GUILTY IL - Benjamin Kingan, 16 mos, dies of head injury, Lincolnshire, 14 Jan 2009

[Openmind]

I read this little baby took his blanket, pacifier, and cuddled up in a bouncy chair where they found him unresponsive thirty minutes later. If this "caregiver" had been honest about what she had done, could they have called 911 and possibly saved this little boy? I have known about children that suffered head trauma such as this and survived. She didn't tell anyone until she realized this baby was seriously hurt, and, even then, she didn't tell the truth and prevented him the proper intervention. She may not have meant to hurt this baby but even after what she did to him, she prevented him comfort and care. Such a coward.

 

[jnTexas]

The family was led to believe Benjamin died of natural causes...convinced enough to have planned a funeral for last Saturday which had to be cancelled. They did not realize the severity of the head fracture (and hence abuse) until the autopsy. The injury was not visible externally, and the daycare worker didn't confess right away.

Oh this is so sad those babies had to go through testing because this lady did not honestly admit to what she did.

 

[Kat]

The family was led to believe Benjamin died of natural causes...convinced enough to have planned a funeral for last Saturday which had to be cancelled. They did not realize the severity of the head fracture (and hence abuse) until the autopsy. The injury was not visible externally, and the daycare worker didn't confess right away.

TY twinkiesmom for explaining why they did that testing.

 

[Bobbisangel]

This is interesting, not sure how it connects with the case:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1386866,CST-NWS-dayfam20.article

"Benjamin died Jan. 14. Two days later, Amy and Andy Kingan took Benjamin's twin sister, Emily, and 3-year-old brother, Jacob, to a pediatrician for tests to see if they carried any genetic abnormalities that could have led to Benjamin's death."

That is strange. It sounds like what the defense is going to do with Caylee's bones or so I've heard. They want to know if she had any genetic abnormalities that might have had something to do with her death. Talk about grasping for straws. Did she wrap the tape around her own head and mouth????

 

[Dobler]

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/01/dfcs-closes-lincolnshire-day-care-center.html


"Under the watchful eye of police parents this afternoon hurriedly picked up their children after a state agency closed a Lincolnshire day-care center where a teacher's assistant is accused of fatally slamming a 16-month-old boy to the floor."

It's about time.

 

[Kat]

The link says that the daycare has been closed for two reasons. I am wondering if there were other violations and incidents of children being harmed prior to the death of this young boy?

 

[Chezhire]

I read this little baby took his blanket, pacifier, and cuddled up in a bouncy chair where they found him unresponsive thirty minutes later. If this "caregiver" had been honest about what she had done, could they have called 911 and possibly saved this little boy? I have known about children that suffered head trauma such as this and survived. She didn't tell anyone until she realized this baby was seriously hurt, and, even then, she didn't tell the truth and prevented him the proper intervention. She may not have meant to hurt this baby but even after what she did to him, she prevented him comfort and care. Such a coward.

I am so sad reading this thread - and your post is so true. To think he crawled away into a bouncy with his blanket and pacifier... :cry:
Oh that poor little one. :cry:

 

[disappear]

OMG, so very sad. We are not wealthy by a long shot, but I am blessed to be able to stay at home with our children. I read this story to my DH and he kissed me and told me "thank you" for all that I do. This whole story just breaks my heart. Off to kiss the kids goodnight...again.

 

[Lovejac]

I am so sad reading this thread - and your post is so true. To think he crawled away into a bouncy with his blanket and pacifier... :cry:
Oh that poor little one. :cry:

This story literally made me nauseus. That he wasn't even being held while he was dying.

Why didn't the other worker do anything!!!! Call an ambulance, something....anything!!:furious: If he had received medical attention, he could possibly have lived.

My prayers are with his family.

 

[Broderick]

This story is so sad and I am grateful that my wife and I waited until we were certain we would never have to rely on daycare before we had kids.

 

[Gray]

Oh my gosh. I will never, ever place my child in a daycare at that age. This is just breaking my heart... I am having a hard time not hating this woman.

 

[Broderick]

Oh my gosh. I will never, ever place my child in a daycare at that age. This is just breaking my heart... I am having a hard time not hating this woman.

I am livid about this case. It is so sad. This woman needs to spend a great deal of time in prison for her actions.

 

[southcitymom]

I read this little baby took his blanket, pacifier, and cuddled up in a bouncy chair where they found him unresponsive thirty minutes later. If this "caregiver" had been honest about what she had done, could they have called 911 and possibly saved this little boy? I have known about children that suffered head trauma such as this and survived. She didn't tell anyone until she realized this baby was seriously hurt, and, even then, she didn't tell the truth and prevented him the proper intervention. She may not have meant to hurt this baby but even after what she did to him, she prevented him comfort and care. Such a coward.

It's hard to even read that sentence. I've no doubt that the worker who harmed him didn't mean to kill this child, but the end result is the same.

 

[Gray]

I can't stop crying about this story. After having a miscarriage just 2 1/2 weeks ago I can't bear to think of the pain this mother is feeling. When will our society... when will people value children again? They are so precious, so perfect, so beautiful. How could anyone do such a thing?

 

[twinkiesmom]

This story is so sad and I am grateful that my wife and I waited until we were certain we would never have to rely on daycare before we had kids.

I think it needs to be repeated that the mom of this boy was serving the community counseling women at the local women's shelter....no doubt providing comfort to battered and abused women. That's why he was in daycare.

He should have been safe there. Women who make the decision to hire help don't anticipate their children dying while in care.

 

[static]

Dobler your link sent me into a a bleak world. I read it aloud to my hubby after he begged me not too. And he cried which made me wish I had never read it to him yet at the same time,That glad I had.
If I ever become a s.s worker or a day care provider it will be because of cases like this. My hubby has lots of friends who make the big bucks leave their kids in day care even though they dont have too.
We bought a cheap house in the cheap part of town i work part time and refuse to put my kids in day care.
We have a teen who we make babysit as a part of her chores. Not always ideal but she has a vested interest.She is seventeen but it is her brother.
My Hubby and I cried for these parents who placed their loved child in the care of these people so they could provide this child the best care while they HAD to be away. We both hope she at the very least never gets out of prison/jail.No Matter how good her behavior is althou we would rather see her put to death .
We also cried for the little boy who we know only wanted to be heard.A minute of someone's time for which he never held a clue,Of one womans moment of becoming unglued.

This is why I stay home with my 15 month old grandbaby. I worked in early childhood education for over 20 years. I was actually fired at one place for reporting an abusive employee who had worked there far longer than I had. I had told the parents of this child what I had witnessed and never regretted it. What made me so angry is this employee would be so sickening sweet to the parents that came in, and then once the coast was clear...a different person came out. I went to supervisors, and finally, because this employee denied everything (so therefore they couldn't prove anything), went straight to the parents.
My guess is this other person that was in the room with this worker has seen things before, and if she did report it perhaps nothing was investigated. Unfortunately now a child has died, because maybe someone was "afraid" of losing their job, or supervisors did not do their job. It is the worker's own fault, she chose to throw that poor little guy to his death, but unfortunately enabling that kind of behavior for fear of something else happening is tragic. Bless him

 

[twinkiesmom]

My guess is this other person that was in the room with this worker has seen things before, and if she did report it perhaps nothing was investigated.

It was reported in the Tribune that Melissa had a written complaint against her in the past, and the owners transfered her to a different facility in their system rather than firing her.

And this nugget which explains why she wasn't fired:
<<Calusinski's sister, Crystal, also works at the Lincolnshire center and helped get her transferred.>>


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-toddler-death-22-jan22,0,3036628.story
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-day_care_death_jan18,0,4483168.story

 

[twinkiesmom]

The link says that the daycare has been closed for two reasons. I am wondering if there were other violations and incidents of children being harmed prior to the death of this young boy?

If a parent files a written complaint about a worker being inept, not necessarily abusive, does that have to trigger a report to DCFS? If so, I suspect it wasn't done properly in this case.

 

[Chezhire]

It was reported in the Tribune that Melissa had a written complaint against her in the past, and the owners transfered her to a different facility in their system rather than firing her.

And this nugget which explains why she wasn't fired:
<<Calusinski's sister, Crystal, also works at the Lincolnshire center and helped get her transferred.>>


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-toddler-death-22-jan22,0,3036628.story
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-day_care_death_jan18,0,4483168.story

I hope that center pays in spades for what has happened. :furious:

 

[Dobler]

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=271418&src=3

"The Lake County grand jury on Wednesday indicted Melissa M. Calusinski on 14 counts of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery of a child for slamming 16-month-old Benjamin Kingon of Deerfield to the ground Jan. 14, said Assistant States Attorney Steve Scheller, chief of the felony review division. "