MI - Calista Springer, 16, chained to bed, dies in fire, Centreville, 27 Feb 2008

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hoppyfrog

hoppyfrog

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http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7947786

29 Feb 08

A 16-year-old girl who died in a house fire Wednesday was chained to her bed.

Michigan State Police told 24 Hour News 8 Calista Springer never had a chance to get out of the burning house.

Springer was a special needs teenager with severe emotional issues who had tried to previously tried to escape from the home in the middle of the night.

Her father and stepmother told police they only recently started tying Calista down after an alarm system they had in place broke. And the stepmother told firefighters right away Calista was upstairs tethered to the top bunk of a bunk bed.

Crews got a ladder to the bedroom window, but the fire was too intense and they could not get inside.

The teen died lying on her back, with a chain and zip ties around her waist, and attached to a bolt on the side of the bed.

Investigators said they tested the alarm and found it worked. Police believe the parents had been chaining Calista for some time because they got tired of getting up every time the alarm went off.

Officials also confirmed to 24 Hour News 8 the Springers had contact with the Department of Human Services a number of years ago, and that caseworkers had warned them about tethering Calista to the bed in case of fire.
 
Just awful. If they couldnot contain her or guarantee her safety in their home then they should have hired nighttime help or found a (nice) group home for her that could meet her needs. I know that is easier said than done and it must have been hard to parents such a child and I hate to be judgemental b/c special needs children require special people and treatment, but they did have medicaid and SSI at their disposal I am sure to help with costs. Chaining a human being to a bed is unnacceptable and cruel. To die in a fire is awful, especially with no chance to get out of the fire.
 
Very, very sad case. They obviously loved the girl or they would have just let her run or put her in foster care so they didn't have to deal with her behaviors. I'm sure nothing the legal system could do to them will even begin to be as horrible as what they are doing to themselves right now.
 
Calista's father stated his daughter was a compulsive liar and not abused...

Anthony Springer referred to what is happening in the aftermath of the fire as “a witch hunt” and claims that DHS and police “are building a bonfire and looking for people to throw on it. Interesting choice of words there.

CPS began investigating in 95. This story is beyond tragic. What a horrific way to die. :-(

http://southernsassoncrime.com/?p=1049
 
I am not even going to say what is going through my mind right now because it is pure evil.. :furious:
 
I am certain everyone here knows a person with a special needs child. Before anyone bashes them answer one question......when was the last time YOU offered to take the special needs child you know for a weekend to give the parents a much needed break???????????
 
Linda7NJ said:
I am certain everyone here knows a person with a special needs child. Before anyone bashes them answer one question......when was the last time YOU offered to take the special needs child you know for a weekend to give the parents a much needed break???????????
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I'm still a bit young to do this. I know my limits and I couldn't handle it. Also, we don't know anyone yet with a special needs child. Something to keep in mind though if we ever do run across it.
 
Linda7NJ..the Springers were offered help by MDHHS. They refused.
As for me personally, I have 2 grands with Autism. I do what I can when I can,for them as well as help at their "special" school.
 
From the link...

"Several months later, sources said, Upton’s office responded, providing a copy of Children’s Protective Services’ written response. In it, DHS officials alleged Calista’s problems — first reported to them in 1995 — were the result of “compulsive eating” of nonfood items like wood, paper and soil."


This is a sad story! The eating of non-food items is a result of a condition called PICA. My childhood friend had this, and would eat the stucco off her house. It is a misunderstood condition, but physicians think it is a result of severe iron-deficiency anemia. It is the body's unconscious attempt to gain the nutrients it requires.
 
Linda7NJ said:
I am certain everyone here knows a person with a special needs child. Before anyone bashes them answer one question......when was the last time YOU offered to take the special needs child you know for a weekend to give the parents a much needed break???????????
Click to expand...

Spot on. Walk in the parents' shoes, then dispense wisdom. This is a tragedy, not a crime.

Crypto6
 
eleven said:
From the link...

"Several months later, sources said, Upton’s office responded, providing a copy of Children’s Protective Services’ written response. In it, DHS officials alleged Calista’s problems — first reported to them in 1995 — were the result of “compulsive eating” of nonfood items like wood, paper and soil."


This is a sad story! The eating of non-food items is a result of a condition called PICA. My childhood friend had this, and would eat the stucco off her house. It is a misunderstood condition, but physicians think it is a result of severe iron-deficiency anemia. It is the body's unconscious attempt to gain the nutrients it requires.
Click to expand...

Good pickup. True about pica, but not always the complete story. Dirt, clay, stucco are the strange foods of pica sufferers. Usually abates when the anemia is diagnosed and resolved. This case may have had additional factors to pica.

Crypto6
 
I do have a disabled son. It is TONS of work and lots of exhaustive nights. I would never think of chaining my child down or anything like that. There are other ways to take care of issues and to me what they did is nothing more than abuse. Of course when I noticed the word 'step mom' in the article I had other ideas of what the real deal was in that house but I will keep that to myself.
 
We have a son with really severe ADHD who only requires a couple of hours of sleep and he is up and going again. We have alarms on his windows and bedroom door, I would never in my life even think of restraining my child. There have been many nights he has risen and as quiet as a mouse done things, even though we loose sleep and it sometimes gets to be a little stressing we just have to keep in mind that he can not help it and try to stick to a diet and regimine that will reduce the risk of sleepless nights for him. Yeah its a lot of work but you can not replace him and you cant help but love him. If a family could not handle the girl then they should have let her live with a family member that could, or place her somewhere with skilled care.
 
That is so horrible.. Could you just imagine what the firefighters thought when the stepmother told them Calista was tethered to a top bunk on a bunkbed? That is their worst nightmare also, it's hard to not be able to save someone on them, too.
 
This is a horrible tragedy and without knowing the family personally I guess it would be hard to judge if they were abusive or just needed help with this special needs child. I know here in the hospital where I work restraints are used to keep patient's in their beds especially dementia patients or people who keep pulling out their IVs or would fall if they got out of bed. They restrain their wrists and sometimes legs to the bed.
 
imthemom said:
This is a horrible tragedy and without knowing the family personally I guess it would be hard to judge if they were abusive or just needed help with this special needs child. I know here in the hospital where I work restraints are used to keep patient's in their beds especially dementia patients or people who keep pulling out their IVs or would fall if they got out of bed. They restrain their wrists and sometimes legs to the bed.
Click to expand...
There is a difference in a hospital setting and a home setting. In a hospital setting you have round the clock on duty awake people. I do see your point though, that yes, there are times when it is warrented. But how did the step mother and the father get out? Why did they not make a heroic effort to save the girl, even if it cost them their own life?
 
This is so sad. It just doesn't make sense to tie and chain her how could she go to the bathroom at night?
 
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