Dad DEAN ARMSTRONG and his ex-girlfriend, the mother of their one-year-old daughter, were discussing custody issues when dad became violent. The mother managed to pick up the baby, who was crying. Then dad grabbed the girlfriend's throat while she was still holding the baby. Doctors have confirmed bruising on the mother's throat. Dad pleaded guilty to one charge of assault, but escaped jail time. Instead he will do community volunteering and attend an "Integrated Domestic Violence Programme" (e.g. the kind of slap on the wrist that means nothing to abusers).
Is this dad a candidate for ANY custodial rights or visitation? I think NOT.
Community work for dad who attacked mum
Wednesday, July 01, 2009, 06:30
A Lincoln dad who grabbed his ex-girlfriend's throat while she held their one year old daughter has been spared jail.
Lincoln Magistrates' Court heard that Dean Armstrong, of Crofton Drive, Lincoln, was invited to stay overnight at Diana Marshall's house after the pair's young daughter fell ill.
The 19-year-old was still at the address the following day on May 22 but they started arguing about custody issues in the living room.
Miss Marshall then received a message on her phone which caused the situation to escalate.
Armstrong wanted to know who the message was from and grabbed hold of Miss Marshall's wrist as she took the phone out of her trouser pocket.
Prosecutor Jill Derby said: "She was sitting on the sofa and he still had hold of her wrist. She tried to kick out as he was stood directly in front of her. Her foot caught him and Mr Armstrong let go.
"She then went to pick up her daughter who was on the floor crying, watching what was happening."
Miss Marshall took the baby into the kitchen with Armstrong following the pair.
"He said 'come to daddy' but Miss Marshall said 'she won't come to you as she has seen you hurt me'," Mrs Derby told the court.
At this point Armstrong attacked Miss Marshall while she was still holding the baby.
Mrs Derby said: "He squeezed her throat so hard she could hardly breath. She couldn't call for help.
"A doctor confirmed bruising to the throat and swollen glands which caused discomfort for her when eating and drinking."
In mitigation, John Bradley said his client was quick to admit his mistake and apologised at the scene.
Armstrong pleaded guilty to one charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was given a 24-month community order with supervision requirements.
Armstrong must also complete 80 hours of unpaid community work, attend an Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme and pay Miss Marshall £150 in compensation.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
DASTARDLY DADS FROM THE ARCHIVES (Rutgers, New Jersey - 1989)
Account is from Martin Fido and David Southwell, True Crime: The Infamous Villains of Modern History and their Hideous Crimes (2008).
TV Sculpture Tracks Family-Slayer After 20 Years (1989)
JOHN HARDY was a decent middle class accountant, with wire-rimmed spectacles and receding hair; so was John List. John Hardy was a faithful married Lutheran, quietly introverted, rarely talking much above a whisper; so was John List. John Hardy had no children; nor had John List - well, not after the autumn of 1971. Prior to that he had two girls and a boy. He lost them, and his wife, and his mother, in one fell swoop. And the world lost John List for 17 years!
The entire List family had to leave their Rutgers, New Jersey home suddenly to nuse a sick relative in North Carolina, so letters from List informed the children's schools, the bank, the public utilities, the church, and anybody else who needed to know.
The Lists' mansion on the edge of town stood silent and deserted, with random electric lights burning as a precaution against burglary.
The occasional failure of those light bulbs led the neighbours to reflect that the Lists had been away from home an inordinate length of time. After a month passed, police broke into the List mansion.
There, in the freezing ballroom, neatly laid out, were the three children and Mrs. List, all shot. Upstairs in the cupboard, List's mother Alma, also shot.
Investigators revealed that List was almost broke as a result of bad investments, and that he had "borrowed" from his mother to compensate. It was inferred that, unable to control his womenfolk without the aid of purse-strings, he shot his wife and mother, killed the children as tehy came home from school, and fled. Very successfully; his car was in the airport carpark. Mr. List had disappeared.
Crime-reconstruction television company Cosgrove-Muerer broadcase a scultor's impression of how List must look today, with further receded hair and flaccid muscles. and behold many people recognized Mr Hardy of Richmond, Virginia, who denied it, of course. But his fingerprints match List's old army records, and he is now under arrest for murder as John List.
