Updated 10.15.2010 – Is a child more likely to be a victim of Maternal Filicide? … “It not as rare a crime as you may think.”

Child Murder by Mothers: A Critical Analysis of the Current State of Knowledge and a Research Agenda

Susan Hatters Friedman, M.D., Sarah McCue Horwitz, Ph.D., and Phillip J. Resnick, M.D.

On Anniversary of the Date in which Cindy Anthony called authorities that her grand daughter was missing…only later to find out her daughter may be apart of the reason for her disappearance.

I am not passing judgment on Casey Anthony; I am showing proof that Maternal Filicide is not as rare a crime as one would think.”

….from July 2008 to today, there have been, but not limited to, I found 20 cases, where a mother is charged with the death of their child. The charges vary, and the cause of death varies.  I did not follow each link to see the verdicts in these cases; some are too new to adjudicated yet.

I did a Google search using these words – “Mother is Charged in Death” the result is 2,810,000 entries – for mother is charged with death.

I do not recall any of these cases receiving the amount of coverage that the Anthony case has.  I know the Parents are on their own mission.  IMO-Orlando is a city that is in shadows of Atlanta and Miami. The TV stations here report every thing from a Dog Park violation to this, murder of a child.

The missing children reports in the state of Florida are high, the crime rates are above most, and our city is a mix of residents, tourists, convention events.  I have lived in Los Angeles, Dallas, Burlington VT, and Cape Cod MA…  Orlando is one of the few places I have observed such a large difference between the haves and the have not’s, with in the same zip code.

The city and the County that blankets it, is also still physically segregated.  In this economy, I have yet to turn on the news without hearing about someone who has just committed a crime on a person, usually a family member or someone with in his or her own extended family.  The violence at the hands of someone unknown to the victim is less than hand of the violence caused by a familiar person to the victim.

Why Florida is in the spotlight?  Why are there so many incidents of violence and kidnapping here with in the sun line coastlines of the Florida peninsula?  Maybe some one can figure this out a get back to me.

Here is a list of stories from around the US,  all taken place in the last 11.5 mos….

February 2008,-  Ms. Markum  has been charged in the death of two of her children in a traffic crash.

July 16, 2008 – Orlando, Florida, Casey Marie Anthony, arrested July 16, 2008 for giving false statements, neglect of a child, and obstruction of a criminal investigation with a request that she be held on a no bond status until Caylee Anthony was located.

July 30, 2008  – Amber McIntyre-Roden, 23, who was  charged with felony murder in the death of her 2-month-old daughter.  [only 1,850 for Amber McIntyre-Roden articles].

August 29, 2008 – Orlando, Florida, Casey Marie Anthony arrested on charges of forgery, fraudulent use of personal information, and petty theft for forging $700 worth of checks and using her friend’s credit cards without permission.

Sept.  30, 2008 – Christie Michelle Scott, 30, mother of a 6-year-old boy who was killed in a house fire in August has been indicted on capital murder charges in Franklin County.

October 14, 2008 – Orlando, Florida, Casey Marie Anthony, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of first-degree murder.

October 21, 2008 – Orlando, Florida, Casey Marie Anthony, the charges of child neglect were dropped against Casey. In a statement that morning, the State Attorney’s Office explained: “The neglect charges were premised on the theory that her child, Caylee Marie, was still alive.

Oct 27,  2008 – Mother charged in the beating death of her 11-year old daughter in Brooklyn

Nov 21,  2008 – North Union mother charged in 2000 death of newborn

Dec 18,  2008 Mother Charged In Death Of Baby Found In Trash

Dec 28,  2008 – A Staten Island mother was charged today with manslaughter in the death of her 10-year-old son

Jan. 10, 2009 – Banita Jacks, 33, is charged with three counts of felony murder and one count of first-degree murder while armed.  The victims, who range in age from 5 to 17 years, are thought to be her daughters. Their bodies were found when U.S. marshals served an eviction notice at Jacks’ apartment in southeast Washington, D.C.

Jan 19,  2009 – Mother charged in ’06 starvation death of 7-month-old daughter

Jan 21,  2009 – Mother charged in Garner toddler’s death

Feb  9,   2009 – TX Mother Charged in Diabetic Girl’s Death

April 16, 2009 Mother Kathleen Gilderdale, 54, charged over death  of Lynn Gilderdale, who was handicap, was found dead at her home.

Apr 24, 2009 – Mother charged in death of quadriplegic girl

Apr 25, 2009 – Mother’s Boyfriend Charged In Death Of Toddler

April 27, 2009 – Stacey Barker, 24, was charged with one count each of murder, assault on a child causing death and child abuse in the death of Emma Leigh Barker.

May 6, 2009  – Joanna Faucett  24,  faces second-degree murder charges in the death of her 1-month-old daughter.

May 9, 2009 – Volusia County  Mother Charged In Baby’s Death.

May 11, 2009  – Ariel Hampton Centerfields, UT., charged  with a first-degree felony child abuse homicide in the death of her two-year old daughter.

May 12, 2009 Jessica Minor, Montrose, Pa.,  charged Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment.  She is accused of alcohol poisoning death of her 6-month-old baby.

Mar 12, 2009 – Mother, Lola Lieb charged in baby’s death. Medical examiner found methadone.

May 12,2009 – Amber Zuke is charged with the death of her special needs son.

May 13, 2009 – Angela Garcia is charged with Chemical Endangerment of a child, a class “A” felony.

May 21, 2009 –  Tiffany Toribio, 23, Albuquerque, N. M., is charged Monday with an open count of murder, child abuse resulting in death, tampering with evidence, failure to report a death and concealing her identity.

May 24, 2009  – Amanda Jo Stott-Smith, 31, Portland, Ore. was taken into custody. Stott-Smith faces aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder charges. She is to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon after she had threatened to jump off a ledge when officers arrived, police said. Stott-Smith filed for separation from her husband, Jason Smith, in March, according to Washington County Circuit Court records. The parents had joint custody of the children, Marshman said.

May 31st 2009 – Amanda Brumfield of Ocoee , FL was charged with child neglect in the death of a 1-year-old she was babysitting [ although this is not the mother of the child, the fact that the person tried to hide the fact that the baby had fallen.  What is unknown is if the child fell during Brumfield’s care, or prior to Brumfields arrival.

Jun 5, 2009 – Lori Beth Workman, 25, Uniontown, PA., is accused of beating the boy with a piece of crib when he would not stop crying.  On September 22, 2008,  Homer’s parents called 911 saying the baby was unresponsive. Paramedics found the baby’s body on the couch.

June 2, 2009 – Nekela Oliver, a mother 3-year-old girl beaten to death is behind bars in connection with her daughter’s murder. According to a police affidavit,  23-year-old Antonio Starks admitted to spanking the little girl three times, with a belt, because she used the bathroom on herself and him.

June 10, 2009  – Araceli Velasquez-Espain, 21, Hermiston, OR.,  was arrested Monday on charges of aggravated murder, which potentially carries the death penalty; murder; first-degree manslaughter; second-degree corpse abuse; and criminal mistreatment. She is being held in the Umatilla County Jail on a federal immigration hold.

June 17, 2009 – Shaquana Bennett, Brooklyn, NY.  was taken into police custody and charged with manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.  The medical examiner’s office says “Tuquan Bennett-Shuler was smothered.”

March 22, 2010 – Kim H. Peno, 38, TAUNTON was arraigned in Taunton District Court today charged with first degree murder for the death of her son, Timothy. the boy she is alleged to have beaten to death her hands inside their home last week.

May 22 2010 – Lianne Angela Smith: mother charged with killing children in Spanish hotel A British mother has been charged with killing her two young children in a Spanish resort as it emerged she spent the night beside their dead bodies before alerting police.

September  03 2010 – Melanie Ruddell, 39, carried the lifeless body of toddler Christy into Peterlee police station, County Durham, the mother charged with murdering her two-year-old son was remanded to a secure psychiatric hospital today.

