FL - Shannon Dedrick, 7 mo., Chipley, 31 Oct 2009 #1

[noZme]

Last night, woman in front of me used her food stamps to buy a Reeses Candy Bar and a pint of Ben and Jerrys ice cream. She then paid cash for $10 worth of minutes on her cell phone.....

With WIC, I'm pretty sure you get formula and milk and cheese, etc.

arghhhhhh... maybe we need a thread to vent. I picture the candy & ice-cream woman having a recent manicure of fake nails, a Coach handbag & driving away in a new SUV!

Back to this precious little helpless baby. I live about a hundred miles away & it has been cool the last few nights. I cannot stand the thought of her being left outdoors.

 

[OceanEyes]

Do we know for sure that they were sleeping in the same room as the baby?

 

[2step]

FTR...I haven't read all of this thread yet. I did read a few comments regarding Shannon's head size. Her head looks EXACTLY like my son's does (only he's got hair!) He was diagnosed with benign external hydrocephalus. Similar to hydrocephaly (water on the brain) only the water is between the brain and the skull. It does not cause any brain damage with this type, however their heads look huge. I tried to find a pic to compare with Shannon's, but my son has too much hair to compare.

 

[not_my_kids]

Do we know for sure that they were sleeping in the same room as the baby?

They say they were. Don't have a link, but it's in nearly every recent article.

 

[noZme]

Starting with a positive pregnancy test, women can get milk, cereal, cheese, beans, PNutbutter. More than 1 person could ever eat unless this was the only food they have.

Pregnant/nursing mothers can collect till 12 mos after birth.

Infant formula is also given and baby cereal. (For formula babies or added at whatever the current age for supplemental is)

Then children are eligible for the same as moms til 5 or 6 yrs. IIRC.

This is not "welfare" per se it is a Federal Government program where poverty is not a necessity. Being in need is. (many/most working parents qualify)

Thank you for that explanation. I wish all "help" could be limited to food with actual nutritional value such as this program.

 

[elle1919]

You know them, personally?

Sorry for the off topic but I didn't want to be rude and not answer you Amster. Yes, I do personally know many people that are dying because they have no health insurance and can't afford to purchase their medications. Very treatable conditions such as thyroid disorders that affect the heart and it's ability to function properly will slowly kill many without proper medication and treatment. I was a full time health care advocate for many years and while I no longer have access to government statistics I think the health care crisis in our country speaks for itself.

 

[butwhatif?]

“(The mother) came by a lot to borrow cigarettes or use the microwave to pop popcorn,” Wilt said. “She would have the baby sometimes. They bragged about that baby everywhere, all the time. She was a totally happy and content child, always. We never once heard her cry.”

http://www2.dothaneagle.com/dea/news...d_girl/105570/

BBM- This quote made me wonder if shannons mother was smoking throughout the pregnancy....which could explain her small birth weight.

We know that the mom has a condition that affects her size and mental capacity, but that doesnt mean that Shannon inherited the same condition. I'd think they would have done genetic testing to determine if the same condition had been passed down to Shannon.
So while its possible she does/did have a legitimate genetic disorder, I dont think we should rule out other possibilities, like that she was small to begin with from smoking during pg and was not being being fed adequately after her birth.
Sending up prayers for baby Shannon .
JMO

 

[not_my_kids]

I have pretty much given up the idea that Shannon was being starved. She isn't fat and chubby looking, but the pictures I have seen of her aren't emaciated, just very petite.

So if the parents kept to themselves, had never committed a crime (shows knowledge of right and wrong), Shannon was fed, the pictures show a good number of the appropriate baby items...wth went wrong?
And did it go wrong with the parents or for the whole family?

 

[LCoastMom]

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children - better known as the WIC Program - serves to safeguard the ...

Pregnant women
Breastfeeding women (up to infant’s 1st birthday)
Nonbreastfeeding postpartum women (up to 6 months after the birth of an infant or after pregnancy ends)
Infants (up to 1st birthday). WIC serves 45 percent of all infants born in the United States.
Children up to their 5th birthday.

There are regional variations in what they provide, some canned meats, fish and fresh fruits & veggies. Also juice, eggs, bread, milk, cereal, cheese, beans, pnutbutter, rice.

 

[January.]

http://www2.dothaneagle.com/dea/news...d_girl/105570/

BBM- This quote made me wonder if shannons mother was smoking throughout the pregnancy....which could explain her small birth weight.

