PA - Grace Packer, 14, murdered, Abington, 4 July 2016 *Killer died*

[stormymama]

Poor girl never stood a chance. I hope her brother is ok.

 

[MsMtOlympus]

The 14-year-old Pennsylvania girl who was raped, tortured and killed at her adoptive mother's house had been abused or neglected in at least three homes during her short life, according to an attorney.
A lawyer for Grace Packer's birth parents told The Associated Press they lost custody of the girl over allegations that other adults were sexually abusing their children.
......
Grace was adopted by adoption worker Sara Packer when she was a toddler. In 2011, Sara Packer's husband at the time, David Packer, pleaded to statutory sexual assault after he was charged with indecent deviate sexual intercourse with a girl who was 9 at the time of his arrest.

Packer told NBC10 during an interview last year that Grace was not the girl he was sentenced for sexually assaulting. The Northampton County District Attorney's Office told NBC10 Wednesday however that Grace was the girl who he molested.

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news...cob-Sullivan-Abuse-Rape-Murder-410443105.html

I wonder who informed LE at the time that Grace was being sexually assaulted by David Packer? We know darn well it wasn't Sara Packer. :furious:

 

[Bootsctr]

It is very sad! I hope Grace's brother is okay too.

 

[kaen]

I wonder who informed LE at the time that Grace was being sexually assaulted by David Packer? We know darn well it wasn't Sara Packer. :furious:

One possible scenario:
Sara Packer resigned/fired in Jan. 2010. David Packer was charged later in 2010. If she wasn't the first to report the abuse but corroborated other reporting parties and David Packer left the house, they may have investigated for a couple of months, gathered evidence and charged him.

Another scenario:
Another counselor or someone reported that David Packer had assaulted Grace, Sara claimed no knowledge and, then, was caught in some inconsistencies when it was found that she knew something, Sara is fired, David is arrested months later. But, Sara puts up a good enough story that Grace is left in her custody.

In any scenario, heads should role at that agency because there was little to no follow up with and for this child. AND, the 12 year old boy remained in her custody---Grace had been assaulted by her father, didn't live in the home for a period of time, and then disappeared--with the agency not looking into his welfare. ARGGGGGHHHH.

 

[Bootsctr]

It had to be the relatives Sara lived with for almost a year?

 

[flourish]

1) birth home 2) Sara and David 3) Sara, dude whose name I forgot, and the girlfriend

That was my take?

 

[Rayemonde]

It is very sad! I hope Grace's brother is okay too.

Of course he isn't okay How could he possibly be okay?

 

[Blair]

In mid-October, the pair allegedly disposed of Grace's dismembered body off White Haven Road in Bear Creek Township, near the Francis Walter Dam in Luzerne County.

But in less than two weeks, two hunters would find Grace's remains just after 6 p.m. on Halloween night.

(quote is from here: http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/01/how_grace_packer_14_became_dis.html)

^^^

One of the few comments that I ran across from Sara Packer (under her maiden name) on Facebook is this one (https://www.facebook.com/sara.packe...ch=YmVzdCBjaGVlc2VzdGVha3MsYmFrZWQgeml0aQ==):

"Phoned in my order- three pizzas- and was quoted 20 minutes. I arrived after 20 minutes and was told that an error had occurred. My order had not been written down. They said it would be another 10 minutes. 30 minutes later- 50 minutes after placing my order- I received my pizza. I am one very unhappy customer and will never be ordering from here again"

which is dated October 22, 2016. Which is damn near the same day, based on that timeline quoted above, that Grace's body was disposed of so cruelly & carelessly. Gosh, Sara, you were upset your pizza got delivered late? That sure does suck, I wonder what Grace thought? Oh, right, she couldn't tell you since you, you know, murdered her and just unceremoniously dumped her remains in the woods. Priorities.

I don't know why I'd expect anything else, but, wow, that pisses me off.

 

[DaisyChains]

In mid-October, the pair allegedly disposed of Grace's dismembered body off White Haven Road in Bear Creek Township, near the Francis Walter Dam in Luzerne County.

But in less than two weeks, two hunters would find Grace's remains just after 6 p.m. on Halloween night.

(quote is from here: http://www.pennlive.com/news/2017/01/how_grace_packer_14_became_dis.html)

^^^

One of the few comments that I ran across from Sara Packer (under her maiden name) on Facebook is this one (https://www.facebook.com/sara.packe...ch=YmVzdCBjaGVlc2VzdGVha3MsYmFrZWQgeml0aQ==):

"Phoned in my order- three pizzas- and was quoted 20 minutes. I arrived after 20 minutes and was told that an error had occurred. My order had not been written down. They said it would be another 10 minutes. 30 minutes later- 50 minutes after placing my order- I received my pizza. I am one very unhappy customer and will never be ordering from here again"

which is dated October 22, 2016. Which is damn near the same day, based on that timeline quoted above, that Grace's body was disposed of so cruelly & carelessly. Gosh, Sara, you were upset your pizza got delivered late? That sure does suck, I wonder what Grace thought? Oh, right, she couldn't tell you since you, you know, murdered her and just unceremoniously dumped her remains in the woods. Priorities.

I don't know why I'd expect anything else, but, wow, that pisses me off.

Wow that really upsets me as well! This has got to be one of the saddest cases I've read about in a while.

I hope these monsters never escape the evil they committed. May they be consumed with guilt until they are no more.

 

[pugmom]

Wow, I can't believe I missed seeing this when it first was posted here. I have just read through all of the pages. Just speaking as someone who has PCOS, it can cause infertility and it is a terrible disease, but I can honestly say that PCOS would not cause me to hurt my child in any way. In my case, it causes pain, depression, anxiety, self esteem issues, miscarriage, and difficulty conceiving.

That poor girl and the unfortunate life she had in those short 14 years. I can't even begin to imagine what she went through by the hands that were supposed to be taking care of her. People make me sick sometimes.

 

[Ontario Mom]

With all the heartbreaking news coming out after the fact of the already heartbreaking news about what happened to poor Grace, I can only hope that of the 3 kids, the oldest sister going to a completely different foster home, she had a wonderful family that actually took care of her. There has to be something good that happened to at least one of these kids, right?

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/pol...red-dismembered-teen-life-20170114-story.html

 

[david.r.feeney]

HOW MANY KIDS? INVESTIGATORS DON'T KNOW NUMBER OF SARA PACKER FOSTER CHILDREN


"Investigators in several northeast Pennsylvania counties are now trying to determine how many foster children Sara Packer and her ex-husband, David Packer, took in before he went to prison in 2011 and whether any other children were abused. Sara Packer, by then an adoptions supervisor in Northampton County, lost her $44,000-a-year job amid her husband's arrest on sex crimes. She was never charged, but there was some concern she was aware of the abuse and didn't stop it, Lehigh County District Attorney James Martin said."


Grace Packer endured life of abuse
Thursday January 12, 2017 12:01 AM By Maryclaire Dale
http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/grace-packer-endured-life-of-abuse

 

[MsMtOlympus]

HOW MANY KIDS? INVESTIGATORS DON'T KNOW NUMBER OF SARA PACKER FOSTER CHILDREN


"Investigators in several northeast Pennsylvania counties are now trying to determine how many foster children Sara Packer and her ex-husband, David Packer, took in before he went to prison in 2011 and whether any other children were abused. Sara Packer, by then an adoptions supervisor in Northampton County, lost her $44,000-a-year job amid her husband's arrest on sex crimes. She was never charged, but there was some concern she was aware of the abuse and didn't stop it, Lehigh County District Attorney James Martin said."


Grace Packer endured life of abuse
Thursday January 12, 2017 12:01 AM By Maryclaire Dale
http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/grace-packer-endured-life-of-abuse

There's a related link in that article that mentions that Grace's brother is now living with Sara Packer's parents (according to her birth mother). Not sure how I feel about that.

http://www.readingeagle.com/news/ar...heir-daughters-killing-evokes-grief-and-anger

 

[Sanz]

There's a related link in that article that mentions that Grace's brother is now living with Sara Packer's parents (according to her birth mother). Not sure how I feel about that.

http://www.readingeagle.com/news/ar...heir-daughters-killing-evokes-grief-and-anger

This article discloses Sara Packers mother died in April, 2015 at the age of 71.
http://m.legacy.com/obituaries/mcal...ielaet&pid=174670200&referrer=0&preview=false


Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[kdg411]

HOW MANY KIDS? INVESTIGATORS DON'T KNOW NUMBER OF SARA PACKER FOSTER CHILDREN
"Investigators in several northeast Pennsylvania counties are now trying to determine how many foster children Sara Packer and her ex-husband, David Packer, took in before he went to prison in 2011 and whether any other children were abused. Sara Packer, by then an adoptions supervisor in Northampton County, lost her $44,000-a-year job amid her husband's arrest on sex crimes. She was never charged, but there was some concern she was aware of the abuse and didn't stop it, Lehigh County District Attorney James Martin said."

http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/grace-packer-endured-life-of-abuse

The headline in the article IMO is only trying to capture readers attention because these 'supposed' investigators already know how many foster children SP had and has been BBM in the excerpt below.

Sara Packer was a foster parent to numerous children over the years, said Abington police Detective Cindy Pettinato, who started working the case when Grace was reported missing from her Montgomery County home in July. She said she knew of seven foster children that Sara Packer had in her care since 2004, but did not know of any investigations involving those children.

http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-pa-grace-packer-murder-dismemberment-northampton-county-20170109-story.html

 

[cvaldez1975]

Please read the link below. It outlines a few details we've touched on however I'm not comfortable with copying any of the article since there are other names listed who need our respect for privacy.


http://www.mcall.com/news/local/police/mc-pa-grace-packer-murdered-dismembered-teen-life-20170114-story.html

What a heartbreaking article. I bet these parents were afraid to fight. It makes me incredibly sad she trusted the system to place her children in better circumstances and she was so, so wrong.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sanz]

I joined the Facebook group In Memory of Grace it is amazing the comments and photos that have been shared. I ran across a photo share of photos of Grace in North Carolina. (modsnip)

 

[bessie]

Please read the link below. It outlines a few details we've touched on however I'm not comfortable with copying any of the article since there are other names listed who need our respect for privacy.


http://www.mcall.com/news/local/police/mc-pa-grace-packer-murdered-dismembered-teen-life-20170114-story.html

Thank you for being considerate of the privacy of others.

 

[david.r.feeney]

PITY THE POOR CASEWORKERS? REGULATIONS "LACKING" IN GRACE PACKER HORROR

"We can't imagine how awful the caseworkers who placed the children in harm's way must feel. Frustratingly, state regulations overseeing such matters are lacking. For example, neither foster nor adoptive parents are subject to psychological testing. Applicants are barred from obtaining children if they've been named as a perpetrator in a proven child abuse report — within the previous five years. Apparently, five years and a day is OK. Then there's this peculiar stipulation: The five-year threshold does not apply to applicants who have been named in a so-called "indicated report," meaning evidence of child abuse exists but it did not rise to the level of a crime."

Good intentions, tragic outcome
Editorial - The Intelligencer (Bucks County, PA)
http://www.theintell.com/opinion/ed...cle_7aa008de-881f-5e78-969e-0c1916ca5e81.html

 

[kaen]

PITY THE POOR CASEWORKERS? REGULATIONS "LACKING" IN GRACE PACKER HORROR

"We can't imagine how awful the caseworkers who placed the children in harm's way must feel. Frustratingly, state regulations overseeing such matters are lacking. For example, neither foster nor adoptive parents are subject to psychological testing. Applicants are barred from obtaining children if they've been named as a perpetrator in a proven child abuse report — within the previous five years. Apparently, five years and a day is OK. Then there's this peculiar stipulation: The five-year threshold does not apply to applicants who have been named in a so-called "indicated report," meaning evidence of child abuse exists but it did not rise to the level of a crime."

Good intentions, tragic outcome
Editorial - The Intelligencer (Bucks County, PA)
http://www.theintell.com/opinion/ed...cle_7aa008de-881f-5e78-969e-0c1916ca5e81.html

One would think that since the foster and adoptive families are taking in vulnerable children they would have to do what all other adoptive families do---a thorough home study. I think they don't do them because of cost and the idea that if people didn't pass they would have to do more leg work. But. these children are humans for goodness sake.

Additionally, Sara Packer was fired because they thought she knew about the abuse and didn't step in-----how does that not qualify for a review and removal of a child for at least a period of time to investigate? I believe that it is negligence more than just hands tied because of regulation. Presumably the head of this agency is a social worker or psychologist, they went to school, they know about issues related to sexual and physical abuse. Why were they not advocating for more stringent regulations? Why were they willing to accept such a low bar? When one of their own was suspected of covering up abuse, why did they not look into each foster child this monster employee had contact with? Why was there no follow-up on the two children she had in her care over time? There are plenty of families in the system who are followed over years. Why was this one not?

To me this is a softball, kick it to the legislators type of editorial. I agree it is good to look macro to ensure these agencies have what they need. But, at the end of the day, it does not sound as though this agency advocated for what they needed. Grace Packer paid the price for that.