GUILTY NY - Evanna Tranberg-Bennett, 12, died, parents failed to get her medical care, 6 Dec 2019 Probation

[bears10]

If I understand their latest posts then yes, it looks like DSS/CPS is telling them they can't all live in the same house right now. I don't know if the parents of either set of kids have actually moved out. Heidi and Steve also run a business from their house called House of Macrobiotics. The FB page for the business shows the kids planting crops on the house's land and Heidi running the kitchen. They haven't posted on that page since mid-March.

the house of macrobiotics Facebook page clearly depicts a vegan family (nothing wrong with being vegan, but I’m pointing it out because they lie and claim they aren’t vegan). The house of microbiotics page also has numerous posts about how food is medicine, and that chronic illnesses like colon cancer can be cured with a plant based diet. I would bet they knew how sick Evanna was for quite some time, but insisted she would be magically cured by eating organic sticky candies and fruit.

House Of Macrobiotics

 

[Knitty]

I remember this one from last year. One of the oddest cases I've ever seen in my life. That family is FAR more concerned with convincing the public than in convincing the courts. I didn't understand it then and I don't understand it now.

IMO, MOO, etc.

 

[shotgun09]

I am unsure of when the next court date for the neglect/ manslaughter charges is. Is there any information out there? All I am aware of is from the article posted, stating they ( the parents) have to show up for probation twice a week.

 

[Wyle_E_Coyote]

Their Facebook page now has a post featuring WS. The paranoia runs deep.

 

[shotgun09]

This is such a sad case. Above and beyond the nonsense of the Facebook diatribes and threats, a young child died! From all appearances that were posted, she was a beautiful girl.
She possibly, and more than likely IMO would have survived, had she received proper medical intervention before the day they called 911. As stated previously on this thread, not all of us are gifted with the medical knowledge of others, but....we KNOW, as parents and caregivers...when something isn't quite right.
Example: Years ago, before I became a nurse, my daughter came down with chicken pox. (This was before there was a vaccination available.) She was pretty sick, home from school, and I did the best that I could as a young parent. A few days passed, she was covered from head to toe with pox, ( and Calamine lotion!). But...she was getting sicker and sicker. She was unable to keep any food or liquids in, and her skin color under all that lotion was 'weird'. Her eyes were sunk in, and she wasn't acting at all like herself. She was very weak. I called the doctor, and begged for them to see her. Because she was still contagious, they didn't want me to bring her in. After a few more hours of watching her failing, I called back and said if you don't see her now, I am bringing her to ER. The doctor finally agreed, and a back door visit was allowed.
They admitted my poor sick baby girl, who not only had chicken pox, but later diagnosed with Scarlet fever! She was critical for a few days, in isolation etc. Thankfully, she recovered well. She could have died, had I not had the instinct and wherewithal to insist on her being seen.

IMO, THIS is what was missing in poor Evanna's story.

 

[MsMarple]

I am unsure of when the next court date for the neglect/ manslaughter charges is. Is there any information out there? All I am aware of is from the article posted, stating they ( the parents) have to show up for probation twice a week.

I believe they have a hearing today in Family Court regarding visitation and possibly follow up medical care for the young boy who has been returned to his mother. Afterwards there's supposed to be a hearing on the criminal charge.

Unfortunately the family isn't exactly big news in the area so we may not hear what happened in criminal court for a day or two and we're unlikely to hear anything about the family court hearing. Here's a link to local Twitter just in case:
https://twitter.com/CBS6Albany

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN REMINDER:

Please remember to make it clear when it is your opinion (MOOs, JMOs, IMOs, I think, I believe, etc)

Thank you

 

[MsMarple]

Their Facebook page now has a post featuring WS. The paranoia runs deep.

IMO it was courteous of them to include a link to the thread. I see there's been a jump in the number of guests coming online and in the number of views of this thread. JMOO (Just My Own Opinion) so maybe only a coincidence and no connection to this case.

There's supposed to be a hearing in Criminal Court on the parents' manslaughter charge in a bit. It could be a day or so before we hear what went on though. Hopefully a local reporter will be interested enough to attend. MOO.