TV Sculpture Tracks Family-Slayer After 20 Years (1989)
JOHN HARDY was a decent middle class accountant, with wire-rimmed spectacles and receding hair; so was John List. John Hardy was a faithful married Lutheran, quietly introverted, rarely talking much above a whisper; so was John List. John Hardy had no children; nor had John List - well, not after the autumn of 1971. Prior to that he had two girls and a boy. He lost them, and his wife, and his mother, in one fell swoop. And the world lost John List for 17 years!
The entire List family had to leave their Rutgers, New Jersey home suddenly to nuse a sick relative in North Carolina, so letters from List informed the children's schools, the bank, the public utilities, the church, and anybody else who needed to know.
The Lists' mansion on the edge of town stood silent and deserted, with random electric lights burning as a precaution against burglary.
The occasional failure of those light bulbs led the neighbours to reflect that the Lists had been away from home an inordinate length of time. After a month passed, police broke into the List mansion.
There, in the freezing ballroom, neatly laid out, were the three children and Mrs. List, all shot. Upstairs in the cupboard, List's mother Alma, also shot.
Investigators revealed that List was almost broke as a result of bad investments, and that he had "borrowed" from his mother to compensate. It was inferred that, unable to control his womenfolk without the aid of purse-strings, he shot his wife and mother, killed the children as tehy came home from school, and fled. Very successfully; his car was in the airport carpark. Mr. List had disappeared.
Crime-reconstruction television company Cosgrove-Muerer broadcase a scultor's impression of how List must look today, with further receded hair and flaccid muscles. and behold many people recognized Mr Hardy of Richmond, Virginia, who denied it, of course. But his fingerprints match List's old army records, and he is now under arrest for murder as John List.
Dad takes 5-month-old baby, 2-year-old hostage; children rescued by police (Oakland, California)
UNNAMED DAD didn't like it when the mother of his children wanted to leave the home with their five-month-old daughter, so he started attacking her. Mom managed to escape, but UNNAMED DAD was able to take the baby and the 2-year-old son hostage, and refused to let them out of the house. After a half-hour standoff with police, the dad finally let the children go. He now faces felony domestic violence charges.
http://www.foxreno.com/news/19923276/detail.html
Oakland Police Rescue Two Children After Tense Stand-Off
Posted: 10:28 pm PDT July 1, 2009Updated: 11:21 pm PDT July 1, 2009
OAKLAND -- A grateful Oakland family is crediting the Oakland police with helping them get two young children back safely after a domestic dispute turned violent Wednesday.
Police officers rescued a five month old baby girl from an apartment on the 58-hundred block of San Pablo Avenue and reunited her with her grandmother.
Officers also were able to remove the baby's 2-year-old brother from the home.
The children had to be rescued after a brief standoff with the children's father.
Police surrounded the home on San Pablo Avenue home after the mother called 9-1-1 for help.
The children's mother agreed to talk to KTVU but asked we do not use her name.
"I was trying to leave with my daughter," she said. "He goes about yelling and screaming ..putting his hands on me...so I hit him... (and then he) comes chasing after me and basically starts attacking me," she said.
The mother said she was able to escape from the apartment, but that the children's father refused to let their son and daughter leave with her.
Police say officers arrived armed with rifles because they had received information that the father had weapons in the home. That did not turn out to be the case.
Within a half hour, police say they were able to convince the father over the phone to surrender peacefully.
Sgt. Jim Kelly was among the officers who went inside the apartment and found the toddler and his sister. "One was an infant, she was lying on a blanket and the other was about a year and a half..two years old ...just walking through the kitchen but they're both real good kids. As soon as they were crying ...we could actually hear them crying but as soon as an officer went through and picked them up , they stopped crying."
The children's mother expressed gratitude to the police officers for the safe return of her son and daughter. "I'm very appreciative . He's not a good father at all so I knew my daughter was not going to be taken care of at all. I'm glad they got her out of there and the other baby out of there."
The children's father now faces a felony domestic violence charge for allegedly attacking the mother.
http://www.foxreno.com/news/19923276/detail.html
Oakland Police Rescue Two Children After Tense Stand-Off
Posted: 10:28 pm PDT July 1, 2009Updated: 11:21 pm PDT July 1, 2009
OAKLAND -- A grateful Oakland family is crediting the Oakland police with helping them get two young children back safely after a domestic dispute turned violent Wednesday.
