GUILTY CA - Tracy Betts for child endangerment, Temecula, 2012

[jjenny]

It is not normal behaviour for a kid that age to go wandering around eating out of garbage cans when they are stark naked, no matter what the circumstances.

I would guess that the kid had behavioural and/or mental issues. The mother was probably having to cope with an impossible situation without resources or adequate support, and taking the kid's clothes was her way of managing it. People do strange things under those circumstances.

It's normal if the child is hungry.
This isn't the only one case on this thread where the child was found eating out of trash cans.

 

[Tugela]

Ya?? But when they are naked?? You think they can't wait a few hours??

No normal kid is going to start rummaging around the trash cans like that, no matter how hungry they are. If they were that desperate they would flee first. It is not like this kid was locked up, the mother was counting on shame to keep her in the car. Apparently she didnt have any. There is no way that is typical.

 

[jjenny]

I am sorry but what exactly about leaving a naked child in a car strikes you as typical?

 

[bellyup]

It's normal if the child is hungry.
This isn't the only one case on this thread where the child was found eating out of trash cans.

The difference between the cases is ...

It was not reported that this child appeared malnourished in any way. Pictures from just months ago, show a well dressed, carefully groomed average for her age weight little girl, hugging her father.

I've found no prior criminal history for either parent. (though I'm not the BEST investigator on that type of stuff)

I'm certain that there is more to this story (not sure we'll ever see it reported).

It seems "running away" was what the mother was trying to prevent, and we know the girl had done it at least once before. I find it curious that NO ONE is reporting about the childs school attendance? Why was she not in school? I'd also love to know if there was any clothing for the girl at all in the BMW or if the mother had taken clothes with her into work ? Or if there simply were just no clothes to be found.

 

[Belinda]

If you have to keep your child from running away, hire a babysitter. Don't leave her naked and starving in your car all day. That is a patently ridiculous solution to the problem.

 

[gitana1]

I'm scratching my head on this one. It doesn't seem like a cut and dry case of some moron abusing their child. The photos show a child happy to be reunited with her father. She left of her own accord from all reports (including foot prints from her window) Bio parents are intact. She was quoted as saying "I just want to go home Daddy".

Google images show a nice neighborhood, the family seems clean, well dressed, etc. Note: I'm NOT saying that they have to be poor and dirty to abuse a chil, but often those are additional indicators to support potential abuse.

It will be interesting to see what else gets reported. I wonder why she wasn't in school ? The mom reports the older child making "first flute" on her facebook recently and going to Disneyland, so it would appear the older daughter is in school and they are taking a family vacation. A friend on facebook comments that both her girls are so smart ...

Something isn't adding up to "leaving her starving in the BMW naked" IMO.

I have heard of severely abused kids who try to run away repeatedly and then act as if nothing is wrong or fail to tell the truth about why they ran away. Based on how this child was found months later, I have no doubt she was severely abused. She was probably scared out of her wits, did not know how to survive and felt she would be in incredible trouble for trying to escape. She tried to soften the blow by hugging daddy and saying she just wanted to go home.

Ya?? But when they are naked?? You think they can't wait a few hours??

No normal kid is going to start rummaging around the trash cans like that, no matter how hungry they are. If they were that desperate they would flee first. It is not like this kid was locked up, the mother was counting on shame to keep her in the car. Apparently she didnt have any. There is no way that is typical.

No, a normal kid would not do so. One who is being starved would, however. If she knew there would be no food once she got home, then waiting a few hours until she got home and was clothed, would not be an option.

And the child did have shame. She was trying to cover herself with a floor mat. Sounds like a desperate child to me.

My sense is there has been some serious abuse going on. The child tries to run away. Mother decides the way to deal with that is more abuse and keeping the little girl in a condition in which she cannot run away again and bring incredible shame on the family the way she did before. So, she keeps her naked and shoeless, in a car.

She either starved her to keep her weak or as "punishment".

Yes, the child looked healthy when she ran away months ago, but that was months ago. And she may have only been starved for a few days, so perhaps she doesn't look like skin and bones yet, but hunger takes its toll quickly and can make a person desperate in just a few days.

Stories like these...

15-year-old girl weighed just 70 lbs, suffered 'serial child torture' from dad, stepmom http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-02-16/news/31069316_1_child-neglect-madison-police-face-charges
The girl describes running away, only to be found, brought home and threatened. Confined to the basement, she had no one to ask for help. She wasn't allowed to go to school or church, have visitors or talk on the phone.http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/starved-wis-girls-statements-detail-life-15754440#.T0RnInlwhK0

GLOUCESTER –Charges against a Gloucester couple whose daughter was found malnourished and in a makeshift cage in April will be presented to a grand jury in March.http://www.wvec.com/home/Gloucester-Co-child-found-starving-and-parents-charged-120989779.html

Tonya and Bryan Ricks have been sentenced to 25 years for child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury and failure to provide medical attention. The sentence came down Monday afternoon. In 2009, the couple's teenage boy was found by a family friend in his own urine and feces. He was one of six children found severely malnourished. http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/...After_Child_Found_Malnourished_125666873.html

The neighbors say the two young girls were starving, had black eyes, broken bones, and one had a knife wound.

A neighbor found the five and three year old girls naked in a bathtub, where she thinks they were living. She did not want to identify herself.

"You could see their bones, you could see the bruising on their face and at that moment, I got an awful feeling to where I couldn't even concentrate on looking at them anymore," said the neighbor.http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/crime/children-found-starved-beaten

Officials finally became aware of the abuse on Oct. 10 when a neighbor called police at 2:52 a.m. to report a child foraging through his trash. Officers found Bruce and later questioned both parents, who claimed their sons ate sparingly because they suffered from acid reflux but admitted the boys hadn't seen doctors for five years. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20148577,00.html

...have to start somewhere.

 

[hambirg]

Mark my words, the reason for not giving her food will be so she didn't have to use the bathroom. :furious:

I agree. . .we will probably find out about some harsh "discipline" in this case. There are seemingly normal parents that think that it is ok to "discipline" their children in the most cruel and bizarre ways.

The poor girl is probably very confused. She ran away and then didn't know what to do, so she went back. Now this is probably the consequences for her running away. How in the heck is she suppose to learn to trust anybody if this is how her own parents treat her?!

 

[bellyup]

I have heard of severely abused kids who try to run away repeatedly and then act as if nothing is wrong or fail to tell the truth about why they ran away. Based on how this child was found months later, I have no doubt she was severely abused. She was probably scared out of her wits, did not know how to survive and felt she would be in incredible trouble for trying to escape. She tried to soften the blow by hugging daddy and saying she just wanted to go home.

What I am I'm saying is that there is a lot of unknowns in this case. A huge spectrum of possibilities from bizarre discipline choices, to neglect/abuse, to a family falling on hard times and making do the only way they can figure out how, to a rebellious teen, to a child who is in need of mental /behavioral services.

We simply do NOT have enough information to jump to the conclusion that this child is straved and lives in an abusive household and IMO the little information we have been given makes that seem like a large leap.

 

[Lovejac]

aparrently the daughter is enrolled in school, but it wasn't in session that day.

http://www.pe.com/local-news/rivers...mecula-mother-of-girl-left-naked-on-leave.ece

also

Woods said Betts had been the girl’s foster mother.

McDonald said there were no signs of other mistreatment by Betts. Though the child was eating out of trashcans, Betts had not been starving the girl, he said.

 

[jjenny]

She is fostering the child and a car was her version of daycare? I doubt that's approved method of daycare.

 

[bellyup]

http://www.pe.com/local-news/rivers...mecula-mother-of-girl-left-naked-on-leave.ece

From Above Link :

".....To prevent her from leaving the vehicle, which the girl had done in the past."
"McDonald said there were no signs of other mistreatment by Betts. Though the child was eating out of trashcans, Betts had not been starving the girl, he said."

It appears that the child has a history of "taking off". So leaving her home alone on a day off of school wouldn't be an option. And missing work when your facing foreclosure and bankruptcy probably not an option either (you have to feed and shelter the kids somehow... losing your job would make a bad situation much worse) . Having been a mother in the "can't win" situation of not having child care and not being able to obtain it, I can see why sometimes people resort to extremes. It's not right, but I totally get not having the funding or resources for child care.

This seems to me like a situation of desperation that escalated due to behavioral issues that the parents didn't know how to handle or have the resources to handle. It doesn't excuse it... but it somewhat explains how / why this occurred and IMO it doesn't constitute abuse.


"....prosecutors are reviewing the case and charges have not been filed."
No charges? 5 days in? That seems to indicate maybe there are extenuating circumstances being considered by law enforcement.


"Woods said Betts had been the girl’s foster mother."
Had been ? As in was her foster mother, but has since adopted her? What led to this little girl being in foster care initially ?

My nephew has severe behavioral issues and some of the things I've seen him "do" in the course of his growing up have been shocking (he's now almost 18). I've watched his parents (one, my sibling) struggle financially and emotionally for YEARS in trying to get him proper treatment, good schooling, medical attention, etc. They truly have done everything in their power to be good parents and get him the support and help he needs. They've lost jobs (several times), they live meagerly ... they honestly do whatever it takes to take care of their son.

Yet my nephew will punch himself in the face repeatedly, run naked from the house screaming so the neighbors call 911 and then report to police that his mother was beating him. Simply because she took away a video game as a consequence for one of his actions.

Finding child care for a kid like this ? Nearly impossible.

 

[Caligram]

I'm caught shaking my head on this one. Any mama who forces a butt-naked girl to remain in the family BMW while mama works at school is committing child abuse. I cannot imagine how desparate a child must be a to leave the "safety" of the auto to scavenge for food in garbage cans. Lock the woman up and place that girl elsewhere.
MOO

 

[gitana1]

What I am I'm saying is that there is a lot of unknowns in this case. A huge spectrum of possibilities from bizarre discipline choices, to neglect/abuse, to a family falling on hard times and making do the only way they can figure out how, to a rebellious teen, to a child who is in need of mental /behavioral services.

We simply do NOT have enough information to jump to the conclusion that this child is straved and lives in an abusive household and IMO the little information we have been given makes that seem like a large leap.

I;m sorry, but leaving a little, 12 year old girl alone in a car all day, is child abuse. Leaving said child naked and shoeless in the car all day, is child abuse. Which is why the woman was arrested. This is not "bizarre discipline". It's abuse and neglect. And I don't care the reasons. This woman is a special education aide. She is thus very aware of various programs in our state for kids with special needs. There are tons of respite care programs in our area. If this woman can afford a BMW, she can afford that. In fact, some of those programs are free if used less than a certain amount of times per year.

Nope. I'm not buying it. What she did was criminal. And I don't think the fact that they have waited five days to charge her necessarily means they won't. I've seen cases get charged after more time than that. Sometimes, they are continuing the investigation and deciding what to charge.

Maybe I'm just a cynic, after so many years reading about such cases. But the bottom line is that a special education instructor knows a lot more than most about the resources out there for parents in crisis, if such is the case with her. Child abuse is never excusable to me and even less so in the case of a parent who has more information than the average joe.

 

[jjenny]

I am not sure why people are even debating this. For any child to sit in the car for a prolonged period of time would be very uncomfortable. Let alone a naked child. A car is not a babysitter. And once it gets into the summer depending on a state leaving a child in a car can easily kill this child due to heat.

 

[MsFacetious]

Woods said Betts worked three- or four-hour days at Vail Elementary School.

----------------------------------------------------

Woods said Betts had been the girl’s foster mother.

http://www.pe.com/local-news/rivers...mecula-mother-of-girl-left-naked-on-leave.ece


I think it is saying that she "had been" the girl's foster mother... as in "she isn't anymore because they've taken the child away."
I don't think that they have adopted the girl, I think up until the child was found naked... she was still the foster parent.

Which... would beg the question. If she couldn't handle the child, why didn't she simply let someone know that?

 

[bellyup]

I;m sorry, but leaving a little, 12 year old girl alone in a car all day, is child abuse. Leaving said child naked and shoeless in the car all day, is child abuse.

It was said she worked 3-4 hours, so she wasn't leaving the child there all day. There has been no mention of if she intended to check on the girl during a break and it doesn't appear this was something she did every day.

In most states latch key legal age ranges from 8-12 so leaving her ALONE wasn't illegal. (in many states there is NO legal age - I can't find one listed in CA).

I DON'T disagree that leaving her naked was NOT the right thing to do (and I do question where the child had clothes? did the mom take them into school with her? were they left in the car? trunk? or was she put in the car naked and taken home naked? ) .

I DO understand how a parent with limited financial and support resources could resort to that with a child known to run off when they simply HAVE to work. Even knowing what is available, it often times isn't enough. Someone said if it was a foster child why not just say you couldn't handle her? We don't know the circumstances that left this little girl in foster care (could be a siblings child? a cousin? etc. and often times putting the child back into the system is the LAST thing you want to do) !!

I do NOT agree with what she did, but compared to come of the cases we see, I just don't think that this mother is a monster that set out to neglect / abuse / hurt this little girl. I think it escalated and she used horrible judgement.

 

[bellyup]

I am not sure why people are even debating this. For any child to sit in the car for a prolonged period of time would be very uncomfortable. Let alone a naked child. A car is not a babysitter. And once it gets into the summer depending on a state leaving a child in a car can easily kill this child due to heat.

I don't think a 12 year old is likely to die from hyperthermia. Nearly all car induced hyperthemia deaths are children 5 and under who cannot leave the vehicle.

 

[Belinda]

Frankly, I get the feeling her foster care dollars were spent on her car and not on the child. Therefore, no funds left over to deal with appropriate care needed for the child. Just my take on it.

 

[bellyup]

Frankly, I get the feeling her foster care dollars were spent on her car and not on the child. Therefore, no funds left over to deal with appropriate care needed for the child. Just my take on it.

I just don't get that feeling with this one at all (though I know it's done often). Seeing the photos I really get the feeling of a family who had been doing well and fell on hard times and doesn't know how to cope.

 

[JoeFromLB]

I'm caught shaking my head on this one. Any mama who forces a butt-naked girl to remain in the family BMW while mama works at school is committing child abuse. I cannot imagine how desparate a child must be a to leave the "safety" of the auto to scavenge for food in garbage cans. Lock the woman up and place that girl elsewhere.
MOO

Perfectly stated. Nothing more needs to be said about this case.