Edited to add: For the record, I live in the Pacific Northwest and have been an active member here since 2013. I often follow cases where a caregiver is arrested after the death of a child. Sadly this case is just one of many. My opinion only.

 

[Lusitana]

Happy to let you all know that I do not live in the US, not even close. Sorry!
I also noticed a lot of guests on this thread, welcome. Keep the discussion going, in a respectful, non-hostile manner though.

 

[Jane_Fox]

The FB poster appears to be the eldest daughter. They’ve been repeatedly advised not to post publicly from day 1 ESPECIALLY with a criminal investigation. They’ve had many changes in stories & lately w autopsy try to point to things which have little bearing on why the children were removed nor relevant to the criminal charges. They remove any comment asking for clarification or pointing out discrepancy on their page . hopefully this post will stay up unlike the first one last year which was eventually deleted. It’s difficult to extrapolate facts when they use lengthy misdirection & diversion tactics & rather absurd the individual community members who can’t see even the basics.

Bottom line
It had to do with a long history of medical neglect resulting in her collapsing unconscious & not breathing after up to a week of presenting serious life threatening symptoms. Father finally Deciding the day before she collapsed that she should be brought to the hospital they made arrangements for a friend to come transport the following day-they called 911 after she was in full critical systemic failure. Likely from complete body calcium deprivation which can be attributed to actually every single thing they either stated or alluded & seemingly additional gastric aspiration causing severe pneumonia (which wouldn’t happen within 3 hours & cause death).
The candy/choking story was added to their narrative more than 2 months after their blog started. The child’s death had zero to do with the EMT. They have at times tried to confuse the narrative by implying they’ve been targeted or maligned as Homeschoolers, anti-vaxxers, Vegans etc. This appears to be their 4th or 5th case of medical neglect. The parents of some of the children didn’t attend the first initial hearings & one only attended by “instrument of writing” later on.
Indeed, it appears based on their self-identified vast knowledge of nutrition as well as so many previous cases even with the child that died, that the lack of actions on both parents Although not with”Intent” would have known that their recklessness would very likely cause the death. After 11 months of their verbose misdirection of FB Page posts, it borders on appearing like some sort of personality disorder (perhaps due to long familial mental abuse of eldest daughter) rather than a call to help from community. From their first posts they stated repeatedly they have audio/video recordings from the event, Civil Rights Attorneys, private investigators, IP logging off those commenting “against them” & even a full FBI investigation all on their “side” looking into corruption & yet to date none of those claims have helped them and only gives credence to further concern of the mental wellness of the parent/sister posting.

JMO

 

[Lusitana]

I would be interested in all of the "proof" the family claims to have, specially the video of LE searching their home. It's been almost a year and that video is nowhere to be found, why? I mean, why even mention it if you can't produce it for everyone to see? Such a sad case.

 

[shotgun09]

Among the many many claims the family has made, there is one that I feel warrants a darn good explanation from the CPS, Sheriff and hospital staff. I would be enraged and sickened too, amidst my shock and grief of her illness and death that if true, and poor Evanna was actively dying and pulled off life support.. not one member of her family was allowed to be with her. That situation is so tragic to me

 

[MsMarple]

Don't forget your MOO, IMO, JMO, etc.

 

[meanmaryjean]

Among the many many claims the family has made, there is one that I feel warrants a darn good explanation from the CPS, Sheriff and hospital staff. I would be enraged and sickened too, amidst my shock and grief of her illness and death that if true, and poor Evanna was actively dying and pulled off life support.. not one member of her family was allowed to be with her. That situation is so tragic to me

As a pediatric nurse I can tell you this is yet another whopper fabrication by this disturbing family. IMHO

 

[Wyle_E_Coyote]

Among the many many claims the family has made, there is one that I feel warrants a darn good explanation from the CPS, Sheriff and hospital staff. I would be enraged and sickened too, amidst my shock and grief of her illness and death that if true, and poor Evanna was actively dying and pulled off life support.. not one member of her family was allowed to be with her. That situation is so tragic to me

I'm going to remain skeptical until independent confirmation of that turns up. moo

 

[Jane_Fox]

Among the many many claims the family has made, there is one that I feel warrants a darn good explanation from the CPS, Sheriff and hospital staff. I would be enraged and sickened too, amidst my shock and grief of her illness and death that if true, and poor Evanna was actively dying and pulled off life support.. not one member of her family was allowed to be with her. That situation is so tragic to me

This was their 4/5 th case including that child having been removed before for the same medical reasons. Their own admission in FB posts was the child had seen a DR once the year before & once years B4 that- Homeopathic DR who has no records of visits. The parents didn’t show up to the
court appearance on the date their child was removed from life support (even if that was according to them a coincidence it was done in the same day).
IMO considering there was a murder investigation, I think it’s fully inappropriate to have those potentially responsible at her bedside when she had been unconscious at their home w systemic organ failure & a history of such neglect w other children (according to their early posts) watching her suffer for over a week.

 

[MsMarple]

I would be interested in all of the "proof" the family claims to have, specially the video of LE searching their home. It's been almost a year and that video is nowhere to be found, why? I mean, why even mention it if you can't produce it for everyone to see? Such a sad case.

I have never seen a case where caregivers had documented proof reputing claims from a county agency (DSS/CPS) yet chose to leave their children in foster care for nearly a year instead of giving the proof to their attorney to produce in court.

Why would anyone allow their kids to remain in foster care for 11+ months while they were holding exculpatory evidence? Why would an attorney allow it? I'm at a loss to understand - aren't the children the priority? All MOO.

 

[shotgun09]

I have for the last hour or so, been to the " land of OMG " , (IMO of course) on the family's FB page. I took some Tylenol prior to my visit. Just a few observations from their recent post regarding the case, and their threats and innuendos of
commenters here and elsewhere.

I am a guest here at WS, and provide my views and opinions as related to facts presented in a case, which interests me. I have been here, as a guest for 10 years, and I do not live anywhere close to Austerlitz, or its surrounding counties, or the state of NY.

IMO, The family has been advised by attorneys to cease the postings on their FB page, and never was it stated by myself that the advisement came from an attorney they hired. Just multiple other attorneys watching this unfold for the last year..

One other issue I have, which is clearly stated on their page, is even after being advised of the above, the postings have continued. And IMO, the statement of them 'becoming famous' shows where their intent may be. Lost is the tragedy of Evanna's illness and death.

The arrest(s) came 11 months after she passed. IMO, these rambling, accusatory and defaming posts have more than likely added to the case against them. So sad.

All in my very humble opinion....

 

[Lusitana]

I have for the last hour or so, been to the " land of OMG " , (IMO of course) on the family's FB page. I took some Tylenol prior to my visit. Just a few observations from their recent post regarding the case, and their threats and innuendos of
commenters here and elsewhere.

I am a guest here at WS, and provide my views and opinions as related to facts presented in a case, which interests me. I have been here, as a guest for 10 years, and I do not live anywhere close to Austerlitz, or its surrounding counties, or the state of NY.

IMO, The family has been advised by attorneys to cease the postings on their FB page, and never was it stated by myself that the advisement came from an attorney they hired. Just multiple other attorneys watching this unfold for the last year..

One other issue I have, which is clearly stated on their page, is even after being advised of the above, the postings have continued. And IMO, the statement of them 'becoming famous' shows where their intent may be. Lost is the tragedy of Evanna's illness and death.

The arrest(s) came 11 months after she passed. IMO, these rambling, accusatory and defaming posts have more than likely added to the case against them. So sad.

All in my very humble opinion....

I honestly don't see how thinking that their attorneys advised them to stop posting, or at the very least, to stop posting that type of stuff on Facebook, means that anyone is an "insider" on their case. It's just like... common sense? I can't see any attorney being okay with those posts or not thinking that those posts would hurt them and their case.

 

[Sillybilly]

I appreciate Websleuths insisting on VI status for family posters. Additionally in this case, the poster was trying to interfere with and intimidate members discussion.
I am still unclear on how to participate but not antagonize the family poster.

Just avoid making any direct accusations and post in accordance with Websleuths TOS and there won't be any cause for concern. Members are allowed to respectfully express opinions based on information that is publicly available from approved sources ... how others interpret or respond to such opinions is up to them and not in our control.