Police officers rescued a five month old baby girl from an apartment on the 58-hundred block of San Pablo Avenue and reunited her with her grandmother.
Officers also were able to remove the baby's 2-year-old brother from the home.
The children had to be rescued after a brief standoff with the children's father.
Police surrounded the home on San Pablo Avenue home after the mother called 9-1-1 for help.
The children's mother agreed to talk to KTVU but asked we do not use her name.
"I was trying to leave with my daughter," she said. "He goes about yelling and screaming ..putting his hands on me...so I hit him... (and then he) comes chasing after me and basically starts attacking me," she said.
The mother said she was able to escape from the apartment, but that the children's father refused to let their son and daughter leave with her.
Police say officers arrived armed with rifles because they had received information that the father had weapons in the home. That did not turn out to be the case.
Within a half hour, police say they were able to convince the father over the phone to surrender peacefully.
Sgt. Jim Kelly was among the officers who went inside the apartment and found the toddler and his sister. "One was an infant, she was lying on a blanket and the other was about a year and a half..two years old ...just walking through the kitchen but they're both real good kids. As soon as they were crying ...we could actually hear them crying but as soon as an officer went through and picked them up , they stopped crying."
The children's mother expressed gratitude to the police officers for the safe return of her son and daughter. "I'm very appreciative . He's not a good father at all so I knew my daughter was not going to be taken care of at all. I'm glad they got her out of there and the other baby out of there."
The children's father now faces a felony domestic violence charge for allegedly attacking the mother.
Dad shakes 8-week-old daughter, fractures her spine (Lawrence, Massachusetts)
Father JUAN CABRERA has admitted shaking his 8-week-old daughter so violently that doctors initially believed she would will be blind for life. It was also determined that the baby had a fractured spine. Dad has blamed his bi-polar disorder, which was not then being treated. (Wait, haven't we been told that only moms cop a mental health excuse? WRONG!)
http://www.eagletribune.com/punews/local_story_182232242.html
Published: July 02, 2009 12:06 am
Father gets 31/2 years in jail in baby shaking case
By Jim Patten mailto:Pattenjpatten@eagletribune.com
LAWRENCE — The father of a baby girl has been sent to jail for three and a half years for shaking his infant so violently that doctors believed she'd be blind for life.
The baby, eight weeks old at the time of the assault, has regained her sight, but could face medical problems down the road, said Lawrence police Detective Lt. Mary Bartlett.
Juan Cabrera, 20, of Framingham, admitted shaking the baby twice in February.
Cabrera pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and battery on a child under 14 causing serious bodily injury last week in Salem Superior Court.
During a hearing in which he waived his right to a jury trial, Cabrera told Judge Timothy Feeley he had been treated for mental illness, including bipolar disorder, but was not presently being treated.
Prosecutor Kate MacDougall said when police arrived at the home the baby was not responsive and frothing at the mouth.
MacDougall said it was determined the baby had a fractured spine.
http://www.eagletribune.com/punews/local_story_182232242.html
Published: July 02, 2009 12:06 am
Father gets 31/2 years in jail in baby shaking case
By Jim Patten mailto:Pattenjpatten@eagletribune.com
LAWRENCE — The father of a baby girl has been sent to jail for three and a half years for shaking his infant so violently that doctors believed she'd be blind for life.
The baby, eight weeks old at the time of the assault, has regained her sight, but could face medical problems down the road, said Lawrence police Detective Lt. Mary Bartlett.
Juan Cabrera, 20, of Framingham, admitted shaking the baby twice in February.
Cabrera pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and battery on a child under 14 causing serious bodily injury last week in Salem Superior Court.
During a hearing in which he waived his right to a jury trial, Cabrera told Judge Timothy Feeley he had been treated for mental illness, including bipolar disorder, but was not presently being treated.
Prosecutor Kate MacDougall said when police arrived at the home the baby was not responsive and frothing at the mouth.
MacDougall said it was determined the baby had a fractured spine.
Dad charged with murdering wife, 8-month-old son; but then declared "incompetent" (Ava, Missouri)
DAN ANDREWS, a dad charged with murdering his wife and 8-month-old son, has been declared incompetent to continue court proceedings. (And they say only moms get off on mental health grounds....)
