MI - Calista Springer, 16, chained to bed, dies in fire, Centreville, 27 Feb 2008

[imthemom]

There is a difference in a hospital setting and a home setting. In a hospital setting you have round the clock on duty awake people. I do see your point though, that yes, there are times when it is warrented. But how did the step mother and the father get out? Why did they not make a heroic effort to save the girl, even if it cost them their own life?

You bet if it was my child I would have died trying to get them out no matter what. We had a fire here about a month ago where a 7 year old boy died. The mother and BF had been drinking and they think left the stove on. The boy and his brother were sleeping in the living room and the mother laid down with them in the living room and went to sleep. The BF came back from another appartment and seen the smoke. He pulled the mom and the younger boy out but they didn't think to grab the other child. They did go back in for him but couldn't find him in the smoke so they went back out again. He was found in his bed upstairs. The firefighters said they were unaware another child was in there and they thought everyone was out. The mother and BF were not charged but I have to wonder, why did she not think of her other child as soon as she got up. That would certainly be my first thought. They said it was so cahotic and confusing? I am not defending these people just not sure if they should be condemned right away.

 

[Filly]

My prayers are going out for this poor girl and her family. Prayers as well for everyone here who take care of their special needs children.

 

[southcitymom]

Spot on. Walk in the parents' shoes, then dispense wisdom. This is a tragedy, not a crime.

Crypto6

Agree 100%.

 

[sherri79]

Spot on. Walk in the parents' shoes, then dispense wisdom. This is a tragedy, not a crime.

Crypto6

it is both. the parents may have felt overwhelmed but that does not excuse endangering the life of their child. what is the difference between these parents and the parents that kept their adopted special needs children in cages? i admit the adoptive parents had more children but at least they all lived.

 

[NanaMcZoo]

CPS investigated Calista being restrained a few years ago. They warned the Springers against doing it again , for fire safety reasons.
Teachers and neighbors did report the neglect and alleged abuse of Calista.
Her former school provided personal essentials for Calista to keep herself clean.
One neighbor said " If only I had kept calling CPS "
It's a tragedy,yes, but I also think it's a crime.
FWIW, step mom did try to get upstairs,and had burns on her face and hands.

http://southernsassoncrime.com/?p=1049

 

[ljwf22]

From the Kalamazoo Gazette:
"CENTREVILLE -- Parents of a girl who died in a house fire while bound to her bed told investigators they started using a dog chain to keep the teen from escaping after an alarm system broke days earlier, police said.

The alarm worked, however, when police tested it after Wednesday's fire, according to Detective Lt. John Slenk, who said the Michigan State Police investigation will be forwarded to prosecutors to review for potential charges."

Link:http://blog.mlive.com/kzgazette/2008/02/details_emerge_in_fatal_fire.html

I was Calista's kindergarten teacher and this just breaks my heart. I thought she was a sweetheart with a big, goofy grin. Sure, she had some problems, but never to the extent that her parents told me they had with her. Rest in peace, Calista.

 

[Linda7NJ]

From the Kalamazoo Gazette:
"CENTREVILLE -- Parents of a girl who died in a house fire while bound to her bed told investigators they started using a dog chain to keep the teen from escaping after an alarm system broke days earlier, police said.

The alarm worked, however, when police tested it after Wednesday's fire, according to Detective Lt. John Slenk, who said the Michigan State Police investigation will be forwarded to prosecutors to review for potential charges."

Link:http://blog.mlive.com/kzgazette/2008/02/details_emerge_in_fatal_fire.html

I was Calista's kindergarten teacher and this just breaks my heart. I thought she was a sweetheart with a big, goofy grin. Sure, she had some problems, but never to the extent that her parents told me they had with her. Rest in peace, Calista.

It is far different teaching a child and living with her 24/7

I am not defending these parents NOR will I condemn them. Because *I* I have VERY limited experience. I was a therapeutic foster parent for 9 years. Mostly teen girls. I did have occasion to provide what was to be two weeks respite for another foster family with two SEVERELY special needs children. I lasted THREE DAYS! I was beyond exhaustion and would have had to tie them to their beds to ensure their safety for night #4!!! My body simply couldn't handle the lack of sleep and I was desperate and could see no light at the end of the tunnel and it was only a matter of two weeks!

I was lucky, they weren't MY children and I had a out.

 

[ljwf22]

It is far different teaching a child and living with her 24/7

I am not defending these parents NOR will I condemn them. Because *I* I have VERY limited experience. I was a therapeutic foster parent for 9 years. Mostly teen girls. I did have occasion to provide what was to be two weeks respite for another foster family with two SEVERELY special needs children. I lasted THREE DAYS! I was beyond exhaustion and would have had to tie them to their beds to ensure their safety for night #4!!! My body simply couldn't handle the lack of sleep and I was desperate and could see no light at the end of the tunnel and it was only a matter of two weeks!

I was lucky, they weren't MY children and I had a out.

I agree. Kids are usually very different at school than at home. I can't begin to imagine life with a severe needs child and I think the Springers tried to the best of their ability. They had just lost this house to foreclosure and were to move soon. This case is sad from every vantage point.

 

[Taximom]

My dd's early teachers only had her for about 2-3 hours in the morning. They would always ask me "Is she always like this?" (meaning sweet) LOL My dd is still different at school, but that's mostly because her medication is in full force and effect for those hours. I do that specifically for her, the teachers and the other students.

Anyway, this is a heartbreaker. I don't have my dd chained to her bed either, but we do have to keep the place secure. We have locks on every door and God forbid there was a fire where one of my typical children was behind a locked door and I couldn't get them to safety. We usually have locks on both sides, but dd will charge (or pull!) the door till the lock comes out of the wood. If she wants in or out...she will work hard at it.

We just do our best at limiting things that can start a fire. (We would do that anyway, children or not.)

 

[SeriouslySearching]

I never believe it to be OK to restain a child in such a manner. The alarm system problem could have been caused by the cable company or phone company working in the area during that time and the reason why it worked later for the police...so this part could be true. However, an unruly child who keeps running away should be given the status of "In Need Of Supervision" by the courts and dealt with by the authorities using proper channels. There is no excuse to chain anyone like a dog.

I cannot imagine the horror of being chained and burning to death. What a horrific way to die!! It just makes me ill to think about her screaming in agony and unable to do anything. IMO, the parents SHOULD be charged! (They had been warned by DHS in the past NOT to chain her or restrain in such a way because of fire.)

 

[Amraann]

Just awful. If they couldnot contain her or guarantee her safety in their home then they should have hired nighttime help or found a (nice) group home for her that could meet her needs. I know that is easier said than done and it must have been hard to parents such a child and I hate to be judgemental b/c special needs children require special people and treatment, but they did have medicaid and SSI at their disposal I am sure to help with costs. Chaining a human being to a bed is unnacceptable and cruel. To die in a fire is awful, especially with no chance to get out of the fire.

I am not reading the replies to this before I reply..
Everyone thinks that there are some places we can put children like this ot meds...
HELL NO there is not. Chaining a human to a bed is cruel and something I have never had to do.... but let me tell you I was not far from that (lack of) option.
It has taken YEARS to find medications to help my son and many many Doctors. There are very few places where someone can place a disabled child, despite what everyone thinks.
My above statements do Not even come close to describing what we do as parents to deal with our disabled son...
We have never even thought of chaining him to a bed.. But he is only 13 and with lack of support I can easily see how a parent would have to. AND the bottom line is there is NO support out there.
I am Not advocating chaining your disabled child to a bed in any way but I am saying that I can understand why lack of help would cause this.
What needs to be done is some true support and help for people with disabled children.

 

[Mygirlsadie]

FWIW where I live if you chain your dog up outside even in your OWN back yard it is against the law!

 

[2sisters]

Very, very sad case. They obviously loved the girl or they would have just let her run or put her in foster care so they didn't have to deal with her behaviors. I'm sure nothing the legal system could do to them will even begin to be as horrible as what they are doing to themselves right now.

I disagree, if they loved her she would not have been chained to the bed, period and they would not have been abusing her since she was roughly 4 years old. Maybe they did love her and were just horribly ill equipped to deal with such a child. Who knows? I just can not image how scary it would be to be trapped in a fire chained to a bed.

 

[Amraann]

I disagree, if they loved her she would not have been chained to the bed, period and they would not have been abusing her since she was roughly 4 years old.

Period?? Ummm what should they do in light of the FACT that there is little help for people like this?

 

[2sisters]

Period?? Ummm what should they do in light of the FACT that there is little help for people like this?

I know a family with a special child who have received lots of help, even with getting a handicapped van, medicaid, SSI and have used that to pay for in home help. I worked for a family with a disabled child (she was in an accident that left her severely brain damaged, she was not born handicapped), again they had home health, help with therapies etc. I guess not everyone can get help,I assumed they could, that is not the issue though. This young lady burned alive chained to a bed. Can you picture how scared she must have been? There is no excuse for it, period. No excuse for the other abuse either, this has been going on since 1995. I do not want to argue with you or offend you since this hits close to home for you and I in no way think it is easy to parent special kids so I will leave this subject alone now.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Period?? Ummm what should they do in light of the FACT that there is little help for people like this?

While I do worry about facing the same situation with my autistic grandson someday, I think one of the ways to combat this for those particular parents was to keep using the alarm system no matter how many times they had to repeatedly get up instead of chaining her to the bed. Another thing I would have done is to sleep in the same bed with her instead of leaving her alone. (I would never lock a child or even a teen in a room unless I was inside with them.)

We have already purchased single, personal alarms which could warn of the bedroom door or windows being opened without alerting the alarm company which we also use. We also have installed special locks on the doors which have a pin inserted into a hole drilled through so the doors cannot be opened with just unlocking them. While a 15yo could easily remove those, it is a deterent to younger children because they are located at the top of the doors.

There is a program which I think is excellent and should be instituted worldwide:

http://www.projectlifesaver.org/site/

I have written many letters here to different agencies in hopes it will be implemented in our area. It is yet another way to keep our special care needs loved ones from becoming "lost" or running away. It is an excellent idea.

 

[Amraann]

I do not wish to argue with either of you.
I totally hear what your saying and let me repeat I would NEVER chain a child to a bed (or anyone else)
BUT I am just seeing the flip side of this and have lived in places where no services are available ...
SSI ?? HAHHA sorry but that covers nothing!! I could make a heck of a lot more working than Richie's SSI brings in.
We have done the alarm thing with Richie.. Ya know what he did??
He figured out how to remove the alarms from the doors.

Again I repeat I am NOT advocating what these people did but Unless you have lived this hell I just find it hard to judge.
YES!! it sounds insane to chain your teen to a bed but people often have few options.
Maybe you know someone that has some great support via ssi DCF schools.. whatever..
Not all places have that and not all disabilities are equal.
Not all parents are educated about their options or if educated, not willing to fight for them.
Its a long hard struggle.. We searched for years YEARS just to find a dr who would even attempt to give Richie meds... In the mean time he broke litterally everything we owned.
From windows to doors to TV's.
DVD's, game systems.. ETC
OH lets not forget the clothing he has cut through the papers he has strewn... Pictures I cannot ever replace..
The list could go on . And the entire time not one Dr or service helped.
So although I would never chain him to a bed I can totally understand the desperation that would cause a parent to do that.

I am so very sorry for this girl and her family but I cannot judge what they did in the hope of keeping her safe or even for just one nights sleep.

 

[2sisters]

I am sorry things have been hard for you and I really don't want to offend or hurt your feelings. I do hope you know that.

 

[okietexan]

I do not wish to argue with either of you.
I totally hear what your saying and let me repeat I would NEVER chain a child to a bed (or anyone else)
BUT I am just seeing the flip side of this and have lived in places where no services are available ...
SSI ?? HAHHA sorry but that covers nothing!! I could make a heck of a lot more working than Richie's SSI brings in.
We have done the alarm thing with Richie.. Ya know what he did??
He figured out how to remove the alarms from the doors.

Again I repeat I am NOT advocating what these people did but Unless you have lived this hell I just find it hard to judge.
YES!! it sounds insane to chain your teen to a bed but people often have few options.
Maybe you know someone that has some great support via ssi DCF schools.. whatever..
Not all places have that and not all disabilities are equal.
Not all parents are educated about their options or if educated, not willing to fight for them.
Its a long hard struggle.. We searched for years YEARS just to find a dr who would even attempt to give Richie meds... In the mean time he broke litterally everything we owned.
From windows to doors to TV's.
DVD's, game systems.. ETC
OH lets not forget the clothing he has cut through the papers he has strewn... Pictures I cannot ever replace..
The list could go on . And the entire time not one Dr or service helped.
So although I would never chain him to a bed I can totally understand the desperation that would cause a parent to do that.

I am so very sorry for this girl and her family but I cannot judge what they did in the hope of keeping her safe or even for just one nights sleep.

Bless you, Amraann. Richie is lucky to have you.

 

[Amraann]

2sisters I totally know you would not do anything to offend me I just wanted to highlight how it is with a disabled child. I should say SOME disabled children.
I mean people presume that this couple were cruel ... Heck IDK maybe they were?? But I can understand the desperation and I hope I never have to be in their shoes.
Recently the discussion about Richie (and this is from DR's) has been that we should look forward to putting him in a facility.
Over MY DEAD BODY..
I finally found one that would give him the drugs to keep him calm.. Puberty is a *advertiser censored*
I know I am going soooo off topic here but maybe that is the way to help people to understand and not judge how these people treated their daughter??
Back on topic .. what would a home (facility) do to this girl??
Strap her to a bed in a white padded room and if desperate they can give her a shot with 3 orderlies holding her down? Parents do not have that option. Maybe these parents could no longer afford their security alarm system?

okietexan, thank you I hope your right!! :blowkiss: