FL - Girl, 11, set mom on fire in plot to kill her, Clearwater, 29 Dec 2009

[IrishMist]

Interestingly, my sister had to take her daughter to the doctor at SIX; she noticed that she had begun growing pubic hairs. Fortunately, it turned out to be a treatable growth hormone problem BUT the first thing they questioned my sister about was the possibility of sexual abuse. Children who are sexually abused and/or begin to experiment sexually at an early age go through puberty earlier. In this case, I would think that, yes; most likely she has.

Even so, at 11, I just cannot imagine a CHILD of that age storing up such deep hatred against a parent to do such an evil act. There must have been much more than just some neglect going on in that family. But no matter what, no one deserves to be set on fire- to suffer such pain and disfigurement for life. I am not sure what a fitting punishment would be for one so young, though. One part of me would like to see her put away while another part would love to hold her and read some "Hank, the Cowdog" stories to her.

I do believe that society as whole is to blame to some extent. I'm not sure about this family but MOST of us have two parents working full time that come home exhausted and choose to rest rather than spend time with their kids. The kids, in turn, don't completely bond with their parents and look to TV, radio, video games, movies, magazines, etc. for examples on how to live their lives. And we all know what those examples are. I'm not sure what the solution is anymore. We do have to work. I have been fortunate enough to have a job that has pretty much allowed either my husband or myself to be home with the kids at all times........BUT, it means that we don't always see that much of each other. We are both willing to sacrifice that for our kids (who are pretty much raised and excellent children:angel but there are just so many things we have to be willing to give up for their good. My advice; don't have kids unless you can make some such similar arrangement!

I was sexually abused as a child, and didn't go through puberty early. I also worked in a sexual abuse recovery center for a few years, and never heard of this.

 

[not_my_kids]

i have never heard the abuse/early puberty connection either...

I don't think there really is a more potent message to not neglect your kids. Don't get me wrong, kids that get plenty of at-home attention, still kill people. But, this is a girl not even old enough for middle school, she couldn't have been that crafty. I'm sure there were signs and I'm sure that they were ignored, as was most everything else about the kid.

Spokesman: She is not a teen...and she set another person on fire. This is not typical anything, let alone angst. This is a poignant reminder that children require more than food, clothing and shelter.
I just pray for everyone in this one. Attempted killer or not.

ETA: Turns out she was barely old enough for middle school. And I forgot that 6th is now considered part of middle, when I was in school, it was part of elementary school. I saw in the article that they say she started middle school this year, so sorry if I managed to confuse anyone.

 

[SunnieRN]

Yes, if this was "typical teenage angst" a lot more parents would be ending up injured or dead.

With the attitude of the Florida police spokesperson, I would be afraid to live in Florida as a parent!

I feel for this Mother and this daughter. They are obviously lost souls. As for "allowing" an 11 year old to have a boyfriend, maybe she didn't. Him saying they were "back together" tells me that maybe Mom had tried to stop the "relationship". This boy is one sick puppy, on so many levels.

 

[Sheromom]

Not so sure if sexual abuse actually results in earlier puberty; just know my sister wasn't happy when she came out of that office- LOL. Some studies seem to indicate there is a connection, though.

http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/reproduction/Puberty/potentialcauses.htm
Conclusions: Chronically sexually abused females show an earlier onset of puberty. Subjects of the no-trauma group were developmentally closer to the norm for their chronological age than either of the other two groups (sexual or physical abuse). These data suggest there is an escalatory effect for sexual experience on the onset of pubertal development in humans, commensurate with finding in non-human mammals. While physical abuse appears to be marginally accelerative as well, mean overall differences in females were not significantly dissimilar from the expected Tanner stage frequencies. Thus, findings indicate that psychosocial factors, such as sexual experience, can accelerate physiological development in human females.

It doesn't really matter; the fact remains that she was still just a little girl with an unbelievable amount of hatred inside of her. And that "boyfriend" was certainly old enough to fully understand just what he was doing! The girl might still be "treatable" but I doubt that the boy is.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/fire/article1061792.ece

CLEARWATER — As the gasoline-addled flames tore through Nancy Broadhead's home early Tuesday, she collapsed in the front yard, soot-blackened and burned.