Updated- 11:09 pm 6.17.2009

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Death penalty: What other’s are Thinking

Posted by: Gxxxx | May 31, 2009 at 07:02 AM

 

    I must say that I agree with the defense on the matter of the death penalty. There is something seriously wrong with the prosecution in the fact that they had waived the death penalty and then reinstated it. I know that this was done after the Caylee’s body was found, but Casey was already charged with 1st degree murder.

I have not yet seen one piece of evidence that ties her to the site where Caylee was found besides garbage bags, duct tape and a laundry bag. These are all very common household items that you will find in almost all houses. One thing that really makes me wonder is the laundry bag. This type of a household item you would think would be so easily linked to that home.

I say this due to the fact that it’s a cloth laundry bag that would hold an enormous amount of fibers, possible hair from other family members, etc. I find it hard to believe that if this basket did come from the Anthony house they have not found any evidence of fibers that could be linked to clothes from inside that house. I am also very much confused as to it taking them as long as they did to find Caylee’s body. This if anything will be the reason Casey walks.

We all have to be realistic here on this matter. Although we have this mountain of evidence that Casey did something to little Caylee the fact that the area was searched multiple times (Once with cadaver dogs) and several tips came in of possible evidence in a missing child case that were not followed up on correctly is a massive argument for the defense to claim the body was not there at that time. I myself am having a real hard time with this one.

This is especially troubling to me due to the fact that this area was only ¼ of a mile from the Anthony’s home and we all know that if tips were coming in that there was a possible dead child in the woods the authorities would have ripped that woods down tree by tree. Something is seriously wrong with this aspect of the case.

This could definitely put doubt in a jury’s mind as to whether Casey was the one to put the body there. All the evidence points to Casey having a part in whatever happened, but it does not point to pre meditated murder. There is no cause of death, no crime scene, no motive (Unless you want to say she did it to spite her mother or so she can be child free) and once again we have this long period of time before they found the body when it was almost in the Anthony’s back yard.

I really need to see what else the prosecution has because there is many holes in this case that need to be filled before I myself could say this was pre-meditated murder. Casey is definitely guilty of something (But what and to what extent) I wish Casey would just come out with what really happened.

Posted by: Gxxxx | May 31, 2009 at 07:02 AM

State of FloriDAH! vs. Death row realism (title By Jeanne Woodford).

State of FloriDAH! vs. Death row realism

Mike Thomas Blog

“But now I am reconsidering. Noted DePaul law professor Andrea Lyon has joined the defense because it lacked an attorney who met the qualifications to defend a death penalty case.  Lyon is a very accomplished attorney who more than meets the qualifications.”

 “Just like Johnnie Cochran took over O.J.’s defense from Robert Shapiro.”

 
Death row realism  by Jeanne Woodford

Death row realism I did my job, but I don’t believe it was the right thing to have done. We should have condemned Massie to permanent imprisonment — that would have made the world safer, but on the night we executed him, when the question was asked,

“Did this make the world safer?” the answer remained no. Massie needed to be keptaway from society, but we did not need to kill him.

 

“Do executions make us safer? San Quentin’s former warden says no.”  By Jeanne Woodford October 2, 2008

Can we all give Baez a Break?

REMEMBER; Jose’ Baez, originally hired to defend a fraud and theft by check charges.  The reason he remain was because Ms. Anthony asked him to…I am sure he said..  (Not quoting him), Hey, do you want me to find another attorney to handle the new set of charges.  The other thing that bothers me is the assumption that the death penalty is a lighthearted decision, either by Mr. Lamar, or by Ms. Drane-Burdick.

I think the DP was originally a knee jerk reaction to the public’s outrage.  The removal of the death penalty punishment been removed because the judge ruled in favor of the defendants objection notice (Atty Lenamon); it was not a “change of heart” on the States part.  The state returned to the Death penalty notice,  to leverage the case. I do not think for a minute, Ms. Drane-Burdick would even allow Mr. Lamar to play “death row Bluff” with her own career on the line.

Update:

It’s official, Andrea D. Lyon is on the case. Per Orange County Records update

CASEY MARIE ANTHONY    DEFENDANT
782.04(1)(A)(1) - FIRST DEGREE MURDER
Charge Level: FELONY   Charge Degree: CAPITAL
JOSE A BAEZ    ATTORNEY
ANDREA D LYON    ATTORNEY
YURI MELICH    OFFICER
4/13/2009 A NOTICE OF INTENT TO SEEK THE PENALTY OF DEATH FILED
5/28/2009 A VERIFIED MOTION FOR ADMISSION TO APPEAR PRO HAC VICE
5/29/2009 A NOTICE OF APPEARANCE FILED ANDREA D. LYON
5/29/2009 A NOTICE OF CERTIFICATION FILED

high road these days, a little less traveled? To those that do, find it morally rewarding…

Is taking the high road these days, a little less traveled?  To those that do, find it morally rewarding…just ask WKMG.

So did WKMG pull all the PDF documents regarding the Casey Anthony case from their ClickOrlando Site?  Were the documents ever on the site?  On the other hand, did they take the high road?  I decided to check for myself…

A quick search for a PDF version of the motion to amend and supplement motion to seal jail videotape taken in the medical facility” docs from the Anthony case just to if the recent motions filed by Ms. Anthony’s defense attorneys

Orange County Clerk’s t/d stamped 5.27.2009 17:11 pm, the motion was filed by Fax, per the Orange County clerk site – 407-836-2306 – the t/d of clocked in to reflect the actual date of the transmission (the fax shows 2.27.2009 16:13 from Baez Law Firm).  The clerks physical stamp shows 16:11 pm 5.27.2009 (red ink)

This is where the fork in the road comes to mind.  Who at the Orange County Clerks office, faxed the “Baez Motion on Casey Video” out of the Clerks office at 17:20 pm 5.27.2009, and to whom was it faxed to?  From script info from archived Google page shows WESH posted the document at 5:24:07 EDT Date: 5/29/2009.

To my surprise, WKMG is void of such documents.  The WKMG site did have links to their own videos footage, but the famed Document Dumps are not visible to my searches.  My search did find the recent 17-page motion to amend… on WESH posted the document around 5:24am on Thursday the 29 of May.  I did not find it on WFTV, so I had better not hear that familiar phrase… oh I cannot even bring myself to type it out.

Before the Casey junkies freak out, the links to the documents are still out there, but they are on private blogs sites.  Some of the private blogs offer the links to WKMG, I followed a few, some worked, and others were redirects to a blank error page.

Anyone want to offer an opinion as to where these links might be, or were they ever there?  The other TV stations in town, WFTV, WESH, and CFN13 offer a majority of these documents.

The WKMG site is also void of a link or tab to Caylee or Casey Anthony on their home page. The other stations have banners and tab link on their main/home page (Casey Anthony case, Calyee Anthony and Anthony Case).

Thanks for taking the high road.  I feel there is a ray of sunshine for all of us here in Florida, who depend on you and the state government to work together to insure unbiased dissemination of the stories that encompass or government at work.

p.s. I would like to see WKMG do a follow up to this –

On WOFL-Channel 35, Holly Bristow said there were “some pretty juicy things” in the motion.  What was most shocking to Bristow was several jail guards said Anthony,  not treated fairly on that December day and they felt uncomfortable about what they were asked to do.

 

.

So, are you happy now Mr. Ashton? [FYI -“…has never to have lost a death-penalty case.”]

So, are you happy now Mr. Ashton?  Not only is Andrea Lyons qualified, is considered and expert on Capital law and death penalty case law.

In 2005, she received the president’s commendation from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers for her death penalty work.

“Professor Lyon has tried over 130 homicide cases. A former Cook County Public Defender in Illinois, she served as chief of the public defender’s homicide task force. In 1990 she founded the Illinois Capital Resource Center and served as its director until joining the University of Michigan Law School faculty in 1995.” The statement added that, “In 2000, she joined DePaul’s faculty and is now the Associate Dean of Clinical Programs.”

