylan's family reported them missing, that police realized the father had his son with him when he left the party.
A Pasadena man helping police search for Dylan found the boy about 25 hours after Kurihara's arrest.
The misdemeanor charges against the defendant include two counts of resisting, obstructing or delaying law enforcement, one of battery upon an officer and one of public intoxication.
Read more: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_17193305#ixzz1C5vS96aX
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_17193305
Man accused of leaving son alone appears for court hearing
Posted: 01/25/2011 11:07:02 AM PST
PASADENA - A West Covina father charged in October with felony child endangerment after allegedly getting drunk and forgetting he left his 3-year-old son alone for 25 hours inside a car in a Pasadena parking lot appeared in court for a hearing Tuesday but was ordered to return next month.
A pretrial hearing for Joe Louie Kurihara, 23, was postponed until Feb. 8, Pasadena Superior Court officials said.
Kurihara is charged with the felony child endangerment count, along with four misdemeanor charges. According to police he had left a party in Pasadena with 3-year-old Dylan.
Police said they later encountered Kurihara staggering down a sidewalk and arrested him for public drunkenness. It wasn't until the next morning, after Dylan's family reported them missing, that police realized the father had his son with him when he left the party.
A Pasadena man helping police search for Dylan found the boy about 25 hours after Kurihara's arrest.
The misdemeanor charges against the defendant include two counts of resisting, obstructing or delaying law enforcement, one of battery upon an officer and one of public intoxication.
Read more: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_17193305#ixzz1C5vS96aX
Dad accused of neglecting toddler son after skull fracture (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
Generally, a small child cannot throw a toy at another child and cause multiple skull fractures. So if Daddy TOBIAS WARD's explanation can't be true, I wonder who might be responsible?
Chin in hand now, as my mind mulls over the likely possibilities....
http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/Fort-Wayne-Father-Accused-Of-Neglecting-Son-After-Skull-Fracture-114593369.html
Fort Wayne Father Accused Of Neglecting Son After Skull Fracture
By Scott Sarvay
January 25, 2011
Updated Jan 25, 2011 at 5:29 PM EST
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) - A Fort Wayne man is in police custody accused of felony child neglect.
Police say the son of 28-year-old, Tobias Ward, was taken to the hospital in October of 2010 with a fractured skull and internal bleeding.
Ward told the toddler's mother another child had thrown a large toy car at the boy, hitting him in the head.
Multiple doctors concluded the injuries could not have been caused by the toy car.
Both children are in the care of Child Protective Services.
Ward will have an initial court appearance February 15th.
Chin in hand now, as my mind mulls over the likely possibilities....
http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/Fort-Wayne-Father-Accused-Of-Neglecting-Son-After-Skull-Fracture-114593369.html
Fort Wayne Father Accused Of Neglecting Son After Skull Fracture
By Scott Sarvay
January 25, 2011
Updated Jan 25, 2011 at 5:29 PM EST
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) - A Fort Wayne man is in police custody accused of felony child neglect.
Police say the son of 28-year-old, Tobias Ward, was taken to the hospital in October of 2010 with a fractured skull and internal bleeding.
Ward told the toddler's mother another child had thrown a large toy car at the boy, hitting him in the head.
Multiple doctors concluded the injuries could not have been caused by the toy car.
Both children are in the care of Child Protective Services.
Ward will have an initial court appearance February 15th.
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