Extremely disturbing. UNNAMED DAD has been convicted of sexually assaulting his 9-year-old daughter after getting drunk in climbing into bed with her and her sister (so in a sense, both girls were actually violated). Now the court finds out that this scum has been "volunteering" to work with Aboriginal children--all with the apparent blessing of his church.
http://www.qt.com.au/story/2010/11/24/child-abuser-molestor-aboriginal-missionary/
Child abuse sentencing adjourned
Felicity Caldwell 24th November 2010
A MAN convicted of molesting his own daughter has been volunteering with children in remote Aboriginal communities.
The 44-year-old man, who cannot be identified, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court to a sickening sexual assault on his nine-year-old biological daughter.
But while being sentenced, it was revealed that he had been volunteering with an unidentified church on missionary trips to remote communities to work with children.
“It’s generally during school holidays to give the children out there something to do,” defence barrister Geoff Seaholme said.
Judge Sarah Bradley expressed her shock in court and demanded to know whether the man still held a Blue Card.
Mr Seaholme said he was unaware whether his client still held a Blue Card but assured the court the church knew about the man’s offending behaviour.
Crown prosecutor Rachelle Logan said the man, who was separated from his partner, had his two young daughters during weekends and holidays before the sexual assault.
During a visit in 2007, the father became extremely intoxicated and climbed into a bed his nine-year- old and 10-year-old daughters were sharing.
Ms Logan said the man molested the nine-year-old and held her by the throat, but the two young girls fought him off with kicks and punches and then put him to bed after replacing his liquor with water.
The girls complained to their mother the next day and she called police.
“There was a significant breach of trust and there was a degree of violence involved,” Ms Logan said.
The man pleaded guilty to two charges of indecent treatment of a child aged under 12 who is a lineal descendant.
He no longer has contact with his daughters.
Mr Seaholme said his client should receive a suspended jail sentence, but Ms Logan asked for 12 months jail.
Judge Bradley adjourned sentencing until December 14 so the man’s legal team can obtain updated information and a psychological report.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Dad charged with assault after 11-year-old son found outside in his underwear (Hillsboro, Oregon)
Dad DAVID ANDREW CECIL has been arrested on assault charges after his 11-year-old son was found outside in his underwear. Daddy Dearest had splashed cold water on the boy, and bruising found on the boy's back indicated prior beatings. Notice that the boy is now in DHS custody and that there is no mention of a mother in this home. Single dad or what?
INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.
http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/Hillsboro-man-arrested-after-son-found-in/Vrgvl3EcHEyns5cjNqi2eQ.cspx
Hillsboro man arrested after son found in underwear out in the cold
Reported by: Kyle Mallory
Email: kmallory@koin.com
Published: 9:25 am
Last Update: 11:48 am
A Hillsboro man was arrested after a passerby found his 11-year-old son outside in his underwear in the wet and cold near Baseline Road and Brookwood, Hillsboro Police said.
Authorities said the boy had apparently been in an argument with his father about grades. The father--identified as 49-year-old David Andrew Cecil--ordered the boy on the porch of their residence and threw water on the child, said Michael Rouches, a police spokesman.
The boy took off from the home and was then spotted by the passerby, who offered assistance and called 9-1-1.
Further investigation revealed that the 11-year-old had some bruising to his back that could be associated with prior assaults, Rouches said. The child was taken to a local hospital for treatment and released into DHS custody.
Police also said Cecil was taken to the hospital for a medical issue.
Cecil was charged with criminal mistreatment, assault and reckless endangerment. He is set to appear in court Dec. 6.
INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.
http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/Hillsboro-man-arrested-after-son-found-in/Vrgvl3EcHEyns5cjNqi2eQ.cspx
Hillsboro man arrested after son found in underwear out in the cold
Reported by: Kyle Mallory
Email: kmallory@koin.com
Published: 9:25 am
Last Update: 11:48 am
A Hillsboro man was arrested after a passerby found his 11-year-old son outside in his underwear in the wet and cold near Baseline Road and Brookwood, Hillsboro Police said.
