FL - Coralrose Fullwood, 6, found murdered, North Port, 17 Sept 2006

[bakerprune64]

NORTH PORT, Fla. — A 6-year-old girl found dead in the woods near her home last weekend was the victim of "homicidal violence" but was not sexually assaulted, the city's police chief said Thursday.

Chief Terry Lewis declined to be more specific in announcing preliminary results of an autopsy on Coralrose Fullwood, who disappeared sometime Sunday morning. She was found dead hours later near a construction site two blocks away.

On Wednesday, authorities impounded a minivan belonging to Coralrose's parents and questioned her siblings, although Lewis would not say if investigators were focusing on the parents as suspects. Several DNA samples have been sent away for testing.

"We're not allowing ourselves to get tunnel vision," Lewis said. "The laser beam isn't focused on one suspect. It's just as wide as it was Sunday."

more at the link http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/gen/ap/FL_Body_Found.html

I was kind of hoping that she died as a result of some sort of accident. This is so disturbing.

 

[j2mirish]

NORTH PORT, Fla. — A 6-year-old girl found dead in the woods near her home last weekend was the victim of "homicidal violence" but was not sexually assaulted, the city's police chief said Thursday.

Chief Terry Lewis declined to be more specific in announcing preliminary results of an autopsy on Coralrose Fullwood, who disappeared sometime Sunday morning. She was found dead hours later near a construction site two blocks away.

On Wednesday, authorities impounded a minivan belonging to Coralrose's parents and questioned her siblings, although Lewis would not say if investigators were focusing on the parents as suspects. Several DNA samples have been sent away for testing.

"We're not allowing ourselves to get tunnel vision," Lewis said. "The laser beam isn't focused on one suspect. It's just as wide as it was Sunday."

more at the link http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/gen/ap/FL_Body_Found.html

on what basis has the judge decided these children need to be checked for sexual abuse????? a physical is one thing--but what promted the sexual abuse question-- even the little angel who was killed was not sexually abused.....

 

[kgeaux]

Have the children been returned? I had not heard that. Here's another article about it:

Judge: DCF had duty to take kids

http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/092109/tp1ch6.htm?date=092109&story=tp1ch6.htm

Deb, the children were taken from the grandparents' home, with a warrent claiming they were in imminent danger. They were returned to the grandparents quickly. It is pretty obvious to me that the kids were never in any imminent danger.

Changing the subject now: I know a family with ONE autistic teen. He also has never been potty trained, and his bed is soaked every morning, he wears diapers and dirties them often.......when he hasn't managed to strip himself down, then the poop falls wherever. ....we aren't talking baby poop either. The house often stinks. His mom is a stay at home mom and she is quick to clean up, but the smell lingers.

I just can't condemn these parents, because it seems as though they were involved in their children's lives and wanted to do right by them....they tried to change the bus stop right away when they thought the location was dangerous. They may be overworked and they may be slobs, but I'm going to cut them a little slack because two autistic kids in a house is going to be very difficult to deal with, even if that mom was blessed to be able to stay home.

 

[kgeaux]

"The grandparents provided good photo ops to the media and inflammatory statements for broadcast and print, and I'm not blaming the media for covering it," Seals wrote. "But those photo ops and inflammatory comments came your way compliments of the parents and grandparents, not DCF."


I trust Judge Seals. And I trust that those opposing my opinion will have as much compassion for I as they do themselves.......I do understand how hard it is to keep up in todays world as I am a single working outside of the home parent of multiple children and already fessed up to not having the most tidy house....but I only have clothes on the sofa waiting and the kids bedrooms are, well .......the kids bedrooms. :truce: if you want to see my home immaculate, come back when the kids are grown and gone on their own. Having said that, if I ever did allow my children to live in rotten conditions, I would not expect any sympathy nor defense of my actions. But, That's just me - Thank God.

Well, I don't know Judge Seals. But I do know that in his email, he kinda glossed over certain facts. Like saying that DCF were denied access to the children.......actually, the grandparents did not want DCF to TAKE the kids away, a face-to-face meeting could have taken place in the grandparents home.

Even here in Louisiana, a state not known for being "all that" we know that Florida's DCF is in horrible condition. So I can understand the grandparents not wanting to put their grandbabies into the hands of such an agency. Also, I betcha those DCF agents who showed up at the grandparents home well knew they needed a warrant to remove those kids, and shame on them for not obtaining the warrant first. And shame on them for using subterfuge to get the judge to sign the warrant.....imminent danger, my hiney.