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090702/NEWS01/907020369/1007/Man-facing-murder-charges-incompetent
An Ava man charged with murdering his wife and child has been declared incompetent to continue court proceedings, Douglas County Prosecutor Christopher Wade said Wednesday.
Mary Lee Burchell, 24, and her son, 8-month-old Tayler Andrews, were fatally stabbed in their home March 16. Dan Andrews, 31, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in his wife's and son's deaths.
Dan Andrews' father Starlin Andrews has publicly said his son was mentally ill -- a condition that perhaps was the result of a car crash years ago. Dan Andrews claimed his infant son was the second coming of Christ and he was the anti-Christ, family members said. Dan Andrews had been evaluated in a West Plains mental hospital in February, but had been released after 96 hours.
Wade said the Department of Mental Health made the determination that Andrews was unfit to continue with legal proceedings. "They will try to rehabilitate him. They will keep him for as long as is necessary," Wade said.
If deemed rehabilitated, legal proceedings could begin again, said Wade.
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090702/NEWS01/907020369/1007/Man-facing-murder-charges-incompetent
An Ava man charged with murdering his wife and child has been declared incompetent to continue court proceedings, Douglas County Prosecutor Christopher Wade said Wednesday.
Mary Lee Burchell, 24, and her son, 8-month-old Tayler Andrews, were fatally stabbed in their home March 16. Dan Andrews, 31, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in his wife's and son's deaths.
Dan Andrews' father Starlin Andrews has publicly said his son was mentally ill -- a condition that perhaps was the result of a car crash years ago. Dan Andrews claimed his infant son was the second coming of Christ and he was the anti-Christ, family members said. Dan Andrews had been evaluated in a West Plains mental hospital in February, but had been released after 96 hours.
Wade said the Department of Mental Health made the determination that Andrews was unfit to continue with legal proceedings. "They will try to rehabilitate him. They will keep him for as long as is necessary," Wade said.
If deemed rehabilitated, legal proceedings could begin again, said Wade.
5-year-old boy watches dad beat mom to death (Whitestown, Indiana)
The five-year-old son of MICHAEL STAYER says he saw his dad beat his mother to death with a hammer and a tire iron. He heard screaming from the bedroom of his two-year-old sister, and had gone upstairs to see what was going on. Experts in the article potificate about the psychological damage related to the trauma, but that seems pretty obvious to me. The parents' divorce had been finalized only two months before--once AGAIN showing how dangerous leaving an abuser can be.
http://www.indystar.com/article/20090620/LOCAL0202/906200336/1145/LOCAL02/5-year-old+says+he+saw+dad+fatally+beat+mom++court+papers+say
5-year-old says he saw dad fatally beat mom, court papers say
By Robert Annis
Posted: June 20, 2009
A 5-year-old allegedly witnessed his father beat his mother so severely in her Whitestown home that she died the next day, according to court documents.
Prosecutors say Michael Stayer, 32, beat his ex-wife, Beth Stayer, 34, with a hammer and a tire iron June 11. He has been charged with murder and could face the death penalty.
Emergency medical workers found Beth Stayer nearly lifeless in her 2-year-old daughter's room and immediately transferred the woman to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. She died the next day from her injuries.
Beth and Michael Stayer had been divorced less than two months.
The couple's 5-year-old son witnessed the attack, according to the probable cause affidavit. The boy heard a commotion and screaming coming from his 2-year-old sister's room and went upstairs, Jennifer Essex said in the affidavit. Essex is with the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Essex said the boy described a bloody scene, stating that "dad had hit mommy" and his father had used a hammer and "a killer," which police believe was a tire iron found in Michael Stayer's Jeep. Asked if his parents had been violent with one another before, the boy said he didn't want to talk about it anymore.
Dr. Marla Souder of Community Psychological Consultants, Indianapolis, is not involved in the case but said it's beneficial for the boy's mental health that he can communicate about it on his own terms.
He can be expected to have a hard time processing and sorting out what he witnessed, and he likely will go through multiple stages of grief as he mourns the loss of his mother and separation from his father, Souder said. That could develop into post-traumatic stress, she explained.
At 2, the Stayers' daughter is unlikely to remember much about this incident, but she will live it through her brother's experience, and that will have a lifelong effect, Souder said.
