GA - Zyda White, 2, beaten to death, 11yo charged, Sandy Springs, 18 Sept 2010

akashana

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http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/21/georgia.baby.sitter/index.html?hpt=T2

(CNN) -- An 11-year-old baby sitter in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, has been charged in the death of a 2-year-old, authorities said.

The baby sitter is accused of felony murder and cruelty to children, according to Lt. Steve Rose, spokesman for the Sandy Springs Police Department.

The baby sitter, who is a daughter of a co-worker of the victim's mother, was caring for Zyda White late Saturday. The mother of the 2-year-old called 911 from the baby sitter's home after returning to pick up her child, police said.
 
I wondered if this story had been posted here yet.
It's all over the news and I'm pretty sure that I heard the 11 year old was going to be charged as an adult.

I don't want to diminish this mother's pain, but what was she thinking by letting an 11 year old babysit her child?
I know I started babysitting when I was 12 and really, even though I am the oldest of 4 daughters and alway took care of my sisters, I was still too immature at that age.

My youngest son is 13 and I make him stay with my grandmother or a babysitter if I'm going to be away from the house for more than a couple of hours.
 
I'm confused as to whether or not the mother to the 11yo was in the house.

If the 11yo beat this toddler to death, I am not opposed to juvenile authorities dealing with charges and things, but I am saddened that her mother, and the mother of the victim, thought the 11yo needed absolutely no supervision while baby sitting- even when there was likely a good deal of screaming going on.

I wonder if the victim's mother was aware the 11yo would be baby sitting all alone...

***
ETA: But, of course, even if either (or both) moms had been there, they wouldn't have been hovering over the kids the entire time, likely, so I am avoiding laying too much blame on the moms here until further details come out. However, I personally think 11y is too young to baby sit alone (even though I started at 12, myself), but it does sound like her mom was home. I wouldn't want to diminish the grief and shock of either of these moms, though, as I am certain it is substantial.
***

Not enough details out on this case yet, I guess, but one thing is absolutely certain - heaven bless this poor little toddler. :(
 
So, was Zyda's Mother home while she was babysitting? I couldn't tell, by the way the article was written. I was 11 when I started babysitting. It's not so much age, as it is maturity and sense of responsibility. TWA sweet baby!
 
The babysitter, whose name has not been released, was taken to a juvenile Youth Detention Center in Fulton County, where she will be held while prosecutors decide how to proceed.

Zyda White, 2, died over the weekend as a result of a head injury and blunt force trauma to her body and her buttocks.

Sandy Spring Police spokesman Lt. Steve Rose said the charges brought against the babysitter indicate the physical fury Zyda endured.

But the law restricts the kinds of charges and punishment that can be brought against children younger than 13, according to legal experts. The law says children 12 and younger are prosecuted in the juvenile court system. They can be incarcerated up to five years or their 21st birthday if the juvenile system determines more time is needed.

(snip)

http://www.ajc.com/news/north-fulton/11-year-old-babysitter-617778.html
 
My understanding was the babysitter's mom was present while her daughter actually cared for the little girl. The video clip in the article states the mom left the baby "with the 11 year-old and her mother" when she went to work. My own daughter babysat at 11 for our neighbors, always with the understanding that I was just a few yards away as well.

This story reminds me of the Elizabeth Olten case, because the suspects are both so darn young. It's hard for me to imagine a child of 11 or 13 inflicting fatal damage to another, smaller child, but I'm aware it has occurred. Actually, I'm glad I can't wrap my head around such horror.
 
If the 11-year-old's mother was present, how did she not hear this baby screaming bloody murder as she was beat to death? Something is off with this. I sincerely doubt the mother was really there.
 
My BFF and I started a babysitting service when we were 9. Mom would not allow me to babysit alone or in the evening until I was 12. Up until then, we babysat in pairs, with sometimes up to 4 children. I would never have allowed my kids in a similar arrangement...but we were fine. We made a ton of money and never beat to death anyone.

That being said, I do not see how this child can be charged at all, especially if her mother was present. Why wasnt Mom the cause of the injuries and 11 year old taking the rap because she is a juvie? Just a question...
 
When I was 11 I started as a "mother's helper". There were two families, who lived pretty much across the street from each other, that I did this for. One was a home where the dad worked outside the home and the mother worked from home. I came over to keep the kids occupied and give them some supervision while mom worked in her office in the house. I was not allowed to cook anything, could only make sandwiches and stuff. Was not allowed to leave the house, other than to play in the yard or supervise a lemonade stand on their out of the way dead end street. The kids were 3 and 5 (I think). It was during the summer.
The other family was a working dad, stay at home mom, and an infant (a few months old). I would go there for a few hours one or two days a week. I learned how to take care of an infant and the mom took the time to do laundry, housework, etc. without feeling like her baby wasn't receiving attention. The only time I was "unsupervised" with the infant was when she would let me take her on walks through the neighborhood in her stroller. Other than that, the mom was walking in and out of whatever room I was in. Both because she was doing things around the house and to make sure I was okay with the baby.
Those experiences prepared me to be able to babysit and let me know what I could handle and what I could not handle. I ended up doing babysitting jobs from the time I was about 13-17.
 
