GUILTY TN - Four Gardner children stabbed to death, Memphis, 1 July 2016 *mother arrested*

[Openminded]

This is where education on parenting will help. It's not healthy to have that many children and a f/t job on top of five f/t jobs already.
Mental health help, education and free birth control can help prevent this happening to others.

It can help some but there will always be those who choose to follow a different path. I only had one child because I worked full-time and felt one child was all I could handle. I had my tubes tied a few years later after an unplanned pregnancy (thanks to an IUD failure) ended in miscarriage. I always knew beyond a shadow of a doubt I didn't want more children. I don't know her circumstances and how she ended up in such a tragic situation but it's possible she may not have believed in birth control. Not everyone does and no amount of information can convince them otherwise. Or it's possible that her husband was the one who didn't believe in birth control (since four of the children were four and under) and she just went along with it. Who knows.

 

[Everyday Grace]

A question was posited earlier about child care for the working mother.

St. Jude confirmed Gardner was a part-time employee of ALSAC, the fundraising branch of St. Jude.

President and CEO Rick Shadyac released the following statement:

“We are deeply saddened to learn of this terrible news, and our hearts are broken for everyone touched by this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the family.”

Possible that she utilized a St. Jude child care center.

Welcome to St. Jude Learning Center
Serving the employees of St.Jude Children's Research Hospital

We are a NAEYC accredited, 3 Star center located in the heart of Downtown Memphis. We provide a safe, nurturing and engaging environment where your child can learn and develop to their full potential. Explore our website to learn more!

http://child-care-preschool.brighthorizons.com/TN/Memphis/stjude/Our-Center/

https://www.stjude.org/jobs/alsac/a...f23bd52f2b70db3679b6fdfbecccfbdfd5b61ab7a9b=2

Inclusion of ALSAC on the St. Jude website suggests to me that ALSAC employees are considered a part of the bigger St. Jude family.

 

[mrsselig]

This is sickening. No excuses for the "mother". I have two beautiful daughters and wanted a third child but had a frank discussion with my husband/their dad. We decided in the long run, it would incur more resources than we had comfortably, to raise them to adulthood, and we didn't want our two to sacrifice wants/needs for a third. We wanted to have vacations and travel and provide great experiences for our two daughters. Sure, if a third had come along as a 'surprise' we could have made it work. But I was a stay-at-home mom and since we were living on one income, we wanted to make sure we could continue our lifestyle for our daughters. So.....we made an active choice to not continue to procreate. It's not that complicated to control the amount of children you have! It's not ok to snap and kill your children because your apartment is tiny or you're stressed. I don't think it's ok to excuse this female for what she did to her children that she gave birth to! Just because there were so many and because she's a woman. I agree with those who have said if it was a male they would already be executed by public opinion. If you have post partum depression, seek help, it's available to every woman. But maybe, avoid that by controlling the amount of children you give birth to. Birth control is free if you go to Planned Parenthood and with most insurance policies.I need to get off this thread now. I don't comment often here; but this is just the most sickening situation ever. Those poor little children. I can't.

 

[Cricket99]

This is sickening. No excuses for the "mother". I have two beautiful daughters and wanted a third child but had a frank discussion with my husband/their dad. We decided in the long run, it would incur more resources than we had comfortably, to raise them to adulthood, and we didn't want our two to sacrifice wants/needs for a third. We wanted to have vacations and travel and provide great experiences for our two daughters. Sure, if a third had come along as a 'surprise' we could have made it work. But I was a stay-at-home mom and since we were living on one income, we wanted to make sure we could continue our lifestyle for our daughters. So.....we made an active choice to not continue to procreate. It's not that complicated to control the amount of children you have! It's not ok to snap and kill your children because your apartment is tiny or you're stressed. I don't think it's ok to excuse this female for what she did to her children that she gave birth to! Just because there were so many and because she's a woman. I agree with those who have said if it was a male they would already be executed by public opinion. If you have post partum depression, seek help, it's available to every woman. But maybe, avoid that by controlling the amount of children you give birth to. Birth control is free if you go to Planned Parenthood and with most insurance policies.I need to get off this thread now. I don't comment often here; but this is just the most sickening situation ever. Those poor little children. I can't.

