GUILTY OR - Sahara Dwight, 5, raped & murdered, Roseburg, 9 July 2010

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http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20100712/NEWS/100719965/1063/NEWS&ParentProfile=1055

"Dustin Michael Wallace, 16, will be arraigned at 1:05 p.m. today in Courtroom 401 of the Douglas County Courthouse, 1036 S.E. Douglas Ave., Roseburg.

The Douglas County District Attorney's Office has charged Wallace with aggravated murder, rape in the first degree, sexual abuse in the first degree and unlawful sexual penetration in the first degree in connection with the death of 5-year-old Sahara Dwight on Friday in Roseburg."


I'll post updates as I see them come in.
 
Here's a link to a comment by the Editor of the News-Review of Douglas County, Vicki Menard. If you'll scroll down in the comments section to July 10th at 11:24 am, you can read her response to the many complaints (mine included--sent by email) about the unnecessary and insensitive comments IMO, included in this article:

http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20100709/NEWS/100709786/1063/NEWS&ParentProfile=1055

Ms. Menard fully defends her reporter. I hadn't realized, until I read this, that some of Sahara's family members learned of her death through this article. That is just not OK, in my book.
 
http://www.kpic.com/news/local/98267659.html

Boy, 16, faces murder and rape charges in death of 5-year-old girl

"Police say that Dustin Michael Wallace, 16, raped and killed a 5-year-old Roseburg girl on the morning of Friday, July 9. Wallace was in court Monday via video for his arraignment.

A Douglas County judge arraigned Wallace on Murder, Rape and Sex Abuse charges.
Wallace was read his rights by Judge Bill Marshall and remanded to adult court, which means he will be tried as an adult. He faces life in prison on the Aggravated Murder charge...."

more at link (new photo)


Sahara's parents were present.
 
Missizzy said:
Can I ask, RoseWhite, what brings you to this conclusion? I'm curious. You might be right but according to this book, the average age of the first offense for juvenile offenders is 10-12:
Click to expand...

It was merely my gut reaction. I could be completely wrong. Just got a vibe. I think he was thinking about it for a long time and then just did it. Don't know why I think that.
 
RoseWhite--You bring up an interesting point. I know this a also quite stereotypical, but teen boys think far more than society gives them credit for. They rarely bounce ideas off their buddies like girls do. I think often, things can fester and then explode. Girls are far more likely to try out the drama and even threaten violence or self harm but not carry through.

Guys can live two very very different lives. I would say that society reacts more often to a young man's misdeeds, by saying, "I honestly didn't see it coming. He seemed like a good kid."

What does that tell us? To me, it means that we need to dig into boys' and teens' brains far more. We need to get them to talk to us. Help them understand how to channel unhealthy thoughts and their natural urges and to know when to get help. We have to keep them busy with healthy pursuits, hard work, and sports. We need to help them build empathy. And if we find ourselves going it alone as a single mom, we must reach out to mentors for our sons. Boys need men to teach them some of life toughest lessons. It can be done.

I know I'm never popular when I speak like this but Dustin was someone's pride and joy at some point. My guess is that there will be many who step forward to say they are shocked and appalled. I have a suspicion that Dustin, himself, is probably shocked and appalled tonight. Many will say that, at age 16, he knew right from wrong. So does a kid driving a car at 60 while he texts. But did he know how to calm the evil thoughts that so many teens experience? Was there ready help for him if he asked? Did his teachers have their hands tied due to budget cuts? Was his family struggling to make ends meet and just glad that he pulled decent grades and came in on time?

It's not all black and white. A young man, just like Dustin, changed the course of my life forever but I don't hate him. I feel tremendously sorry for him and want him to get the treatment he needs to never offend again. That's what I want for Dustin, if he ever sees the outside of the prison gates again.
 
I think you are right, Missizzy. Boys aren't taught to talk and they certainly don't grow up to be talkers. And testosterone is incredibly underestimated on the affects it has in one's actions.

I think Dustin thought about what he was going to do, fought it, finally gave in and really didn't mean to kill her. But I am completely disgusted for what he put little Sahara through. He may have very well smothered her under his own weight.

I can see him as a whole person - with a family and a life. But he ultimately chose to give up all of that and take it all from Sahara as well. And if he doesn't have the knowledge of that now, he will later. I don't believe you leave this world with your ego. You leave with your being and that being knows perfect knowledge and someday he will understand forever. It's subtle in this world, but in the end, it's a lot.

