GUILTY AZ - Willa 6, Colby 5 & Austin Rawlings 5, found dead, flooded creek, parents charged, Nov 29 2019

[GoneGoldfishin']

Parents of children who died in Tonto Basin facing manslaughter, child abuse charges

 

[Snoods]

Parents of children who died in Tonto Basin facing manslaughter, child abuse charges

Holy crap! I hoped they would face some kind of charges, but didn’t really think it would happen.

Daniel Rawlings has been charged with three counts of manslaughter and seven charges of child abuse. Lacey Rawlings charged with seven counts of child abuse.

According to court records, the father of Colby and Willa Rawlings, Daniel Rawlings, is facing charges of three counts of reckless manslaughter and seven counts of child abuse. Lacey Rawlings is facing seven counts of child abuse. When contacted by phone, Daniel Rawlings said, "no comment," and referred Arizona's Family to his lawyer.

Parents of children who died in Tonto Basin flooding facing charges

 

[Snoods]

So the father who ignores signs would rather take the chance of his children dying than to drive an extra hour. When will the parents be held responsible ?

Right now!

 

[kaen]

Parents of children who died in Tonto Basin facing manslaughter, child abuse charges

Well, that is welcome news. Parents who don't protect their children by leaving them at home alone, with people they barely know or don't put them in seat belts are often held to account. I had begun to lose faith that these parents would be held accountable for their poor decisions. I am glad that these parents who ignored warning signs and put their children (and their nieces and nephews) in harms way will have a day in court. Regardless of whether the area needs a bridge, people who choose to live out in areas with more space or more rural areas will be inconvenienced by flooding or long work arounds to get from place A to B despite the fact that that crossing a flood road or stream is significantly less time to travel but you still have to act responsibly.

 

[wendybtn]

Just a general question as I have not followed this thread too closely: Were the father and mother out in this storm driving all these children in their truck because they were in fear for their lives where they were? Were they under an evacuation order of some kind?

 

[squareandrabbet]

Just a general question as I have not followed this thread too closely: Were the father and mother out in this storm driving all these children in their truck because they were in fear for their lives where they were? Were they under an evacuation order of some kind?

No. The news article says 2 inches of rain fell that day, and 4 inches had fallen in the week(s) prior. Just out for a little jaunt...

 

[grammieto5]

Well, I think this is very good news. I really had my doubts anything was to happen to the parents.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

I hate this. Yes, we need to hold folks accountable - and people need to take responsibility, (responsibility has gone out the window IMO, but that's for another rant) but this is nonetheless very sad. I hope the charges are not dropped. He is guilty of acting with the grossest of negligence. And she was an accomplice. Very very tragic event. Could have made other, safe choices. Period.

 

[Snoods]

I need to get a few things off my chest that have been bothering me.

First, I checked their givememoney fund a few days ago and was surprised to see it was still up and accepting donations. It had over $60,000. The description still said donations were going towards helping the Rawlings’ during their search for Willa after their tragic “accident.”

I thought it was deceptive from the beginning, because this was no accident. The parents and their supporters immediately slapping “tragic accident” onto this has always burned me and doesn’t make it so.

Givememoney usually pulls campaigns when there is intentional deception involved, especially when charges have been filed against the recipients of the campaign.

Well, I checked today and finally found “Page Not Found.” So at least they are profiting no longer.

No doubt the parents are grieving and the children are grieved by many, but they seem to be an afterthought. All the “Rawlings Strong” stuff everywhere (on Facebook, signs, photos, on businesses etc.) doesn’t IMO honor or remember the poor dead children, it just seems to support the living parents.

Obviously the three children who drowned can’t be a part of the Rawlings Strong logo and movement. (Yes, a few signs have the children’s names listed all tiny.) I would want the focus to be all about remembering my children or child, not me and how strong I am, or how strongly the community supports me even though I killed my children and niece. It’s like “look over here, don’t look over there!” There are three children who lost their lives in a horrible, terrifying way because of this couple!

The dad passing the blame by saying “more could be done” was reprehensible. Intentionally driving around barricades which warn “don’t cross, dangerous flood waters” in your creek-crossing military monster mobile, loaded to the gills with little children, while knowing others have died doing the same thing is not an accident.

They didn’t say it was, but dinner with family is not an emergency in which to risk many lives.

(Eek. Sorry so long. If anyone reads this entire thing, thank you!)

 

[Snoods]

Details of Tonto Basin incident revealed in reports

Finally, a LOT of new information from the police reports in this article. Police have video of them crossing the creek at a different barricaded location that day. Daniel gets out and looks at the river.

There were also witnesses at the scene of the Tonto Basin crossing.

