GUILTY FL - Shannon Dedrick, 7 mo., Chipley, 31 Oct 2009 #4

Kimberlyd125 said:

IMO the mother does have mental issues and I know it has been brought up somewhere that she may have the mental capacity of a 13 year old. To me, that would explain the lack of motherly instincts as well as how SB could manipulate her.
IMO, SB has been working on this one for a long time. I think she took advantage of TM's mental state to get this baby.
I'm not saying TM is 100% innocent in this, but I can see how this "woman" could have played her like a fiddle.

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I agree with you. I think it is too early to tell the mother's level of culpability. IN DCF reports, she seemed earnest in her desire to properly care for the baby and learn how to be a good parent. That report, by the way, seemed to stem from calls made by SB stating the baby was being abused. I think SB wanted to have that baby taken from the home, and NOT out of any concern for the child but out of anger, evil, malicious desire to control, whatever. When her reports did not work, she preyed on the mind of TM to get the child away in another manner.
That being said, clearly TM should not have a child. I believe that besides having the intellect of a 13 year old, she is also bipolar and this incident shows she cannot handle the care of a child. She should never get custody of the baby back, IMO because her problems will not resolve themselves and what she allowed to happen shows she is a danger to this child. Supervised visitation would not bother me as long as it was shown that TM WAS manipulated, in connection with the disappearance, and not acting out of any sense of malice.

gitana1:

I TOTALLY AGREE

Kimberlyd125 said:

BBM

I asked in an earlier post if anybody else thought TM's facial features look like someone with downs syndrome. I'm not being ugly, but it's the first thing I thought of when I saw the pictures of her today.
I believe she does have "mental issues"

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TM doesn't look to be Downs, neither does Shannon. There is something they seem to share. If you look at TM's mug shot, it seems she has a large head as well. I understand TM is very small and weighed 67 lbs. before she got pregnant. Likewise with the baby. If you look at the pictures when she was first born, her head is proportionate with her body. Now, it isn't. She doesn't look malnourished to me. She has baby fat on her legs and arms, all we can see.

When I was teaching, I had contact with a lot of children with Downs Syndrome and their features are more easy to recognize. They also tend to have heart problems as well. Many of them are overweight due to lack of exercise. They frequently lack coordination. They are the most loving people I've had the privilege to know.

I'm no expert mind you, but that's my best at this point.

As for TM's mother not discussing her health/mental situation, I think everyone involved is respecting her privacy on these issues. I'm sure we will learn more publicly as time goes by.

I must commend TM's grandmother for her grace and dignity throughout this entire situation. I am glad she is going to be supportive of her daughter and at the same time is not making excuses for her, like another family we know.

pinkpuddytat said:

Which relatives were those? chaniilove was saying that Tina's mother had tried to get Tina to live with her back around when Shannon was born, and tried to convince Florida DCF that Tina wasn't capable of handling parenthood, and Tina insisted she could handle it fine, and DCF said they didn't have grounds to take Shannon away or force Tina to live with someone else in order to keep Shannon.

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Well I certainly pray the situation has changed now and Shannon is never returned to them. :banghead: MOO

Kimberlyd125 said:

IMO the mother does have mental issues and I know it has been brought up somewhere that she may have the mental capacity of a 13 year old. To me, that would explain the lack of motherly instincts as well as how SB could manipulate her.
IMO, SB has been working on this one for a long time. I think she took advantage of TM's mental state to get this baby.
I'm not saying TM is 100% innocent in this, but I can see how this "woman" could have played her like a fiddle.

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I think I will reserve my judgment on Tina until I hear more. At this time I am leaning towards manipulation also.

I have a 15 year old with Cerebral Palsy. I'd bet you could have him completely re-convinced that the Easter bunny is real in about 5 minutes.

Isabelle said:

If it is true, as Susan Baker tells us, that Tina didn't want her baby anymore and agreed to give Susan the baby, why would Susan Baker hide the baby in a box under the bed? When it was announced that the baby was missing, if Susan Baker is telling the truth, why wouldn't she let LE know that Tina didn't want her baby and gave her to Susan Baker? What is it that Susan Baker was hiding? her past?