Authorities said the boy had apparently been in an argument with his father about grades. The father--identified as 49-year-old David Andrew Cecil--ordered the boy on the porch of their residence and threw water on the child, said Michael Rouches, a police spokesman.
The boy took off from the home and was then spotted by the passerby, who offered assistance and called 9-1-1.
Further investigation revealed that the 11-year-old had some bruising to his back that could be associated with prior assaults, Rouches said. The child was taken to a local hospital for treatment and released into DHS custody.
Police also said Cecil was taken to the hospital for a medical issue.
Cecil was charged with criminal mistreatment, assault and reckless endangerment. He is set to appear in court Dec. 6.
Custodial dad finally loses custody of 9-year-old son--after he beats him with electrical wires, electric iron (Taif, Saudi Arabia)
It is no secret that mothers--and women in general--have virtually no rights in Saudi Arabia. It's a veritable father's rights paradise--a place where a father's "ownership" of his children is practically sacrosanct. And a mother's rights--as spelled out under Sharia law--are limited to mere physical custody of children under the age of 7. And not always even then.
This is the kind of treatment that children get as a result. The police do nothing to investigate or prosecute child support, because as men, they wouldn't dream of challenging another man's "right" to "discipline" (torture) his child. This mother had to approach the National Society for Human Rights to get custody back.
Unfortunately, under the influence of the religious right and fathers rights groups in the west, we are seeing more and more cases like this in Canada, the USA, Australia, and other places outside the Middle East.
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article198419.ece
NSHR rescues boy
By SULEIMAN AL-DIYABI ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 23, 2010 00:33 Updated: Nov 23, 2010 00:33
TAIF: A nine-year-old Palestinian boy was taken from his father’s custody after his mother informed the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) that he was being abused.
The child’s parents, both Palestinians, divorced some time ago. The custody of the boy was then given to the father who then moved from Taif to live in Madinah.
It was during a visit to Madinah that the mother noticed marks on her son who said his father was beating him up with electric wires and an electric iron. The mother complained to police who questioned the father. In his defense, the father said he was merely disciplining the child and the police failed to act further.
Dissatisfied by the police’s inaction, the mother complained to the NSHR branch in Taif about the matter. Adel Al-Thubaity, an official with the NSHR, took the matter to court, which decided to award the child to the mother because of the abuse.
This is the kind of treatment that children get as a result. The police do nothing to investigate or prosecute child support, because as men, they wouldn't dream of challenging another man's "right" to "discipline" (torture) his child. This mother had to approach the National Society for Human Rights to get custody back.
Unfortunately, under the influence of the religious right and fathers rights groups in the west, we are seeing more and more cases like this in Canada, the USA, Australia, and other places outside the Middle East.
http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article198419.ece
NSHR rescues boy
By SULEIMAN AL-DIYABI ARAB NEWS
Published: Nov 23, 2010 00:33 Updated: Nov 23, 2010 00:33
TAIF: A nine-year-old Palestinian boy was taken from his father’s custody after his mother informed the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) that he was being abused.
The child’s parents, both Palestinians, divorced some time ago. The custody of the boy was then given to the father who then moved from Taif to live in Madinah.
It was during a visit to Madinah that the mother noticed marks on her son who said his father was beating him up with electric wires and an electric iron. The mother complained to police who questioned the father. In his defense, the father said he was merely disciplining the child and the police failed to act further.
Dissatisfied by the police’s inaction, the mother complained to the NSHR branch in Taif about the matter. Adel Al-Thubaity, an official with the NSHR, took the matter to court, which decided to award the child to the mother because of the abuse.
Dad arrested for "allegedly" bashing his infant son's head for interrupting his video game (Grand Junction, Colorado)
Dad EDWARDO CHRISTY has been arrested on child abuse charges for "allegedly" bashing the head of his crying infant son. It appears that Daddy may have been annoyed because his video game was interrupted.
It's no surprise that a high number of young men are into violent video games and the like. But it is ridiculous that we expect these same young men to be tender nurturers of infants and young children, and to essentially take on a traditional mother's role--since mothers these days are more or less expected to go back to work as soon as they can manage to walk. You know, so they support their deadbeat video game-addicted boyfriends and husbands.
http://www.nbc11news.com/home/headlines/109993919.html
Updated: 7:47 PM Nov 22, 2010
Man arrested for allegedly hurting son over video game
A 20-year-old man has been arrested on child abuse charges after his young son was seriously injured.
Posted: 5:19 PM Nov 22, 2010
Reporter: KKCO
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - A 20–year–old father of two is facing felony child abuse charges. Authorities say he hurt his infant son over a video game.
Edwardo Christy was arrested November 18. Authorities say at first he lied and said the baby fell off the couch. But after failing a lie detector test admitted that he hurt the baby.
Christy told authorities he was playing a video game and when the infant wouldn't stop crying he picked him to take him upstairs and accidentally hit the baby's head on the wall and "knocked him out."
Christy says the baby stopped crying and didn't show signs of life so he threw water on his face.
According to an affidavit, the injuries could result in a moderate to severe brain injury.
The baby is at Children's Hospital.
Christy is being held on a $60,000 bond.
To read the full arrest affidavit, click on the document link above.
Single adoptive dad gets 25 years for making, distributing child porn involving sons (St. Paul, Minnesota)
We've posted on single adoptive dad GREGG LARSEN before. See this post from June on how authorities repeatedly ignored his sons' attempts to find safety:
http://dastardlydads.blogspot.com/2010/06/single-adoptive-dad-jailed-for-child.html
http://www.twincities.com/ci_16692319
St. Paul ex-teacher gets 25 years in prison for making and distributing child porn
By David Hanners dhanners@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 11/23/2010 12:15:51 PM CST
After hearing from the elder of his two adopted sons, whom he photographed nude, and from the father of a child he allegedly took nude photos of, Gregg Larsen admitted he was bad.
"What I did was heinous," the former foster parent and St. Paul teacher told U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen at his sentencing today. He said his son and the father were "absolutely and unconditionally correct."
"It was insanity," he said of his producing child pornography and distributing it online. "Anything I say is going to come off as an excuse. I don't want to make excuses."
Ericksen would have none, and sentenced the 49-year-old Minneapolis resident to 25 years in prison. Once he gets out — sometime in his 70s — he'll spend the rest of his life under court supervision.
And even though nobody knows what computers will look like or how they'll function a quarter-century from now, the judge said that once he is released, his computers would always be subject to monitoring.
After sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Steinkamp said agents found "more than 600 images" of child pornography on Larsen's computers, involving "many, many different people."
Larsen had taught at St. Paul's Central High School and was faculty adviser for the film and paintball clubs. Although prosecutors had previously alleged he had taken sexually explicit photos of his own two adopted sons and their friends, last week they disclosed he had also photographed some of his students with a camera hidden in the bathroom of his home.
Larsen was sentenced on a single count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Ericksen said he should also get help for his problems in prison, but that she also hoped a 25-year sentence would send a message to others involved in online child pornography.
"You caused a great deal of harm," she told him.
She noted that while some photos were taken secretly with the bathroom camera, she had viewed photos that Larsen had taken in which he had asked children to pose.
"That's a pretty vicious thing to do to a child," she said. "You need to be imprisoned so the public is protected from you."
The sentence was less than the 30 years Steinkamp had sought, but greater than the 15 years defense attorney Joseph Tamburino said would be "sufficient." Afterwards, the prosecutor said the sentence was appropriate.
"It also sends a message to those who traffic in child pornography ... that these crimes will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted by our office," he said.
Larsen was arrested in July 2009 after an FBI agent, conducting an undercover sting, posed as someone else and contacted the Minneapolis man online. The agent said he connected to a file-sharing program Larsen used and downloaded child pornography from Larsen's computer.
When the FBI searched his home, agents found evidence of a camera hidden in one of the bathrooms.
In his brief comments to the judge, Larsen thanked FBI Special Agent Robert J.E. Blackmore, the agent who caught him. "That was the best thing that could happen to me," he said.
In an interview with the Pioneer Press in June, Pierre Larsen, the older of Larsen's two adopted sons, said that he had discovered the camera and told a Hennepin County social worker about it in 2007, but that nothing was ever done.
The county says it has no record of Pierre Larsen's claim.
Pierre Larsen, now 22, told Ericksen that Larsen had saved him from an abusive parent when he adopted him.
"I thought I found a real parent," he said of his adoptive father.
While he spoke, Larsen sat with his head up, but did not look in Pierre Larsen's direction.
"I really don't know what to think," Pierre Larsen said. "I tell myself that it doesn't hurt, but it hurts me, big-time."
One man who spoke to the judge said Larsen had abused and photographed his son. The child developed behavioral problems and bizarre habits — all unexplained until the child revealed Larsen's abuse.
"Mr. Larsen made it even worse, if that's possible," said the man, referring to the fact Larsen put the photos online. "Forever, these children will wonder, 'When will these pictures show up, when will these pictures destroy my life again?' "
The Pioneer Press generally does not identify victims of sex crimes, and is not naming the victim's father in this story.
In a court filing last week, Steinkamp said Larsen "repeatedly victimized" 16 boys who were either his own children, or friends of his children. Some victims were students photographed by the hidden bathroom camera.
The day after Larsen made his first court appearance after his indictment in May, Central High Principal Mary Mackbee sent a letter home with students saying that a "former teacher" was under investigation but that privacy laws barred her from naming the teacher or describing the charges.
St. Paul Public Schools hired Larsen in March 2003 after he had worked as a curator for the Minnesota Historical Society. After the FBI raided his home in July 2009, the district placed him on leave, and he resigned in May.
Larsen became a foster parent in Hennepin County in April 2000, the year after he adopted Pierre Larsen. In 2006, he adopted another child, now 10, and has since given up parental rights to him.
Larsen had written a letter to Ericksen before his sentencing. The judge has not made the letter public, but in a pre-sentencing memo filed on Larsen's behalf, Tamburino said the illegal acts happened "when he was depressed and drinking heavily. He does not specifically remember taking any digital photographs of his son or other victims."
Ericksen said she didn't buy the "I-did-it-because-I-was-drunk" explanation.
"I just don't accept that," the judge said. She said that when the FBI searched the home, they found child pornography, and they "didn't find bottles of booze all over the place."
http://dastardlydads.blogspot.com/2010/06/single-adoptive-dad-jailed-for-child.html
http://www.twincities.com/ci_16692319
St. Paul ex-teacher gets 25 years in prison for making and distributing child porn
By David Hanners dhanners@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 11/23/2010 12:15:51 PM CST
After hearing from the elder of his two adopted sons, whom he photographed nude, and from the father of a child he allegedly took nude photos of, Gregg Larsen admitted he was bad.
"What I did was heinous," the former foster parent and St. Paul teacher told U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen at his sentencing today. He said his son and the father were "absolutely and unconditionally correct."
"It was insanity," he said of his producing child pornography and distributing it online. "Anything I say is going to come off as an excuse. I don't want to make excuses."
Ericksen would have none, and sentenced the 49-year-old Minneapolis resident to 25 years in prison. Once he gets out — sometime in his 70s — he'll spend the rest of his life under court supervision.
And even though nobody knows what computers will look like or how they'll function a quarter-century from now, the judge said that once he is released, his computers would always be subject to monitoring.
After sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Steinkamp said agents found "more than 600 images" of child pornography on Larsen's computers, involving "many, many different people."
Larsen had taught at St. Paul's Central High School and was faculty adviser for the film and paintball clubs. Although prosecutors had previously alleged he had taken sexually explicit photos of his own two adopted sons and their friends, last week they disclosed he had also photographed some of his students with a camera hidden in the bathroom of his home.
Larsen was sentenced on a single count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Ericksen said he should also get help for his problems in prison, but that she also hoped a 25-year sentence would send a message to others involved in online child pornography.
"You caused a great deal of harm," she told him.
She noted that while some photos were taken secretly with the bathroom camera, she had viewed photos that Larsen had taken in which he had asked children to pose.
"That's a pretty vicious thing to do to a child," she said. "You need to be imprisoned so the public is protected from you."
The sentence was less than the 30 years Steinkamp had sought, but greater than the 15 years defense attorney Joseph Tamburino said would be "sufficient." Afterwards, the prosecutor said the sentence was appropriate.
"It also sends a message to those who traffic in child pornography ... that these crimes will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted by our office," he said.
Larsen was arrested in July 2009 after an FBI agent, conducting an undercover sting, posed as someone else and contacted the Minneapolis man online. The agent said he connected to a file-sharing program Larsen used and downloaded child pornography from Larsen's computer.
When the FBI searched his home, agents found evidence of a camera hidden in one of the bathrooms.
In his brief comments to the judge, Larsen thanked FBI Special Agent Robert J.E. Blackmore, the agent who caught him. "That was the best thing that could happen to me," he said.
In an interview with the Pioneer Press in June, Pierre Larsen, the older of Larsen's two adopted sons, said that he had discovered the camera and told a Hennepin County social worker about it in 2007, but that nothing was ever done.
The county says it has no record of Pierre Larsen's claim.
Pierre Larsen, now 22, told Ericksen that Larsen had saved him from an abusive parent when he adopted him.
"I thought I found a real parent," he said of his adoptive father.
While he spoke, Larsen sat with his head up, but did not look in Pierre Larsen's direction.
"I really don't know what to think," Pierre Larsen said. "I tell myself that it doesn't hurt, but it hurts me, big-time."
One man who spoke to the judge said Larsen had abused and photographed his son. The child developed behavioral problems and bizarre habits — all unexplained until the child revealed Larsen's abuse.
"Mr. Larsen made it even worse, if that's possible," said the man, referring to the fact Larsen put the photos online. "Forever, these children will wonder, 'When will these pictures show up, when will these pictures destroy my life again?' "
The Pioneer Press generally does not identify victims of sex crimes, and is not naming the victim's father in this story.
In a court filing last week, Steinkamp said Larsen "repeatedly victimized" 16 boys who were either his own children, or friends of his children. Some victims were students photographed by the hidden bathroom camera.
The day after Larsen made his first court appearance after his indictment in May, Central High Principal Mary Mackbee sent a letter home with students saying that a "former teacher" was under investigation but that privacy laws barred her from naming the teacher or describing the charges.
St. Paul Public Schools hired Larsen in March 2003 after he had worked as a curator for the Minnesota Historical Society. After the FBI raided his home in July 2009, the district placed him on leave, and he resigned in May.
Larsen became a foster parent in Hennepin County in April 2000, the year after he adopted Pierre Larsen. In 2006, he adopted another child, now 10, and has since given up parental rights to him.
Larsen had written a letter to Ericksen before his sentencing. The judge has not made the letter public, but in a pre-sentencing memo filed on Larsen's behalf, Tamburino said the illegal acts happened "when he was depressed and drinking heavily. He does not specifically remember taking any digital photographs of his son or other victims."
Ericksen said she didn't buy the "I-did-it-because-I-was-drunk" explanation.
"I just don't accept that," the judge said. She said that when the FBI searched the home, they found child pornography, and they "didn't find bottles of booze all over the place."
Dad kills wife in murder-suicide; tries to force daughter out of home (Fort Valley, Georgia)
Still more proof that the most dangerous time for women and children is when they are attempting to leave an abuser. Dad JAMES WALLACE was in the middle of a divorce from his wife, and he just couldn't stand the idea that she would finally be free from him and his bullsh**. So he murdered her. And like all good abusers, we have to make sure that everybody knows that Daddy's Not Happy. So we have to drag our adult daughter into our Daddy Drama as well, and traumatize her by flashing around our big ol' 9MM pistol and trying to force her out of the home. And that's not even going into the grief of the other surviving adult children who lived outside the home. Disgusting.
http://www.macon.com/2010/11/23/1350872/sheriff-says-couple-in-murder.html
Sheriff says couple in murder-suicide was divorcing
By BECKY PURSER - bpurser@macon.com
FORT VALLEY -- A Fort Valley couple was in the middle of a divorce when the husband murdered his wife and killed himself, the Peach County sheriff said.
James Wallace, 54, shot his wife, Annie Ruth Wallace, 54, twice in the neck and once in the head Friday as she sat in front of her computer at their home at 206 Summer Breeze Drive, Peach County Sheriff Terry Deese said Monday.
Before turning the 9mm pistol on himself, Wallace went to the bedroom where his adult daughter, Charidy Wallace, was lying in bed and he told her to leave the home, Deese said.
The daughter told authorities that her father told her that “she needed to leave. He couldn’t take it anymore,” Deese said. Wallace had the pistol in his hand.
The daughter told authorities she was sleeping when she heard what she now realizes were gunshots but initially dismissed it as possibly her mother dropping something, Deese said. But when the father came to the door and she saw the pistol in his hand, she realized what had happened.
She left the home immediately, went to a neighbor’s home and 911 was called at 1:25 p.m.
Arriving deputies found both the wife and the husband shot dead inside the home, with the gun still in James Wallace’s hand where he shot himself in the living room.
No suicide note was found, but Wallace did leave a note for the daughter who lived in the home about financial matters. The sheriff believed that the couple had other adult children who do not live at the home.
Deese said the case is straightforward, with no doubt that the incident was a murder-suicide.
Monday’s autopsy for Annie Ruth Wallace was a formality before her body was released to family in part to confirm that the bullets matched the gun used, Deese said. An autopsy is not planned for James Wallace.
The autopsy found that Annie Ruth Wallace died from her injuries from the bullet wounds, Peach County Coroner Kerry Rooks said.
“There’s no doubt about it. There’s no doubt that was the gun that he (James Wallace) used to shoot her with,” Rooks said.
Family members were gathered Monday at the one-story brick home, which is located in the Country Meadows subdivision off of Housers Mill Road in Peach County. Mark Davis, the brother of Annie Ruth Wallace, said the family was not ready to talk at this time.
The murder-suicide marks the first homicide in unincorporated Peach County in 2010.
Read more: http://www.macon.com/2010/11/23/1350872/sheriff-says-couple-in-murder.html#ixzz167d8ZAR9
http://www.macon.com/2010/11/23/1350872/sheriff-says-couple-in-murder.html
Sheriff says couple in murder-suicide was divorcing
By BECKY PURSER - bpurser@macon.com
FORT VALLEY -- A Fort Valley couple was in the middle of a divorce when the husband murdered his wife and killed himself, the Peach County sheriff said.
James Wallace, 54, shot his wife, Annie Ruth Wallace, 54, twice in the neck and once in the head Friday as she sat in front of her computer at their home at 206 Summer Breeze Drive, Peach County Sheriff Terry Deese said Monday.
Before turning the 9mm pistol on himself, Wallace went to the bedroom where his adult daughter, Charidy Wallace, was lying in bed and he told her to leave the home, Deese said.
The daughter told authorities that her father told her that “she needed to leave. He couldn’t take it anymore,” Deese said. Wallace had the pistol in his hand.
The daughter told authorities she was sleeping when she heard what she now realizes were gunshots but initially dismissed it as possibly her mother dropping something, Deese said. But when the father came to the door and she saw the pistol in his hand, she realized what had happened.
She left the home immediately, went to a neighbor’s home and 911 was called at 1:25 p.m.
Arriving deputies found both the wife and the husband shot dead inside the home, with the gun still in James Wallace’s hand where he shot himself in the living room.
No suicide note was found, but Wallace did leave a note for the daughter who lived in the home about financial matters. The sheriff believed that the couple had other adult children who do not live at the home.
Deese said the case is straightforward, with no doubt that the incident was a murder-suicide.
Monday’s autopsy for Annie Ruth Wallace was a formality before her body was released to family in part to confirm that the bullets matched the gun used, Deese said. An autopsy is not planned for James Wallace.
The autopsy found that Annie Ruth Wallace died from her injuries from the bullet wounds, Peach County Coroner Kerry Rooks said.
“There’s no doubt about it. There’s no doubt that was the gun that he (James Wallace) used to shoot her with,” Rooks said.