Daniel Rawlings stopped at the Bar X crossing of Tonto Creek and studied the rush of water. Seven children sat in the cab of his family’s large, flatbed truck, excited by the storm and the chance to play with their cousins during a visit with grandparents and uncles.

The sequence of events has only now come to light with the release of the Gila County Sheriff’s Office investigative report, including interviews with some members of the family. The Roundup got the 40-page report through records requests, which includes accounts from detectives, deputies, searchers and fire personnel.

According to their reports, county road crew workers had placed road closed signs on both sides of the creek at the Punkin Center, Bar X and A+ crossings.

“Lacey said when they crossed the creek at Punkin Center, (a different crossing, upstream) the barricade was in place,” Hensley wrote. “She said when they crossed, it was fine and they had no problem getting across. Lacey said the kids were having fun and saying, ‘Let’s do it again.’”

After crossing back to the east side, Lacey said the children wanted to cross again, saying “Dad, please, let’s go one more time. It was fun.”
They were nearly back to Bill’s home when Daniel decided this time to go to the Bar X Crossing.

Lacey said Daniel got partway across the Bar X Crossing when he decided the water was too high.

Witnesses reported seeing Daniel “rock” the truck back and forth to get it out.

Lacey told Daniel she had no time to move the children to the roof. So she rolled down her window.

”Lacey said she saw her children spread out through the creek. She tried to reach them, but after a rock hit her, “it went black.”

“She said the water and current was so strong,” Hensley wrote. “Lacey said she finally got enough strength and pulled herself up onto some trees.”

Lacey says she was knocked unconscious by a rock and yet she didn’t drown and she somehow pulled herself onto some trees... very lucky.

One woman camped nearby was taking a picture of a rainbow arching over the creek in the Bar X area. She looked downstream and saw a girl standing about waist deep in the water. Further downstream she saw a man pulling another child onto an island. She also saw a “small, light brown head and shoulder bobbing downstream.”

Rescuers began arriving, only to find the floodwaters too swift and high to enter the creek.

The flood waters were too swift and high for trained rescuers to enter, but Daniel and Lacey did it for fun, to entertain the kids. In fact, the deep muddy rush of water made it impossible to cross, Daniel and three children had to be rescued by a helicopter.

Much, much more at the article.

Thanksgiving tragedy: Details of Tonto Basin incident revealed in reports

 

[Snoods]

Dang, this is rough. Why, why, make such a flagrantly poor decision?

Daniel called her on her Apple watch, asking which children she had with her. When she said she had no one, “he cried uncontrollably.”

The court has already held three hearings, with two more scheduled for June 1 and 24.

I wonder if Lacey was treated at a hospital for her concussion?

 

[BrownRice]

Well reading that article really gives vivid details of what happened. I don’t see Daniel and Lacey as evil, horrible parents. But they were definitely careless and negligent. Probably growing up there gave them a false sense of comfort and safety since they had crossed the washes and barricades numerous times. Seems like it something locals feel they have to do since there are no bridges. Some other articles I read seemed like it was basically normal?

Regardless , not sure what the appropriate punishment would be. Prison takes them away from their other children already grieving. Doing nothing also seems too forgiving.

Can’t imagine having to experience a tragic event like that and living the rest of my life knowing my actions killed innocent children.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Daniel, Lacey Rawlings to plead guilty in children's 2019 flood deaths

Daniel Rawlings will plead guilty to three counts of manslaughter and seven counts of child abuse. Lacey Rawlings will plead guilty to child abuse, one count for every child in the vehicle at the time. Under her agreement, she will be on supervised probation for four years.

The Rawlingses were scheduled to go on trial next March in Gila County Superior Court, the Clerk's Office said. Now, they will be sentenced on Jan. 27.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Parents of children killed in Tonto Basin flooding avoid prison time; judge sentences both to probation

 

[happyday]

Parents of children killed in Tonto Basin flooding avoid prison time; judge sentences both to probation

I have mixed feelings about this. Maybe it is best for the other two children that their parents are not in prison. I don’t believe the parents are evil or intended for this to happen, so I can only imagine they are in their own hell every single day. I don’t have too much sympathy for them, but I don’t know that taking them away from their other kids would do any good. And it may just further hurt the kids. It was a tough call. The whole thing is just so sad.

 

[BrownRice]

I have mixed feelings about this. Maybe it is best for the other two children that their parents are not in prison. I don’t believe the parents are evil or intended for this to happen, so I can only imagine they are in their own hell every single day. I don’t have too much sympathy for them, but I don’t know that taking them away from their other kids would do any good. And it may just further hurt the kids. It was a tough call. The whole thing is just so sad.

Yep. Can’t imagine living with this. And the fact one of the kids wasn’t theirs. To be responsible for the death of your sibling’s child is another type of grief too I’d imagine.