 It’s funny I used President Obama as an example..5 degrees of separation is powerful.

Even the President of the US is not DP q under Florida Rule of Crim Pro 3.112.  (Unless there is a void, if it’s the president rule that supersedes the FS 3.112 rule.)

Posted by: finnperkins | May 26, 2009 at 06:49 PM (Hal TV Guy’s blog)

The dp qualified attorney can have a vitae to match President Obama,

but if he or she has not tried a case in the state of Florida, they do not qualify under Florida’s DPQA pre-requisite/law. [Florida Rule of Crim Pro 3.112](759 So.2d 610). Amended July 1, 2002 (820 So.2d 185); Oct. 8, 2008 (993 So.2d 501).

p.s. – I wonder what her nickname will be.

btw- WFTV does not waste time on trying to make Ms. Lyon’s day memorable. “WFTV’s headline -the new attorney …stay tune and see what we dug up on her and what you need to know!”

I bet this was a hard line for Kathi Belich to say -”Lyon has very impressive credentials” and “is said never to have lost a death-penalty case.”

Kathi Belich’s is saying an extra pray tonight, WFTV reporter states Ms. Lyon’s was added to the case but has yet to file the papers and to be approved by the court.  I do not think Judge Strickland will go out of his way to please Ms. Belich this week.

old comment I made regarding WFTV and their bent view of this case-

Casey maybe a liar, a cheat, even a poster child for a 5150 PSA, and last she may even be just an average 22-year-old slacker.

These trait do not add up to some one who could carry out not only the crime it’s self, but to leave no affirmative trace for FBI and local FDLE to confirm without the phrase tagged-

 

1.      Materials are too limited to fully characterize, they remain suitable for comparison  exam, should suspected sources be located. (Drugs test on hair)

2.      Accumulation of material from different sources collected into the trunk over a period. Because they are intimately mixed, no source of this material can be determined. (Trunk)

3.      Did not originate from crime scene (soil shovel and Casey’s shoes. all of them).

 

Just to list a few reason why this is not a slam-dunk for the state attorneys office (hello Mr. Ashton)…

jm2cents/Finn

…and behind door number 3 we have…? I think I’ll keep my dental appointment Thursday

“The defense team planned to introduce the death-qualified attorney at the hearing.”  ….WESH’s Bob Kealing 

Here is a response from a blogger.”  Hopefully will be another Bozo Baez!”

I found 32 references to Baez using the word BOZO.  I remember Bozo as a fun Clown who made me laugh, everyday on WFTV.  I even have to sit in on a show while I was a brownie scout.  Now my childhood clown is now forever connected to Jose’ Baez and Casey Anthony.

Do they think Jose is funny? Does Jose’ Baez have very large feet. 

Is it that Jose’ wear a bright blue outfit to work every day?  Does Jose’ have an over the top Crayola Red hair do?  [Something I have yet to witness]  I found after reading the 32 posts today that, the reason why they call Mr. Baez …”Bozo”,

1.    Because they may not know how to spell Baez correctly.

2.    Because he has a receding hairline.

3.    Because he is flatfooted.

4.    Because his name begins with the letter”B”.

 

When WFTV reminds us as viewers that Casey was watching their station, they forgot to also tell us, that the pods are not rigged with Dish Network, and unlike Casey who has TV is on WFTV, I get my News from Fox35 thank you…

In Print from Orlando Sentinel

The web from the WSJ on-line.

Oh, yes Radio is 104.1 

       Posted by: finnperkins | May 26, 2009 at 05:29 PM

 

Jose’ Morning according to YOU-

brush teeth,
kiss the wife,
hugs the kids,
grab the paper,
pick up the brief case,
find the car keys
…and oh, call Kathi Belich!  NOT.

 Jose’ Morning, according to Jose’-

brush teeth,
kiss the wife,
hugs the kids,
grab the paper,
pick up the brief case,
find the car keys
…and oh call ahead 511 for traffic report.

