GUILTY CO - Wayne Sperling & Lorinda Bailey for child neglect, Denver, 2013

[tlcya]

SPECULATION

there is quite an age difference with mom and dad. She is 35, he 66. They have been together long enough to have produced a LOT of children. I wonder how old mom was when she married dad?

I have some thoughts but will not post them yet, trying to figure out how to say what my concern is.

ETA I am concerned that mom may not be of average or greater intelligence. there I said it. I also wonder how old she was when she became involved with her husband. I get a certain sense from this case. Better leave it at that.

 

[fruity]

Linda's guess of low IQ in the post above is probably right. Peter Connolly's mother is as thick as two short planks, and according to those who knew her growing up, she was always seen as a bit "simple".

Not making excuses here, of course. Just saying that subnormal intelligence may be part of this case too.

Have you read the threads about Kiesha Weippeart here? Her mother has a low IQ too.

 

[gitana1]

So maybe they should shoot them?

Yeah, these kids were neglected and living in filth, but from what I've read they weren't beaten, tortured, starved to death (they were malnourished or so it is said), nor were they pimped out sexually, and tghat is a good thing. Also, it seems they were taken to ER when they were hurt, instead of letting them die and burying the body or claiming "someone stole my child".

No, they surely aren't the greatest of parents, and God knows what went out between husband and wife, but no children died, and TO ME, that is a plus.

Well, in fact apparently neighbors had called child abuse hotlines before about these kids and:

"These kids have lived in such a bizarre environment that they probably haven't developed any level of trust," said Diane Baird, a licensed clinical social worker and a pediatrics instructor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
"These guys are going to have a really hard time through it. They need good therapists and good caregivers," said Baird, who isn't directly involved in the case.
Baird said the four boys will spend their entire lives recovering from their early years.
"The first thing they need is a healing attachment relationship," she said, one that teaches them to trust that caregivers will attend to their needs.
"These children have had very distorted kinds of early experience," Baird said. Future caregivers will have to help them "undo what they think about the world and human beings."
They will face problems learning to develop relationships and intimacy with other people and will probably always struggle with self-worth because "they weren't cherished," Baird said.

http://news.yahoo.com/expert-malnourished-colo-boys-face-long-recovery-201906595.html

I kind of think people charged with felony child abuse are a little worse than not "the greatest of parents". No kids died due to pure luck.

I hope these babies can recover.

 

[buffetoflies]

If a child doesn't learn to talk before a certain age, s/he might never be able to learn.

It's age 7. If the 2 older one's really can't talk, all hope may be lost for them.

 

[Lovejac]

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2014/01/23/couple-accused-of-starving-their-children-plead-not-guilty/

The case is not headed to trial anytime soon. Defense attorneys and prosecutors expect a number of motions to be filed and will discuss them at a hearing scheduled for April 18

.

 

[Lovejac]

And here is a video about the 2 children that were removed from their care in 2006

http://kdvr.com/2013/11/27/children...rkable-recovery-with-couple-who-adopted-them/

 

[jggordo]

It isn't that hard to understand, and if one feels broken down, perhaps it is better not to read all the daily horrors. Perhaps one needs to understand that not everyone was given the same degree of mental acumen.

In my opinion these things happen because of drugs, alcohol, lack of education, mental illness, low IQ, and the way one was raised themselves, not to mention domestic abuse, although I haven't heard of any so far in this case. These happenings have always been with mankind, we simply hear more about it today, plus, this is a bad economic time, things are shifting every which way, and even fairly bright people aren't sure which way is up and which is down. Wrong is call right, and right is wrong. It's a wonder anyone can cope.

I believe all we can do is hang onto our own sanity, help where we find a need, pray/hope for the best.

I hope and pray that in my lifetime that I do not allow the economy, the changing times and the human element around me to become so apathetic toward what goes on around me.

I suppose someone may say they weren't killed...so it could be worse. These children WERE killed. Their spirit, their souls, childhood, trust in humankind, and most of all faith all taken from them. So yes they are breathing, but if you think they weren't killed, I believe they just as well have been.

Apathy is just another word for social numbness. JMO's

 

[JeannaT]

And here is a video about the 2 children that were removed from their care in 2006

http://kdvr.com/2013/11/27/children...rkable-recovery-with-couple-who-adopted-them/

Wow. That gives a lot of hope to the next 4 kids - that they may be able to recover somewhat. I was interested at the end of the video when the adoptive dad says at first, it was really, really hard. I wonder if they'll be asked to help give some guidance/experience to the caseworkers and therapists and foster caregivers with these next four children.

 

[mikkismom]

Man pleads guilty to keeping sons in filthy home
http://www.bonnercountydailybee.com/news/national/article_3f246373-bad3-5a04-b52c-16bf7e4353e2.html

Prosecutors have said the boys are improving in the care of their foster mother but have never asked about their parents.

ETA:

Benedetti said they are still not all toilet-trained and their snack cupboard has to be kept locked to prevent them from hoarding food.

 

[jggordo]

I have wondered about the follow up to these kids and the case. Thank you so much for this. Talk about Civil Rights violations...this should be one in my mind.

JMO

 

[jggordo]

I have wondered about the follow up to these kids and the case. Thank you so much for this. Talk about Civil Rights violations...this should be one in my mind.

JMO

 

[cocomod]

Man pleads guilty to keeping sons in filthy home
http://www.bonnercountydailybee.com/news/national/article_3f246373-bad3-5a04-b52c-16bf7e4353e2.html




ETA:

This case was absolutely heart-breaking - and definitely not enough jail time (especially since this was take 2 of the same offenses)!!

Prosecutors called it one of the most horrific cases they had ever seen, but the state's child abuse laws kept them from pursuing harsher penalties because the children did not suffer serious physical injuries.

A father whose four young sons could communicate only in grunts when authorities rescued them from a filthy Denver apartment could spend up to seven years in prison after pleading guilty Thursday to felony child abuse.

Sperling's wife, Lorinda Bailey, was sentenced last week to 90 days in jail and five years of probation after pleading guilty to child abuse.

(P.S. I do wonder if she has diminished mental capabilities due to the structure of the sentencing.


:cry: :cry: :cry:

Here is a pic of the "parents"