I suspect the child's motehr left baby with 11 year old and 11year old's mother as suggested in the clip. At some point the 11 year old's mother must have left the 11 year old in charge. That's the impression I got anywho.
 
I'm usually not a "hang em high" type, and I certainly don't think minors should ever be subject to capital punishment, but I do think an 11yo can be held responsible for beating a child to death, with the mitigating factor of youth being taken into account with sentencing and rehabilitation methods. At 11, I knew not to beat a toddler to death. If people give this 11yo a pass, I really do wonder what she might get up to at 16. MOO only.
 
I still feel 11 year old's mom should be in the docket. At a minimum her daughter beat to death a toddler when she was in the house and she didnt know? At the maximum...I mean, I am having a hard time seeing an 11 year old do this. Knowing someone else was in the house. Especially a parent.
 
For many of us, having babysat at 11, 12, does not conjure up horrible memories. We got along fine. No baby died. However, I do believe that expecting a child to babysit at 11 is not good judgment.

The law in most states, just for a child to be left alone, in daytime, is 11. I'd say that means that upon consideration, 11 has been determined to be definitely too young to babysit.

Here's an argument that I think applies: We wouldn't say, "I drive drunk all the time and I've never had an accident--hey, evwerybody should drive drunk, it'll be fine." The positive results are no argument against the negative results if there are factors that make us know it's dangerous.

Here's how I found out if my (bright, normal, taught about fire both at school and at home) kid was ready to stay by himself, even for a little bit. I asked, "What would you do if a fire started in the kitchen?" He said, "I'd try to put it out and if I couldn't then I'd run outside." No staying alone for you, kid!

I think that many 11yo's have no idea what to do with a baby crying incessantly. They know they are supposed to make it stop. But do you imagine this little girl (the 11 one) has been taught or shown much of anything? I don't think so. She has panicked and made a terrible error. Probably first spanking (which I would bet, as I am somewhat familiar with Somali culture, she's been taught as a method for quieting an older child), and then reacting frantically when the crying and screaming increased. But fostering and counseling are "justice" for the 11-yo. The mother(s) are criminally negligent.

JMO, blah, blah. Sorry--I know I jumped around a lot.
 
I still feel 11 year old's mom should be in the docket. At a minimum her daughter beat to death a toddler when she was in the house and she didnt know? At the maximum...I mean, I am having a hard time seeing an 11 year old do this. Knowing someone else was in the house. Especially a parent.

Yes, she should be looked at closely.

I wonder if she was ignoring any inklings that her 11yo had emotional/rage issues or anything like that? (I mean, I wonder if she had any reason to worry that something really bad could happen, even if she was just upstairs or something.)
 
Collier added that she was under the impression the 11-year-old's mother, her co-worker at the restaurant chain Chili's, would be watching her daughter together, and never expected the 11-year-old to be left alone with Zyda.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/eleven-year-babysitter-accused-murder/story?id=11692436&cid=ESPNheadline

more at link

I'm glad you posted this because my initial impression after reading the first article in the thread was that the 2 yr old and 11 yr olds mothers had gone out together. I'm going to say my hinky meter is still elevated they didn't go out together.... I'm going to wait until the above is confirmed from someone other than both childrens mothers.

I too baby sat for short periods of time, up to 2 hrs IIRC at 10 but only when adults were within a few hundred feet AND NEVER with anyone as young as 2. I was allowed to baby sit for kids which were a little older (preschool or 1st IIRC). IIRC it wasn't until I was closer to 13 I was allowed to watch a neighbors 2 yr old twins. AND all of the above was ONLY during the day.

I have to question who in their right mind would allow a 11 yr old to watch their 2 yr old during the evening. The 23 yr old mother had the right to ensure her childs safety - my apologies if that is harsh, but don't have kids if you can't take care of them. I would like to know if the mother was at work, or was she out hooping it up on a Sat night and couldn't be bothered to stay home on the weekends now that she is a parent. As an older single parent I can tell everyone my social life diminished incredibly when I chose to have and keep my child. I think it's a given when one becomes a parent, the night life should end. Even with an almost 8 yr old my nights out are few and far between, maybe a few times a year. I don't even allow a neighborhood 10 yr old to watch my son for a 10 min run a few blocks away to pick something up at 7-11.

JMO but I think BOTH the mother of the toddler and the 11 yr old should face some kind of charges here. I'd also like to know who else was in the home with the 11 yr old when this occured, IF anyone.

This poor baby. RIP Zyda, rest in the arms of the Lord the hurting and pain is over now.
 
I have to wonder if the 11 year old is being set up by her mom, here, or another adult. IDK, something just doesn't make any sense.
 

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