GUILTY KY - Chloe Senseman, 2 mos, dies of head trauma, Hebron, 12 July 2009

[Reality Orlando]

So, these parents are saying their son hated the new baby and have witnesses that say his behavior became violent during mom's pregnancy and after the new baby was born. Does anyone here see that as a possibility?

"Attorneys for a northern Kentucky couple accused of killing their infant daughter have called several witnesses in an attempt to show that a 2-year-old sibling may be responsible."
http://www.fox41.com/story/13655092/defense-toddler-unruly-didnt-want-sibling

 

[mysterygirl]

I don't buy it.

And, um........if you knew he was "acting out" then as responsible adults you would have been extra cautious. Not to mention the previous injuries.........

 

[lymom3]

So the two year old is responsible for the prior injuries too? And the parents leave the baby repeatedly with a sibling who has that much anger. Then the toddler can grow up knowing that mom and dad tried to save their sorry arses by blaming him. Poor kid

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[WhyaDuck?]

I don't think I believe this. I can attest to the fact that 2yos can be surprisingly violent, and can cause real pain and damage, especially when in full tantrum, but I'm not sure about killing a baby. I think it would be impossible for me to see this defence explanation without knowing what the trauma was. If the ME says these injuries are unlikely to have been caused by a toddler, I believe the ME, I think.

Either way, I agree that if the toddler inflicted the injuries, the parents/caregivers are still ultimately responsible for letting the toddler do it.

 

[AmandaBrown23]

thats just wrong. They should be ashamed but I know they are not.

 

[mikeysmommom]

How despicable to kill your baby then try to blame a 2 yr old.The ME isn't buying it and neither am I.

 

[impatientredhead]

I could see a two year old injuring a newborn really badly, but to kill one with a fatal blow to the head seems really unlikely to me.

That was either one blow and it was fatal, or the two year old completely unsupervised with a newborn he has been violent with before, repeatedly hit a newborn whose screams went unheard, until a fatal blow was inflicted?

They should take him away from his parents and run.

 

[Soulmagent]

So, these parents are saying their son hated the new baby and have witnesses that say his behavior became violent during mom's pregnancy and after the new baby was born. Does anyone here see that as a possibility?

"Attorneys for a northern Kentucky couple accused of killing their infant daughter have called several witnesses in an attempt to show that a 2-year-old sibling may be responsible."
http://www.fox41.com/story/13655092/defense-toddler-unruly-didnt-want-sibling

Dr. Gregory Wanger, state medical examiner for Northern Kentucky, testified Wednesday that the fatal injury was a blow to the head and couldn't have happened from routine handling.

He said it was very unlikely that a toddler would be able to cause the injuries.

He didnt say it was impossible. He said unlikey. I dont know if that is his professional opinoin or personal opinion. Like is it medicaly unlikely (not impossible) that a two year old could strike a blow that could cause a two months olds death.

He said routine handling couldnt have caused it. That is a firm statement. unlikey is not.

I dont have an opinoin on the parents guilt one way or the other but based soley on this article I believe the DR to be objecting to the thought based on personal opinoin.
IMO.

 

[Linda7NJ]

I think it's entirely possible. Years ago, I actually personally knew a 3 year old that killed his younger sibling.

 

[Soulmagent]

I don't think I believe this. I can attest to the fact that 2yos can be surprisingly violent, and can cause real pain and damage, especially when in full tantrum, but I'm not sure about killing a baby. I think it would be impossible for me to see this defence explanation without knowing what the trauma was. If the ME says these injuries are unlikely to have been caused by a toddler, I believe the ME, I think.

Either way, I agree that if the toddler inflicted the injuries, the parents/caregivers are still ultimately responsible for letting the toddler do it.

I believe the ME when he says it is unlikely. What I dont believe is that unlikey makes it impossible. So reasonable doubt is not removed by that part of his statement.

Unless I am not reasonable,that could be the case.

 

[WhyaDuck?]

I believe the ME when he says it is unlikely. What I dont believe is that unlikey makes it impossible. So reasonable doubt is not removed by that part of his statement.

Unless I am not reasonable,that could be the case.

I did say that it is impossible for me to be certain one way or the other without knowing the specific injuries, but that I do give credence to the ME's opinion (which I did specify as having been "unlikely", not impossible), since s/he actually saw the injuries in question. I wasn't saying firmly one way or the other, nor was I suggesting anyone was unreasonable - just stating my own opinion, as far as I could judge given the available information.

 

[Swirlz]

An infant was killed by a 2 yr. old this year on Staten Island:

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/staten_island_toddler_killed_n.html

 

[impatientredhead]

An infant was killed by a 2 yr. old this year on Staten Island:

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/staten_island_toddler_killed_n.html

Tragic story.

Had the parents in the current case said an accident occurred involving the two year old, but they are painting a picture of him being violent and hating her, acting out violently before she was born. It is that part that makes me question the intent of the person telling the story.

 

[Beyond Belief]

I saw my own at 16 months throw her bottle at my friends newborn and hit him right in the head. I thought I was going to die. Thank goodness he wasn't harmed, but kids definitely do things that will harm an infant.

 

[tlcya]

http://www.kypost.com/dpps/news/reg...ty-of-manslaughter-and-criminal-abuse_5644445

Burlington, KY - Late Friday night, a Boone County jury found Benjamin Senseman guilty of manslaughter and criminal abuse in the death of his two-month-old daughter.

Senseman's wife Laura was not found guilty.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Tragic story.

Had the parents in the current case said an accident occurred involving the two year old, but they are painting a picture of him being violent and hating her, acting out violently before she was born. It is that part that makes me question the intent of the person telling the story.

IMO That's what makes it more believable to me. Jealousy is a terrible thing.

 

[Lyn1001]

IMO That's what makes it more believable to me. Jealousy is a terrible thing.

I also believe it's possible. However, I agree with a previous poster who stated if the 2 year old was exhibiting that much rage since the time mom was pregnant, WHY would you leave the 2 year old alone with the baby? I would make sure they were separate at all times. There is no way I would put my child at risk like that.

 

[tlcya]

I think it is entirely possible for a two year old to kill an infant. That said, I also find the way in which this alternate arguement was posed very self serving. If your toddler is exhibiting signs of extreme jealosy and unhappiness about an expected sibling then I would expect you to be on notice and watch for any ontoward behavior from said toddler towards the new baby. I would expect the parents to have been even more vigilant about giving the toddler access or opportunity to harm the infant. I would expect the parents to take a very strict eyes on at all times approach to two year old.

bottom line, its possible but I don't feel it was a factor in this case.

 

[impatientredhead]

IMO That's what makes it more believable to me. Jealousy is a terrible thing.

Then I think they are being charged as would be expected.

There was a danger to their newborn, they were aware of it, and they failed to protect the newborn. Replace violent two year old with a vendetta with a pitbull that has snapped at the child in the past and everyone would want the parents held responsible.

I still think the story is off when you add intent to a two year old, and add intent to a less than two year old for the nine months of the pregnancy. But if it happened it was reckless and preventable.

 

[mikeysmommom]

This made my day, thank you for posting it. I only wish it was at least 30 years but I am glad they did not buy his BS.