GUILTY IL - Ryon Smith, 6, beaten to death, Cahokia, 24 Dec 2005

PrayersForMaura said:
I think his name is spelled Ryon with an "O". All these unique spellings these days, I can't keep up.

Anyway, the sweet little angel is now resting in peace.

Ryon Smith is laid to rest
After friends and family joined with strangers Friday to say goodbye to 6-year-old Ryon Smith, who was beaten to death in Cahokia over Christmas, Art Jackson stood outside the funeral home hoisting a sign for passing motorists to read.

More: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/metroeast/story/CD565A2E789C692A862570E7006D4C97?OpenDocument
http://images.stltoday.com/stltoday/resources/ryansmith29big.jpg
Thank you for those links, Prayers. The picture of that sweet little boy brings tears to my eyes.
 
This kind of stuff makes me crazy. Someone always knows but does nothing. I can see when you are a kid and all you have known is abuse but not as an adult even if you know abuse. This case is one like Shasta that just gets to me. Ocean, if you have anything to redeem us I would appreciate it. I am failing as a human and I need support.I really need your intellect and your input.
 
Regarding this boy weighing 35 pounds... My boys are almost 6 and 7... they weigh 47 and 52. THEY ARE SKINNY! Not because I dont feed them, they just were made that way... Both my husband and I are thin people. I cannot imagine this little guy only weighed 35 pounds! You would have been able to see all his little bones! Ughhhhhh People just make me crazy with how they treat their own kids.
 
mssheila said:
Regarding this boy weighing 35 pounds... My boys are almost 6 and 7... they weigh 47 and 52. THEY ARE SKINNY! Not because I dont feed them, they just were made that way... Both my husband and I are thin people. I cannot imagine this little guy only weighed 35 pounds! You would have been able to see all his little bones! Ughhhhhh People just make me crazy with how they treat their own kids.
I agree! My just turned 8yo is 52lbs - skinny & a little on the short side. This little guy had to be all skeleton. And either no one has seen him for at least a couple of months or else they didn't report it - like that babysiter and the bruises. I bet she's consumed with guilt, what a sad life she must have led to believe that a black eye and legs is better than a foster home. And I wonder if she told anyone else, like the grandparents?
 
Marie said:
I agree! My just turned 8yo is 52lbs - skinny & a little on the short side. This little guy had to be all skeleton. And either no one has seen him for at least a couple of months or else they didn't report it - like that babysiter and the bruises. I bet she's consumed with guilt, what a sad life she must have led to believe that a black eye and legs is better than a foster home. And I wonder if she told anyone else, like the grandparents?
That's what I thought, too. The babysitter said she seemed to think he was better in that environment, then in foster care, since she had been there herself. The grandmother said the last time she saw him was in Nov. and he looked fine. Hate to say it, but, there is no way that little boy looked fine just a month ago. I'm not buying it.:banghead:
 
I think he could have looked "okay" a month ago. I think she saw him on Nov. 3, and maybe he was wearing full winter clothing, and didn't have any visible bruises. He could have looked okay in those circumstances, if you're not trying to look at his body or look hard at him.

I've seen two pictures of him - the first one he's looking away, and is the picture of health and happiness. The second one he's looking at the camera and looks kind of ghosty. Maybe it's just my imagination, but they look worlds apart in how the eyes look. But if I didn't KNOW there was something wrong, I wouldn't know from that pic either.

Very sad.
 
mssheila said:
Regarding this boy weighing 35 pounds... My boys are almost 6 and 7... they weigh 47 and 52. THEY ARE SKINNY! Not because I dont feed them, they just were made that way... Both my husband and I are thin people. I cannot imagine this little guy only weighed 35 pounds! You would have been able to see all his little bones! Ughhhhhh People just make me crazy with how they treat their own kids.


My 12-year old weighs 99 pounds! He'd give anything to just break that 100 pound barrier. Just can't seem to do it. He plays football, lifts weights, etc. Just doesn't get hungry enough. So, I do realize that kids' weight can flucuate widly, but there's no way this kid was taken care of. That's way too small for his age.
 
http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/local/13522700.htm

Cahokia boy's death said to not be in vain

ST. LOUIS - The injustice that took the life of a 6-year-old Cahokia boy must be the catalyst that prompts those who loved him to make sure that no other children are harmed.

That message was given to the packed crowd gathered Friday to remember the life of Ryon Smith, who authorities said was badly beaten and emaciated.

...Tears flowed, family members, friends and strangers clung to each other for support, and prayed as the Rev. Rich Lay from Dupo spoke in the chapel at McLaughlin Funeral Home in St. Louis, where Ryon's funeral was held.

Lay told the crowd of about 200 people that simplicity, innocence and honesty are important characteristics of children.

"It's too late for Ryon to make the contribution to society he was destined for," Lay said. "If his death causes us to create an urgency and reverence for all human beings, then his death will not be in vain."

...Among those who turned out to pay their respects to Ryon was his pediatrician, Bo Plurad.

...With much sadness in his voice, Plurad said, "He had no celebration of Christmas. There was no tree or anything in that child's house. It's very sad."
 
Jeana (DP) said:
My 12-year old weighs 99 pounds! He'd give anything to just break that 100 pound barrier. Just can't seem to do it. He plays football, lifts weights, etc. Just doesn't get hungry enough. So, I do realize that kids' weight can flucuate widly, but there's no way this kid was taken care of. That's way too small for his age.
I know the feeling of trying to reach get over a weight barrier. My now 8yo was over a year and a half before he hit 20lbs! We had to keep him rear facing in the car seat and take him to the Dr. for monthly weigh-ins, fed him all kinds of fattening stuff & even saw a specialist once (who said nothing was wrong with him). Now he's a low -average on the charts (used to be in the 5th percentile), but I never thought we'd make it over 20lbs!

But even my skinny guy weighed more than 35lbs when he was 6. There is no way Ryon was in a normal range of weight, even if he was short.
 
concernedperson said:
This kind of stuff makes me crazy. Someone always knows but does nothing. I can see when you are a kid and all you have known is abuse but not as an adult even if you know abuse. This case is one like Shasta that just gets to me. Ocean, if you have anything to redeem us I would appreciate it. I am failing as a human and I need support.I really need your intellect and your input.

Hi sweetie Happy New Year!

Yes, there are always those who are the keepers of the secrets, who turn away from what they know and pretend it isn't there.. they too are a part of why this little child died such a senseless cruel death. I hope they see his little face every night in their dreams.

Adults who were abused as a child have the unfortunate 6th sense to recognize when something is very wrong. Many of them DO report such crimes. Most adults who were severely abused in their childhood would slit their throats before they would harm any child. But what cannot be denied is there will always be the ones who repeat the pattern or the new type of abuser who sees the child as a burden only instead of a gift from God. We have so many grave issues in this country we love. If one dwells on it they walk with such a heavy heart.

Even in the darkest times we must not forget the good that is in so many hearts. Evil will always be near and it strikes like lightning and it rips our hearts out. What we must do...what we HAVE to do is keeping marching toward the light. We cannot save them all. I so wish that we could but we can help many children, one child at a time.

Our world seems to be plummeting into some dark hole where little children are being swallowed up. IMO, we are seeing a moral breakdown in our country. It isn't getting any better as more and more of these poor babies wind up dead by the hands of their parent(s) or someone known to them. To go forward we have to face reality. Not how the politicians feed us by cracking down just on strangers (5% are stranger abusers) who harm our children but the very ones that do more harm than anyone and that is the parents themselves. Until we are willing to face that reality the abuse will continue in great numbers imo. In so many homes there is no interaction with the child other than to chastise, demean them, or get them out of their hair and there are no hugs, kisses or "I love you". Nurturing seems to be dying. What has happened to a mother's instinct to protect her child?

As I go to "The Bridge" every week to work as an Advocate for abused/battered women and children, I say a prayer .. praying each woman or each child will learn how to have a new life. One filled with self-worth, happiness, security and where they dont have to fear the one that professes to love them. When I first began, I naively thought I could save them all but after many years I have come to the stark realization that I just couldn't save them all. It was such a hard adjustment for me, I just wanted at times to scoop them up and take them home with me, especially when we lost them back to their abuser who had made their lives hell.

So I say we open our hearts and arms like we have always done, there are so many good decent caring people in this country that really do care. No we cant save them all but we sure can give it everything we have got in us and it WILL make a difference. There is nothing more rewarding than to see the happy face of a child in their new place living a safe and healthy life. Each child we save is one that will not wind up like this poor little baby boy. That is what each of us must strive for as we reach out to make a difference.

Sorry for the lengthy post but you know my heart is always with the children. I was once one of them.

Take care my friend.

IMO

Ocean
 
Beautifully said, beautiful post Ocean! I guess we all can only do so much and leave the rest in GOD's hands.
 
Sherry67 said:
unfortunately too many more will follow this little one. That's why I can only stand to visit this forum every so often...it's too disturbing. And it makes me feel helpless. As I type these words....no doubt some innocent child is cowering away from the fists of some hellish abuser.....

I agree Sherry. There are days I don't come to this board as I know what it holds and I know I will read about another case where an innocent child has been murdered by their parent(s) or someone they trusted.

I truly get physically ill at times. Such sadness, such devastation. It is a never ending trail of tears.

IMO

Ocean
 
I have been researching a lot of these cases lately and so far I have been able to keep myself a little bit emotionally disconnected in order to keep going. But, not this time. This story just destroyed me. That this precious baby didn't get to have any Christmas is more than I can bear. My daughter is now 22 and I still agonize over each and every gift to make sure they are perfect and wonderful for her. She laughs at me because I get so excited with buying gifts for her. I just can't stand this.....

Going to go look for sentences.
 
This is really irritating me. These 2 people appear to have fallen off the face of the earth. I can't find anything on either one of them. I have to be missing something.
 
Okay. It helps when one looks in the right state. Oops. Anyway, the records are pretty tight there, but they are both still in the St. Clair County Jail. This indicates to me that they are still probably pre-trial for whatever reason.
 
Okay. It helps when one looks in the right state. Oops. Anyway, the records are pretty tight there, but they are both still in the St. Clair County Jail. This indicates to me that they are still probably pre-trial for whatever reason.

Amazing after five years they might not have even had to face a judge/jury yet to answer for their alleged crimes. :( I appreciate our system of justice but.. sometimes it's too long before people are held accountable to the fullest extent.
 
Undoubtedly there have been hundreds of motions all about how they aren't responsible for their actions for any number of reasons. I'm out for blood on this one. I came away from this case feeling damaged inside. All of these animals have to be stopped. I can't really type what I'm thinking as I don't want to get in trouble. I will continue to follow this case until there is a resolution....and it better be justice for this little boy.
 

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