After police got to the scene, they said, Stayer's brother, David Stayer, arrived and wanted to leave with the children and his brother's vehicle, which potentially had evidence inside. Police are searching Michael Stayer's cell phone records to see if he called or texted instructions to his brother.
Michael Stayer was arrested soon after the attack and is being held in the Boone County Jail without bond.
In addition to the murder charge, he faces felony counts of aggravated battery, battery resulting in serious bodily injury and domestic battery. He's scheduled to go on trial Oct. 19 in Boone County. If convicted on all four counts, he could face up to 96 years in prison.
The two children are staying with a foster family.
A hearing is scheduled for Friday, where Boone Circuit Judge Steve David could decide if the children will remain with the foster family or be released to family members.
http://www.indystar.com/article/20090620/LOCAL0202/906200336/1145/LOCAL02/5-year-old+says+he+saw+dad+fatally+beat+mom++court+papers+say
5-year-old says he saw dad fatally beat mom, court papers say
By Robert Annis
Posted: June 20, 2009
A 5-year-old allegedly witnessed his father beat his mother so severely in her Whitestown home that she died the next day, according to court documents.
Prosecutors say Michael Stayer, 32, beat his ex-wife, Beth Stayer, 34, with a hammer and a tire iron June 11. He has been charged with murder and could face the death penalty.
Emergency medical workers found Beth Stayer nearly lifeless in her 2-year-old daughter's room and immediately transferred the woman to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. She died the next day from her injuries.
Beth and Michael Stayer had been divorced less than two months.
The couple's 5-year-old son witnessed the attack, according to the probable cause affidavit. The boy heard a commotion and screaming coming from his 2-year-old sister's room and went upstairs, Jennifer Essex said in the affidavit. Essex is with the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Essex said the boy described a bloody scene, stating that "dad had hit mommy" and his father had used a hammer and "a killer," which police believe was a tire iron found in Michael Stayer's Jeep. Asked if his parents had been violent with one another before, the boy said he didn't want to talk about it anymore.
Dr. Marla Souder of Community Psychological Consultants, Indianapolis, is not involved in the case but said it's beneficial for the boy's mental health that he can communicate about it on his own terms.
He can be expected to have a hard time processing and sorting out what he witnessed, and he likely will go through multiple stages of grief as he mourns the loss of his mother and separation from his father, Souder said. That could develop into post-traumatic stress, she explained.
At 2, the Stayers' daughter is unlikely to remember much about this incident, but she will live it through her brother's experience, and that will have a lifelong effect, Souder said.
After police got to the scene, they said, Stayer's brother, David Stayer, arrived and wanted to leave with the children and his brother's vehicle, which potentially had evidence inside. Police are searching Michael Stayer's cell phone records to see if he called or texted instructions to his brother.
Michael Stayer was arrested soon after the attack and is being held in the Boone County Jail without bond.
In addition to the murder charge, he faces felony counts of aggravated battery, battery resulting in serious bodily injury and domestic battery. He's scheduled to go on trial Oct. 19 in Boone County. If convicted on all four counts, he could face up to 96 years in prison.
The two children are staying with a foster family.
A hearing is scheduled for Friday, where Boone Circuit Judge Steve David could decide if the children will remain with the foster family or be released to family members.
Dad charged in death of 15-month-old son (Radcliffe, Iowa)
Dad MICHAEL RAY MEEKER has been charged with the death of his 15-month-old son, who died of blunt force trauma to the head "under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to human life." The mom is also blamed for not being able to protect the boy (no indication here that it was even possible).
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20338747&BRD=1907&PAG=461&dept_id=133418&rfi=6
RADCLIFFE: A couple has been charged in the December death of a 15-month-old boy. Michael Ray Meeker, 29, has been charged with murder. The boy' mother, Angela Marie Meeker, 21, has been charged with child endangerment. The state medical examiner says the boy died from blunt force trauma to the head, "...under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to human life..."
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20338747&BRD=1907&PAG=461&dept_id=133418&rfi=6
RADCLIFFE: A couple has been charged in the December death of a 15-month-old boy. Michael Ray Meeker, 29, has been charged with murder. The boy' mother, Angela Marie Meeker, 21, has been charged with child endangerment. The state medical examiner says the boy died from blunt force trauma to the head, "...under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to human life..."
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