Hal what is the usual protocol for courthouse media?

imo- the media has knew from Jose’s own spokesperson that the attorney whom the team
has chosen would be released prior to the may 28th hearing date.

Posted by: finnperkins | May 26, 2009 at 06:32 PM

 

I would pose this question (but I know the answer already, but here is anyway.

Q-Did the jail staff move Casey into the same situation as they did on Dec. 11?

A-From my inside source, Casey was not moved from her cell to the same area on the day Padilla did his FALSE find dive.

Footnote-what a waste of funds on his part, but it is his money.

Posted by: finnperkins | May 26, 2009 at 05:37 PM

I fact, the Same jail CO said, Casey’s regular schedule time, to be in the regular open-population TV room while the others were outside.  The jail CO’ noticed the coverage, and that before the finds were announced, the CO sent Casey back to her Cell, without incident.

The info on the NON-Movement of Casey from Cell on the Day Padilla did his FALSE search, was from a Jail CO, who’s mother works at the salon where my mother’s stylist works,…na na na.  For real, a bunch of 80 year old ladies discuss this every Friday now. I call it “Updates from the Q-tips”

Posted by: finnperkins | May 26, 2009 at 05:53 PM

You know your obsessed with the Anthony case, when your grocery list says, “whole kernel caylee.” instead of “whole kernel corn”

Here is a glimpse-click link for original post.-

“So, on the receipt, I’d labeled the various items, ground beef , velveeta cheese, taco chips, whole kernel corn…but on down the receipt, on the last can of whole kernel corn I had bought, I had written “whole kernel caylee.”

My niece (who found the receipt), really busted my chops over being obsessed with the case when she saw that last night…I tried to defend myself by telling her I rarely ever watch NG anymore…I don’t think she bought it.

 😉   Posted by- “whole kernel caylee.” Kxxx Mxxxxxxx – Batesville, AR

This part was interesting-

You know you’re obsessed, then your grocery list says, “whole kernel caylee.” instead of whole kernel corn”

Here is my response to the same news- I can’t say I am surprised by this move, but this is the era of reality television, and who am I to stand firm on my opinion on due process, and stop the NEW BUSINESS as usual policy when it comes to media’s claim …”. Publics need to know vs. Harm limitation principle,” Besides, I can see a bright side of this Ashleigh Banfield!

I watch her and Jack Ford’s coverage of the Skipper trial here in Florida this past fall.

So with that I will hold comment on how this might harm the case, If the Ms. Kerry, could kindly stop doing the snoopy dance, and know that, the coverage of this civil trial, holds just as much new case law possibilities, as the criminal case.

Finn

Do you know who your neighbors are?

let me introduce you folks to Ms. Zenaida Almodovar, and Mr. Peter Gonzalez Jr.

I am not offering an opinion on this, as this site has been under some form of legal issue before about there postings, but if this documents are un-retouch/edited, they are interesing at best.

This should keep all of you folks busy for a while.  Very intersting, I might even change my mind…Key word is  “might”. this link is worth the look.

 

I am not promoting the opinions of the site, I am just being fair, offering other points of view.

Is a child more likely to be a victim of Maternal Filicide? … “It not as rare a crime as you may think.”

I am not passing judgment on Casey Anthony; I am showing proof that Maternal Filicide is not as rare a crime as one would think.”

….from July 2008 to today, their have been, but not limited to, I found 20 cases, where a mother is charged with the death of their child. The charges vary, and the cause of death varies.  I did not follow each link to see the verdicts in these cases; some are too new to adjudicated yet.

I did a Google search using these words – “Mother is Charged in Death” the result is 2,810,000 entries – for mother is charged with death.

I do not recall any of these cases receiving the amount of coverage that the Anthony case has.  I know the Parents are on their own mission.  IMO-Orlando is a city that is in shadows of Atlanta and Miami. The TV stations here report every thing from a Dog Park violation to this, murder of a child.