I agree, there are so many ways to seek help today. There is no excuse for this whatsoever. I am shocked. Just sickening.

 

[Everyday Grace]

Finally a coherent account of the March 2015 events:

However, Gardner has shown signs of erratic behavior before. On March 16, 2015, she left work early, got the kids and drove nearly 100 miles to Corinth, Mississippi. Why she went to Corinth is unknown; she has no family there. She was brought back home.

Then, around 9 p.m. two days later, Gardner told her husband she was going for a run. She did not return, and Martin Gardner filed a police report about 4½ hours later. About an hour later, police found Shanynthia Gardner in the St. Francis Hospital emergency room.

Gardner's husband told police that she had been stressed and was having problems at work. "She also has been feeling that someone is trying to harm her and her family," the police report says. Martin Gardner could not be reached for comment for this story.

Much more new reporting at the link:
http://www.commercialappeal.com/new...656-e053-0100007f5ffd-385385031.html?d=mobile

 

[kimi_SFC]

Finally a coherent account of the March 2015 events:



Much more new reporting at the link:
http://www.commercialappeal.com/new...656-e053-0100007f5ffd-385385031.html?d=mobile

Yes, a lot more here to read and ponder. Thank you for sharing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cubby]

I'm going to refrain from being judgemental until an official report is made about this mothers mental health. Just because a person doesn't have an official diagnosis doesn't mean they are mentally fit.

My first thoughts were some type of ppd. Heartbreaking for all involved.

 

[loganone]

Hi Loganone.....I don't know if you are comfortable with it or not, but is there any insight you can share with us regarding the mother, the family and this tragedy. If not, that is alright. I just have to ask because this horrific tragedy has (obviously) really upset myself and a lot of other Websleuths.

Thank you for joining this thread. I'm pray for those poor little babies who are now Angels, and the surviving child & father who must now live the rest of their lives and survive in the horrific aftermath. I can't imagine.

I cant say much, and not comfortable as i work at the same location she does. She seemed to be a loving mother and that is what is perplexing about this whole thing.

Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Mother who 'confessed to slitting the throats of her four children including six-month old newborn daughter' avoids prison and is sent to a mental hospital after court appearance

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rged-stabbing-4-kids-death.html#ixzz4DZiGaANl

 

[Everyday Grace]

Authorities say a mother charged with fatally stabbing four of her children has been taken to a mental health institute after a brief court appearance.

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Earle Farrell says 29-year-old Shanynthia Gardner was taken to Memphis Mental Health Institute after she appeared before a judge in a video hearing Tuesday.

The institute is a state psychiatric hospital where most patients have severe and persistent mental illness and are hospitalized on an emergency, involuntary basis, according to a state website. Farrell said he did not know what treatment she was receiving.

Gardner is being held without bond. A lawyer hired to represent her declined to comment on the case.

http://www.wbbjtv.com/2016/07/05/memphis-mom-charged-in-kids-stabbing-deaths-taken-to-institute/

Gardner's aunt, Sharon Ramsey, told FOX13 the family is shaken by the crime.

"It is hard. We are praying. That is it. All we can do is pray right now that is it,” Ramsey said, adding that she was not spoken to Gardner since she was taken into custody Friday.

The family has hired defense attorney Craig Morton. He said wants Gardner to undergo a mental evaluation.

"I would not ask for the evaluation if I didn't believe that" Morton told FOX13.

When asked about a possible defense of mental illness to the four counts of first-degree murder Gardner is facing, assistant prosecutor Jennifer Nichols told FOX 13 "the record is going to speak for itself. Everything that needs to be filled and looked at will be."

