JONATHAN HIGGINS: Another "frustrated" dad with "anger issues" who just couldn't help crushing the skull of his infant son. Where was Mom while Daddy was venting on a helpless baby? Working to support his @$$? Or did this happen during visitation time? Or God forbid that this father had custody. Who knows. The mother of this baby has been written out of the story completely.
INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20110602/NEWS/706029989/1005&parentprofile=1001
26-year-old father arrested in Windsor on child abuse charges
Staff reports
June, 2 2011 12:40 pm
Windsor Police have arrested a 26-year-old father accused of abusing his 5-month-old son.
Jonathan Higgins was arrested May 24 and is being held at Weld County Jail awaiting a June 15 advisement hearing for one felony count of child abuse.
An officer arrived at Poudre Valley Hospital on May 24 following a call from Weld County Child Protective Services. According to an arrest affidavit, the boy suffered six broken ribs and had significant fluid in the brain. The injuries were about six weeks old.
Higgins told police that while feeding the boy he bent over to pick up a towel and crushed the boy’s head between his chest and leg, according to the affidavit. Higgins also said he has an anger problem and had been rough with the child, but he said he would never harm him on purpose.
Later that day, during a meeting at the police department, Higgins confirmed that he was responsible for the injuries, the affidavit said. Higgins admitted placing the child down too hard when frustrated at least six times, and holding him too tightly. Higgins attributed this behavior to his anger issues, the affidavit said
Friday, June 3, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Dad threatens toddler daughter with samurai sword (Yongren, Yunan province, China)
In the U.S., daddy ZHANG GANG probably would have had an automatic weapon at his disposal during his standoff with the police.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/mp/9567159/father-threatens-toddler-daughter-with-samurai-sword/
Father threatens toddler daughter with samurai swordYahoo!7
June 2, 2011, 2:46 pm
A father has threatened his daughter and wife with a samurai sword after getting caught up in a road accident.
The horrific incident was seen by stunned onlookers near a farmers market in Yongren, Yunan province, China.
According to witnesses, 34-year-old Zhang Gang caused an accident with another car and tried to leave the scene.
The Daily Mail said police chased the errant motorist for 15 minutes before police set up a road block and forced him to stop the car.
What happened next caught everyone by surprise.
Local farmer Lu Yin observed:
"This man leapt out carrying a huge sword and waving what I thought was a doll.
"But then I realised it was a little child. She seemed shocked but then she started crying when she heard her daddy shouting.
"He had the razor sharp sword at her chest the whole time and was shouting 'Let me go or I'll kill her I swear it - I will show no mercy."
According to Crienglish.com, he then used the 40-centimetre-long dagger to keep both his wife and daughter hostage in the car to prevent arrest.
Police negotiators were sent to the scene and started speaking with the man.
The family were freed within minutes however witnesses say police were talking to the man for over an hour before he finally surrendered.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/mp/9567159/father-threatens-toddler-daughter-with-samurai-sword/
Father threatens toddler daughter with samurai swordYahoo!7
June 2, 2011, 2:46 pm
A father has threatened his daughter and wife with a samurai sword after getting caught up in a road accident.
The horrific incident was seen by stunned onlookers near a farmers market in Yongren, Yunan province, China.
According to witnesses, 34-year-old Zhang Gang caused an accident with another car and tried to leave the scene.
The Daily Mail said police chased the errant motorist for 15 minutes before police set up a road block and forced him to stop the car.
What happened next caught everyone by surprise.
Local farmer Lu Yin observed:
"This man leapt out carrying a huge sword and waving what I thought was a doll.
"But then I realised it was a little child. She seemed shocked but then she started crying when she heard her daddy shouting.
"He had the razor sharp sword at her chest the whole time and was shouting 'Let me go or I'll kill her I swear it - I will show no mercy."
According to Crienglish.com, he then used the 40-centimetre-long dagger to keep both his wife and daughter hostage in the car to prevent arrest.
Police negotiators were sent to the scene and started speaking with the man.
The family were freed within minutes however witnesses say police were talking to the man for over an hour before he finally surrendered.
Dad kills mom, self; abandons 1- and 3-year-old children at murder scene (League City, Texas)
WALDEMAR RUIZ is our latest control freak daddy @$$hole. I suppose we're supposed to be grateful he didn't slaughter the kids as well, but "merely" abandoned them at the murder scene?
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/7590066.html#ixzz1O85xePw2
IDs released on League City murder, suicide
The Associated Press
June 1, 2011, 7:14AM
LEAGUE CITY, Texas — Police have released the names of a husband and wife found fatally shot in their Houston-area home in an apparent murder and suicide.
League City police say 35-year-old Waldemar Ruiz apparently killed his 33-year-old wife, Arjomarie, then turned the gun on himself.
Detective Walter Hammann says two children, ages 1 and 3, were found in another part of the home Friday night. The youngsters are in the care of an aunt who discovered the dead adults.
Hammann told the Houston Chronicle that Waldemar Ruiz had called his sister-in-law after he shot his wife to say "come get the kids."
Police are trying to determine a motive for the shootings.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/7590066.html#ixzz1O85xePw2
IDs released on League City murder, suicide
The Associated Press
June 1, 2011, 7:14AM
LEAGUE CITY, Texas — Police have released the names of a husband and wife found fatally shot in their Houston-area home in an apparent murder and suicide.
League City police say 35-year-old Waldemar Ruiz apparently killed his 33-year-old wife, Arjomarie, then turned the gun on himself.
Detective Walter Hammann says two children, ages 1 and 3, were found in another part of the home Friday night. The youngsters are in the care of an aunt who discovered the dead adults.
Hammann told the Houston Chronicle that Waldemar Ruiz had called his sister-in-law after he shot his wife to say "come get the kids."
Police are trying to determine a motive for the shootings.
Formal Inquiry: Dad murdered 3-year-old son during court-ordered visitation (Calgary, Canada)
Once again, we have a case where a mother's pleas were ignored--and the courts gave the violent father child custody/visitation anyway. Dad RICH SAUNDERS then murdered his 3-year-old during visitation. As the mother points out, this was a PREVENTABLE murder. We have got to stop labeling mothers who bring up concerns as "vindictive," and stop these killings.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Mother+braces+inquiry+into+toddler+killing/4872170/story.html
Mother braces for inquiry into toddler's killing'I don't want to be here, but I have to see it through'
By Jason Van Rassel, Calgary Herald June 1, 2011
Meara McIntosh has travelled thousands of miles back to Alberta for an inquiry probing the murder of her young son at the hands of her ex-husband.
But the emotional journey toward next week's fatality inquiry in Drumheller has been far more arduous, McIntosh said.
"I don't want to be here, but I have to see it through," said McIntosh, who moved to Mexico shortly after her son Colton's death in 2008.
McIntosh's ex-husband, Rich Saunders, killed three-year-old Colton and himself during a court-ordered weekend visit in Drumheller.
A fatality inquiry into Colton's death is scheduled to begin in Drumheller next week, and McIntosh is hopeful it will provoke change and raise the profile of domestic abuse.
"Laws are changed when there is public interest," McIntosh said.
One of McIntosh's goals is that Alberta will change its legislation to mandate fatality inquiries into all domestic homicides -something that is now done in Ontario.
In McIntosh's case, she said she wasn't aware of the fatality inquiry process until a friend suggested it to her.
It then took a petition to get Alberta's Fatality Review Board to recommend an inquiry be held, McIntosh added.
"I didn't know I had any recourse," she said.
McIntosh now not only knows the process exists, she has immersed herself in it to the extent she will be representing herself at the inquiry and conducting her own cross-examination of witnesses.
The murder-suicide that resulted in Colton's death ended what had been an acrimonious 18-month custody battle between McIntosh and Saunders.
McIntosh said she repeatedly warned the local RCMP about Saunders' intimidating behaviour and potential for violence, to no avail.
The inquiry will examine how authorities -including the RCMP and child welfare officials -handled the case, with the aim of making recommendations designed to avoid a similar tragedy.
"I felt this was a very preventable death. I wanted to work within the law to prevent this from happening again," McIntosh said.
Following the deaths, the RCMP conducted its own review of the case. A spokesman said the findings won't be made public until the fatality inquiry is complete.
Although McIntosh believed Saunders was stalking her and vandalizing her property, she said the RCMP dismissed her genuine concerns as spurious allegations coming from a vindictive ex-wife.
"The two things are often confused -with disastrous consequences," she said.
At one point, McIntosh said she caught a masked intruder she believed to be Saunders on her property, but had no proof.
McIntosh obtained a restraining order against Saunders, but it had expired at the time of the killing.
McIntosh last saw Colton when she handed him over to Saunders at the local RCMP detachment under the terms of a court order.
Saunders, 35, killed himself and Colton with carbon monoxide fumes from an outdoor grill he brought inside.
After the crime, McIntosh, who is an artist, moved to Mexico and opened a studio there. McIntosh, 29, has spent the time since 2008 travelling and establishing her business.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Mother+braces+inquiry+into+toddler+killing/4872170/story.html
Mother braces for inquiry into toddler's killing'I don't want to be here, but I have to see it through'
By Jason Van Rassel, Calgary Herald June 1, 2011
Meara McIntosh has travelled thousands of miles back to Alberta for an inquiry probing the murder of her young son at the hands of her ex-husband.
But the emotional journey toward next week's fatality inquiry in Drumheller has been far more arduous, McIntosh said.
"I don't want to be here, but I have to see it through," said McIntosh, who moved to Mexico shortly after her son Colton's death in 2008.
McIntosh's ex-husband, Rich Saunders, killed three-year-old Colton and himself during a court-ordered weekend visit in Drumheller.
A fatality inquiry into Colton's death is scheduled to begin in Drumheller next week, and McIntosh is hopeful it will provoke change and raise the profile of domestic abuse.
"Laws are changed when there is public interest," McIntosh said.
One of McIntosh's goals is that Alberta will change its legislation to mandate fatality inquiries into all domestic homicides -something that is now done in Ontario.
In McIntosh's case, she said she wasn't aware of the fatality inquiry process until a friend suggested it to her.
It then took a petition to get Alberta's Fatality Review Board to recommend an inquiry be held, McIntosh added.
"I didn't know I had any recourse," she said.
