Found Deceased NH - Celina Cass, 11, Stewartstown, 25 July 2011 # 4 *Arrest*

[gitana1]

This is how I feel about it, kalekona...as you said, a child can set this account up anywhere without any adult knowing about it...my son did it...I reported it to FB and they not only didn't do anything about it but he continued to get emails...A year later, when I realized the account still existed I weighed everything, including the fact that he had followed my decision and NOT used it in the last year and decided what I can get to know with his permission is a heck of a lot better than not knowing and keeping my head in the sand...others may not agree but I don't believe there are too many children out there that don't do things behind their parents back- and as we have seen in our own childhoods (at least I have) the more restrictive parents quite often have the most rebellious children...

As for those who say we are condoning lying...oh well...I do my best and try to teach them my best but I don't see FB, as an entity that is constantly changing their rules, etc. as "someone" that I'm worried about "deceiving"...call it rationalizing, or whatever you want...even if my child was 14 I would have them put an older age as it's really no one's business...how many people on here use their name? How many reveal a location? How many reveal their age? (I know many do, but many don't for a variety of reasons...).

I think this whole thing about this case and FB is a non-issue and I'm pretty sure it's not helping the situation with the mother and father who I'm sure are being judged in RL by petty people with little compassion. Worst case scenario that it was related to FB- still wouldn't be the fault of FB, IMO...

I don't know what RL is and I'm aware that what's reported in the media is not the whole story or always even accurate, but...so far, I have not seen one report where any neighbor, towns person, etc., has even hinted that the family is to blame for this. Even Celina's father, who could have jumped all over the mom and SF has said Celina reported she was loved at her home and that her mom was a good mother.

I don't see evidence of petty people or judgment of any kind thus far. Frankly, this looks like a nice, little town with some real compassionate people who all seem to know and care about one another.

As far as FB is concerned, I don't think anyone on here has said that FB is "evil" or to blame for what happened to Celina. Instead, people have speculated that easy, unfettered and non-private internet access for an 11 year old girl, could be a possible issue in this case and/or symptomatic of the way this child was raised.

I think the discussion of FB/internet access is no less legitimate a discussion as questions regarding step-parents, mental illness, criminal backgrounds, family relationships, etc. There is nothing cruel about it. That's what we do on websleuths, we speculate and brainstorm with as much compassion and propriety as possible.

I also highly doubt that Celina's family has made it over to a crime sleuthing site at this juncture. They are likely mostly in shock, grieving and trying to figure out what is going to happen next.

I do not believe the internet played a part in this case. I don't know anything, actually, but my suspicions tell me it is probably not the case. However, the discussion is valid, IMO and what we do here.

According to this link:

• 75% of children are willing to share personal information online about themselves and their family in exchange for goods and services.
  - eMarketer
• Only approximately 25% of children who encountered a sexual approach or solicitation told a parent or adult.
  - Crimes Against Children Research Center
• One in 33 youth received an aggressive sexual solicitation in the past year. This means a predator asked a young person to meet somewhere, called a young person on the phone, and/or sent the young person correspondence, money, or gifts through the U.S. Postal Service.
  - Your Internet Safety Survey
• 77% of the targets for online predators were age 14 or older. Another 22% were users ages 10 to 13.
  - Crimes Against Children Research Center

http://www.sentrypc.com/statistics.htm (More at link).

 

[mck16]

I do not believe the body was floating as the divers brought her up from the bottom. This is my understanding from news reports. Also, water is still cold
up north even though it is summer. The north country has not had the heat we have in the south. Actually, N.H. overall has had a cool summer with short bursts of heat. skier

People have questioned why it took them so long to bring her body out. I think if she weighted down the forenzic people removed all that very carefully to preserve any evidence. She was placed in that white body bag when she was taken out of the water is my belief. It took them a long time because they were preserving any evidence that was there. jmo

 

[Bullwinkle]

Town Stunned After Girl's Body Found

 

[miimaa]

ITA I think it sounds pretty plausible, you call mom at work and say hey was she supposed to go somewhere this morning? and then being such a small community you ask around. I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere, but what time in the morning was she discovered missing? I ask because I know my kids stay in bed pretty late in the summer ...

Not knowing what the normal routines were in that house -- I know with my own they would have something to eat and ask before they went to any friends.

 

[gnomony]

Anyone who suffers from mental illness in one of it's forms (other than OCD ;-)) may not be too interested in hygiene.

Why are we speculating on family/victim hygiene?

 

[gitana1]

I don't think changing shirts would be high on my priority list if my daughter or son had just been found dead in a river. And how in the world did this medical information get out. Don't they have HIPPA laws in New Hampshire. It is a horrible shame that this was released. jmo

I agree about the changing shirts thing. But what was released? All I heard was a report that he was hospitalized, because they saw him leave in an ambulance and go into the hospital, and a report that he was released, since he came back home.

Other info about his earlier mental health diagnosis was public because it was associated with a crime/the court process.

 

[miimaa]

Celina's mother works at a consignment shop in Colebrook. As I understand it, she had gone to work that morning, and then when the stepfather woke, he checked on Celina around 8-8:30am and discovered her not in the home. He contacted Celina's mother and family members began searching door to door for Celina. Her sister, who had been sleeping the night at a friend's house got to a friend's house and the mother there called 911.

That is how I understand the chain of events.

Do you know if anyone else was in the house? Was there only the one sibling? What I'm asking is were the stepdad and Celina home alone for some amount of time?

 

[freshmom]

Not knowing what the normal routines were in that house -- I know with my own they would have something to eat and ask before they went to any friends.

Right, thats why I wondered about the time, maybe he thought Mom had already seen her that morning. However someone upthread said her mother had to be at work around 8 or 830 am.

 

[luckyme]

Celina's mother works at a consignment shop in Colebrook. As I understand it, she had gone to work that morning, and then when the stepfather woke, he checked on Celina around 8-8:30am and discovered her not in the home. He contacted Celina's mother and family members began searching door to door for Celina. Her sister, who had been sleeping the night at a friend's house got to a friend's house and the mother there called 911.

That is how I understand the chain of events.

Thanks! I wonder if she was supposed to do something early? why would he check on her. I get my sons up early but they have ball practice in the early mornings because of heat. I let them sleep on weekends. strange! Mom must have just left for work. not alot of time for something to happen while she wasnt there. moo

 

[Sleuthie_lu]

Why are we speculating on family/victim hygiene?

I was generically responding to a comment about someone/anyone not changing their shirt. Not speculating on anything.

 

[miimaa]

I just don't get this...not trying to second guess someone in a panic but why wouldn't you call police immediately and then do the searching? I could see if she had a history of run-away behavior or defiance...if they had called police on other occasions and then found her and didn't want to waste police resources. But to my knowledge she hadn't been that way so I can't imagine not calling police immediately when she's not in her bed (or the house) in the morning. Just seems really fishy...

Seems fishy to me too. 11 is still young. I have never had kids that got up in the morning and just took off... often because their friends are not out of bed in the summer either. Anyway at my house it was usually a couple hours of cartoons and breakfast. They were usually ready to go about lunch time.

 

[Sleuthie_lu]

I had been looking at beautiful little Celina's face and it finally dawned on me who she would look like when she grew up.

 

[twzzlrgirl]

Right, thats why I wondered about the time, maybe he thought Mom had already seen her that morning. However someone upthread said her mother had to be at work around 8 or 830 am.

So, if mom went in the morning, either she didn't check on Celina before she left OR Celina was in her room when mom left and was "gone" by 8:30. I'm only curious because my daughter is almost 16, and I don't leave for work in the morning without peeking my head in and usually whispering a "goodbye." (And that's only because she gets mad if I actually wake her to kiss her

 

[jjenny]

So, if mom went in the morning, either she didn't check on Celina before she left OR Celina was in her room when mom left and was "gone" by 8:30. I'm only curious because my daughter is almost 16, and I don't leave for work in the morning without peeking my head in and usually whispering a "goodbye." (And that's only because she gets mad if I actually wake her to kiss her

The mother must have not checked in the morning, or they would not be saying Celina was last seen in the evening at her computer.

 

[westsidefox64]

I agree with a few posters that just because the step father has a medical problem doesnt automatically make him a murderer. Im waiting to see where the investigation leads. I also dont get the mind set that they are taking drains from the house like they did in the Zahra baker case? There has been no indication she was dismembered in any way unless Ive missed something. JMO

 

[Magdalyn]

ITA I think it sounds pretty plausible, you call mom at work and say hey was she supposed to go somewhere this morning? and then being such a small community you ask around. I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere, but what time in the morning was she discovered missing? I ask because I know my kids stay in bed pretty late in the summer ...

IDK ... Didn't the SF find her missing @9:30am ... and then the neighbor called @2:30 pm? Do I have that right? Do we have an updated timeline?

Maybe it's just me, but while I don't live in a rural community, I live in a 'safe/low crime' suburban community. If I woke up and found my kid gone, I'd have a mini heart attack, call my husband if he was at work (while I was throwing up), we'd be doing a quick rundown of friends/neighbors (calling and going door to door), and I don't think we'd wait much more than 90 minutes before we'd call the cops. I don't even know if I'd wait that long.

But I'm a paranoid mother. And my community isn't that small.

But on the flip side, as small as that community is, FIVE HOURS (if I have the timeline right) is a bizarrely long time to wait to call the police for help. They'd need LESS time, one would think, than a family that lives in a more populated community. Did Celina have so many friends and places she hung out in that small town that it took 5 hours to reach the conclussion she was missing? Seems fishy to me.:twocents:

 

[KathrynL]

When something like this happens, I always remind myself of the Dowaliby case. The stepfather and mother were put on trial for Jaclyn's murder-mom's case was dismissed for lack of evidence but David Dowaliby did prison time before the case was reversed. Because there is no information at this time that the stepfather had a hand in this, because there really isn't much information at all right now, I'm not ready to make any conclusions or even speculate. Also seems there was similar speculation about Jonathan Foster and that didn't pan out either. I know immediate family is first on the rule-out list, but it doesn't always turn out to be them. :cow:

 

[miimaa]

I wonder if the mom saw Celina before she left for work that morning.

Sad deal....... wonder what happened. IMO 11 is still young. Too young to be sneaking out of the house on your own. Even if she had gone to meet someone (which I doubt at her age) there will be evidence on the computer but kids that age usually like to talk and tell you everything they are doing. That has been my experience anyway.

 

[miimaa]

The mother must have not checked in the morning, or they would not be saying Celina was last seen in the evening at her computer.

Oh yeah....... good catch.

 

[nosysw]

I am going to venture a guess that, especially being in a small town, where everyone knows everyone and many people do not even lock the doors at night, something tragic having occurred would not be the first thing that comes to mind. Unless there was visible evidence of a crime scene, they may have just thought that she went for a walk or to a friend's house.

JMOO

I agree this may be the case...but having a 10 year old and an 11 year old (and an 8 year old) and living in a small town (albeit not rural and surrounded by other larger burbs and cities) I would panic if my child was not in the house in the morning...I would check to see if one of the dogs was missing (i.e. they were taking it out) but otherwise I would never expect one of them to leave the house without telling me- especially first thing in the morning when they haven't checked in with me yet...