Boy dies of deliberate dehydration during summer visitation with dad (Dallas, Texas)

More than once, I have noticed that the UK press covers US child abuse cases better than the US press does--especially of those crimes committed by fathers. The US media likes to obsess about pretty little white girls killed by pretty white moms (a la Casey Anthony). Anybody unfortunate enough to be a little boy, non-white, or killed by a father is kind of uninteresting to them, so those stories seldom break out of the local media market.

Still, we have things that are unexplored here. 

What judge gave dad MICHAEL RAY JAMES summer visitation in this story? And just why were these children "reluctant" to go to Daddy's? VERY PROBABLY, we have a past history of abuse here that was covered up and/or ignored by the powers-that-be. The powers that exalt fathers rights over the safety of children, especially--but not exclusively--in the state of Texas. Because make no mistake: the fathers rights movement is very powerful in Texas, and has been for decades now. This boy's death is one of their "victories." So take a lap, boys. This is your doing.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2030975/Boy-10-died-parents-refused-let-drink-water-days-punishment.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Boy, 10, died after parents 'refused to let him drink water for five days as punishment'

By John Stevens

Last updated at 1:45 AM on 28th August 2011

A 10-year-old boy collapsed and died in front of his twin brother after his parents refused to let him drink water for five day, it is claimed.

Jonathan James died from dehydration in Dallas after his father and step mother allegedly denied him water as punishment after he took some guitar strings from one of his siblings.

Michael Ray James and Tina Maria Alberson have been arrested and charged with injury to a child.

The boy's grandmother said that his twin brother had wanted to help, but was afraid he would be punished too.

'I did tell him, “I don't want you to feel guilty because there's nothing you could do.” And he says, “I wish I had snuck him some water”,' Sue Shotwell told Fox Dallas-Fort Worth.

She said she is now concerned for the twin, who is called Joseph, because he watched his brother collapse and has been having nightmares reliving the moment he died.

The boys had been spending the summer with their biological father because of a custody arrangement.

Mrs Shotwell said they had been reluctant to go.

Arrested: The boy's father and step-mother Michael Ray James and Tina Maria Alberson have been charged with injury to a child

Jonathan James died on July 25 and was found by paramedics in a bath tub.

Family members told police that he had been trying to cool him off and that he had been feeling sick for a number of days.

But a medical examiner found that he had died from dehydration.

If convicted, James and Alberson could face up to 99 years in prison.