McIntosh now not only knows the process exists, she has immersed herself in it to the extent she will be representing herself at the inquiry and conducting her own cross-examination of witnesses.
The murder-suicide that resulted in Colton's death ended what had been an acrimonious 18-month custody battle between McIntosh and Saunders.
McIntosh said she repeatedly warned the local RCMP about Saunders' intimidating behaviour and potential for violence, to no avail.
The inquiry will examine how authorities -including the RCMP and child welfare officials -handled the case, with the aim of making recommendations designed to avoid a similar tragedy.
"I felt this was a very preventable death. I wanted to work within the law to prevent this from happening again," McIntosh said.
Following the deaths, the RCMP conducted its own review of the case. A spokesman said the findings won't be made public until the fatality inquiry is complete.
Although McIntosh believed Saunders was stalking her and vandalizing her property, she said the RCMP dismissed her genuine concerns as spurious allegations coming from a vindictive ex-wife.
"The two things are often confused -with disastrous consequences," she said.
At one point, McIntosh said she caught a masked intruder she believed to be Saunders on her property, but had no proof.
McIntosh obtained a restraining order against Saunders, but it had expired at the time of the killing.
McIntosh last saw Colton when she handed him over to Saunders at the local RCMP detachment under the terms of a court order.
Saunders, 35, killed himself and Colton with carbon monoxide fumes from an outdoor grill he brought inside.
After the crime, McIntosh, who is an artist, moved to Mexico and opened a studio there. McIntosh, 29, has spent the time since 2008 travelling and establishing her business.
Why "Billy" Cries (Saratoga County, New York)
This reminds me of my experiences with child psychologist Anthony Bongiovanni, M. Dean Patton, GAL Sandra Swanson, Judge Willard Cass, and Judge Judith Claire--but at the other end of the state in Chautauqua County. Same rampant indifference to domestic violence and child abuse, same blatant pro-fathers rights bias. My daughter ended up spending 11 years in the home of her abusive and neglectful father as a result.
http://www.northcountrygazette.org/2011/05/21/billy_cries/
Why “Billy” Cries
Posted on Saturday, 21 of May , 2011 at 5:07 pm
COMMENTARY
By June Maxam
Parental rights v. Family Court.
The reality is played out every day in our failing courts.
The Saratoga County Family Court system abandoned an abused five-year-old boy by granting custody to an abusive parent resulting in wrenching heartache for a mother whose weeping tears for her child are prayers for help.
Victims of abuse are often faceless, perhaps to protect our own psyche as well as protecting the victim. It’s easier to disassociate the harsh reality of human suffering. As you read the sad but true story below, associate this child dear to you, put yourself in the footsteps of the mother and be resolved to work to end the tyranny too often imposed by our so-called justice system.
The story is as originally written by the mother, replacing only actual names and dates, to allow you to graphically grasp what has happened, what does happen in our courts.
When she was 27, this mother’s son, Billy, was born. The joy of parenthood was replaced by domestic violence. The father often would spit repeatedly at the mother of his son, stuff her mouth with dirty socks, go off into a rage of violence spurred by jealousy, tie her hands with shoe strings.
The loving home Billy should have been raised in was swiftly replaced by a bitter custody battle. According to a sworn statement by Billy’s grandmother, “Billy’s father admitted in Family Court that while under his care, he and two other adults held Billy down and administered an enema to him because he had kept the father up all night crying”.
The court granting the father custody of Billy in essence rewarded such heinous acts at the cost of Billy’s well being.
Below is a mother’s plea for help.
My story is just one of many Family Court cases that are simply heartbreaking and unjust. Not only does my son now suffer the consequences of a bad decision made by the court, so do I. This is one of the most disgusting, most “dirty” cases that I have ever heard.
The pre-trial begins. The law guardian for my son completely ignored me when I tried to talk to him. He held his hand up to me and said. “I will see what the evaluations say”.
Well, after the next court session was over, my aunt, father and I saw the law guardian in the parking lot talking to my son’s grandfather for a good 20 minutes. This really got me upset. I felt as if I was being belittled. What I had to say was worthless. Why was what he had to say more significant than what I had to say? What were they talking about? I still wonder to this day. I’ll never know.
The next thing is the psychological evaluation. Advised by my so-called attorney, I was told to tell all about the abuse that I was subjected to in the relationship and what kind of person my son’s father really was. I did just that. This was my first mistake, listening to the attorney.
The psychologist asked what visitation I thought the father should have. I suggested that if he set up in a way so that it would not have to be changed again in the fall when my son would begin to attend kindergarten. I told him it had already been changed two or three times and that my son has gone through enough changes since we left, that he needed some stability and consistency.
This man took everything I had and twisted it in such a way that it looked as though I wanted my son to have no time with his father. He also accused me of lying about the abuse in the relationship, implying that I had something to hide, maybe I was the abuser. I was too straightforward about it. He also stated that I was not fit to nourish the relationship between my son and his father.
My advice on this note is NEVER breathe of word of abuse within a relationship if you want to keep your child. It will be turned around and used against you. This I can guarantee!
