GUILTY FL - Audreanna Zimmerman, 19, beaten, burned alive, Ensley, 24 March 2010

[Beyond Belief]

This so senseless, did the perps in this really think they were going to get away with doing this. Really, now their off to jail. Bye Bye

 

[Wise Old Owl]

At what age is it fully developed? If that's the case...why are we sending our 18 years to war? Off topic I know....but evil is evil - frontal lobe fully developed or not. Not pointed at you Swag - just making a stmt! There is no reason for this type of cruelty!

Oh ITA! Its just that his statement made me stop and think - I had never thought about that before. Not sure about what age fully developed. As for sending our 18 yr olds off to war - the military turns them basically into machines that OBEY COMMANDS - don't take much of frontal lobe to do that! lol

 

[Missizzy]

This is what I talk about so often, folks. Read "The Primal Teen" by Barbara Strauch:

"Strauch, medical science and health editor at the New York Times, sets out to offer reassurance to parents baffled by their kids' seemingly irrational and erratic behavior. She discusses the latest research, including brain scans that show changes in the brain's structure and function that could explain the crazy behavior exhibited by teens...."

"Parents lament their inability to understand why a straight-A student suddenly loses interest in school or starts behaving miserably. The teens are surprisingly open about their often ill-advised behavior, but seem unable to offer reasons for such actions. One possible explanation, still debated by scientists, is whether adolescence is a critical brain period, that is, an important period of development...."

From a review on Amazon.

Remember that teen brains are not fully developed until the early 20's--males often later. And it is the temporal lobe which is most effected by prenatal substance exposure (drugs and alcohol), a chaotic home environment, and trauma.

The same yardstick just doesn't work for everyone or every age IMO. Please note that I am not saying that the same sentence might not, though. I am excusing nothing, rationalizing nothing. I am simply saying that brains can fail to develop appropriately or thoroughly and children and teens can act out in ways that have zero forethought but lifelong consequences. We've seen a rash of these events this week alone.

My goal is to learn more about the precursors of this time of violence so we can prevent more of these tragedies. We are creating a sub-society of children and teens that are not going to have the healthy brains necessary to handle this world.

 

[JoeFromLB]

David Morgan of the Escambia Co. Sheriff's office is on now JVM. THe girl is still is clinging to life - in critical condition. Many persons of interest! Please say prayers for this young woman.

If the burns are 3rd degree and cover 60% of her body, the chances for survival are not good. I'm just going by other incidents I've read about.

If she dies, the perpetrators of this heinous act should be charged with first-degree murder and the death penalty pursued.

 

[Salem]

I wonder what is in the water in these Florida communities. Not long ago, a story was written about the residue medications were leaving in the water supply. I think Florida's water needs to be re-tested and cleaned up! I say this seriously!

Salem

 

[Gypsy Road]

I wonder what is in the water in these Florida communities. Not long ago, a story was written about the residue medications were leaving in the water supply. I think Florida's water needs to be re-tested and cleaned up! I say this seriously!

Salem

It's funny you should mention our water quality. Not long ago it was reported in our local paper that the water quality in our area is one of the worst in the nation. Nothing to do with this case, but since you brought the water up I thought I'd mention it.

I watched the local news and again, I didn't see any new info on this case. I heard more on JVM at 6:00 than I have on our local news station.

 

[kbl8201]

im sick of this frontal lobe nonsense........that means that anyone from 0 months to , what, 21? could do this. look i was a moody, tempermeental, neurotic 18 year old (whats changed, right?) and i never thought of setting anyone on fire.

 

[LadyLuck]

im sick of this frontal lobe nonsense........that means that anyone from 0 months to , what, 21? could do this. look i was a moody, tempermeental, neurotic 18 year old (whats changed, right?) and i never thought of setting anyone on fire.

I so agree with you, I try to figure out what is going on --is it too much tv, sex, violence, etc. I just do not understand why young people are burning people, beating up strangers for fun, and doing the things they are doing. I do not understand how we got to to a time where children can not play outside without a parent by their sides, how a young teenager can not go for a run without being killed. I think about this daily, what is so different now?

 

[kbl8201]

are things so diffrent or are things just covered more now with cable, the internet ect?

technologies improve but people remain the same, ricardo montabaln once said in a star trek episode

 

[elle1919]

I so agree with you, I try to figure out what is going on --is it too much tv, sex, violence, etc. I just do not understand why young people are burning people, beating up strangers for fun, and doing the things they are doing. I do not understand how we got to to a time where children can not play outside without a parent by their sides, how a young teenager can not go for a run without being killed. I think about this daily, what is so different now?

I just want to give my opinion. First of all though, prayers for this young woman and her life. This is unbelievable.

My post just got way too long so I moved it to my blog, ( 1st time I have ever done that) if you are interested you can click here http://www.websleuths.com/forums/blog.php?b=693

and read there. : )

In a word, to answer your question though......what is so different? PARENTS!

 

[BOZGAL]

Just stopped in for any updates and to continue my prayers for this poor girl. May she pull through and recover.

 

[LogicalMinds]

OMG how horrible...this poor girl....

I can only hope and pray that she can recover as Michael has been recovering, what a horrible painful painful journey that has been for him

this is just so sad

 

[dr dona]

Parents is a good answer. Also, I think we have lost god in our society. Granted you can go to church and still become a monster. But, my 2 children learned ethics and morality from Christ and from their parents. We lived a caring Christian life daily. They were taught how cruel it is to make fun of others based on race, physical limitations etc. They were taught tolerance and forgiveness. And, they grew up to be loving, tolerant adults, Ethics is not a subject taught in public schools--but it should be.

 

[Missizzy]

I agree to a certain extent that we have lost God or any "touchstone" but we have to be mindful that humans are humans. Our churches and schools are filled with those seeking to harm children. Look at all the recent threads on the Catholic church, the numbers of youth pastors arrested, and entire families like the Mohlers.

I have no doubt that ethics and tolerance and forgiveness were and are taught in these very churches. Sadly, not everyone listens.

 

[Wise Old Owl]

Gonna throw my :twocents: in here. Rather than ethics and tolerance - its more "morals and values". What you "value" in life. What is "right from wrong" - morals. I always tried to have at least some of my students read Aesops Fables - the moral of the story is...... I would have discussions about more "up to date" storys that would display the same moral - on a more modern stage.

God plays a part. But there are many different "faiths" and, while you may be well-meaning, trying to work with a "group" of children (not in a specific church setting) those faiths will differ.

However, if you work with a group of children using "morals" and "values", its much easier. When a child learns to "value" a thought, idea, or "action", they carry that with them and into situations where they relate that "value" to real life.

Remember the old Bullwinkle and Rocky cartoon show? They did a segment with a guy that was supposed to be Aesop and they told the story with a little boy and his father - and they always gave you the moral of the story at the end - but it was funny and twisted. It taught (yes I say taught) you by showing a wrong example - yet it also entertained you as well.

So my :twocents: is we need to figure out a way to get "morals and values" back into our society and, especially, our children.

 

[kgeaux]

im sick of this frontal lobe nonsense........that means that anyone from 0 months to , what, 21? could do this. look i was a moody, tempermeental, neurotic 18 year old (whats changed, right?) and i never thought of setting anyone on fire.

No, it is not a free pass. It is knowledge gained from numerous scientific studies. It merely states that the human brain does not reach full maturity until sometime in the 20's.

I've even read information which suggests that the human brain reached full maturity at much younger years in the distant pass. Which raises an interesting question: Why?

 

[kgeaux]

I just want to give my opinion. First of all though, prayers for this young woman and her life. This is unbelievable.

My post just got way too long so I moved it to my blog, ( 1st time I have ever done that) if you are interested you can click here http://www.websleuths.com/forums/blog.php?b=693

and read there. : )

In a word, to answer your question though......what is so different? PARENTS!

Certainly modern parenting methods factor into why the late maturity of brains is occurring. Our culture does tend now to idolize little ones, making them feel that everything they do is wonderful and perfect, that our children aren't like "other children" and that our children are better, smarter, savvier than any other kids and that they aren't responsible for anything wrong that they do. American children have more done for them, less responsibility and way more "free time" than ever before. And it really hasn't been a good thing.

However, I personally think it is a bit simplistic to think that over-nurturing parenting styles are the only factor. We also have more toxins in our waters and our lands than ever before. We have toxins in the air we breathe. Our foods are filled with chemicals and toxins. When our children aren't breathing, drinking and eating toxins, we are injecting toxins into their systems along with their vaccines.

As a culture, we have made the choice to allow vile and violent games and movies to be "entertainment" not only for ourselves but for the young also. We offer these entertainments to those whose brains lack the maturity to properly deal with the assault on their senses. Study after study has shown violence as entertainment is harmful to children. Study after study has shown that sitting infants in front of tv, even "good" programs or dvd's such as Einstein's baby, results in shorter and shorter attention spans and more and more dependence on the part of the child to have others constantly entertain them----in very short sound bytes!

It all adds up, and what is mentioned above is only the tippytop of the huge mountain of why this delay in maturity is being noted.

 

[kbl8201]

they can do all the studies they want, and they might be a 100 perecent correct.

the fact of the matter is, people make choices, whether there 8, 18 or 80. some kids are good, some or bad, some adults are good some are bad. its the choices we all make and that has nothing to do with how mature our frontal lobe is.............when you were a teenager did you guys think about setting anyone on fire? shaking your baby sibling to death........shooting a classmate in the back or beating her skull into the pavement?

no. or if you did, you chose nnot to. cause you made the choice. plain and simple.

 

[Wise Old Owl]

they can do all the studies they want, and they might be a 100 perecent correct.

the fact of the matter is, people make choices, whether there 8, 18 or 80. some kids are good, some or bad, some adults are good some are bad. its the choices we all make and that has nothing to do with how mature our frontal lobe is.............when you were a teenager did you guys think about setting anyone on fire? shaking your baby sibling to death........shooting a classmate in the back or beating her skull into the pavement?

no. or if you did, you chose nnot to. cause you made the choice. plain and simple.

ITA and I want to add (not to sound repetitious) - when you made those choices about your actions or reactions - you made those choices based on ythe morals and/or values you have been taught. Its the "teaching" methods and content used that develop those morals and values.

Just sayin.........

 

[RiverRat]

I send out another SOS...and adding yet another name to way wayyy tooo long list.