 

[j2mirish]

my husband & I were talking tonight- he wa a sheriff in indiana years ago- I keep telling him I dont think the family was involved- he says the van being impounded was not a good sign---of course i didnt like his comment- so i said they were impounding it to rule the family out- he didnt think so- said if nothing comes back- that is good for the family, but he thinks that is where they are focussing----i added that the dad offered his clothing and a dna sample to the police immedialty- he ask me - what about the mom-? now i cant recall if the mom was already at home in bed, when dad came home from work @ 2:00- any thoughts, anyone?

 

[felder]

They both worked, why not hire a cleaning lady?

You're kidding, right?

 

[txsvicki]

I wonder if the 12 year old was having to watch the kids while the parents worked. The bipolar and autistic kids could have been getting an SSI check for their disability, which is about $605 each (if the parents income wasn't too high to qualify) and I would think that two paychecks and that could be enough money to be able to hire someone to come in occasionally and clean and to put some type of pull ups on the child who could not control his movements. I don't think that any woman or man can get away with being a "lousy housekeeper" when they have disabled and small children. I agree with those who thought it odd that the mom had time to paint her nails but I did notice that her roots were really needing to be done. Looked like about 2 months growth so maybe she really was way behind and overworked. I noticed all the codes violations at their previous location and that was probably for laziness also and not mowing weeds or clearing out clutter and junk from the yard. I am old and sick with stomach trouble, have a disabled husband and have responsibility for caring for 5 grandkids, 4 are ADD and learning disabled. I've had 4 hours of sleep but have managed to serve nutritious snacks and meals today, launder some socks, clean out the refrigerator, iron the kids school clothes for tomorrow, vacuum, clean up the yard, run kids around, and buy groceries. My disabled husband even constantly cleans out the cat litter box for our kittens and I also have 2 bedwetters. My house has gotten messy at times and I tend to let dishes go til tomorrow, but I've never left clothes laying in the floor, smelled urine or had one roach in my house, much less in my car. I would crawl if I had to get a sheet on a bed before I let a child sleep on a bare mattress. If Florida is anything like Texas, there is no respite care for parents or family, only foster parents.

 

[Mygirlsadie]

Reb my childrens school is way more strict then that. You have to be buzzed in from the office to even enter the school after they see you out there on one of their cameras then you walk straight into the office area to show your ID, sign in a log book, pin a badge on your shirt. This is on a military base in the middle of Germany so it could be the reason for such strict measures but none the less I like it and wouldnt want it any other way since my babies are going there.

parents have to pick the kids up and show ID??? wow, what has the world come to. it's ad when sex offenders have more freedom than regular citizens,, and to keep the kids safe, WE have to be treated like criminals!

what's next, are people going to have to hire armed bodyguards to watch their kids all day, and while they sleep in their own bed?

it would be interesting to hear more details in this story... was there a forced entry? window locked or unlocked/open?

if that lady didn't call the police after hearing a child scream (which, in her defense- we don't know for sure),, then i hope she feels like the idiot she is. anyone have half a brain cell would know to call the police if you hear *anyone* scream-- if you cannot connect it to kids playing, or someone laughing. most people can tell the difference between a playful scream and cry for help. what the heck was she thinking,, "oh,, it's 6 am, there's a kid behind the building over there screaming bloody murder. just another day in the neighborhood!" people are so stupid sometimes,, they don't THINK and they don't question things.

 

[Mygirlsadie]

My house gets messy sometimes NEVER dirty. I love my children too much to let them live in horrid conditions. One of my children is Autistic so I do understand the extra work that involves. Some people are not good at keeping house and that is ok but it's no excuse to live disgusting and your children should be worth more then that!

 

[RiverRat]

It would be great with me if my concerns are way off.......but in all of my years of paying attention, if a child is abducted by an Intruder, there is a sexual assault.

 

[RiverRat]

NORTH PORT -- Six-year-old Coralrose Fullwood was murdered, police said Thursday, as autopsy results show she was killed by "homicidal violence."

The Medical Examiner's report "confirmed there was trauma to the body," North Port Police Chief Terry Lewis said. "Now it's a murder."

Lewis said further that, according to preliminary results, there was no evidence that the Toledo Blade Elementary first grader was sexually assaulted. He said the Medical Examiner was releasing the girl's body to the family.

"I'm not saying there was none," Lewis said regarding sexual assault. "We are still waiting for toxicology testing and DNA testing, but at the present time there is no evidence of sexual assault."

http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/092206/np6.htm?date=092206&story=np6.htm

 

[RiverRat]

Thursday morning, the Department of Children & Family requested an emergency hearing in front of DeFuria because grandfather Saul VanderWoude wouldn't allow the state to examine the children.

DCF attorney David Taylor said Florida Law states if a child dies as a result of suspected abuse, abandonment, or neglect and any sibling or other child remains in the home, they are to be medically examined.

Taylor said DCF is conducting two investigations about the Fullwood children — one into the four surviving siblings and one into the death of Coralrose.

And, he said, DeFuria ruled Tuesday the grandparents could have temporary shelter if they cooperated with authorities.

"You indicated these children be made available," Taylor told DeFuria. "They have not been available."

DeFuria said the court established during a temporary shelter hearing Tuesday the children were abused, which is defined as acts or omissions of abuse. DeFuria ruled the parents performed omissions by keeping a filthy house.

"It's more than a dirty house — it's more than dust on a table," DeFuria said. "It's feces. It's roaches."

Coleman told the judge the parents told him they were afraid their children would be "raped by the department" and asked if a family pediatrician could do the examinations.

DeFuria ruled the state's doctors would perform the tests on Tuesday.

"They are checked for sexual abuse, but it's very non-evasive," DCF investigator Kim Pope told the judge.


http://news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060922/NEWS01/609220419/1075

 

[Boyz_Mum]

I wonder if the 12 year old was having to watch the kids while the parents worked. The bipolar and autistic kids could have been getting an SSI check for their disability, which is about $605 each (if the parents income wasn't too high to qualify) and I would think that two paychecks and that could be enough money to be able to hire someone to come in occasionally and clean and to put some type of pull ups on the child who could not control his movements. I don't think that any woman or man can get away with being a "lousy housekeeper" when they have disabled and small children. I agree with those who thought it odd that the mom had time to paint her nails but I did notice that her roots were really needing to be done. Looked like about 2 months growth so maybe she really was way behind and overworked. I noticed all the codes violations at their previous location and that was probably for laziness also and not mowing weeds or clearing out clutter and junk from the yard. I am old and sick with stomach trouble, have a disabled husband and have responsibility for caring for 5 grandkids, 4 are ADD and learning disabled. I've had 4 hours of sleep but have managed to serve nutritious snacks and meals today, launder some socks, clean out the refrigerator, iron the kids school clothes for tomorrow, vacuum, clean up the yard, run kids around, and buy groceries. My disabled husband even constantly cleans out the cat litter box for our kittens and I also have 2 bedwetters. My house has gotten messy at times and I tend to let dishes go til tomorrow, but I've never left clothes laying in the floor, smelled urine or had one roach in my house, much less in my car. I would crawl if I had to get a sheet on a bed before I let a child sleep on a bare mattress. If Florida is anything like Texas, there is no respite care for parents or family, only foster parents.

I agree with your sentiments about the house being dirty. In my own situation with a physically disabled child (now adult) living in my house, being clean was never an issue. We have other children living here and all of us are involved with "housekeeping". I am sure dealing with autism is MUCH MORE work than anything I have encountered, but a child with ADD can help sort clothes out for laundering or some task that can help out. From what I have learned about ADD, it is good to try to help the child focus on something? I understand too that Florida has roaches, but when I lived there many years ago, we used roach "traps" because when and if an apartment neighboring us ever became empty, the roaches seemed to arrive.

Another poster earlier in the thread commented how they only had a chance to launder their sheets once this month, and I can understand where that person is coming from too, some weeks with our eldest, a lot of things didn't get done because of the constant running to and from doctors, and all the other things that come up. (Just yesterday, I spent over an hour on the phone with a doctor, all them hours add up and can indeed take away from the ability to do things timely.) It isn't easy tending to a child/adult with special needs, on that point we can all agree?