The trial begins. It starts off with the evaluation. This is not good at all. I look really bad. My son’s father and his witnesses testify first. Throughout each of their testimonies the judge was sure to clear up anything that was negative towards me. Allowed into the court were pieces of evidence that were not complete. My son’s grandfather had picked the parts that were most incriminating towards me and left out anything that would “hurt” his son in the trial. The judge, knowing full well that all of the evidence was not there, allowed it into the record.
None of my son’s father’s witnesses could keep a story straight. They all varied. An example is one said my ex was working two jobs when the others said he was working one. This would have to do with the amount of quality time my ex could spend with out son. There is a lot more but keep in mind this is just bits and pieces. They judge would step right in and say things to my son’s father’s witnesses like “I know this is confusing”.
EXAMPLE: A question for my son’s father by my lawyer:
What efforts have you made in the past year to foster a loving relationship between your son and his mother?
The judge: “If you don’t know, then you can say you don’t know”.
There’s nothing like helping him along. There are a lot of other examples through the testimony. The judge tends to be very biased. He helped all of my son’s father’s witnesses out with their testimony, especially when they would struggle for an answer. He even went so far as to suggest that one of them seemed like they had something more to say at one point and encouraged him to tell the court. Leading the witness?
Throughout my son’s father’s testimony, he openly admits to marrying a foreigner just to keep her in the country and admits to physically abusing me. All of this is completely ignored by the court.
My aunt had called 911 for me one time but because I did not press charges, the court overlooked this. I called the officer in to testify and when the judge wanted to clear up what year this was, his response was, “oh, it was a million years ago”.
At the end of the officer’s testimony, the judge asked my lawyer, “what was the significance of that?”
I was totally disgusted. I decided to call the doctor in who had done the evaluation in order to clear up his report. When asked questions like, if someone was to have a picture of the other parent on the wall, take parenting class (stress prevention) give pictures that the child made in daycare to the other parent to let them see what they are doing, would these be considered steps towards nourishing the relationship with the other parent? He responded yes. These are all things that I had been doing and my attorney questioned me on these as well.
My attorney also cleared up the point about setting up my son’s visitation in preparation for the school year so there would both be more changes made in his life. The doctor stated in his report that my son’s father had made some choices without thinking first, being quick to get angry, having many suspensions from school.
Then he said my son’s father has outgrown that type of attitude. This is ridiculous to me. I know for a fact that he has not outgrown any of this. My son’s father had to be taken off certain routes at his job because he couldn’t treat the business owners that he was delivering to with respect. The court also knows that he cheated on me with his current wife. How does this show concern for your child in the way of knowing that you will break up your family? Basically, everything my son’s father had done to me and our son was okay in the eyes of the judge, the law guardian and the doctor. This was all normal behavior for someone who cares about their child?
I want to know how one changes from having a history of violence (physical and verbal abuse) to no longer being that way, without any help. Overnight he became this person, one who can control his temper and attitude towards people and it is not abusive in any way, shape or form. This doctor also perjured himself on the stand, implying that he had met with me at least 45 minutes to an hour and my son for 30 minutes. It was in his office for 20 minutes at the most and my son 10 minutes. When the meeting was over, I had to fill out a questionnaire. He had said to me, “I am leaving so just slide it under my door when you are done”. This is a disgrace.
Upon questioning my son’s stepmother, he said that she was ready to accept some of the responsibility of raising my son with his father. It went more into depth than that. This is hard for me to understand because, at the beginning of the trial, my attorney said she might call her as a witness. The judge told her she’d have to wait outside because she might get called as a witness. She couldn’t understand what the judge was telling her. Her response was, “we have to leave, you want us to leave?” He had to tell her three times to leave. She is from Russia and I can barely understand her myself.
Well, needless to say, I lost my son to his father, despite the fact that he couldn’t be bothered to take care of him, like bathing, feeding or anything. It was always a hassle if I did ask him so most of the time I didn’t bother.
I was attending college for two years and had found a babysitter near the college. I spent a lot of nights at my mother’s. My son was with me all the time, I never left him behind.
Here is another example of what kind of person my son’s father is. The day it was time to come home from the hospital with our baby, I was a nervous wreck. The doctors was not there first thing in the morning and my son’s father was getting antsy. It was afraid he was going to start yelling and being nasty with the nurses. He was in a hurry to get us home so he could go to work. He was so mean. I wanted to stop for a coffee on our way home and he flipped. When we arrived home, he got us in the house and left immediately to go to work. He couldn’t even spend one day with us. This was extremely upsetting to me.
The judge’s decision states that the doctor didn’t change anything that he stated in his report which is not true. He says he is giving me a lot of visitation. I see my son on the second and fourth weekend of every month, from 7 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Sunday and two weeks out of the summer, alternating holiday on odd and even years. Now let me say that the months that have five weekends, I go three weeks without seeing my son. This is disgusting. This is not even the standard setup. I do not get him any nights out the week. NOTHING!
Now it’s a really bad scene. My son is now being abused. At his school, he is violent towards other children. He hits them, tries to cut them with scissors and pinches them. I had suggested that he should attend Banana Splits to the counselor at school. She said she thought it would be good for him.
His father said no, he didn’t need to go. I also suggested that he go to a psychologist for help. Again, his father said no. Does this not raise red flags?? Why would you deny your child help if he needs it?
