Missing Georgia Toddlers Part 2

[WindChime]

Continue on.

[Nchadwickaz]

As a mother of 2 toddlers, I hate to place blame (unless clearly negligence) on the parents -- this was indeed an accident (no one took these children, mother didn't murder, etc)

My children are 13, 5, twins 4 -- We have been in our current home for 2.5 years (so my children were around 11, 3, twins 2). We live in Arizona and the previous home had a pool (with all the safety procedures) and one of the most important things when looking for a new home was NO POOL. Due to the fact that I knew even as young as the toddlers were that they conspire together to get into mischeif (and I did not want the fear of them somehow getting into the backyard).

Well, we had only been in the house for 6 months and I was doing laudry, while my oldest was in her room reading. The toy room was set up as "baby jail" with baby gates at both doorways. I was putting away clothes in my room (which faces the back yard) and I could hear the girls like they were in MY ROOM! So as I am looking around I see one of their faces in my window and waving.

Alarmed, I stood at the "baby jail" in disbelief -- they had managed to clear the books of the "cheap" bookshelf -- and turned it over so they were able to get over and unlatch the baby gate. Now the sliding glass door has a top baby latch and a metal bar in the track -- not to mention being locked. From watching us, I assume, they knew to take the metal bar out and the chairs from the dining room table were moved to the kitchen counter -- where the latch was undone and the door wide open.

One of my twins, has since birth, been the "ring leader" as the little girl in this story was described and I when I heard that I could so relate -- I have always theorized that when you have kids that are this close -- ideas, mischief, etc that one may not have thought of -- believe me 2 or 3 will.

I thank GOD everyday that this happened AFTER our move -- I don't want to think about what could have happened -- and I am a great mother, who protects and loves her children -- but that would probably not be what the public perception would be of me.

This was a horrible, terrible accident -- I pray to God this wasn't the due to the neglect of a mother -- but an accident nonetheless..

[SewingDeb]

As a mother of 2 toddlers, I hate to place blame (unless clearly negligence) on the parents -- this was indeed an accident (no one took these children, mother didn't murder, etc)

My children are 13, 5, twins 4 -- We have been in our current home for 2.5 years (so my children were around 11, 3, twins 2). We live in Arizona and the previous home had a pool (with all the safety procedures) and one of the most important things when looking for a new home was NO POOL. Due to the fact that I knew even as young as the toddlers were that they conspire together to get into mischeif (and I did not want the fear of them somehow getting into the backyard).

Well, we had only been in the house for 6 months and I was doing laudry, while my oldest was in her room reading. The toy room was set up as "baby jail" with baby gates at both doorways. I was putting away clothes in my room (which faces the back yard) and I could hear the girls like they were in MY ROOM! So as I am looking around I see one of their faces in my window and waving.

Alarmed, I stood at the "baby jail" in disbelief -- they had managed to clear the books of the "cheap" bookshelf -- and turned it over so they were able to get over and unlatch the baby gate. Now the sliding glass door has a top baby latch and a metal bar in the track -- not to mention being locked. From watching us, I assume, they knew to take the metal bar out and the chairs from the dining room table were moved to the kitchen counter -- where the latch was undone and the door wide open.

One of my twins, has since birth, been the "ring leader" as the little girl in this story was described and I when I heard that I could so relate -- I have always theorized that when you have kids that are this close -- ideas, mischief, etc that one may not have thought of -- believe me 2 or 3 will.

I thank GOD everyday that this happened AFTER our move -- I don't want to think about what could have happened -- and I am a great mother, who protects and loves her children -- but that would probably not be what the public perception would be of me.

This was a horrible, terrible accident -- I pray to God this wasn't the due to the neglect of a mother -- but an accident nonetheless..

I am so glad your story had a happy ending. Toddlers are just too smart. I'll bet they were really proud of themselves for figuring out how to get outside...lol. When my youngest was a toddler, I had to put an alarm stick in the sliding glass door after he learned how to climb over the child safety gate and unlock the door. Even with the extremely loud alarm screech each time, he wouldn't give up. He loved the outdoors....now that he's eleven you can't get him to go out.

[Jeana (DP)]

This was a horrible, terrible accident -- I pray to God this wasn't the due to the neglect of a mother -- but an accident nonetheless..

This WAS neglect on the part of the mother. Apparently childrens' services had been scheduled to make weekly visits to this family for two years in an effort to teach her how to be a proper mother (i.e., proper feeding, hygene, cleaning the home, and being sure she knew where the kids were.

There may have been some mental defect that contributed to her improper care of the children, but it was neglect nonetheless.

[LadyGraffix@mac.com]

This WAS neglect on the part of the mother. Apparently childrens' services had been scheduled to make weekly visits to this family for two years in an effort to teach her how to be a proper mother (i.e., proper feeding, hygene, cleaning the home, and being sure she knew where the kids were.

There may have been some mental defect that contributed to her improper care of the children, but it was neglect nonetheless.

I had not heard this before. I wish I could say I was shocked, but I'm not. Do you know where I might find some more info on this??

Thanks.

[Jeana (DP)]

I had not heard this before. I wish I could say I was shocked, but I'm not. Do you know where I might find some more info on this??

Thanks.


There were some links (I believe on the first thread) and other things I heard on dif television programs about the case.

[Sheromom]

Probably all of us have had some situation where we didn't do what was right by our kids. The difference being, that in this case, it was done repeatedly.

[txsvicki]

I don't understand why this mom wasn't charged with negligence. The Dad in New York who fell asleep and his 3 year old boy got out and rode the bus to the movies, but unhurt, was charged with negligence. Too bad he admitted to being asleep. If he has just said he was in the bathroom for 15 minutes, he might have gotten away with it. Everyone knows that the neighbors said that the kids were out for at least 30 minutes another time before being taken home and no one was looking for them and I think that most likely the kids were not checked on for quite a long time for them to make their way down an unknown path 1/2 mile away, under or thru a fence, then to drown in the algae covered pond. That woman was either asleep, in the tub, on the phone, watching tv, or just off in her own little world for awhile that day and apparently it happened quite a bit.

[chicoliving]

Just got home and turned on CTV and I think this is the case that's on trial now. I haven't heard enough to be for sure cause of course they went to a break but mom is on trial for toddlers deaths in a sewage pond.

[Bobbisangel]

Just got home and turned on CTV and I think this is the case that's on trial now. I haven't heard enough to be for sure cause of course they went to a break but mom is on trial for toddlers deaths in a sewage pond.



She got 5 yrs in prison and 5 yrs probation. She will probably serve 2 years of the 5 as they usually serve 1/3 of the sentence which to me makes no sense at all. Past and present neighbors testified about the kids being outside and getting out of the fence all of the time. They told of the times that they took the little ones back home. The mother took the stand and said that everyone was lying. She didn't do herself any good by testifying. The dad stood by the mom throughout the whole thing. They are married now.