PA - Kristen Tatar, 4, starved to death, Armstrong County, 7 Aug 2003

[Belinda]

Janet Lynne Crawford

Guilty Plea
Location: Muncy
Sentence Date: 11/18/2004

Offense: 1st Degree Murder
Sentence: LWOP

James Tatar

Jury Trial
Location: Coal Township
Sentence Date: 11/13/2004

Offense: 1st Degree Murder
Sentence: LWOP

 

[miimaa]

Were these people on public assistance? Seems so often in these tragic cases the family is on assistance and no one working. What does that do to people? Take away their self esteem? Their motivation to live right? Morals? Does living on public assistance make people selfish and lazy? Seems to.........

 

[Belinda]

Not as far as I know. James Tatar, in fact, worked a lot and was often away from home on his job.

 

[greenbean]

Were these people on public assistance? Seems so often in these tragic cases the family is on assistance and no one working. What does that do to people? Take away their self esteem? Their motivation to live right? Morals? Does living on public assistance make people selfish and lazy? Seems to.........

Public assistance has about as much of an effect on fillicide as someone's skin color does. Websleuths is not chock full of stories about people living normal lives although they may have to rely on food stamps. Considering the state of the economy I think that may be a narrow way to look at this case and others. Casey Anthony wasn't on welfare.

 

[Belinda]

greenbean - That was very well put. I feel the same way, but couldn't quite formulate it into a cohesive response, so I just answered the question instead. Thanks.

 

[miimaa]

Public assistance has about as much of an effect on fillicide as someone's skin color does. Websleuths is not chock full of stories about people living normal lives although they may have to rely on food stamps. Considering the state of the economy I think that may be a narrow way to look at this case and others. Casey Anthony wasn't on welfare.

I believe income plays a large part in MOST cases of child murder. Casey Anthony wasn't on public assistance but she wasn't working... she was stealing and lying. But let's not even use her since we're not sure of how Caylee died and no reason to believe there was prior abuse.

Here is an interesting article about homicide stats and children. http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/homicidechildrenyouth.pdf and some of what it contains -

"Child maltreatment homicides are committed
by persons charged with the care of a
child, including parents and other family
members, babysitters, and friends who
have taken responsibility for the child."

"Child maltreatment fatalities are more
common in conditions of poverty and in
families marked by divorce or paternal
absence."​

 

[Belinda]

"Child maltreatment fatalities are more
common in conditions of poverty and in
families marked by divorce or paternal
absence."

The only problem is that statement is so broad it covers most of the human race. I know of lots of divorced people that don't kill their children.

 

[miimaa]

The only problem is that statement is so broad it covers most of the human race. I know of lots of divorced people that don't kill their children.

Taken out of context. The statement applies only to deaths by maltreatment, not the whole human race. It seems to me that the majority of child murder cases involve someone that is not working but sitting home doing I don't know what. I'm curious as to whether it is the poverty or boredom and frustration with the child or what exactly makes an adult treat a child so horribly as to kill him/her. Boggles my mind. If stats show a common denominator then that would be a place to start saving chidren from terrible deaths like this one.

 

[greenbean]

I know. Let's sterilize poor people.

What would you do to improve the situation Miimaa?

 

[Lovejac]

The only problem is that statement is so broad it covers most of the human race. I know of lots of divorced people that don't kill their children.

Wouldn't that be great if it was that easy to prevent these horrible crimes against children?

Just keep our eyes on divorced people living in poverty.

 

[Belinda]

There are many poor people who are fine upstanding citizens who work like dogs and take care of their families. Don't confuse them with welfare moms that are baby mills for the income and could care less what happens to the kids. Child murders cross all socio-economic lines and all types of families, whether nuclear or blended. They can try to say it is only one type of family or person, but it's simply not true. This is a problem that happens in all classes of families and it needs to be looked at in that light. Just as in this case. These aren't divorced welfare people.