My son and I were fortunate enough to have the judge order my son to see a psychologist and join Banana Splits.
Hello, something is wrong. My ex doesn’t want anyone to know what they are doing to my child!! When my son comes for his visits, he always has bruises where he shouldn’t have them. He repeatedly tells me that he gets slapped in the face, his hand slammed in doors, his ears twisted and pulled and is being called a moron. A few weeks ago, we got to the house and I made his dinner. He started crying a little and said it hurts when he chews his food. I looked in his mouth with a flashlight and the inside of his mouth was a mess. It looked as if he had bit his cheeks, like 500 times. They were literally ripped apart, one spot had like a small bloody hole. It looked as if someone grabbed his face and squeezed his cheeks so they went into his teeth.
He also had what looked like a fingernail scratch on his forehead. I asked him what happened. His eyes filled up with tears, he said his stepmother had slapped him really hard several times because he splashed water out of the tub. I decided to take him to the ER. I sat at my computer later that night staring at the phone number to child protective services, debating on whether or not to make the call. I knew my son would pay the consequences for telling me anything when he got home.
I decided to do it for my son’s sake, maybe CPS would listen. I could only hope! CPS decided to dismiss the case, my son told him he bit his cheeks. They decided it was a he said, she said thing.
My son is not allowed to tell me anything. He is scared, his father and stepmother are threatening him with something. A lot of times when I ask him anything, like how is school, his response is always, “I don’t know”. He tells me, “Daddy is smart and he can hear everything I say and the court reports to him”. Can you imagine living like this? A five-year-old, being scared to death of telling me—his mother—anything about his life at all.
I love my little boy with all my heart, my heart feels like it is being ripped out and stomped on. I feel so damn guilty!! I know for a fact that my child is being both physically and verbally abused and there is not a thing I can do to help him. It kills me to have to look at him, when and if he decides to open up to me and see the hurt in his eyes and the fear. I keep telling him “I am trying to help you. I’m sorry for what you’re going through”.
How can I keep telling him I can’t stop them from hurting him? What can I do? My heart is breaking so bad for my son. I feel like in the end he is going to hate me for allowing this to happen to him. He does not understand any of this, he is five years old. He did not ask to be born, he deserves better than this, all children do. I am helpless. This is not fair to my son.
Can anyone help my son?
EDITOR’S NOTE: Since this situation played out in Saratoga County Family Court, the father and the Russian stepmother have divorced. Billy was kicked out of the house and he lives with his grandfather.
The judge in this case was Saratoga County Family Court Judge Gilbert Abramson. He resigned in October, 2010, 10 weeks before his term was to end amidst an ongoing investigation by the NYS Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Shortly thereafter, even after Abramson voluntarily resigned, the commission issued their determination for Abramson’s removal from office for repeatedly jailing people while denying them fundamental rights like a hearing and an attorney. Abramson denied the rights despite being previously cautioned by the commission that he should advise litigants of their right to an attorney, and despite his assurances that he “‘dramatically changed’ his practices after that warning,” the commission said.
In addition, the judge made “egregious and inexcusable” sexual comments on two separate occasions to a litigant in Saratoga County Family Treatment Court, the commission said.
Abramson is appealing the ruling to the Court of Appeals.
http://www.northcountrygazette.org/2011/05/21/billy_cries/
Why “Billy” Cries
Posted on Saturday, 21 of May , 2011 at 5:07 pm
COMMENTARY
By June Maxam
Parental rights v. Family Court.
The reality is played out every day in our failing courts.
The Saratoga County Family Court system abandoned an abused five-year-old boy by granting custody to an abusive parent resulting in wrenching heartache for a mother whose weeping tears for her child are prayers for help.
Victims of abuse are often faceless, perhaps to protect our own psyche as well as protecting the victim. It’s easier to disassociate the harsh reality of human suffering. As you read the sad but true story below, associate this child dear to you, put yourself in the footsteps of the mother and be resolved to work to end the tyranny too often imposed by our so-called justice system.
The story is as originally written by the mother, replacing only actual names and dates, to allow you to graphically grasp what has happened, what does happen in our courts.
When she was 27, this mother’s son, Billy, was born. The joy of parenthood was replaced by domestic violence. The father often would spit repeatedly at the mother of his son, stuff her mouth with dirty socks, go off into a rage of violence spurred by jealousy, tie her hands with shoe strings.
The loving home Billy should have been raised in was swiftly replaced by a bitter custody battle. According to a sworn statement by Billy’s grandmother, “Billy’s father admitted in Family Court that while under his care, he and two other adults held Billy down and administered an enema to him because he had kept the father up all night crying”.
The court granting the father custody of Billy in essence rewarded such heinous acts at the cost of Billy’s well being.
Below is a mother’s plea for help.
My story is just one of many Family Court cases that are simply heartbreaking and unjust. Not only does my son now suffer the consequences of a bad decision made by the court, so do I. This is one of the most disgusting, most “dirty” cases that I have ever heard.
The pre-trial begins. The law guardian for my son completely ignored me when I tried to talk to him. He held his hand up to me and said. “I will see what the evaluations say”.
