GUILTY CA - Leila Fowler, 8, murdered, 12yo charged, Valley Springs, 27 Apr 2013 - #1

[tlcya]

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/leila-fowler-stabbed-death-valley-springs-california-home-19064190

 

[TGIRecovered]

When my DD was 8, my DS was 12. We left them alone at noon on Saturdays quite often because they liked to avoid errands etc. I was comfortable leaving my 12 yr old in charge. I cannot imagine how devastating the parents must feel now.

I would like to hear more confirmation of the neighbor seeing the intruder running away however. That would clear some things up for me.

That's what meant. It sees to me that if the perp expected the little girl to be home when the parents weren't there, he would realize that someone, an older child at least, would be there with her. I don't see how it would have been surprising or make him run off when the brother intervened.

Maybe the boy had a weapon, or maybe the perp was tripped out on something and was so frenzied in the assault that he was caught off guard. I hate to say it, but its hard to win a fight with your pants down around your ankles. Awful thought, but a real possibility.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tlcya]

FWIW, I don't think we will find out that Leila was sexually assaulted. I feel strongly that if that were the case, LE would not have been so quick to release her name, even though she is deceased.

I think this will turn out to be a mentally unstable vagrant type who thought he would commit a robbery, was confronted with a child in the home. He stabs/attacks her to quiet her, not knowing who else may be home but confident someone probably older is home with this child. He runs from the home in a panic, is witnessed by the brother and the neighbor doing so, etc.

Beautiful little girl.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

I'm late joining this thread, and just heard about this on the news this morning but do we know where the parents were? I've heard that her 12 year old brother was home, saw the intruder, etc. but were the parents also home?

 

[The Cheese]

Good Morning America ‏@GMA 3m
CSI teams scouring scene of the home invasion where 8yo girl was stabbed to death, suspect still on loose in Cali. http://abcn.ws/ZXfJgG

 

[Hopeful One]

RIP, sweet girl.

What a horrible story. I would be terrified to let my kids out of my sight. I think I'd keep them home with the house locked up for the next few days. But maybe I'm just paranoid.

 

[Hopeful One]

I'm late joining this thread, and just heard about this on the news this morning but do we know where the parents were? I've heard that her 12 year old brother was home, saw the intruder, etc. but were the parents also home?

Apparently they were not, the two children were home alone. I'm not sure where exactly the parents were at the time.

 

[belimom]

What a sweetie... So tragic - I hope they find this perp.

In reading the news articles, I'm just baffled. Broad daylight, rural area, a family with 7 kids and an intruder comes in when just the 12-yr-old and 8-yr-old are there alone... The perp leaves the 12-yr-old unharmed (I read he was not seen by the perp, IIRC?).

As someone mentioned above, if it were someone the family knew, then the 12-yr-old should've recognized him.

:waitasec:

 

[Hopeful One]

FWIW, I don't think we will find out that Leila was sexually assaulted. I feel strongly that if that were the case, LE would not have been so quick to release her name, even though she is deceased.

I think this will turn out to be a mentally unstable vagrant type who thought he would commit a robbery, was confronted with a child in the home. He stabs/attacks her to quiet her, not knowing who else may be home but confident someone probably older is home with this child. He runs from the home in a panic, is witnessed by the brother and the neighbor doing so, etc.

Beautiful little girl.

ITA. It reminds me of the Michael Crowe case (what was his sister's name?? I feel guilty and stupid that I can't remember!!). Just a freak thing, it's so rare for an unknown person to break in and just kill someone.

 

[tlcya]

the parents were reportedly at a nearby public event which was later identified as a little league baseball game. They have a large family with several children, they were at one's ballgame while the 12 year old and 8 year old were home alone. Noon, saturday. :shakehead: Just so arbitrary and sad.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

ITA. It reminds me of the Michael Crowe case (what was his sister's name?? I feel guilty and stupid that I can't remember!!). Just a freak thing, it's so rare for an unknown person to break in and just kill someone.