I do hope LE and all involved are smart enough to figure this out. I think a kindergarten student could understand there is something wrong with this picture.

Also, as an NICU/ped nurse, the baby looks fine to me. She doesn't look abused. Her head does appear to be large and her close set eyes (just like her mother's) emphasize this, as well as her lack of hair. Take a look at pics of Nancy Grace's twins and tell me they didn't have large heads; with hair their heads don't seem so large.

If Tina and the dad were abusing this baby, I think there would be some obvious signs. Sure, she just stares ahead, what do you expect, she is 7 months old and if she doesn't know you, you probably won't get a smile until you work with her to gain her trust. At this age, she should start to show separation anxiety when with strangers. Maybe the mothers problems are such that she doesn't smile much or interact much with the baby - that wouldn't be abuse.

If LE doesn't figure out who's lying here, shame on them.

Thanks for letting me rant.

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SB is a convicted baby beater. She had no concern for this child. She is disturbed and evil, IMO and that's why she tried to get rid of that baby. Who knows what she would have done if she had succeeded in hiding the baby? I think she likes to create trouble, is obsessed with and secretly hates kids but feels powerful when they and other are under her control. Her myspace messages are predominantly about her illnesses, doctor visits and how her day is going good because she has her nieces in her care. She is a bizarre and dangerous person who wants control and power. That's about it, IMO.

CarrieBean said:

I think I will reserve my judgment on Tina until I hear more. At this time I am leaning towards manipulation also.

I have a 15 year old with Cerebral Palsy. I'd bet you could have him completely re-convinced that the Easter bunny is real in about 5 minutes.

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Thanks. I agree about TM.

And, God bless you and your child. I know he or she is a blessing to you.

O/T: But I would like to add, as a former preschool teacher, I can honestly say that nothing in my life will ever be the same since I spent a year with a 3yo autistic child (pre diagnosis). He taught me more about myself, the world, kindness, love, compassion... than I learned in the 33 years before meeting him.
I beleive God made him just like he is so others can learn from him. I know I am a better person, mother, wife... because his parents shared him with me.


Ok, I must go do lau*d*y (sorry for the potty mouth).
Y'all be good.

Isabelle said:

If it is true, as Susan Baker tells us, that Tina didn't want her baby anymore and agreed to give Susan the baby, why would Susan Baker hide the baby in a box under the bed? When it was announced that the baby was missing, if Susan Baker is telling the truth, why wouldn't she let LE know that Tina didn't want her baby and gave her to Susan Baker? What is it that Susan Baker was hiding? her past?

I do hope LE and all involved are smart enough to figure this out. I think a kindergarten student could understand there is something wrong with this picture.

Also, as an NICU/ped nurse, the baby looks fine to me. She doesn't look abused. Her head does appear to be large and her close set eyes (just like her mother's) emphasize this, as well as her lack of hair. Take a look at pics of Nancy Grace's twins and tell me they didn't have large heads; with hair their heads don't seem so large.

If Tina and the dad were abusing this baby, I think there would be some obvious signs. Sure, she just stares ahead, what do you expect, she is 7 months old and if she doesn't know you, you probably won't get a smile until you work with her to gain her trust. At this age, she should start to show separation anxiety when with strangers. Maybe the mothers problems are such that she doesn't smile much or interact much with the baby - that wouldn't be abuse.

If LE doesn't figure out who's lying here, shame on them.

Thanks for letting me rant.

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There is no way in hell anyone would let Susan keep a baby with her past.

I'm still not sure what her intentions were with Shannon. If she was truly concerned about her well being she wouldn't have even thought about leaving that baby in a mini coffin stuffed under her bed for 12 hrs.

James Baker being released is still bugging the heck out of me, lol. Has he not been home all week?

CarrieBean said:

James Baker being released is still bugging the heck out of me, lol. Has he not been home all week?