In Michigan, I was never offered any respite care and did research any help I could get as far as child care, etc... which leads me back to txsvicki's statement about SSI. The father may have done work as a bartender, to keep their reportable income lower, but I don't know how Florida works as far as "tips" go? Unfortunately, a lot of help offered through the governments are not very easy to meet. The criteria is often based on income and I personally know parents who have divorced in order to get help when their incomes couldn't begin to cover their basic needs and hospital bills.

I am not posting this to take away from Coralrose, this poor baby died and no matter our individual circumstances, it doesn't change that fact that she was "let down" in so many ways. I don't have an opinion of who killed her, and will say that I believe the parents should have kept a cleaner atmosphere, but I know for a fact, I couldn't walk in their shoes...

 

[natasha-cupcake]

It would be great with me if my concerns are way off.......but in all of my years of paying attention, if a child is abducted by an Intruder, there is a sexual assault.

I agree with you, RiverRat. I have been suspicious of the parents since the beginning and now that I've heard that there was no sexual assualt, I am even more suspicious. I also think that DCF removing the kids from the home and the police impounding the family vehicle, speaks volumes about where the investigation is focusing. I do hope I'm wrong.

 

[gardenmom]

I wonder if the 12 year old was having to watch the kids while the parents worked. The bipolar and autistic kids could have been getting an SSI check for their disability, which is about $605 each (if the parents income wasn't too high to qualify) and I would think that two paychecks and that could be enough money to be able to hire someone to come in occasionally and clean and to put some type of pull ups on the child who could not control his movements. I don't think that any woman or man can get away with being a "lousy housekeeper" when they have disabled and small children. I agree with those who thought it odd that the mom had time to paint her nails but I did notice that her roots were really needing to be done. Looked like about 2 months growth so maybe she really was way behind and overworked. I noticed all the codes violations at their previous location and that was probably for laziness also and not mowing weeds or clearing out clutter and junk from the yard. I am old and sick with stomach trouble, have a disabled husband and have responsibility for caring for 5 grandkids, 4 are ADD and learning disabled. I've had 4 hours of sleep but have managed to serve nutritious snacks and meals today, launder some socks, clean out the refrigerator, iron the kids school clothes for tomorrow, vacuum, clean up the yard, run kids around, and buy groceries. My disabled husband even constantly cleans out the cat litter box for our kittens and I also have 2 bedwetters. My house has gotten messy at times and I tend to let dishes go til tomorrow, but I've never left clothes laying in the floor, smelled urine or had one roach in my house, much less in my car. I would crawl if I had to get a sheet on a bed before I let a child sleep on a bare mattress. If Florida is anything like Texas, there is no respite care for parents or family, only foster parents.

Not that this may matter, but I am currently going to school to be a speech therepist, like this mother, and here in NC the starting rate as a clinical speech pathologist starts at $70,000. Not too shabby, by any means. I think I remember reading way back that she worked in a nursing home, or some other clinical setting, so I assume her income would be close to this.

 

[RiverRat]

I agree with you, RiverRat. I have been suspicious of the parents since the beginning and now that I've heard that there was no sexual assualt, I am even more suspicious. I also think that DCF removing the kids from the home and the police impounding the family vehicle, speaks volumes about where the investigation is focusing. I do hope I'm wrong.

I know, it sucks to feel this way and then knowing that I will offend some with my thoughts doesn't make it any easier. Thank you for speaking out.

 

[j2mirish]

I know, it sucks to feel this way and then knowing that I will offend some with my thoughts doesn't make it any easier. Thank you for speaking out.

I have been defending them from the very start- still hoping my meter is on...but I agree with you about the lack of sexual assault....

 

[GlitchWizard]

Add depression to the mix. If you are a lousy housekeeper and overwhelmed - and depressed, well - the house is going to deteriate and you won't really notice or feel it's affecting the kids.

My house wasn't as bad as hers in the article, but when I went through depression years ago - I'd hate for people to have come in with cameras.

If DCF was involved then yes, they should have told the parents they had options, up to and including offering respite care or getting them in touch with other facilities that offer help.

But, if DCF is not involved I personally would never call Human Resources for help for my child. Once involved they have too many rights that don't sit well with me. Many parents prolly feel the same way.

Doctors should have given options, schools have ways of getting in touch with places, the autistic foundation would have sent info if the doctors had given them the info. So many places to help and not one person speaks up?

