FL - Megan Todt 42, Alek 13, Tyler 11, Zoe 4, & dog Breezy, Celebration, 6 Jan 2020 *ARREST*

[CSIDreamer]

Ok, so everyone was cremated. (I guess it’s cheaper). Well that’s bad news. Unless the state lab saved tissue and hair samples. If they only did blood tests they will not be able to determine if long-term poisoning was involved.

I'm betting they did extensive testing. Are you talking about the Todts or one of the annilihator cases? I can't get my brain to focus here. Jmo.

 

[Angels27]

I'm betting they did extensive testing. Are you talking about the Todts or one of the annilihator cases? I can't get my brain to focus here. Jmo.

The 4 Todts as well as the dog. All cremated.

 

[wyome]

Ok, so everyone was cremated. (I guess it’s cheaper). Well that’s bad news. Unless the state lab saved tissue and hair samples. If they only did blood tests they will not be able to determine if long-term poisoning was involved. Say they tested them for X Y and Z substances, but then they get intel months later on another potential substance. If they burn their bridges early, they may never know. Think of all the substances they have to test for these days. It’s not like “one and done.”

Based on the 4 rotting in their home for almost a month and the dad found hanging out among them, all swollen and shaking and confessing, I'm thinking they grabbed all the forensic evidence they need. Honestly, with the state of the decomp, her family may not have had a choice in anything other than cremation.

 

[Angels27]

Regarding the settling of the nearly $500,000 judgment against him with $279,000, any guesses on why did he bother? One possibility is it was a last ditch attempt at fixing things. Maybe thought he could apply n get another bailout loan. Maybe trying to get his license back even tho that would never happen with state n federal fraud charges pending. Maybe he wanted to make a good faith effort in the eyes of the court for the fraud charges so they would show him leniency. Maybe the decision to kill everyone didn’t come until after that payoff.

 

[CSIDreamer]

Regarding the settling of the nearly $500,000 judgment against him with $279,000, any guesses on why did he bother? One possibility is it was a last ditch attempt at fixing things. Maybe thought he could apply n get another bailout loan. Maybe trying to get his license back even tho that would never happen with state n federal fraud charges pending. Maybe he wanted to make a good faith effort in the eyes of the court for the fraud charges so they would show him leniency. Maybe the decision to kill everyone didn’t come until after that payoff.

Did he settle or did they seize it? Jmo that's been confusing me for awhile.

 

[kay74]

Respectfully disagree. I don't see alcohol abuse in this case...just a mountain of debt, civil judgements, federal fraud cases, eviction and inevitable jail time.

He'd rather wipe out his family than deal with their humiliation.

I wish when he spoke to the FBI agents regarding the fraud investigation, they would have arrested him right there and then. I guess those white collar crimes don't work that way. According to the article, he admitted to everything and even asked how long it would take to wrap up their investigation because he wanted to plead guilty. But they sent him on his way advising him to have his lawyer contact him.

Anthony Todt, the Colchester man who confessed to killing his family in Celebration, Fla., was a man under pressure - from creditors, landlords, Medicaid investigators and federal agents

BBM I truly don't understand them not arresting him then. Medicaid fraud is a huge crime. Why would they let him go?? This is insane.

 

[Angels27]

Did he settle or did they seize it? Jmo that's been confusing me for awhile.

Sounds like he liquidated everything and settled it on his own.

 

[Twolabs]

Interesting. Maybe TT was planning on letting bodies rot to skew autopsy and then say he came home and found them all dead and made it look like a murder suicide caused by the mom. ‘Her father did it, why not her.’ Jury might buy it too if he said he had recently told her about federal fraud case, his probable stint in jail, the evictions and loss of his CT license. And he ‘just couldn’t bare to leave them’ so he stayed in house with rotting bodies. Wouldn’t it be wild if he is now saying ‘I only confessed bc I knew I was going to jail anyway on fraud charges and what good is life without them, and I didn’t want wife to be considered a murderer, so I took the wrap.’ Whoa.

Certainly some food for thought. I never considered it would be her at all. If she was involved I would stand by the murder suicide theory and he either did not go thru with his end or did not die and became conscious again to find them all deceased. Anything is possible. Not sure we will ever know the truth though.

 

[Twolabs]

I'm betting they did extensive testing. Are you talking about the Todts or one of the annilihator cases? I can't get my brain to focus here. Jmo.

I agree extensive tests were done! This is a huge case so I am fairly positive they got everything they could.

 

[Occam's Zebra]

Then you throw in expensive homeschooling tuition costs (which I don’t understand why anyone in their right mind would pay $10,000 per kid per year just to quit their job and homeschool them.) Integration with other kids is the single most important part of learning and being able to survive in the real world. Without it all sorts of psychopathologies can develop.