Family members were gathered Monday at the one-story brick home, which is located in the Country Meadows subdivision off of Housers Mill Road in Peach County. Mark Davis, the brother of Annie Ruth Wallace, said the family was not ready to talk at this time.
The murder-suicide marks the first homicide in unincorporated Peach County in 2010.
Read more: http://www.macon.com/2010/11/23/1350872/sheriff-says-couple-in-murder.html#ixzz167d8ZAR9
Custodial granddad murders 6-year-old granddaughter, his wife; in "custody battle" with granddaughter's mom (Westmont, Illinois)
Same old crap.
I don't know how or why the grandparents managed to wrestle custody of their 6-year-old granddaughter from their own daughter. Sometimes there are decent reasons (drug abuse, serious or persistent mental illness). Sometimes it's just the same power and control thing you see in a lot of these cases. Sometimes they just wanted to punish Mom for not kowtowing to their wishes in every respect. And if you're good buddies with the local judge--or your lawyer is--it's especially easy to take custody for basically bogus reasons.
Given that granddad MARK J. CHAPMAN felt entitled enough to blow a way a 6-year-old child with multiple gun shots--rather than risk to the possibility of losing his control and having the child return to her mother--I'm inclined to think abuser control freak.
And please. Why must we interview the Clueless Neighbors who usually have no idea what people are really like? This grandfather mowed down and murdered two innocent people in cold blood. Since when does that make him "very nice" or loving? Had this man murdered two people on the streets or at work in exactly the same way, the media would not be seeking out stupid people to confirm how "nice" the killer is (or was). But there's this unacknowledged patriarchal assumption, see. It it's YOUR womenfolk or children, it's "understandable" and you get a pass. Barf.
http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/westmont/features/x842513731/Police-indicate-custody-battle-was-at-heart-of-Westmont-murder-suicide
Police indicate custody battle was at heart of Westmont murder-suicide
Julia Moore, 6, of Westmont, was killed along with her grandparents in what police claim was a murder-suicide. Her grandfather, Mark J. Chapman, admitted to the killings in a suicide note found at the scene.
By Dave Heitz, dheitz@mysuburbanlife.com
Suburban Life Publications
Posted Nov 22, 2010 @ 03:26 PM
Westmont, IL — Westmont Police said the deaths of three people that were found in their apartment on Friday were the results of a murder suicide involving a 6-year-old child and her grandparents that may have occurred because of a custody dispute.
In autopsies done on Saturday, Nov. 20, the DuPage County Coroner’s Office ruled that Mark J. Chapman, 50, suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, and his wife, Linda E. Brennan 51, and Julia A. Moore, 6, were each killed by multiple gunshots in their apartment along the 500 block of W. 61st Street.
Moore was the granddaughter of Chapman and Brennan and was living with them at the time of the shootings, police said.
Moore attended El Sierra School in Downers Grove. Downers Grove Grade School District 58 superintendent Paul Zaander said Moore was “a delightful little girl, and we will miss her dearly.”
There are no plans at this point for any kind of memorial service for Moore by the school, Zaander said.
Police said a handwritten note was recovered at the scene that appears to have been written by Chapman in which he admitted that he killed his wife and granddaughter, and then himself.
While police said the case is still under investigation, and are not certain of a motive at this time, they did indicate there was a custody battle involving the child between the child’s mother and the grandparents which may have contributed to the incident.
“There is a custody dispute that has been underway in the DuPage County Circuit Court,” Deputy Police Chief Jim Gunther said on Monday, Nov. 22. “The grandparents were legal guardians of the child since 2007.”
Police responded to a well-being check at about 10 a.m. Nov. 19 at the apartment when they discovered the bodies. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
Gunther said police do not know exactly when the shootings took place.
“We are looking at a window between 1 a.m. Tuesday morning and 1 a.m. Wednesday morning,” Gunther said.
Police said there was no sings of forced entry or any struggle and the weapon that police believe was used was found at the scene. Both Chapman and Brennan were found in the living room, and the child’s body was found in bed in her bedroom.
Frank Slowik, a resident who lives in a neighboring apartment unit, said he heard noises about 1 a.m. Wednesday that could have been gunshots, but did not call police at the time.