And speaking of the smell, my son wasn't totally potty trained until he was 5 years old. We tried big boy unders, pull ups, cloth diapers, diaper inserts, you name it. He hated them all and would take them off and hide them if he wet and change himself! Heck, I even duct taped a diaper once just so he'd keep it on longer than 2 mins, he still got out of them! I'd find soiled underwear or diapers everywhere from the toybox to under the kitchen cabinets. At the time I had 3 others either in diapers or potty training. I understand how that smell may happen. I can remember calling my mother in a total break down just begging her to come so I could eat a hot meal and sleep for more than 2 hours because he never slept either. She eventually hired me a mothers helper just so I could stay on top of things and not feel so overwhelmed. My dh travelled for his job so it all fell on me.

I'm not sure how many chores the littles could have done but she should have had help if it was a known problem. I'm not excusing her at all, filth and bacteria is not good, but where was everyone when she obviously needed the help? Even if it was a parenting class, they should have stepped in and offered real help before this.

 

[mssheila]

I wonder if the 12 year old was having to watch the kids while the parents worked. The bipolar and autistic kids could have been getting an SSI check for their disability, which is about $605 each (if the parents income wasn't too high to qualify) and I would think that two paychecks and that could be enough money to be able to hire someone to come in occasionally and clean and to put some type of pull ups on the child who could not control his movements. I don't think that any woman or man can get away with being a "lousy housekeeper" when they have disabled and small children. I agree with those who thought it odd that the mom had time to paint her nails but I did notice that her roots were really needing to be done. Looked like about 2 months growth so maybe she really was way behind and overworked. I noticed all the codes violations at their previous location and that was probably for laziness also and not mowing weeds or clearing out clutter and junk from the yard. I am old and sick with stomach trouble, have a disabled husband and have responsibility for caring for 5 grandkids, 4 are ADD and learning disabled. I've had 4 hours of sleep but have managed to serve nutritious snacks and meals today, launder some socks, clean out the refrigerator, iron the kids school clothes for tomorrow, vacuum, clean up the yard, run kids around, and buy groceries. My disabled husband even constantly cleans out the cat litter box for our kittens and I also have 2 bedwetters. My house has gotten messy at times and I tend to let dishes go til tomorrow, but I've never left clothes laying in the floor, smelled urine or had one roach in my house, much less in my car. I would crawl if I had to get a sheet on a bed before I let a child sleep on a bare mattress. If Florida is anything like Texas, there is no respite care for parents or family, only foster parents.

Holy cow! My kids are both in school, and I stay at home, and I didn't even do THAT much work yesterday! lol....

I think the mother here was overworked, and overwhelmed. I know that if my house gets to the point of multiple rooms being really messy, I feel overwhelmed and I don't know where to start! That leads to procrastination, and then that leads to my husband getting really upsest and me getting off my butt. I try to stay on top of it, and it's so much better now that the kids are in school, but when they were both home, my house was a constantly revolving mess. Clean the kitchen, kids spill cereal. Clean living room, kids play in living room and leave their toys. You get the idea. I can completely understand her being overwhelmed. She also works. I stayed home and couldn't keep up.
However, I think my own parents would have taken my kids away had they ever come to visit and saw my house in the above described condition. They would NOT have allowed the boys to live like THAT. Just my 2 cents.

 

[jubie]

I know, it sucks to feel this way and then knowing that I will offend some with my thoughts doesn't make it any easier. Thank you for speaking out.

Hey RiverRat,


I gave up posting here a few pages back because I just felt I wasn't being understood and comments about 'nitpicking' and 'looking down our noses' were uncalled for and not in line with what I feel I was trying to say. For some here it would seem anyone with a special needs child and a tad messy house at sometime feel looked down upon. This makes me sad because I've worked with children for many years and would not want to make any parent feel badly about having a child with special needs.

I feel sad for their lost daughter, Coralrose.

I wish their children didn't have to suffer from any illness and the difficult issuses that come with them.

I see all that but I still feel they could have and should have done more to better their situation. Where have the grandparents that are now so wanting to take control been all this time?

I'm really sorry for any feelings I've hurt as I didn't at anytime mean to come across as looking down my nose as I'm certainly not above anyone else. Not here at Websleuths or any other place for that matter.


Jubie

I've got a packed day so I'm not sure if I'll be back in the next little bit.