Quote snipped by me. Your assumptions about homeschooling are narrow minded and old. First of all, these kids were going to a school with other kids! Second, homeschooled kids DO see other kids, as well as adults and people of ALL ages. The whole idea that being homeschooled keeps them from being "socialized" is ridiculous. I've heard these ideas for decades and they aren't borne out by any evidence. Frankly, going to school and being around same-aged kids all day is NOT natural - school was invented in the late 1800s in order to train factory workers. Before that, kids were at home with their families, participating in a regular day of work/play/whatever. The idea that such a life is going to cause kids to become psychotic... I just don't even know where to start with that.

 

[Jamie737]

Quote snipped by me. Your assumptions about homeschooling are narrow minded and old. First of all, these kids were going to a school with other kids! Second, homeschooled kids DO see other kids, as well as adults and people of ALL ages. The whole idea that being homeschooled keeps them from being "socialized" is ridiculous. I've heard these ideas for decades and they aren't borne out by any evidence. Frankly, going to school and being around same-aged kids all day is NOT natural - school was invented in the late 1800s in order to train factory workers. Before that, kids were at home with their families, participating in a regular day of work/play/whatever. The idea that such a life is going to cause kids to become psychotic... I just don't even know where to start with that.

There is good evidence that homeschooled kids are more vulnerable. Kids who are homeschooled with no state regulation are at greater risk for unreported and unno- ticed physical abuse, when they are completely isolated in homes. As the trial judge in In re Rachel noted, “95% of referrals for child abuse come from public school teachers or officials.”

 

[natesma]

There is good evidence that homeschooled kids are more vulnerable. Kids who are homeschooled with no state regulation are at greater risk for unreported and unno- ticed physical abuse, when they are completely isolated in homes. As the trial judge in In re Rachel noted, “95% of referrals for child abuse come from public school teachers or officials.”

I’d like to see the “good evidence” which would back up your statement, please.

 

[Trebor5591]

I’d like to see the “good evidence” which would back up your statement, please.

Me too!

 

[Angels27]

.

 

[Angels27]

Quote snipped by me. Your assumptions about homeschooling are narrow minded and old. First of all, these kids were going to a school with other kids! Second, homeschooled kids DO see other kids, as well as adults and people of ALL ages. The whole idea that being homeschooled keeps them from being "socialized" is ridiculous. I've heard these ideas for decades and they aren't borne out by any evidence. Frankly, going to school and being around same-aged kids all day is NOT natural - school was invented in the late 1800s in order to train factory workers. Before that, kids were at home with their families, participating in a regular day of work/play/whatever. The idea that such a life is going to cause kids to become psychotic... I just don't even know where to start with that.

It’s sociology 101. Look it up. As long as they aren’t being isolated, I’m in agreement with you. Homeschooling can be a red flag for CPS agencies, as I’m sure if you read the news, you know.

 

[natesma]

It’s sociology 101. Look it up. As long as they aren’t being isolated, I’m in agreement with you. Homeschooling can be a red flag for CPS agencies, as I’m sure if you read the news, you know.

You forgot your “IMO”

 

[kelsie]

The Social and Emotional Health of Homeschooled Students in the United States: A Population-Based Comparison with Publicly Schooled Students Based on the National Survey of Children’s Health, 2007 - National Home Education Research Institute

 

[Jamie737]

A debate about homeschooling is bound to result in an impasse. From Murphy (2014)
"...We explained how homeschooling is larger than schooling. Home-based education is also a social movement. It is both the result of and a contributing factor to the changing dynamics of religion, family, and politics. It has raised the prominence of evangelical Christian fundamentalism. Homeschooling has helped reposition the dialogue and action around the role of the family, especially the mother, in the United States."

It is a life-view associated with a traditionalist view of the role of the woman. It is not a worldview I identify with.

 

[Jamie737]

The Social and Emotional Health of Homeschooled Students in the United States: A Population-Based Comparison with Publicly Schooled Students Based on the National Survey of Children’s Health, 2007 - National Home Education Research Institute

With the greatest respect, this is methodologically so flawed in terms of bias that it can't be cited as "evidence". I also think it's a pointless debate here.

 

[Angels27]

The Social and Emotional Health of Homeschooled Students in the United States: A Population-Based Comparison with Publicly Schooled Students Based on the National Survey of Children’s Health, 2007 - National Home Education Research Institute

It’s like the tobacco industry doing a study on cancer rates in smokers. Lol. And I’m sure the kids of illiterate drug addicts chained up in closets while their “mothers” smoke dope weren’t surveyed. “Children first, always.” Whatever is best for them. If homeschooling is best for them, and for some kids I’m sure it is, than by all means, do it. Children first, always.