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You think maybe Susan "covered" for him, or does LE want to talk to him on his own turf?

Hey everyone. I was away for most of the day today, spending some quality time with my precious granddaughter, and her daddy (my son), whom I seldom get to see.

I really want to clarify something that the Sheriff said because it has been bothering me ever since I watched this morning's press conference.

The Sheriff stated that "bloggers" had interfered in the investigation.

When I called the Sheriff's office on Tuesday night, as well as when I contacted the media, AT NO TIME did I ever mention that I was affiliated with any forum, blog, chatroom, twitter account, or any other such web site.

I made those contacts as a private citizen.

The only reasonable conclusion that I can come to is that the Sheriff must have been referring to the comments that Tab was making on Topix and on her Twitter account.

I also wanted to share part of an email that I received this afternoon from the media person that I contacted on Tuesday night. I did omit some wording that was not pertinent to the case. All emphasis is from the reporter--it is not mine.

OUR PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED! Yaaaay!

And yes as far as I've been able to figure out your information WAS a huge catalyst in helping to solve everything.

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I am so thrilled that I could play a part, however small it might have been, in helping to find little Shannon and that she was not harmed in any way, because the potential for a tragic ending was intensified by having been placed in that cedar chest. God was watching out for her--he wasn't ready to bring home another little angel just yet.

I am so impressed by each and every member of WS. Working together on these cases, searching for clues, sharing ideas, tossing out theories, discussing motives, potential suspects and/or identities--it is all doing our fellow man such a great service. I strongly feel that the more eyes and ears in the community, the more we can help our law enforcement officials as they seek to find missing persons or to solve crimes.

Welcome home, little Shannon. I know that you will be loved wherever your new home might be. My prayer is that you shall live a long life filled with joy and happiness. You deserve nothing less.

Isabelle said:

You think maybe Susan "covered" for him, or does LE want to talk to him on his own turf?

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Could be. Maybe she owed him one from back in '87.

WOW Cleo...This made me cry with joy....

:woohoo: :woohoo:

CarrieBean said:

James Baker being released is still bugging the heck out of me, lol. Has he not been home all week?

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I'm thinking he may have been very helpful to police during the investigation.

Every time I see references to the 'cedar chest' that Shannon was kept in, my mind immediately reads 'casket'.
I think Susan needs to control. Wonder what's happened to her in the past year that meant she needed another child. Because I truly do not believe it was Shannon she wanted-I think it was a crime of opportunity. Shannon was just there, plain and simple-oh, and an easy prey.

If TM decided she didn't want her baby, SB would have never gotten the child due to the fact she is a convicted felon.

Nancy Grace's son has a very large head. I noticed that in her many pictures of him. His head is made very much like Shannon's.

As a guest for almost a year, I finally decided to make it official, and join! I just wanted to post and tell you ALL that I am in awe of each one of themembers that actively participate in these mysteries! The work ALL of you did with this case most definately aided LE in the safe recovery of this sweet & awesome child! Kudos to everyone here.

I truly am proud to be a member of this group.
Red

Is SB and Shannons mother going to be evaluated,,seen by a psychiatrist? I think SB has some kind of disorder. She probably sees herself as a caring person but shes not, can be a great mother which she isn't and never will be, shes obsessed, not being able to see her own faults.She robaably sees herself as perfect How can her husband not see this? How can he not know the baby was in that house? Unless she drugged the baby and hid her somewhere when he was home. A truly scary evil person. How could she close that cover over that baby and walk away. Can you imagine when LE pulled this box from under the bed and opened it and saw her in there...OMG... OMG.

redcar1 said:

As a guest for almost a year, I finally decided to make it official, and join! I just wanted to post and tell you ALL that I am in awe of each one of themembers that actively participate in these mysteries! The work ALL of you did with this case most definately aided LE in the safe recovery of this sweet & awesome child! Kudos to everyone here.

I truly am proud to be a member of this group.
Red

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Welcome to you REDCAR

It is always great to see a lurker come in to start joining in the convo. :blowkiss: