Absolutely. But that is why I can't just let him off. It was his job to protect Lucas. He failed.
No one was giving my relative a hall pass when his wife killed their baby. And they shouldn't. I don't get it with JH.
Sorry about your loss.
I remember when I was little in 1963 when a neighbor girl killed her baby. Everyone knew but it was not the kind of thing people discussed openly. Thank heaven times changed and society has recognized infanticide, named it and tries to prevent it. As is with child abuse and yes the circumstances surrounding Lucas murder.
Being able to openly and freely discuss it here goes a very long way to preventing this from happening again.
I would hope DCF has already implemented, at least on paper stronger guidelines and mandates from the public pressure alone.
Much of that anger and resulting changes starts right here.
Lucas most likely began to experience abuse 3 years ago when EG Came into his home. It probably escalated and he didn’t understand. In my opinion kids realize when they are targeted and singled out for harsh punishment. EG was good at manipulation and explaining that he was just a little boy playing rough and falling down.
At some point Lucas relatives realized that he was more bruised than the other kids and began to watch and worry. They’d ask themselves when the bruises most often happened and did the right thing reporting abuse to officials. If only one person at DCF had removed him and his sister from the home we wouldn’t even know his name.
No one expected what was yet to come and the tragedy that would happen to Lucas Hernandez. He was never intended to become a name in this forum. But EG wasn’t finished, she either killed him outright or neglected him until his body couldn’t take it anymore. Either way she is responsible.
Ending her life as she did was the ultimate avoidance to accept responsibility for what she had done. LE didn’t believe her story the minute they heard it. At some point she realized that she was unlikely to get away with it. She went a step further and inflicted emotional abuse in an entire community, because every day she knew people were combing Wichita to find him. And everyday she kept the secret about Lucas location. She tried to lay suspicions on anyone but EG fueling rumors against anyone. LE had to investigate each until she was the only POI left.
And only then did she inflict one final blow to JH. She dilerberately chose a weapon that would do horrific damage so that when he discovered her body that image would stay with him forever.
EG was evil. And that’s exactly how she will be remembered. By her own hand and as a result of her free will and choice.