UK - Logan Mwangi, 5, found dead in Wales River, Bridgend, 31 July 2021 *arrests, inc. minor* #2

[SpursGyal]

More disparate thoughts:

Some things you can never unread. The evidence from the pathologist is most definitely something that'll stay with me. I don't have words.

Do different coloured bruises mean they occurred at different times? Or could it be explained by varying degrees of severity? I've no idea.

I was surprised to learn that legal defence teams generally tell clients on trial *not* to show emotion. Since this can be seen as a negative by juries. And yet A is (my own word) nothing short of histrionic. Interesting. I wonder if this is behaviour that has worked for her in the past. I absolutely will not consider that it is genuine. I absolutely will not consider that she didn't both know this was happening, and allow it to happen. I kept an open mind, but what we know this far... absolutely not.

Normally bruises are ‘aged’ by their colour.

• After an injury occurs, a bruise will usually be red or purple in color.
• Within a few days, the area may become black, blue or purple.
• Within 5-10 days, the area will likely become yellowish or greenish.
• Within 10-14 days, you’re in your final stage of healing. The area will usually turn brown and become lighter until the bruise eventually fades away.

https://www.indigourgentcare.com/blog/bruising-basics-what-to-do-when-youre-black-and-blue

 

[Nemonemonemo]

Normally bruises are ‘aged’ by their colour.

• After an injury occurs, a bruise will usually be red or purple in color.
• Within a few days, the area may become black, blue or purple.
• Within 5-10 days, the area will likely become yellowish or greenish.
• Within 10-14 days, you’re in your final stage of healing. The area will usually turn brown and become lighter until the bruise eventually fades away.

https://www.indigourgentcare.com/blog/bruising-basics-what-to-do-when-youre-black-and-blue

This really does seem to be the kind of case in which every tiny bit of new knowledge makes it that much more horrific. With the caveat that all child abuse is horrific, irrespective of circumstances or severity.

 

[neteditor]

The multiple defence barristers make this unusually interesting. Their aim is not so much to clear their respective clients, but to pin the blame on one or both of the other defendants.

Attempting to create some "reasonable doubt" in the jury members' minds. It's a job I could never do tbh.

 

[Tortoise]

Williamson can be heard crying and coughing as this evidence is read to the court

.

It's really not necessary to make loud noises when crying. I wish she would shut up, even though I don't have to hear it. She should show some respect for Logan. He endured all the pain and suffering and as if all her fakery and bellowing on the day wasn't enough, she's still doing it!

Rant over.

 

[Dotta]

It's really not necessary to make loud noises when crying. I wish she would shut up, even though I don't have to hear it. She should show some respect for Logan. He endured all the pain and suffering and as if all her fakery and bellowing on the day wasn't enough, she's still doing it!

Rant over.

Wait till she will have a "seizure", conveniently while being cross examined.

 

[Tortoise]

Wait till she will have a "seizure", conveniently while crossexamined.

I'm not sure she will take the stand. I mean she's an actress but she's probably hoping her performance in the dock will earn her enough sympathy. I don't see how she can defend what she did.

 

[neteditor]

I'm not sure she will take the stand. I mean she's an actress but she's probably hoping her performance in the dock will earn her enough sympathy. I don't see how she can defend what she did.

Yeah I very much doubt her brief will let her onto the stand. The risk of a histrionic fit is too great.

 

[tedtink]

Thank you very much for the updates @SpursGyal.
So many injuries on his tiny little body - They thought calpol would do the trick eh? Is that how AW 'dealt with it in her own way'? ughhhh
I have no words.

 

[BabaVanga]

Sorry don’t know why what I wrote attached here. Can’t find delete

 

[LucyRocket]

I am actually not feeling as hard on AW. She failed her son in every way, absolutely no doubt there, but I don't think her crying in court is necessarily wholly a performance.

Recently, she changed, and Logan changed. Initially she had a very close relationship with her mother and was visiting with Logan's father and Logan looked healthy. Then she tells Logan's father they can't visit anymore because JC doesn't think it's right, and can no longer have a relationship with her mother because JC doesn't like her, and Logan's appearance begins to change, losing weight and looking pale with dark eyes.

I think she was in a situation which was deteriorating so subtly she didn't recognise how bad it was, and she has a personality which is intense, dramatic, and reliant on a relationship with her current man (whomever that is at the time). I think her home-life 'normal' became what we know it to be, without her even recognising how wrong it was. Kind of like, the cobwebs and dust build up in my utility room and I think hmm I should deal with them, but I don't, and after a while I stop noticing them altogether. They just are. My sister will come round and say "Lucy, what the hey!! Look at this mess!" Like I would if I walked into her house and saw the same. But to me they've become an unnoticed part of the environment. I know that's a crude correlation to make, but it's how I imagine it.

So I think maybe her reaction in court is that of most humans. She'd possibly become blind to the severity and the frequency of the maltreatment of Logan because it had escalated subtly so the boundaries of what was normal punishment or rough play were only ever being marginally pushed further. But now, the details of how severe his injuries and how horrific his pain and suffering, is being told to her and illustrated in fact.

All MOO

ETA: Her being overheard shouting "What have you done with my son? Where's my son?" Leads me to think she wasn't fully involved. However, her shouting "You told me he was alive" makes it clear she knew his condition was critical.

 

[neteditor]

Hi Lucy, I can't agree on the whole. There was plenty of opportunity to get help for herself and her children and she didn't. She'd already left one abusive relationship so she knew it was possible. Like so many women in these cases, she met a man and she put his needs above those of her child. I for one am not able to understand or empathise with that.

Also she would already know of the injuries, this is not the first time she's been made aware of the evidence for sure. I feel she is crying for herself because her family in court (if they are there), people who know her and the general public are hearing it for the first time. And read out loud in public must make it much more real. She's not crying for Logan though.

 

[Dotta]

I am actually not feeling as hard on AW. She failed her son in every way, absolutely no doubt there, but I don't think her crying in court is necessarily wholly a performance.

Recently, she changed, and Logan changed. Initially she had a very close relationship with her mother and was visiting with Logan's father and Logan looked healthy. Then she tells Logan's father they can't visit anymore because JC doesn't think it's right, and can no longer have a relationship with her mother because JC doesn't like her, and Logan's appearance begins to change, losing weight and looking pale with dark eyes.

I think she was in a situation which was deteriorating so subtly she didn't recognise how bad it was, and she has a personality which is intense, dramatic, and reliant on a relationship with her current man (whomever that is at the time). I think her home-life 'normal' became what we know it to be, without her even recognising how wrong it was. Kind of like, the cobwebs and dust build up in my utility room and I think hmm I should deal with them, but I don't, and after a while I stop noticing them altogether. They just are. My sister will come round and say "Lucy, what the hey!! Look at this mess!" Like I would if I walked into her house and saw the same. But to me they've become an unnoticed part of the environment. I know that's a crude correlation to make, but it's how I imagine it.

So I think maybe her reaction in court is that of most humans. She'd possibly become blind to the severity and the frequency of the maltreatment of Logan because it had escalated subtly so the boundaries of what was normal punishment or rough play were only ever being marginally pushed further. But now, the details of how severe his injuries and how horrific his pain and suffering, is being told to her and illustrated in fact.

All MOO

I noticed this pattern from seemingly loving parent to an abusive one, under the influence of a new partner in several child abuse cases.

I once read about "Cinderella effect".

 

[LucyRocket]

Hi Lucy, I can't agree on the whole. There was plenty of opportunity to get help for herself and her children and she didn't. She'd already left one abusive relationship so she knew it was possible. Like so many women in these cases, she met a man and she put his needs above those of her child. I for one am not able to understand or empathise with that.

Also she would already know of the injuries, this is not the first time she's been made aware of the evidence for sure. I feel she is crying for herself because her family in court (if they are there), people who know her and the general public are hearing it for the first time. And read out loud in public must make it much more real. She's not crying for Logan though.

Yes, I agree with all you've said and it completely fits in with what I was saying too, but from a different angle. In her previous relationship, her marriage when she also had Logan, the abuse I assume was towards her, and so to her, she knew that felt wrong. And I don't empathise with her at all, because as you said, she clearly held JC in a more significant position than her completely vulnerable child. But the crying I think might be genuine. It might not, but it might. She couldn't have known of the internal injuries, that's impossible, and if my son had suffered, and in fact he has as most of our children have in some way, it can bring me to tears, even sobbing, 12 years on from his injury when it comes to mind.

 

[Seattle1]

I am actually not feeling as hard on AW. She failed her son in every way, absolutely no doubt there, but I don't think her crying in court is necessarily wholly a performance.

Recently, she changed, and Logan changed. Initially she had a very close relationship with her mother and was visiting with Logan's father and Logan looked healthy. Then she tells Logan's father they can't visit anymore because JC doesn't think it's right, and can no longer have a relationship with her mother because JC doesn't like her, and Logan's appearance begins to change, losing weight and looking pale with dark eyes.