May Sahara rest in peace.
 
Hold onto your heart. Bless you little sweetheart. Fly high. I'm just certain that you've earned the prettiest pink ballet slippers in heaven!!

http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20100713/OBITS/100719950/1036&parentprofile=

"Sahara Grace Dwight was carried home in the arms of angels on Friday, July 9, 2010. She was five years old. She was born on March 11, 2005 in Roseburg, Oregon. Sahara was a precious princess who enriched the lives of everyone she encountered. Her smile lit up our hearts. She loved ballet and now she dances with angels........"

more at link
 
JoeFromLB said:
http://www.kmtr.com/news/local/stor...Roseburg-for-rape/oIR0YXJuZEGZrn_cKPEndQ.cspx

Roseburg Police say 5 people were in the home when the crime happened overnight. Two adults were home, including the victim’s mother, and the victim’s mother’s boyfriend.

Three minors were also in the home including the 5 year-old victim, another uninjured child and the 16-year-old suspect.

Roseburg Police say the 16 year-old suspect is the son of the mother’s boyfriend.
Click to expand...

:banghead:
 
http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20100713/NEWS/100719943/1063/NEWS&ParentProfile=1055

Teen murder suspect could face life in prison


"A 16-year-old boy accused of raping and murdering a 5-year-old Roseburg girl last week could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted.

Dustin Michael Wallace, who lives most of the year in Hugo, Okla., learned of his possible fate during his first court appearance Monday afternoon.

Wallace is accused of raping and murdering Sahara Grace Dwight early Friday morning at her Roseburg home. Wallace was staying in the same home with his father...."

more at link


Note: I made a comment upthread that Dustin lived in Hugo, OR, which is a small town between Grants Pass and Roseburg. I was wrong. He lived with his mother in Hugo, OK for all but the summer months.
 
http://www.dreamindemon.com/2010/07...-accused-of-raping-murdering-5-year-old-girl/


Just as I feared, Dustin seems to have had a lifetime of problems. The sad thing is that his parents tried to help. He should have NEVER been allowed alone with little children but I get very irritated with commenters who say the "kid should have been locked up". And exactly how does that come to pass? Please tell me, as I can use that information.

The saddest thing of all is that a child somewhere was destined to be hurt due to our lack of ability to reach out and stop these crimes before they happen. I agree that Dustin shouldn't have been on the couch but he could have just as easily grabbed a little child in the park or in a fitting room. Note that there are comments about residential treatment and boot camp. I didn't see one person who knew him who seemed surprised. There's also the tragic comment about animal torture. Not a bit of a surprise. I only hope that LE back in Oklahoma are hard at work investigating every child he came into contact with.

For an excellent counterpart to this blog and list of comments, please spend a few minutes and read this article:

http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2010/07/trapped_in_the_revolving_door.html

This is an article from today's Oregonian. It's extremely timely based on this recent murder. The problems outlined in this article are not confined to Oregon, however. On a personal note, I once had to incite a drug addled teen to punch me in a frozen muddy field while a circle of police officers stood by. He wouldn't take his insulin and was threatening to cut himself so I got him to hit me. When he knocked me down, then they could arrest him. That got us a 24 hour hold.

This is what parents and families of those with mental health issues have to deal with on a daily basis. There is NO safety net, until a crime has been committed.

I don't have the answers but it doesn't look to me like Dustin just snapped one day. He'd been simmering for a long long time.
 
Missizzy - You just totally rock! You always seem to know the best way to handle kids, even when the answer is to get knocked on your butt. I have learned so much from reading your posts.
 
And I was wearing the prettiest Asian satin Mary Janes and a silk skirt. That really sucked but the police were totally supportive. They spent a lot of time explaining to me just what I needed to do--what bare minimum was required for an arrest. But it was my decision as he was holding a knife. I just knew in my heart that he wouldn't truly hurt me. I'm not confrontational with kids but I was that night. I got into his face and irritated him--don't try this at home, guys.

He and I can actually laugh about it now that he's clean and sober and an absolute sweetheart. He says that he just couldn't understand why I was being so "mean" and was horrified when I fell backwards from just a little shove.

If you read the Oregonian article, you'll see that I am not in the least alone in my use of creativity to get help for mentally ill kids. I just happened to be one of the lucky ones where it worked.

My heart aches for Dustin's mom. If she tried as hard as I'm hearing, she must be absolutely devastated.
 
Oh Missizzy. After reading the links you posted I am even more heartbroken. There were signs!!! Lot's of signs AND a mother that was desperately trying to save this boy. Given his history, he NEVER should have been around Sahara.

RIP Sahara Grace.
 
ITA, Lovejac. But let's be pragmatic. It's entirely possible that his "issues" didn't include child molestation. I can certainly see a frantic mom jumping at the possibility of sending a difficult son to stay with his father for the summer. Roseburg is in the middle of the Umpqua Valley with unlimited recreational opportunities. And the dad's girlfriend might not have picked up on any red flags, in that area. I know I didn't pay attention to certain red flags I should have seen, in retrospect.

I don't know what the answer is but the Oregonian article really nailed it but outlining how services only become available AFTER a crime has occurred. A depressed person can call a suicide hotline and talk to someone but they have to slit their wrists to be hospitalized, most of the time. That's not right.

And we can't forget that Dustin is 16. He's been having these problems (according to the comments we read) for quite some time. That tells me that a family and a child, Dustin himself, have been hurting without any sort of meaningful intervention and improvement.

I seriously doubt that Dustin had wrap-around mental health and supervisory services which followed him to Oregon for the summer. We've read that his mom sought out treatment for him. Did she privately pay for this or were his out-of-home stays ordered due to a crime committed? Was he under the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma juvenile justice system? If so, he would need permission to travel to Oregon and a safety plan would have to be in place.

He's been placed in residential treatment facilities and "boot camps". Those services cost anywhere from $5000-10,000 month and school districts, juvenile justice, and private insurance companies are loathe to pay those prices for long.

So, I agree he should not have been in that house. But Dustin was going to find a victim one way or another. I hate to say this but I'd bet my lunch that there's a number of prior victims back in Oklahoma.
 
You are, as usual, your levelheaded self and I appreciate that! :blowkiss: Sometimes I assume that EVERYONE is as hyper-aware as we are about the warning signs. It seems like Dustin had caring and responsible parents that were trying to help him AND it scares me to see that it went this far even though his mom knew he had problems and was actively seeking treatment for him.

Is there any hope for these kids? :( Could Sahara's death have been prevented if Dustin's mom had known EXACTLY what type of treatment he needed??
 
fhc--I didn't want to be right.

Oh my, a couple of things. There's a private MS page for Sahara's mom which shows her kissing a baby girl. I assumed that might be a younger sibling but maybe it's a baby Sahara (chubby cheeks and all). I would guess that if a brother was sleeping on the top bunk, he would be older as most kids don't move "up" until they are a bit older (unless there's a rail). And yes, I would imagine that this poor boy must have heard something if the bed was so roughly bumped. Poor little guy, he would have been terrified. He is very lucky to be alive.

On a horrible or maybe not so horrible note, is it possible that Sahara was raped only after she'd already passed? That's what it seems like to me. I wonder if the charges will bear that out?

She went quickly though. I have to believe that.
 
Sounds like poor baby girl really tried to put up a fight, bless her. :(
 
I'm going to post something personal here and if it bothers anyone, I will immediately take it down. I've made no secret of the fact that I have seizures. They are uncontrolled. Any sudden movement or noise or startle can set off a grand mal seizure. I scream and thrash and try to run. I've hurt myself very badly. My husband typically has to wrestle me to the ground and I'll bite and try to head butt. It's odd as I can barely walk but I can fight like heck when seizing. It is horrid for people who watch. It's very very frightening and it looks as if I'm miserable. It looks like the fight or flight response.

I'm not suffering, though. When I have a seizure, I always feel like I'm dreaming. I dream of islands and water and seeing my sweet father and a dear puppy I once had. I settle down within 30-45 minutes and fall into a deep sleep. I usually wake up about 2 hours later, exhausted. I have had hundreds of seizures like this and I have NEVER once remembered fear or pain. I've broken my toe, bitten my tongue, whacked and bruised every square inch of my body. My family says that I look like I'm trying to get away from a rabid lion but I don't experience that at all.

The reason I'm sharing this is that I'd like to bring up the possibility that Sahara might have initially fought and had fear but then entered an almost dreamlike state as she passed. I know it's possible as I go to that place. It gives me a little solace to think that it's possible God gave her that gift.
 
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