The motive for the family massacre allegedly at the hands of a mother was not discussed in court, although the defense attorney wants the court to preserve evidence not found at Friday's crime scene, which could include posts on Facebook and text message sent from Gardner's cell phone to other relatives.

http://www.fox13memphis.com/news/mo...ldren-makes-first-court-appearance-/385607448

 

[Everyday Grace]

The judge set her next court date for July 11.

Gardner was turned over to the custody of the Memphis Mental Health Institute for a mental evaluation immediately after her court appearance, said Shelby County Sheriff's spokesman Earle Farrell.

On Friday, the Memphis Child Advocacy Center plans to raise a flag in memory of [the children.] The public is invited to attend the ceremony which is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. on the center's front lawn at 1085 Poplar.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/new...t-36ad3743-0c16-24d0--385551631.html?d=mobile

 

[Everyday Grace]

A tip for the ignorant headline writer at the Daily Mail:

Competency to stand trial is legally unrelated to the defendant’s mental state at the time of the alleged crime. In other words, the issue of competency relates to the defendant’s state of mind during criminal proceedings, not during the commission of the crime. In the example above, suppose that the defendant suffered from severe mental illness when he shot the victim. If that illness prevents him from understanding the subsequent criminal proceedings, he’s incompetent and the proceedings must halt. Once he’s received enough treatment to understand what’s going on, he’s competent—at that point the case can carry on. Whether he has a mental state defense to the crime, such as insanity or diminished capacity, is an issue to be determined at trial.

More at the link:
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/competency-stand-trial.html

 

[bluesneakers]

Mother accused of killing children doesn’t appear in court

Her attorney said she remains in the custody of the Memphis Mental Health Institute undergoing evaluation.

"How long will she be in MMHI custody?"

"Don't know. Til they determine she can come back to understand the proceedings or evaluation in to her competency is completed."

Mom charged with killing children to have mental evaluation

Gardner is being held without bond. A hearing has been scheduled for July 26 to check the progress of the evaluation, but the examination could take 30 days or more.

 

[0101ABA]

An attorney for a woman charged with killing four of her children July 1 in southeast Shelby County said Tuesday he wants mental health findings in the case sealed.

Citing publicity in the case of 29-year-old Shanynthia Gardner and matters dealing with her medical information, attorney Craig Morton said findings from the Memphis Mental Health Institute about her competency should be private "at this juncture." He said her evaluation is not yet complete.

Gardner appeared briefly Tuesday in court where she spoke quietly with Morton and attorney Carolyn Sutherland.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/new...lling-4-children-382db7d8-e315-388304991.html

 

[0101ABA]

The 29-year-old woman charged with killing four of her children last month in southeast Shelby County on Wednesday waived her preliminary hearing, and a grand jury will determine whether to indict her.

Shanynthia Gardner is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of the children who were found with severe throat lacerations at an apartment at the Greens at Irene.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/new...d-jury-39b8fc05-844d-2b2c-e053-389746861.html

 

[JoeFromLB]

Shanynthia Gardner was indicted in January, 2017 on 26 felony counts including murder and child abuse.

http://www.fox13memphis.com/top-stories/mother-indicted-in-stabbing-deaths-of-4-children/488228179

 

[JoeFromLB]

Gardner was ruled "mentally defective" in November and another court hearing was scheduled for December, 2017.

I can't find anything further about the case at this time.

http://www.fox13memphis.com/top-sto...ally-defective-trial-still-possible/647511838

 

[JerseyGirl]

She will have a status hearing in December and her trial is set for August 2019.

Trial date set for mother accused of stabbing her children

 

[JerseyGirl]

Aug. 26, 2019 set for a jury trial

Shelby County mother accused of stabbing her children to death has 2019 trial date

 

[JerseyGirl]

No updates in MSM since 2019 when the trial date was set.