I think she was in a situation which was deteriorating so subtly she didn't recognise how bad it was, and she has a personality which is intense, dramatic, and reliant on a relationship with her current man (whomever that is at the time). I think her home-life 'normal' became what we know it to be, without her even recognising how wrong it was. Kind of like, the cobwebs and dust build up in my utility room and I think hmm I should deal with them, but I don't, and after a while I stop noticing them altogether. They just are. My sister will come round and say "Lucy, what the hey!! Look at this mess!" Like I would if I walked into her house and saw the same. But to me they've become an unnoticed part of the environment. I know that's a crude correlation to make, but it's how I imagine it.

So I think maybe her reaction in court is that of most humans. She'd possibly become blind to the severity and the frequency of the maltreatment of Logan because it had escalated subtly so the boundaries of what was normal punishment or rough play were only ever being marginally pushed further. But now, the details of how severe his injuries and how horrific his pain and suffering, is being told to her and illustrated in fact.

All MOO

JC didn't like anything about Logan from the beginning -- including that the child came with a father that AW was in contact with. I disagree there was anything subtle about the abuse Logan suffered. What happened to Logan is written about often and is best known as "single mom syndrome" when a single mother begins to dwell on being alone for the rest of their life and starts paying more attention to men than their children. WS is full of these cases including mothers that turn a blind eye to partners that sexually abuse their daughters. This is not a new phenomenon where women subtly change-- we know that AW not only put her child last -- she also chose JC over a relationship with her mother. MOO

 

[LucyRocket]

JC didn't like anything about Logan from the beginning -- including that the child came with a father that AW was in contact with. I disagree there was anything subtle about the abuse Logan suffered. What happened to Logan is written about often and is best known as "single mom syndrome" when a single mother begins to dwell on being alone for the rest of their life and starts paying more attention to men than their children. WS is full of these cases including mothers that turn a blind eye to partners that sexually abuse their daughters. This is not a new phenomenon where women subtly change-- we know that AW not only put her child last -- she also chose JC over a relationship with her mother. MOO

Absolutely nothing subtle about the abuse Logan suffered. That's absurd given the known situation. I never suggested that. But that the home life situation shifted subtly over a period of time. AW was the only person present in Logan's life who could have kept him safe. She didn't. She created an environment where at best (which is still horrific) he was the unwanted outsider in her new family set-up. But more likely, at worst, he was the target for very violent and twisted individuals who his own mother brought into his home, and who viewed him with increasing resentment and detachment. And she knew the abuse he suffered, because she illustrated the details of one recent physical assault by the two males on Logan herself, albeit with an ignorance to her responsibility to act. However, I do see elements of unintentional coercion present in male dominator / receptive female dynamics. They're misplaced, and they're direly dangerous. AW putting JC 'above' her mother is part of this process. You don't consciously put one above the other, but you believe your perceived soulmate, life-partner, co-parenter's views and opinions above all others. Even your own beliefs, after all, they're only your own, challenged by no one

 

[DH771]

Todays evidence has left me feeling sick to the pit of my stomach. That poor, little innocent boy, spent his last days and hours in agony, scared and abused by the people who were meant to protect him.
Time and time again the system lets these children down. ‘Lessons will be learned’ but never are, nobody ever faces action, public uproar, then the next child is let down.

I agree with this and couldn’t have put it better myself. I know we had to take precautions due to lockdown of course but some of the most vulnerable children were left with their abusers unquestioned week after week, day after day

 

[Jay_Tec]

It's really not necessary to make loud noises when crying. I wish she would shut up, even though I don't have to hear it. She should show some respect for Logan. He endured all the pain and suffering and as if all her fakery and bellowing on the day wasn't enough, she's still doing it!

Rant over.

I'll bet little Logan sobbed quietly to himself and never even barely made a noise as he was battered to death.

 

[Jay_Tec]

I'm not sure she will take the stand. I mean she's an actress but she's probably hoping her performance in the dock will earn her enough sympathy. I don't see how she can defend what she did.

She's not clever enough to survive being cross examined by two other barristers. I hope she takes the stand and they question her.

 

[LucyRocket]

In our united feelings of grief and sickness at children suffering as Logan, and far too many others have, it's natural to focus on wanting 'justice', vengeance maybe, and I do too. But the system takes care of that, and none of us have any influence on any of that process. I'm only interested in analysing where I can have some influence, and by empathising with every perpetrator I can influence my practice and teaching in my professional capacity. I understand and in most part agree with all of the comments about the defendants being evil and hateful and deceitful. But none of that will help me to really understand how this situation might have been prevented. I don't really give one hoot to be honest about any of the accused. My thoughts are only with this innocent child, what he suffered, how he suffered, and if me getting on side with the abuser to find their weak points to infiltrate that in another family prevents another Logan in my case files, I'm prepared to go there.

 

[Dotta]

I'll bet little Logan sobbed quietly to himself and never even barely made a noise as he was battered to death.

I think he was in a coma, considering brain damage.