Well, after the next court session was over, my aunt, father and I saw the law guardian in the parking lot talking to my son’s grandfather for a good 20 minutes. This really got me upset. I felt as if I was being belittled. What I had to say was worthless. Why was what he had to say more significant than what I had to say? What were they talking about? I still wonder to this day. I’ll never know.
The next thing is the psychological evaluation. Advised by my so-called attorney, I was told to tell all about the abuse that I was subjected to in the relationship and what kind of person my son’s father really was. I did just that. This was my first mistake, listening to the attorney.
The psychologist asked what visitation I thought the father should have. I suggested that if he set up in a way so that it would not have to be changed again in the fall when my son would begin to attend kindergarten. I told him it had already been changed two or three times and that my son has gone through enough changes since we left, that he needed some stability and consistency.
This man took everything I had and twisted it in such a way that it looked as though I wanted my son to have no time with his father. He also accused me of lying about the abuse in the relationship, implying that I had something to hide, maybe I was the abuser. I was too straightforward about it. He also stated that I was not fit to nourish the relationship between my son and his father.
My advice on this note is NEVER breathe of word of abuse within a relationship if you want to keep your child. It will be turned around and used against you. This I can guarantee!
The trial begins. It starts off with the evaluation. This is not good at all. I look really bad. My son’s father and his witnesses testify first. Throughout each of their testimonies the judge was sure to clear up anything that was negative towards me. Allowed into the court were pieces of evidence that were not complete. My son’s grandfather had picked the parts that were most incriminating towards me and left out anything that would “hurt” his son in the trial. The judge, knowing full well that all of the evidence was not there, allowed it into the record.
None of my son’s father’s witnesses could keep a story straight. They all varied. An example is one said my ex was working two jobs when the others said he was working one. This would have to do with the amount of quality time my ex could spend with out son. There is a lot more but keep in mind this is just bits and pieces. They judge would step right in and say things to my son’s father’s witnesses like “I know this is confusing”.
EXAMPLE: A question for my son’s father by my lawyer:
What efforts have you made in the past year to foster a loving relationship between your son and his mother?
The judge: “If you don’t know, then you can say you don’t know”.
There’s nothing like helping him along. There are a lot of other examples through the testimony. The judge tends to be very biased. He helped all of my son’s father’s witnesses out with their testimony, especially when they would struggle for an answer. He even went so far as to suggest that one of them seemed like they had something more to say at one point and encouraged him to tell the court. Leading the witness?
Throughout my son’s father’s testimony, he openly admits to marrying a foreigner just to keep her in the country and admits to physically abusing me. All of this is completely ignored by the court.
My aunt had called 911 for me one time but because I did not press charges, the court overlooked this. I called the officer in to testify and when the judge wanted to clear up what year this was, his response was, “oh, it was a million years ago”.
At the end of the officer’s testimony, the judge asked my lawyer, “what was the significance of that?”
I was totally disgusted. I decided to call the doctor in who had done the evaluation in order to clear up his report. When asked questions like, if someone was to have a picture of the other parent on the wall, take parenting class (stress prevention) give pictures that the child made in daycare to the other parent to let them see what they are doing, would these be considered steps towards nourishing the relationship with the other parent? He responded yes. These are all things that I had been doing and my attorney questioned me on these as well.
My attorney also cleared up the point about setting up my son’s visitation in preparation for the school year so there would both be more changes made in his life. The doctor stated in his report that my son’s father had made some choices without thinking first, being quick to get angry, having many suspensions from school.
Then he said my son’s father has outgrown that type of attitude. This is ridiculous to me. I know for a fact that he has not outgrown any of this. My son’s father had to be taken off certain routes at his job because he couldn’t treat the business owners that he was delivering to with respect. The court also knows that he cheated on me with his current wife. How does this show concern for your child in the way of knowing that you will break up your family? Basically, everything my son’s father had done to me and our son was okay in the eyes of the judge, the law guardian and the doctor. This was all normal behavior for someone who cares about their child?
I want to know how one changes from having a history of violence (physical and verbal abuse) to no longer being that way, without any help. Overnight he became this person, one who can control his temper and attitude towards people and it is not abusive in any way, shape or form. This doctor also perjured himself on the stand, implying that he had met with me at least 45 minutes to an hour and my son for 30 minutes. It was in his office for 20 minutes at the most and my son 10 minutes. When the meeting was over, I had to fill out a questionnaire. He had said to me, “I am leaving so just slide it under my door when you are done”. This is a disgrace.
Upon questioning my son’s stepmother, he said that she was ready to accept some of the responsibility of raising my son with his father. It went more into depth than that. This is hard for me to understand because, at the beginning of the trial, my attorney said she might call her as a witness. The judge told her she’d have to wait outside because she might get called as a witness. She couldn’t understand what the judge was telling her. Her response was, “we have to leave, you want us to leave?” He had to tell her three times to leave. She is from Russia and I can barely understand her myself.
Well, needless to say, I lost my son to his father, despite the fact that he couldn’t be bothered to take care of him, like bathing, feeding or anything. It was always a hassle if I did ask him so most of the time I didn’t bother.
I was attending college for two years and had found a babysitter near the college. I spent a lot of nights at my mother’s. My son was with me all the time, I never left him behind.