Stephanie Crowe I think is who you're thinking of. That was a wild case.

 

[belimom]

Apparently they were not, the two children were home alone. I'm not sure where exactly the parents were at the time.

I think upthread someone mentions that they were at a ballgame.

ETA - here's the other post:

They were at a baseball game:

Link:
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/349027

 

[KaylynnCouture]

the parents were reportedly at a nearby public event which was later identified as a little league baseball game. They have a large family with several children, they were at one's ballgame while the 12 year old and 8 year old were home alone. Noon, saturday. :shakehead: Just so arbitrary and sad.

Wow, in the middle of the day? I thought it was at night. That makes this case even more bizarre.

 

[Hopeful One]

And her brother is going to be traumatized. Hopefully the parents will get him the help he needs via counseling. Can you imagine what finding his sister like that would do to him??? So sad all around.

 

[Hopeful One]

Stephanie Crowe I think is who you're thinking of. That was a wild case.

That's it!!! Couldn't think of her name for the life of me but I can picture exactly what she looks like.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

I'm late joining this thread, and just heard about this on the news this morning but do we know where the parents were? I've heard that her 12 year old brother was home, saw the intruder, etc. but were the parents also home?

The parents were at a public event...

I believe they were at a Little League game for one of the other siblings...

JMO

 

[snapdragon]

I live ~45 min from this area. There is great family communities up in the foothills of the Sierras, and lots of retirees. But it is VERY well-known meth country up there, and along with all these nice people who have moved to escape city living, they are living along side some pretty major meth heads.

JMO, I think this guy was ramped up on drugs, attempted a break in, and freaked. But I do not rule out the possibility of a child predator angle (hence the dna), although it would be very odd to brutally stab the victim as he did. The question I have is how long was the 12 yr old gone from the house? Perhaps he was outside playing? This time factor is somewhat important when speculating. Of course, LE is keeping most of this quiet for now, and we will have to wait to find out. I hope this animal is found quickly.

 

[The Cheese]

Alex Savidge ‏@AlexSavidge KTVU
Sheriff's Office patrolling at Jenny Lind Elem in #CalaverasCo after student was killed-8 yr old Leila Fowler. @ktvu pic.twitter.com/gabky6eL8j

 

[tlcya]

And her brother is going to be traumatized. Hopefully the parents will get him the help he needs via counseling. Can you imagine what finding his sister like that would do to him??? So sad all around.

My DD is 12 almost 13. She is mature, responsible and we have recently been giving her more responsibility. One of those is limited time babysitting of her 9 yr old (this week) brother.

This story breaks my heart for the 12 year old brother. IMO he was old enough to be charged with the responsibility of being the oldest sibling at home for an hour or two with his sister. The fact that this happened, I cannot imagine how horrifying for him. For his parents, the guilt. For him, the survivor guilt.

Just awful. Anyway, this one hits me hard because it could just as easily have happened to my children.

How do you help your children grow into responsible adults if you don't let them assume responsibilities as they reach appropriate ages? Scary. Rethinking the babysitting thing now and I should not have to because some nutbag decided to wander into these peoples home and stab a child to death.

 

[time]

I live ~45 min from this area. There is great family communities up in the foothills of the Sierras, and lots of retirees. But it is VERY well-known meth country up there, and along with all these nice people who have moved to escape city living, they are living along side some pretty major meth heads.

JMO, I think this guy was ramped up on drugs, attempted a break in, and freaked. But I do not rule out the possibility of a child predator angle (hence the dna), although it would be very odd to brutally stab the victim as he did. The question I have is how long was the 12 yr old gone from the house? Perhaps he was outside playing? This time factor is somewhat important when speculating. Of course, LE is keeping most of this quiet for now, and we will have to wait to find out. I hope this animal is found quickly.

That's what I was thinking also, a methhead. The stabbing of an 8 year old girl makes no other sense.