The missing children reports in the state of Florida are high, the crime rates are above most, and our city is a mix of residents, tourists, convention events.  I have lived in Los Angeles, Dallas, Burlington VT, and Cape Cod MA…  Orlando is one of the only places I have observed such a large difference between the haves and the have not’s, with in the same zip code.

The city and the County that blankets it, is also still physically segregated.  In this economy, I have yet to turn on the news without hearing about someone who has just committed a crime on a person, usually a family member or someone with in his or her own extended family.  The violence at the hands of someone unknown to the victim is less than hand of the violence caused by a familiar person to the victim.

Why Florida is in the spotlight?  Why are there so many incidents of violence and kidnapping here with in the sun line coastlines of the Florida peninsula?  Maybe some one can figure this out a get back to me.
the list of stories from around the US,  all taken place in the last 11.5 mos….

February 2008,-  Ms. Markum  has been charged in the death of two of her children in a traffic crash.

July 16, 2008 – Orlando, Florida, Casey Marie Anthony, arrested July 16, 2008 for giving false statements, neglect of a child, and obstruction of a criminal investigation with a request that she be held on a no bond status until Caylee Anthony was located.

July 30, 2008  – Amber McIntyre-Roden, 23, who was  charged with felony murder in the death of her 2-month-old daughter.  [only 1,850 for Amber McIntyre-Roden articles].

August 29, 2008 – Orlando, Florida, Casey Marie Anthony arrested on charges of forgery, fraudulent use of personal information, and petty theft for forging $700 worth of checks and using her friend’s credit cards without permission.

Sept.  30, 2008 – Christie Michelle Scott, 30, mother of a 6-year-old boy who was killed in a house fire in August has been indicted on capital murder charges in Franklin County.

October 14, 2008 – Orlando, Florida, Casey Marie Anthony, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of first-degree murder.

October 21, 2008 – Orlando, Florida, Casey Marie Anthony, the charges of child neglect were dropped against Casey. In a statement that morning, the State Attorney’s Office explained: “The neglect charges were premised on the theory that her child, Caylee Marie, was still alive.

Oct 27,  2008 – Mother charged in the beating death of her 11-year old daughter in Brooklyn

Nov 21,  2008 – North Union mother charged in 2000 death of newborn

Dec 18,  2008 Mother Charged In Death Of Baby Found In Trash

Dec 28,  2008 – A Staten Island mother was charged today with manslaughter in the death of her 10-year-old son

 

Jan. 10, 2009 – Banita Jacks, 33, is charged with three counts of felony murder and one count of first-degree murder while armed.  The victims, who range in age from 5 to 17 years, are thought to be her daughters. Their bodies were found when U.S. marshals served an eviction notice at Jacks’ apartment in southeast Washington, D.C.

 

Jan 19,  2009 – Mother charged in ’06 starvation death of 7-month-old daughter

Jan 21,  2009 – Mother charged in Garner toddler’s death

Feb  9,   2009 – TX Mother Charged in Diabetic Girl’s Death

April 16, 2009 Mother Kathleen Gilderdale, 54, charged over death  of Lynn Gilderdale, who was handicap, was found dead at her home.

Apr 24, 2009 – Mother charged in death of quadriplegic girl

Apr 25, 2009 – Mother’s Boyfriend Charged In Death Of Toddler

April 27, 2009 – Stacey Barker, 24, was charged with one count each of murder, assault on a child causing death and child abuse in the death of Emma Leigh Barker.

May 6, 2009  – Joanna Faucett  24,  faces second-degree murder charges in the death of her 1-month-old daughter.

 

May 9, 2009 – Volusia County  Mother Charged In Baby’s Death.

May 11, 2009  – Ariel Hampton Centerfields, UT., charged  with a first-degree felony child abuse homicide in the death of her two-year old daughter. 

May 12, 2009 Jessica Minor, Montrose, Pa.,  charged Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment.  She is accused of alcohol poisoning death of her 6-month-old baby.

Mar 12, 2009 – Mother, Lola Lieb charged in baby’s death. Medical examiner found methadone.

 

May 12,2009 – Amber Zuke is charged with the death of her special needs son.

 

May 13, 2009 – Angela Garcia is charged with Chemical Endangerment of a child, a class “A” felony.

May 21, 2009 –  Tiffany Toribio, 23, Albuquerque, N. M., is charged Monday with an open count of murder, child abuse resulting in death, tampering with evidence, failure to report a death and concealing her identity.

May 24, 2009  – Amanda Jo Stott-Smith, 31, Portland, Ore. was taken into custody. Stott-Smith faces aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder charges. She is to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon after she had threatened to jump off a ledge when officers arrived, police said. Stott-Smith filed for separation from her husband, Jason Smith, in March, according to Washington County Circuit Court records. The parents had joint custody of the children, Marshman said.

May 31st 2009 – Amanda Brumfield of Ocoee , FL was charged with child neglect in the death of a 1-year-old she was babysitting [ although this is not the mother of the child, the fact that the person tried to hide the fact that the baby had fallen.  What is unknown is if the child fell during Brumfield’s care, or prior to Brumfields arrival.

Jun 5, 2009 – Lori Beth Workman, 25, Uniontown, PA., is accused of beating the boy with a piece of crib when he would not stop crying.  On September 22, 2008,  Homer’s parents called 911 saying the baby was unresponsive. Paramedics found the baby’s body on the couch.

 

June 2, 2009 – Nekela Oliver, a mother 3-year-old girl beaten to death is behind bars in connection with her daughter’s murder. According to a police affidavit,  23-year-old Antonio Starks admitted to spanking the little girl three times, with a belt, because she used the bathroom on herself and him.

 

June 10, 2009  – Araceli Velasquez-Espain, 21, Hermiston, OR.,  was arrested Monday on charges of aggravated murder, which potentially carries the death penalty; murder; first-degree manslaughter; second-degree corpse abuse; and criminal mistreatment. She is being held in the Umatilla County Jail on a federal immigration hold.

June 17, 2009 – Shaquana Bennett, Brooklyn, NY.  was taken into police custody and charged with manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.  The medical examiner’s office says “Tuquan Bennett-Shuler was smothered.”

Updated- 5:30 5.29.2009

“ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat” Is it Greek to you? …”it’s part of the Bill of Rights for me!

…wondering when we lost faith in our Bill of Rights and who do we have to thank, in helping us get back the faith.

ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat 

Unbelievably, the many defendants on death row, the many domestic violence victims with in our own communities.  With every injustice, every crime on humanity, every lapse in judgment, we as a nation follow the trail of stories that usually horrify even the most harden of hearts.  When the days is done and go to pray before your sleep, far from your mind is the fact that, we have the framers of our U.S. Constitution & our Bill of Rights to thank, as we can freely worship, and pray at will.

We also can attribute the same to many other privileges that we as US citizens take for granted time, while we wonder upon this vast space call earth.  As much as the viewers and readers who feel some one is guilty based on the knowledge they profess as fact, because it came from out TV screen, or our internet searches we conduct as armchair sleuths,  the same bill of rights that allow freedom of speech also offers us the Fifth  and Fourteenth Amendment. 

The burden of proof is thus on the prosecution, which has to collect and present enough compelling evidence to convince the judge and jury, who are restrained and ordered by law to consider only actual evidence and testimony that is legally admissible. 

The guaranteeing the presumption of innocence extends beyond the judicial system.  For instance, in many countries journalistic codes of ethics state those journalists should refrain from referring to suspects as though their guilt is certain.  The Reports are to use “suspect” or “defendant” when referring to the suspect, and use “alleged” when referring to the criminal activity of the suspect. 

More subtly, publishing of the prosecution’s case without proper defense argumentation may constitute presumption of guilt.  Publishing a roster of arrested suspects may constitute undeserved punishment as well, since in practice it damages the reputation of innocent suspects.  I feel this also applies to the defendant’s family members and to the witnesses and their families.

How would you feel if you were the sister, brother of a defendant or witness in the Anthony case…?  Think of Roy Kronk, before you fly off the words.

ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat