IL - Should woman be acountable for their children's death by abuse?

[imthemom]

In 1992, Illinois became the first state to consider parents accomplices to first-degree murder if they don't protect their children. That's when an appellate court upheld the conviction of Kimberly Novy of Shiloh, Ill., saying that although she'd been battered by her husband and may not have caused her stepson's fatal injuries, her actions -- and inaction -- made her responsible for his murder. She is serving 30 years. The following year, Illinois prosecuted Kathy Cecil of Wood River for the first-degree murder of her 2-year-old son, Michael. She didn't participate in his fatal beating and had been repeatedly punched, choked and raped by her lover for months. Cecil, now 31, was sentenced to 35 years in jail.

http://my.brandeis.edu/news/item?news_item_id=103838&show_release_date=1

I don't feel a bit sorry for these women. They chose this, their children did not. I know they were trying to get this woman in Illinois freed. I hope she never gets out. I would let someone beat me to death before I would let them
harm my child and in such a horrible way!!

http://www.freekathy.org/law.shtml This is a link to overturn Kathy's conviction.

 

[bakerprune64]

In 1992, Illinois became the first state to consider parents accomplices to first-degree murder if they don't protect their children. That's when an appellate court upheld the conviction of Kimberly Novy of Shiloh, Ill., saying that although she'd been battered by her husband and may not have caused her stepson's fatal injuries, her actions -- and inaction -- made her responsible for his murder. She is serving 30 years. The following year, Illinois prosecuted Kathy Cecil of Wood River for the first-degree murder of her 2-year-old son, Michael. She didn't participate in his fatal beating and had been repeatedly punched, choked and raped by her lover for months. Cecil, now 31, was sentenced to 35 years in jail.

http://my.brandeis.edu/news/item?news_item_id=103838&show_release_date=1

I don't feel a bit sorry for these women. They chose this, their children did not. I know they were trying to get this woman in Illinois freed. I hope she never gets out. I would let someone beat me to death before I would let them harm my child and is such a horrible way!!

I agree with you 100%. Excellent post Imthemom!

 

[imthemom]

Sorry for the SP, I was in a hurry and angry but it should be women, accountable, and their. Jeez, and I am a transcriptionist for a living. I read over this and was horrified. :laugh: laughing at myself!!

 

[zadari]

In 1992, Illinois became the first state to consider parents accomplices to first-degree murder if they don't protect their children. That's when an appellate court upheld the conviction of Kimberly Novy of Shiloh, Ill., saying that although she'd been battered by her husband and may not have caused her stepson's fatal injuries, her actions -- and inaction -- made her responsible for his murder. She is serving 30 years. The following year, Illinois prosecuted Kathy Cecil of Wood River for the first-degree murder of her 2-year-old son, Michael. She didn't participate in his fatal beating and had been repeatedly punched, choked and raped by her lover for months. Cecil, now 31, was sentenced to 35 years in jail.

http://my.brandeis.edu/news/item?news_item_id=103838&show_release_date=1

I don't feel a bit sorry for these women. They chose this, their children did not. I know they were trying to get this woman in Illinois freed. I hope she never gets out. I would let someone beat me to death before I would let them
harm my child and is such a horrible way!!

http://www.freekathy.org/law.shtml This is a link to overturn Kathy's conviction.

i dont think anyone chooses to be beaten or raped .. there are women everyday that turn to the system for help and they dont always get it . . i am one of them . i was lucky to get out of the abuse /hell i was in (without the help of the system i assure you of that ) my family helped me .. i didnt have kids at the time tho. and the mother being charged for her kids death too is seems pretty harsh . how do you think she feels knowing she didnt or COULDNT do anything . she probably didnt expect the idiot to kill the child . i think these abusive people should get the crap kicked out of them the same way they do to others.. and they should rot in prison too . the mother shouldnt have to be there the rest of her life for that not when she was a victim too . serve some time i agree but not 30 years .

 

[Rino]

i dont think anyone chooses to be beaten or raped .. there are women everyday that turn to the system for help and they dont always get it . . i am one of them . i was lucky to get out of the abuse /hell i was in (without the help of the system i assure you of that ) my family helped me .. i didnt have kids at the time tho. and the mother being charged for her kids death too is seems pretty harsh . how do you think she feels knowing she didnt or COULDNT do anything . she probably didnt expect the idiot to kill the child . i think these abusive people should get the crap kicked out of them the same way they do to others.. and they should rot in prison too . the mother shouldnt have to be there the rest of her life for that not when she was a victim too . serve some time i agree but not 30 years .

Let me start by saying I am sorry for your situation. In my opinion (been there) adults who stay do make that choice for whatever reasons - I am not judging.

But I do judge a mother who chooses to allow her child to be abused. Leaving can be no harder than staying and having your precious child hurt. I just cannot equate the same victimhood of an adult in an abusive relationship of thier choosing with an innocent child who needs protection from such abuse.

 

[GlitchWizard]

Unless you are totally incapacitated to do anything - a mother should fight to the last breath for the safety of her child. Period. Now, whether it should be law, or just something you'd assume - I don't know. Self preservation is pretty strong, and although I know my self preservation takes a back seat to my daughter's safety, it probably isn't something you can legally mandate to put yourself in harm's way to protect another. Sure it is the right thing to do, but is it the legal thing? I don't know.

Certainly it is if you are condoning the abuse. Yes.

 

[SewingDeb]

I think the women should be charged. When there are children involved it is a whole different matter when deciding to stay with an abusive partner. Too many times we learn that the mother knew about abuse and helped cover it up until it was too late.

 

[sherri79]

i dont think anyone chooses to be beaten or raped .. there are women everyday that turn to the system for help and they dont always get it . . i am one of them . i was lucky to get out of the abuse /hell i was in (without the help of the system i assure you of that ) my family helped me .. i didnt have kids at the time tho. and the mother being charged for her kids death too is seems pretty harsh . how do you think she feels knowing she didnt or COULDNT do anything . she probably didnt expect the idiot to kill the child . i think these abusive people should get the crap kicked out of them the same way they do to others.. and they should rot in prison too . the mother shouldnt have to be there the rest of her life for that not when she was a victim too . serve some time i agree but not 30 years .

these are not cases where the mom claims she has no idea he was violent. 1 mom listened to the beating for 10 minutes. a jury listened to these moms say it wasn't my fault. the jury who heard all the facts decided the mom could and should protect the child. i have seen animals die to protect their young. the kids are the innocent here. my mother let my father beat me more than once because she feared him. i stepped between my brother and my father and took a beating to protect him. i was scared but i had to protect him. he was not my child. how my mother stood back and let us suffer to spare herself i will never understand nor forgive.

 

[imthemom]

i dont think anyone chooses to be beaten or raped .. there are women everyday that turn to the system for help and they dont always get it . . i am one of them . i was lucky to get out of the abuse /hell i was in (without the help of the system i assure you of that ) my family helped me .. i didnt have kids at the time tho. and the mother being charged for her kids death too is seems pretty harsh . how do you think she feels knowing she didnt or COULDNT do anything . she probably didnt expect the idiot to kill the child . i think these abusive people should get the crap kicked out of them the same way they do to others.. and they should rot in prison too . the mother shouldnt have to be there the rest of her life for that not when she was a victim too . serve some time i agree but not 30 years .

I am sorry that you went throught that, I started this post to get all oppinions on the situation. Should it be a law? I think so but how long should they serve, what is fair? If it is you alone in a situation, I can see that but when you have children involved, I think first instincts are to protect them. This woman was in the house while her 2 year old was beaten and raped repeatedly!! How could she listen to his cries and do nothing. :furious: I don't know how?

 

[Nocgirl]

Sorry but there is no excuse for allowing your children to be abused.

There are options. You can call CPS or social services if you have absolutely no friends or family that can watch the kids for you and the kids will be placed in foster care while you get yourself out of that dangerous situation. The children are probably safer in the home of a 3rd party then staying in a home where you know they are going to be abused.

Far too many women are more interested in finding a boyfriend than taking care of their kids. The more men a woman has kids by, the more she is likely to be put in this situation.

Alot of these women attract the same losers over and over again. They get out of one abusive situation and into another.

I have had LOTS of boyfriends throughout my life (that is nothing to brag about I admit). I did not get married until I was 34. I NEVER had 1 guy physically abuse me or lay a hand on me. Now I had a couple cheat on me and 1 guy was a jerk in general, but I was never physically abused. I also did not have kids. I think single moms, some of them get desperate. They decide to put their needs above their kids and this is where they end up.

Social services needs to start paying attention to families where there are claims of abuse, and there is a boyfriend or step dad in the house. Some agencies have really stepped up their efforts in this, others have not.

 

[zadari]

well sorry if i offended everyone i think i will just keep my face shut lol ..

 

[southcitymom]

well sorry if i offended everyone i think i will just keep my face shut lol ..

You didn't offend anyone, zadari. We're all about different opinions here at WS!

I agree with your original post regarding the amount of jail time being excessive.

 

[sherri79]

You didn't offend anyone, zadari. We're all about different opinions here at WS!

I agree with your original post regarding the amount of jail time being excessive.

i total disagree with your first post zadari. i also feel you have every right to express how you feel. if some1 is offended just because you disagree with them its their problem. diffrent points of view it what fuels debate. i feel that is a good thing.

 

[Nocgirl]

Sorry, I think I went off on a tangent but I am sick of hearing about these cases.

 

[imthemom]

well sorry if i offended everyone i think i will just keep my face shut lol ..

You didn't offend anyone, I think it is good to hear other oppinions especially coming from someone who has been in a situation where they can identify.

 

[Rino]

well sorry if i offended everyone i think i will just keep my face shut lol ..

Oops..I hope I didn't offend you, I certainly didn't mean to make it sound like I was jumping on your views.

 

[imthemom]

Can anyone find a picture of Michael Cecil the two year old who was killed. I can only find the one site about freeing his mother. I would like to put a face to this poor baby.

 

[Amraann]

In 1992, Illinois became the first state to consider parents accomplices to first-degree murder if they don't protect their children. That's when an appellate court upheld the conviction of Kimberly Novy of Shiloh, Ill., saying that although she'd been battered by her husband and may not have caused her stepson's fatal injuries, her actions -- and inaction -- made her responsible for his murder. She is serving 30 years. The following year, Illinois prosecuted Kathy Cecil of Wood River for the first-degree murder of her 2-year-old son, Michael. She didn't participate in his fatal beating and had been repeatedly punched, choked and raped by her lover for months. Cecil, now 31, was sentenced to 35 years in jail.

http://my.brandeis.edu/news/item?news_item_id=103838&show_release_date=1

I don't feel a bit sorry for these women. They chose this, their children did not. I know they were trying to get this woman in Illinois freed. I hope she never gets out. I would let someone beat me to death before I would let them
harm my child and in such a horrible way!!

http://www.freekathy.org/law.shtml This is a link to overturn Kathy's conviction.

Excellent!!
More judges should implement such rulings.
I firmly believe 100% that the mothers who bring these boyfriends into their homes with their children should be held accountable for any abuse.

 

[bakerprune64]

Sorry, I think I went off on a tangent but I am sick of hearing about these cases.

I agree, and IMO, there absolutely NO EXCUSE for allowing your child to be abused...regarlesss of whether or not you too are a victim. I repeat NO EXCUSE...and i think the jail time was appropriate. The mother did nothing to protect that child...and he died, should we give her a hankie now for all those tears she is crying!

 

[JBean]

It is the parents duty to protect their children. If they allow them to be beaten or abused, they are accomplices IMO.