“It was very quick, and I didn’t know what to think about it at the time,” he said.
Slowik said he knew the victims very well. He described the family as being “very nice people” and said he never heard any suspicious activity in the apartment before that.
“I know they loved their granddaughter very much,” Slowik said.
I don't know how or why the grandparents managed to wrestle custody of their 6-year-old granddaughter from their own daughter. Sometimes there are decent reasons (drug abuse, serious or persistent mental illness). Sometimes it's just the same power and control thing you see in a lot of these cases. Sometimes they just wanted to punish Mom for not kowtowing to their wishes in every respect. And if you're good buddies with the local judge--or your lawyer is--it's especially easy to take custody for basically bogus reasons.
Given that granddad MARK J. CHAPMAN felt entitled enough to blow a way a 6-year-old child with multiple gun shots--rather than risk to the possibility of losing his control and having the child return to her mother--I'm inclined to think abuser control freak.
And please. Why must we interview the Clueless Neighbors who usually have no idea what people are really like? This grandfather mowed down and murdered two innocent people in cold blood. Since when does that make him "very nice" or loving? Had this man murdered two people on the streets or at work in exactly the same way, the media would not be seeking out stupid people to confirm how "nice" the killer is (or was). But there's this unacknowledged patriarchal assumption, see. It it's YOUR womenfolk or children, it's "understandable" and you get a pass. Barf.
http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/westmont/features/x842513731/Police-indicate-custody-battle-was-at-heart-of-Westmont-murder-suicide
Police indicate custody battle was at heart of Westmont murder-suicide
Julia Moore, 6, of Westmont, was killed along with her grandparents in what police claim was a murder-suicide. Her grandfather, Mark J. Chapman, admitted to the killings in a suicide note found at the scene.
By Dave Heitz, dheitz@mysuburbanlife.com
Suburban Life Publications
Posted Nov 22, 2010 @ 03:26 PM
Westmont, IL — Westmont Police said the deaths of three people that were found in their apartment on Friday were the results of a murder suicide involving a 6-year-old child and her grandparents that may have occurred because of a custody dispute.
In autopsies done on Saturday, Nov. 20, the DuPage County Coroner’s Office ruled that Mark J. Chapman, 50, suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, and his wife, Linda E. Brennan 51, and Julia A. Moore, 6, were each killed by multiple gunshots in their apartment along the 500 block of W. 61st Street.
Moore was the granddaughter of Chapman and Brennan and was living with them at the time of the shootings, police said.
Moore attended El Sierra School in Downers Grove. Downers Grove Grade School District 58 superintendent Paul Zaander said Moore was “a delightful little girl, and we will miss her dearly.”
There are no plans at this point for any kind of memorial service for Moore by the school, Zaander said.
Police said a handwritten note was recovered at the scene that appears to have been written by Chapman in which he admitted that he killed his wife and granddaughter, and then himself.
While police said the case is still under investigation, and are not certain of a motive at this time, they did indicate there was a custody battle involving the child between the child’s mother and the grandparents which may have contributed to the incident.
“There is a custody dispute that has been underway in the DuPage County Circuit Court,” Deputy Police Chief Jim Gunther said on Monday, Nov. 22. “The grandparents were legal guardians of the child since 2007.”
Police responded to a well-being check at about 10 a.m. Nov. 19 at the apartment when they discovered the bodies. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
Gunther said police do not know exactly when the shootings took place.
“We are looking at a window between 1 a.m. Tuesday morning and 1 a.m. Wednesday morning,” Gunther said.
Police said there was no sings of forced entry or any struggle and the weapon that police believe was used was found at the scene. Both Chapman and Brennan were found in the living room, and the child’s body was found in bed in her bedroom.
Frank Slowik, a resident who lives in a neighboring apartment unit, said he heard noises about 1 a.m. Wednesday that could have been gunshots, but did not call police at the time.
“It was very quick, and I didn’t know what to think about it at the time,” he said.
Slowik said he knew the victims very well. He described the family as being “very nice people” and said he never heard any suspicious activity in the apartment before that.
“I know they loved their granddaughter very much,” Slowik said.
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