Neighbors said they heard her screaming, shouting into the cold night a mother's darkest fear.

"My baby! Where's my baby! Where's my baby!" she called. Broadhead thought her 11-year-old daughter was inside, that she had stumbled out of the burning house without her.

But, police say, it was the child and her boyfriend who had wanted the house to burn — mother and all.

 

[dgfred]

I don't want to sound mean or harsh, but a 'baby' wouldn't have a 15 yr old boyfriend and be smoking cigs regularly. Sounds like the entire household had problems and something should have been done about it before this nightmare... burning someone up in their bed is heinous as it gets imo.

 

[fhc]

"Case workers have responded to calls at least once every year since 1998 for the Broadheads and since 2000 for Ault's family. The details of those cases are not public unless granted by a court.'

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/fire/article1061792.ece

 

[fhc]

Picture of mom of 11 yr old, mug shot?

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/de...rn-clearwater-woman-held-witho/news-breaking/

 

[fhc]

JVM Issues will cover story tonight on HLN, Prime News lead the show with this story with Mike Brooks subbing for Mike G.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

baynews9.com/content/36/2009/12/30/564427.html?title=Mom:+my+son+not+involved+in+burning+girlfriend
<modsnip - removed broken link>

Mom: my son not involved in burning girlfriend's mother

"He's, like, mom, I couldn't do this," Mastrangelo said. "I didn't do this."

Mastrangelo said she believes her son.

"Because of all the bad things that have been said about him, I wanted to say the good things," Mastrangelo said. "Because he's not a bad kid."

Mastrangelo said her son might be covering for his girlfriend.

Police say Mastrangelo's 15-year-old son has been arrested seven times since 2003. Mastrangelo said her son's arrests and DCF visits stem from fights with her daughter, who she says has mental disorders. She also said he's bipolar, dyslexic and has ADD.

 

[fhc]

Who's gas can was used?

 

[not_my_kids]

Picture of mom of 11 yr old, mug shot?

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/de...rn-clearwater-woman-held-witho/news-breaking/

Also pic of 11 year old...who does not look 11.
Not that it matters in terms of her moral development, but I think it says something as to why a 15 year old would be attracted to her. She looks at least 15.
There is just so much wrong with the whole situation.

 

[fhc]

Also pic of 11 year old...who does not look 11.
Not that it matters in terms of her moral development, but I think it says something as to why a 15 year old would be attracted to her. She looks at least 15.
There is just so much wrong with the whole situation.

Gosh, I am shocked they added the picture of the accused 11 yr old. You are right, she doesn't look 11 at all.

 

[Boyz_Mum]

Gosh, I am shocked they added the picture of the accused 11 yr old. You are right, she doesn't look 11 at all.

She sure doesn't look 11. From that photo, I think she looks about 14.

I'm a little curious, one of the articles say that caseworkers have been to the Broadheads yearly since 1998. Wouldn't this 11 yr old have been born in 1998?

I'm sad for the family and the mother yelling for her "baby" is heartwrenching. I wish that over these past years something could have been done to change how their situation played out.

 

[fhc]

She sure doesn't look 11. From that photo, I think she looks about 14.

I'm a little curious, one of the articles say that caseworkers have been to the Broadheads yearly since 1998. Wouldn't this 11 yr old have been born in 1998?

I'm sad for the family and the mother yelling for her "baby" is heartwrenching. I wish that over these past years something could have been done to change how their situation played out.

ITA and the fact that this woman had to about 37 yrs old when she had Samantha. She wasn't a teenage mom and iirc had already lost custody of her older son when he was young. Where was the intervention for this girl? It reminds me of what a mess Misty Crosslin's life has been and the position she is in now. Not to excuse either girls of their actions.

 

[Fairy1]

Good lord - what a bunch of messed up people. It sounds to me as if this girl should have been removed from her mother's "care" long ago.

And the boy's mother....arrested 7 times by the time he's 15, but he's a good kid and it wasn't really his fault. Ummmmm, what?

Jeez.

 

[kgeaux]

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/de...iend-try-set-mom-fire-cops-say/news-breaking/

more to the story, it's all shocking

SEVEN calls to the house for domestic abuse, and the child was still in custody of her mother? There is no way pouring gasoline on a sleeping person and setting them afire is teenage angst. This is more likely the act of a deeply disturbed young girl----she needs to be removed from the home and undergo intense counselling. A little juvy time wouldn't hurt her at all. She has no business seeing a 15 year old boyfriend, and maybe if she is removed from the scene, they'll lose touch with one another.

I wish I had hope that this child could be "fixed" but I really don't.

 

[Fermi]

ITA and the fact that this woman had to about 37 yrs old when she had Samantha. She wasn't a teenage mom and iirc had already lost custody of her older son when he was young. Where was the intervention for this girl? It reminds me of what a mess Misty Crosslin's life has been and the position she is in now. Not to excuse either girls of their actions.

I found this while googling Nancy Broadhead: There are two comments from MG following this article (# 7 & 8) who is the father of one of this woman's son's. He writes that she lost custody of both of her boys - one in 1989 and one in 1996...

http://*************.com/2009/12/30...y-friend-jack-ault-try-to-set-mother-on-fire/

This whole situation is terribly sad; this woman, while not deserving to be set on fire, also is not deserving of the title 'mother' either imo.

***Edited to add: I think the link I included is not allowed because it has asterisks in place of the name??? My apologies!!!

 

[lonetraveler]

With the attitude of the Florida police spokesperson, I would be afraid to live in Florida as a parent!

I feel for this Mother and this daughter. They are obviously lost souls. As for "allowing" an 11 year old to have a boyfriend, maybe she didn't. Him saying they were "back together" tells me that maybe Mom had tried to stop the "relationship". This boy is one sick puppy, on so many levels.

ITA, maybe some of the domestic issues came from the mother trying to break up this couple. Maybe the fight started because the mother found out that her daughter was smoking, or stealing her cigs for her boyfriend. I know by experience how difficult it is to make your daughter break up with someone. They will hate you and fight you tooth and nail. You can't punish them or they call DCF, DCF will come running then. If you try to keep them apart they will still find a way to get together. If I read correctly, the mother was stopped for DUI and had the daughter in the car at the time and therefore was charged with neglect, seven years ago. I think it is high time to start holding the delinquent child responsible for their actions and stop holding the parent totally responsible for what the child plans and decides to do. Yes, there are many, many times that the parent is responsible for the actions of the child but today no one holds the child accountable or responsible for crimes that they commit, therefore the child feels no remorse and does not feel any guilt or responsibility and continue to blame someone else for what they, themselves do, for the rest of their lives. And we wonder why so many of these delinquents are so violent over and over again.

To add to my post, I reinerate, just because you can reproduce it doesn't mean that you are parent material. It just means you know how to perform sex. It does not mean that you need to be a parent. There are some people who need to be surgically altered so to not be able to reproduce.

 

[LadyL]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/fire/article1061792.ece

CLEARWATER — As the gasoline-addled flames tore through Nancy Broadhead's home early Tuesday, she collapsed in the front yard, soot-blackened and burned.

Neighbors said they heard her screaming, shouting into the cold night a mother's darkest fear.

"My baby! Where's my baby! Where's my baby!" she called. Broadhead thought her 11-year-old daughter was inside, that she had stumbled out of the burning house without her.

But, police say, it was the child and her boyfriend who had wanted the house to burn — mother and all.

omg - she must've been devastated when she found out her 'baby' did this to her

but I want to know why a 15 year-old teen thought it was normal to be dating an 11 year-old girl ... enough so that he bragged about it on ms

aren't most boys at that age going for teens their age or older and don't want to be seen with kids in middle school? or are the boundaries blurring now & they don't care anymore?