Here is another example of what kind of person my son’s father is. The day it was time to come home from the hospital with our baby, I was a nervous wreck. The doctors was not there first thing in the morning and my son’s father was getting antsy. It was afraid he was going to start yelling and being nasty with the nurses. He was in a hurry to get us home so he could go to work. He was so mean. I wanted to stop for a coffee on our way home and he flipped. When we arrived home, he got us in the house and left immediately to go to work. He couldn’t even spend one day with us. This was extremely upsetting to me.
The judge’s decision states that the doctor didn’t change anything that he stated in his report which is not true. He says he is giving me a lot of visitation. I see my son on the second and fourth weekend of every month, from 7 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Sunday and two weeks out of the summer, alternating holiday on odd and even years. Now let me say that the months that have five weekends, I go three weeks without seeing my son. This is disgusting. This is not even the standard setup. I do not get him any nights out the week. NOTHING!
Now it’s a really bad scene. My son is now being abused. At his school, he is violent towards other children. He hits them, tries to cut them with scissors and pinches them. I had suggested that he should attend Banana Splits to the counselor at school. She said she thought it would be good for him.
His father said no, he didn’t need to go. I also suggested that he go to a psychologist for help. Again, his father said no. Does this not raise red flags?? Why would you deny your child help if he needs it?
My son and I were fortunate enough to have the judge order my son to see a psychologist and join Banana Splits.
Hello, something is wrong. My ex doesn’t want anyone to know what they are doing to my child!! When my son comes for his visits, he always has bruises where he shouldn’t have them. He repeatedly tells me that he gets slapped in the face, his hand slammed in doors, his ears twisted and pulled and is being called a moron. A few weeks ago, we got to the house and I made his dinner. He started crying a little and said it hurts when he chews his food. I looked in his mouth with a flashlight and the inside of his mouth was a mess. It looked as if he had bit his cheeks, like 500 times. They were literally ripped apart, one spot had like a small bloody hole. It looked as if someone grabbed his face and squeezed his cheeks so they went into his teeth.
He also had what looked like a fingernail scratch on his forehead. I asked him what happened. His eyes filled up with tears, he said his stepmother had slapped him really hard several times because he splashed water out of the tub. I decided to take him to the ER. I sat at my computer later that night staring at the phone number to child protective services, debating on whether or not to make the call. I knew my son would pay the consequences for telling me anything when he got home.
I decided to do it for my son’s sake, maybe CPS would listen. I could only hope! CPS decided to dismiss the case, my son told him he bit his cheeks. They decided it was a he said, she said thing.
My son is not allowed to tell me anything. He is scared, his father and stepmother are threatening him with something. A lot of times when I ask him anything, like how is school, his response is always, “I don’t know”. He tells me, “Daddy is smart and he can hear everything I say and the court reports to him”. Can you imagine living like this? A five-year-old, being scared to death of telling me—his mother—anything about his life at all.
I love my little boy with all my heart, my heart feels like it is being ripped out and stomped on. I feel so damn guilty!! I know for a fact that my child is being both physically and verbally abused and there is not a thing I can do to help him. It kills me to have to look at him, when and if he decides to open up to me and see the hurt in his eyes and the fear. I keep telling him “I am trying to help you. I’m sorry for what you’re going through”.
How can I keep telling him I can’t stop them from hurting him? What can I do? My heart is breaking so bad for my son. I feel like in the end he is going to hate me for allowing this to happen to him. He does not understand any of this, he is five years old. He did not ask to be born, he deserves better than this, all children do. I am helpless. This is not fair to my son.
Can anyone help my son?
EDITOR’S NOTE: Since this situation played out in Saratoga County Family Court, the father and the Russian stepmother have divorced. Billy was kicked out of the house and he lives with his grandfather.
The judge in this case was Saratoga County Family Court Judge Gilbert Abramson. He resigned in October, 2010, 10 weeks before his term was to end amidst an ongoing investigation by the NYS Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Shortly thereafter, even after Abramson voluntarily resigned, the commission issued their determination for Abramson’s removal from office for repeatedly jailing people while denying them fundamental rights like a hearing and an attorney. Abramson denied the rights despite being previously cautioned by the commission that he should advise litigants of their right to an attorney, and despite his assurances that he “‘dramatically changed’ his practices after that warning,” the commission said.
In addition, the judge made “egregious and inexcusable” sexual comments on two separate occasions to a litigant in Saratoga County Family Treatment Court, the commission said.
Abramson is appealing the ruling to the Court of Appeals.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Dad "allegedly" kills 10-month-old son during visitation (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Another case where a short-tempered father got visitation with a baby. As soon as he gets that baby back to his house, Daddy gets irked from the crying. So he bashes him in the head, shakes him, and throws him twice. The baby died from blunt force trauma to the head. Now FRANCISCO MARQUEZ-LUNA may be facing 1st-degree reckless homicide charges.
So did Daddy have a history of domestic violence--and get visitation anyway? Wonder if there's some brilliant unnamed judge and passel of shrinks behind this one.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/crime/122970703.html
Father charged in death of 10-month-old son
By Gitte Laasby of the Journal Sentinel
June 1, 2011 3:18 p.m.
A 10-month-old boy died on Memorial Day weekend after his father hit him with a video game controller, according to a criminal complaint released Wednesday.
According to the complaint:
The father, Francisco Marquez-Luna, 25, picked up his son, Derek Marquez, around 7 p.m. Saturday. When the two reached the father's home in the 1200 block of S. 21st St., the baby began crying.
The father first told a Milwaukee police detective that he threw the boy into the air to calm him down and dropped him, and the toddler hit his head on a coffee table. Marquez-Luna later changed his explanation.
"He stated that what he did was throw a Wii controller at him and hit him in the head," the criminal complaint states. "Derek Marquez began crying. He picked him up and tried to calm him down but he could not. He then began shaking him five to 10 seconds and then threw him against the couch two times. The first time he threw the child against the couch he hit the seat area of the couch. The second time he threw Derek against the couch, Derek hit the part of the couch where one might rest their head."
Assistant medical examiner Wieslawa Tlomak determined that the baby died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Marquez-Luna faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted of first-degree reckless homicide.
So did Daddy have a history of domestic violence--and get visitation anyway? Wonder if there's some brilliant unnamed judge and passel of shrinks behind this one.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/crime/122970703.html
Father charged in death of 10-month-old son
By Gitte Laasby of the Journal Sentinel
June 1, 2011 3:18 p.m.
A 10-month-old boy died on Memorial Day weekend after his father hit him with a video game controller, according to a criminal complaint released Wednesday.
According to the complaint:
The father, Francisco Marquez-Luna, 25, picked up his son, Derek Marquez, around 7 p.m. Saturday. When the two reached the father's home in the 1200 block of S. 21st St., the baby began crying.
The father first told a Milwaukee police detective that he threw the boy into the air to calm him down and dropped him, and the toddler hit his head on a coffee table. Marquez-Luna later changed his explanation.
"He stated that what he did was throw a Wii controller at him and hit him in the head," the criminal complaint states. "Derek Marquez began crying. He picked him up and tried to calm him down but he could not. He then began shaking him five to 10 seconds and then threw him against the couch two times. The first time he threw the child against the couch he hit the seat area of the couch. The second time he threw Derek against the couch, Derek hit the part of the couch where one might rest their head."
Assistant medical examiner Wieslawa Tlomak determined that the baby died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Marquez-Luna faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted of first-degree reckless homicide.
Dad sentenced to 15 years for throwing 3-month-old daughter and fracturing her skull (DeFuniak Springs, Florida)
Daddy JERID DAY was upset from his job, see. He had PTSD. That's why he threw his 3-month-old daughter into her crib, thus breaking her head and skull. Yea, that stress thing is something pretty awful.
What a lot of crap.
http://www.wjhg.com/news/headlines/Former_Walton_County_Deputy_sentenced_15_years_122905644.html
Former Walton County Deputy sentenced 15 years for child abuse
DeFuniak Springs- Judge Kelvin Wells sentenced Jerid Day to 15 years in prison after April’s conviction of child abuse and child neglect.
Posted: 9:28 PM May 31, 2011
Reporter: Danielle Koleniak
A former Walton County Sheriff’s Deputy will be going to prison for abusing his infant daughter last year.
Judge Kelvin Wells sentenced Jerid Day to 15 years in prison after April’s conviction of child abuse and child neglect.
The courtroom testimony was quite emotional.
Day’s uncle took the stand telling the judge that the former Walton County Deputy suffered job-related post-traumatic stress disorder.
"A lot of people do not have a great appreciation for what our law enforcement officers go through on a daily basis," said Frank Day.
Last July Day grabbed the three-month old by the foot and threw her into her crib, breaking her leg and fracturing her skull.
Day’s ex-wife Christina Goss took the stand with Emma in her arms.
"July 27th was the worst day of my life. He took away a father from all three of my children," she cried.
Judge Wells sentenced Day to 15 years in prison fallowed by five years of probation.
What a lot of crap.
http://www.wjhg.com/news/headlines/Former_Walton_County_Deputy_sentenced_15_years_122905644.html
Former Walton County Deputy sentenced 15 years for child abuse
DeFuniak Springs- Judge Kelvin Wells sentenced Jerid Day to 15 years in prison after April’s conviction of child abuse and child neglect.
Posted: 9:28 PM May 31, 2011
Reporter: Danielle Koleniak
A former Walton County Sheriff’s Deputy will be going to prison for abusing his infant daughter last year.
Judge Kelvin Wells sentenced Jerid Day to 15 years in prison after April’s conviction of child abuse and child neglect.
The courtroom testimony was quite emotional.
Day’s uncle took the stand telling the judge that the former Walton County Deputy suffered job-related post-traumatic stress disorder.
"A lot of people do not have a great appreciation for what our law enforcement officers go through on a daily basis," said Frank Day.
Last July Day grabbed the three-month old by the foot and threw her into her crib, breaking her leg and fracturing her skull.
Day’s ex-wife Christina Goss took the stand with Emma in her arms.
"July 27th was the worst day of my life. He took away a father from all three of my children," she cried.
Judge Wells sentenced Day to 15 years in prison fallowed by five years of probation.
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