We know that the mom has a condition that affects her size and mental capacity, but that doesnt mean that Shannon inherited the same condition. I'd think they would have done genetic testing to determine if the same condition had been passed down to Shannon.
So while its possible she does/did have a legitimate genetic disorder, I dont think we should rule out other possibilities, like that she was small to begin with from smoking during pg and was not being being fed adequately after her birth.
Sending up prayers for baby Shannon .
JMO

ITA. I don't want to keep bringing up my son's growth deficiency, but it doesn't seem as if anyone is listening to me. I don't think that this baby was being fed properly, growth deficiency or not. I refuse to feel bad for the mother whatever her mental capacity be. Her baby is missing and she doesn't even shed a tear. It's like she lost her cell phone.

 

[not_my_kids]

Looks like the Dothan Eagle article was pulled.
http://www2.dothaneagle.com/dea/news...d_girl/105570/

ETA: May have just been renamed.
http://www2.dothaneagle.com/dea/new...continues_for_missing_baby_in_chipley/105570/

 

[luvstm]

Not at ALL to defend the parents of the baby that was starved, but the WIC program, at least in my state, does not provide unlimited formula.In fact, they allow for only ONE can a day. At least, that was the case when my daughter was young.She had a healthy, normal appetite, which equated to more formula than was given. Way back then, I spent AT LEAST a $100 extra , @ 3 bucks a can, per month.It was HARD, but luckily, I managed. It's ridiculous, the price gouging of such essential items as baby's formula.That's one thing that should be absolutely affordable to all.
Again, NOT DEFENDING those terrible parents..just sayin.. FWIW

 

[jokie7348]

No one has said; that I have heard, anything that would indicate a problem (alcohol or drugs) BUT! Knowing what we know about FL, with the last several cases, I wouldn't say NO! Not happening until we know more..

Everyone seems to be assuming the baby was up til 3 AM.

The baby may have been sound asleep for hours for all we know. We Know they said the last time the parents saw her was 3. Doesn't mean Shannon was awake at 3... Or maybe she is teething, or going thru a growth spirt and she woke for a 3 am feeding. Small babies need to be fed smaller "meals", more frequently than our full term bruisers.



He stated they quit doing it because it was inhumane.

Not speaking for this doctor, but the rest stopped because in was ruled unconstitutional!!

In the 50's and before, this had gotten completely out of hand. A husband could have his wife institutionalized with the help of shady docs (for hysterics) next thing she knew she woke sterilized. Parents did the same with unruly teenagers....

Think bad cop and doc in the movie Changeling...

Anyone else remember the lil'girl a couple years ago (NY, NY?) who is severely disabled; infant mentality. At 7 yrs old she was developing breast tissue, early puberty. Her parents wanted to be able to keep her at home for as long as humanly possible. They and their "baby's" doc did a review board hearing to allow a hysterectomy/mastectomy; and hormones to prevent her from achieving her full growth.

Their rationale that, it is one thing to tote around a 50/60 lb child and another to do the same with 120 lb plus. If she does at some point end up in a care facility they worried about pregnancy. Not to mention menstruation, the mothers family has a hx of heavy, painful periods and very large breasts.

This little girl will never even sit up alone, talk, feed herself, be toilet trained She for her whole life will be mentally an infant. Her parents and doc's said she is an integral member of the family. They wanted her to stay that way.

They got some heavy criticism from peeps who have no idea what they are (were) talking about. Claiming they had no right to remove her chance to reproduce. Calling it "genocide" IMO cases like this, it's none of the "Powers That Be" damn business what the family and doc did (with the OK of the hospital board first.) It was for the well being of the child...

Like anything, if there is the ability to abuse, some will. IMO there are some people who would benefit from never getting pregnant/impregnating someone. A person who will mentally be 7 mos old there whole life would top the list.

As with most desires to regulate freedoms, the question really is who will decide which citizens are sterilized? JMO

 

[Amster]

Sorry for the off topic but I didn't want to be rude and not answer you Amster. Yes, I do personally know many people that are dying because they have no health insurance and can't afford to purchase their medications. Very treatable conditions such as thyroid disorders that affect the heart and it's ability to function properly will slowly kill many without proper medication and treatment. I was a full time health care advocate for many years and while I no longer have access to government statistics I think the health care crisis in our country speaks for itself.

Thanks...

 

[gaia227]

Sorry for the off topic but I didn't want to be rude and not answer you Amster. Yes, I do personally know many people that are dying because they have no health insurance and can't afford to purchase their medications. Very treatable conditions such as thyroid disorders that affect the heart and it's ability to function properly will slowly kill many without proper medication and treatment. I was a full time health care advocate for many years and while I no longer have access to government statistics I think the health care crisis in our country speaks for itself.

The latest statistics show that 50,000+ Americans die every year from treatable diseases simply because they do not have health insurance.

 

[Clarity Matters]

We do know that the parents have developmental disabilities and while I would never attempt to point to that disability as a possible defense if the parents are proven to have been involved, however, it is a predictable tactic that a defense attorney would employ and the reason that I said I hope LE is treading carefully and has offered an advocate or liaison to assist. I stand firmly behind Baby Shannon and care only about discovering her whereabouts and if she has been harmed, I would hope for her and all of those that love her to have the justice they seek.

I agree with you about LE needing an advocate or liaison to assist. I've worked in the NICU and sadly many of the parents of these infants are developmentally delayed, MR, or substance abusers. Does anyone know how many weeks premature Baby Shannon was born? This could account for her weight. I see that DCF has made their blanket statement. A state Department of Children and Families spokeswoman said the agency was helping authorities in the case. Any records of agency action on the child’s behalf, however, would be confidential unless Shannon was found dead, said spokeswoman Barbara Ash.

Also, the "person of interest" still remains unnamed as do Shannon's parents. The parents are still not speaking to reporters, but at a press conference Washington County Sheriff Haddock said Shannon's parents had no significant prior run-ins with law enforcement.

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/baby-22199-chipley-continues.html

 

[LCoastMom]

http://www.chipleypaper.com/sections/local-news/?fabc=1&catid=10294

Is the use of cadaver dogs new?? Earlier I read search dogs...

Also it feels like the news coverage has all but stopped, Most of the articles I'm finding are from Sunday, saying the search will resume Monday....

The sheriff said that there is a person of interest in the case.

“Cadaver dogs and specific scent dogs from Chattahoochee Corrections and other institutions are also being used,” Haddock said. Firefighters from various Washington County departments are also helping with the search.

 

[LCoastMom]

I agree with you about LE needing an advocate or liaison to assist. I've worked in the NICU and sadly many of the parents of these infants are developmentally delayed, MR, or substance abusers. Does anyone know how many weeks premature Baby Shannon was born? This could account for her weight. I see that DCF has made their blanket statement. A state Department of Children and Families spokeswoman said the agency was helping authorities in the case. Any records of agency action on the child’s behalf, however, would be confidential unless Shannon was found dead, said spokeswoman Barbara Ash.

Also, the "person of interest" still remains unnamed as do Shannon's parents. The parents are still not speaking to reporters, but at a press conference Washington County Sheriff Haddock said Shannon's parents had no significant prior run-ins with law enforcement.

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/baby-22199-chipley-continues.html

The relative who has been here said prematurity wasn't much of a problem Shannons mom weighed less than 70 lbs at 5 feet tall when she became pregnant.

Shannon was due in April and was born March 11 (IIRC) She went home a couple of days after birth.

 

[maskedwoman]

ITA. I don't want to keep bringing up my son's growth deficiency, but it doesn't seem as if anyone is listening to me. I don't think that this baby was being fed properly, growth deficiency or not. I refuse to feel bad for the mother whatever her mental capacity be. Her baby is missing and she doesn't even shed a tear. It's like she lost her cell phone.

While that may be true, I don't think we can say that we know it to be true. We haven't seen them or heard them. They could be incredibly distraught. Also, their ability to process and show emotional distress may be quite different than ours. Some mentally challenged people don't show distress in the same way as "normal" people but it doesn't mean they aren't extremely upset. She might not even be able to appropriately determine when a situation is urgent enough to require calling 911. Just a thought.

 

[orb4me]

not much of an update, but the 2 helicopters started again, then stopped again since I was here before. I drove over there, the area is hard to belive, I have pictures, but where do I post them???

about 20 or so very healthy looking people were starting a finger tip to tip search of a small flat area.

I took over 6 big cartons of hand wash cloth things. I felt rather silly, it was such a small jester, but lots of people over there called out thank you mam.

The traffic on that street (if you want to call it a street, more like a wide poorly paved road) is full of lookie lues. I think they were getting ready to stop traffic from going up through there. its a traffic jam. Chipley has never had a traffic jam!!!

edit: very loud and long horn sound just now. time to stop? found something?