GUILTY IN - Skylea Carmack, 10, Gas City, Grant County, 31 Aug 2019 *stepmom arrested* *appeal filed 2022*

[sceawian]

From the photos, Skylea looked like she went from a healthy weight to malnourished within two years. I'd be interested to see if that coincided with the period she had to live with Amanda. Her post raging about Skylea both hiding and 'stealing' food was such a red flag, and makes me think the poor girl suffered for a long time.

All the 'grown ups' in her life failed her.

I feel horrible for her brother, it seems like they really loved each other.

Also such an awful textbook example of one child being made a scapegoat.
Scapegoating Insidious Family Pattern - Lynne Namka

 

[Rosiebones]

I think at the least, she must have felt that no one wanted her or loved her and that she had no one to turn to. What a terrible feeling for a child to have.

 

[Curiousobserver]

the charges include battery - Body of missing 10-year-old girl found in plastic bag in shed

so did she also beat her? I wonder if she used something to strangle her with and how did they tie down the time of death so close after this long?

The other kids likely gave some information that narrowed the timeline a bit- MOO

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

Now she can spend the rest of her life in prison while her children are raised by foster mother's or step mother's and she can wonder and worry that they are in the hands of someone just like her, not that I would wish that on her innocent kids at all, but I am ok with her having to wrestle with this thought every day of her life while someone else raises her kids.

Right. She won't be going to Walmart anytime soon. Telling a friend she hasn't seen for ages she just got out of prison.

 

[unicorns&rainbows]

Wow. So many red flags.

#2 is in reference to her brother, his wife and those are things their children said. It was not about Skylea.

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

The other kids likely gave some information that narrowed the timeline a bit- MOO

I'm wondering if that's why LE stated she was in danger in their silver alert. The BS excuse given for why the children were removed from the home really makes my eyes about roll clear out of my head.

 

[unicorns&rainbows]

Right. She won't be going to Walmart anytime soon. Telling a friend she hasn't seen for ages she just got out of prison.

No, instead everyone at walmart will be talking about her going to prison.

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

The other kids likely gave some information that narrowed the timeline a bit- MOO

So many young victims here.
MOO

 

[unicorns&rainbows]

From the photos, Skylea looked like she went from a healthy weight to malnourished within two years. I'd be interested to see if that coincided with the period she had to live with Amanda. Her post raging about Skylea both hiding and 'stealing' food was such a red flag, and makes me think the poor girl suffered for a long time.

All the 'grown ups' in her life failed her.

I feel horrible for her brother, it seems like they really loved each other.

Also such an awful textbook example of one child being made a scapegoat.
Scapegoating Insidious Family Pattern - Lynne Namka

Skylea's mother posted a picture of her from around 2017 I believe and she was very healthy looking if not a little round in the face. I would say she definitely lost a lot of weight in the past two years or if she didn't lose weight, as she grew she wasn't being nourished to gain any weight.

 

[Tealgrove]

So why didn't she send them to school? She's barely able to control herself over spilled noodles but she wants them with her every second of every day?

I have a friend who's wife decided to pull their daughter from school to home school her. Mom had not even finished high school herself but decided the "right" thing to do was to be the "perfect" mom. She wanted to be a martyr and do all the stuff she perceived that she should, so that people would think she was wonderful, all to the detriment of her own child.

After 6 months of watching the debacle unfold and my friend's daughter doing nothing but hang out at home, no school work, no friends, etc., etc., he tried to talk sense into his wife and put their daughter back into school. Nope, she was having none of it.

He eventually, went to the school board and reported what was going on and the mom was forced to put their daughter back into school.

At the end of the day, it wasn't about what the right thing was for their daughter. It was all about Mom and her ego. She was a saint, she was the perfect mother, look at what I'm doing, I'm wonderful.

I have seen several children home schooled by educated parents and they have done a great job. Their kids go off to University/College and have had successful lives. The home schooling was not done to feed their own egos. It was done to provide an education that the parents were prepared to work at.

I've seen others that the purpose has been to hide abuse, create isolation and have total control.

So why do parents choose to home school? In a lot of cases it's about ego, in others, is nefarious, and others it's all good. I think the reasons, are many and varied.

In this particular case, I think it was twofold. One, to hide abuse, and two, it was about ego, martyrdom and being seen as a wonderful mother. Isn't she great, taking on all this stuff for her children.

MOO

 

[gitana1]

#2 is in reference to her brother, his wife and those are things their children said. It was not about Skylea.

Yeah. It's the other stuff in there that's concerning.

 

[gitana1]

I am not surprised by this - I posted upthread I felt the abuse started a while ago - it doesn't always have to be physical. I think this poor girl was badly mistreated. JMO

Just like Zahra Baker. It started out how much she adored and wanted to help Zahra and it just devolved into ever more severe maltreatment and abuse.

I mean how can anyone look at that sweet little face and want to hurt her? Or be capable of doing so?

 

[AgeofAquaruis]

From step mom's Facebook I get the feeling the lack of bonding was not the child's fault.

Before the brother's children joined the household, when it was just her three and skylea, stepmom took her two girls to a concert (their first) and excluded skylea. The boy was/is too young for something like that, but skylea would not have been.

Poor sweet girl. Her face in pics so innocent,so beautiful. So open for love,and learning, so full of hopes,and dreams.

 

[Shiba]

JMO I think some parents home school so they don't have to get a job

Yep. In way too many cases abuse and neglect are hidden by homeschooling. They homeschool to hide bruises, lack of clean and properly fitting clothing, lack of hygiene being attended to, etc. They get turned in once by the school staff for neglect/abuse and pull the children.

I saw evidence of all of that posted on monster AC’s Facebook. Children in dirty, ill-fitting and worn out wrinkled clothing. The poor babies!! And please don’t blame CPS/CYF. THERE ARE SO MANY ABUSED CHILDREN IN THE WORLD AND NOT ENOUGH GOOD HOMES FOR THEM. Half the country think social services equal socialism so the most vulnerable suffer the consequences of underfunded and understaffed agencies. I’m so ANGRY.

Of course she had all these expensive treats for herself mistakenly visible in her Facebook photos: a Green supplement, a case of Ice alcoholic beverages and her precious CBD oil. That stuff is expensive! I’d do without to make sure children were well fed and clothed! Who knows all of her other indulgences that ate up the children’s benefits and her husband’s income. I’m so ANGRY.

AC is a monster but I want to say that poor angel Skylea was a victim of her biological parent’s severe neglect as well. Truly sickening that no one had recent photos. Bio mom had THE NERVE on her Facebook to complain about Skylea looking thin and possibly not fed. Her only photos were from 2 years ago. I’m fuming. And I’m sorry but if you have lots of children maybe don’t be a truck driver. Find other work.

JMO

 

[LietKynes]

From step mom's Facebook I get the feeling the lack of bonding was not the child's fault.

Before the brother's children joined the household, when it was just her three and skylea, stepmom took her two girls to a concert (their first) and excluded skylea. The boy was/is too young for something like that, but skylea would not have been.

This is so heartbreaking.
AC posts about Skylea (whom she didn't name ) were all lies; imo.

 

[gitana1]

I have a friend who's wife decided to pull their daughter from school to home school her. Mom had not even finished high school herself but decided the "right" thing to do was to be the "perfect" mom. She wanted to be a martyr and do all the stuff she perceived that she should, so that people would think she was wonderful, all to the detriment of her own child.

After 6 months of watching the debacle unfold and my friend's daughter doing nothing but hang out at home, no school work, no friends, etc., etc., he tried to talk sense into his wife and put their daughter back into school. Nope, she was having none of it.

He eventually, went to the school board and reported what was going on and the mom was forced to put their daughter back into school.

At the end of the day, it wasn't about what the right thing was for their daughter. It was all about Mom and her ego. She was a saint, she was the perfect mother, look at what I'm doing, I'm wonderful.

I have seen several children home schooled by educated parents and they have done a great job. Their kids go off to University/College and have had successful lives. The home schooling was not done to feed their own egos. It was done to provide an education that the parents were prepared to work at.

I've seen others that the purpose has been to hide abuse, create isolation and have total control.

So why do parents choose to home school? In a lot of cases it's about ego, in others, is nefarious, and others it's all good. I think the reasons, are many and varied.

In this particular case, I think it was twofold. One, to hide abuse, and two, it was about ego, martyrdom and being seen as a wonderful mother. Isn't she great, taking on all this stuff for her children.

MOO

For those who have good intentions I still don't know how they do it without a teaching credential. I couldn't. I don't have the skills or knowledge. It surprises me that so many do. And many aren't college educated.

On a different note, how was the dad unable to notice any maltreatment?

I'm assuming he didn't know better and took her word for it that the kid needed punishment a lot. I wish a basic parenting course could be offered as an elective at every high school. Much more valuable than learning how to cook frito pie.

 

[LietKynes]

Yep. In way too many cases abuse and neglect are hidden by homeschooling. They homeschool to hide bruises, lack of clean and properly fitting clothing, lack of hygiene being attended to, etc. They get turned in once by the school staff for neglect/abuse and pull the children.

I saw evidence of all of that posted on monster AC’s Facebook. Children in dirty, ill-fitting and worn out wrinkled clothing. The poor babies!! And please don’t blame CPS/CYF. THERE ARE SO MANY ABUSED CHILDREN IN THE WORLD AND NOT ENOUGH GOOD HOMES FOR THEM. Half the country think social services equal socialism so the most vulnerable suffer the consequences of underfunded and understaffed agencies. I’m so ANGRY.

Of course she had all these expensive treats for herself mistakenly visible in her Facebook photos: a Green supplement, a case of Ice alcoholic beverages and her precious CBD oil. That stuff is expensive! I’d do without to make sure children were well fed and clothed! Who knows all of her other indulgences that ate up the children’s benefits and her husband’s income. I’m so ANGRY.

AC is a monster but I want to say that poor angel Skylea was a victim of her biological parent’s severe neglect as well. Truly sickening that no one had recent photos. Bio mom had THE NERVE on her Facebook to complain about Skylea looking thin and possibly not fed. Her only photos were from 2 years ago. I’m fuming. And I’m sorry but if you have lots of children maybe don’t be a truck driver. Find other work.

JMO

Excellent first post, @Shiba !
And welcome to Websleuths

What also struck me in one of the FB photos was the children watching a christmas movie . The floor looks filthy, with what appears to be shredded toilet paper scattered about and ground into the carpet.
You can be poor -- and still be clean and respectable.

One of the first FB videos which has since been deleted was about the CBD oil --- and probably other posts will be removed .

 

[Rosiebones]

I remember when I served on the Bd. of Ed. in my town parents who wanted to home school were provided with the books and work books for each child and the parents had to periodically bring the children into the school to take basic achievement tests to prove they were learning to read and write and do math.
Now, it seems that school systems are afraid to interfere with a parents right to make decisions for their children.
Makes me wonder if SC and her siblings knew how to read, write and do simple math.

 

[oviedo]

Excellent first post, @Shiba !
And welcome to Websleuths

What also struck me in one of the FB photos was the children watching a christmas movie . The floor looks filthy, with what appears to be shredded toilet paper scattered about and ground into the carpet.
You can be poor -- and still be clean and respectable.

One of the first FB videos which has since been deleted was about the CBD oil --- and probably other posts will be removed .

I expect her profile will go poof!

 

[lonetraveler]

For those who have good intentions I still don't know how they do it without a teaching credential. I couldn't. I don't have the skills or knowledge. It surprises me that so many do. And many aren't college educated.

On a different note, how was the dad unable to notice any maltreatment?

I'm assuming he didn't know better and took her word for it that the kid needed punishment a lot. I wish a basic parenting course could be offered as an elective at every high school. Much more valuable than learning how to cook frito pie.

I'm not giving the father an out here. And, I'm totally not a fan of home schooling. I have followed way too many cases where rape, torture and horrific abuse was covered up for children being "home schooled". It's the perfect cover-up for hideous crimes against the children. I'm just jumping off of your post and in no way against anything you have posted.