FL - Somer Thompson, 7, Orange Park, 19 Oct 2009 #33

[nursebeeme]

Pinamia,
I know! I cannot BELIEVE that they have not caught the person who did this yet! They found the body so quickly and should have had a lot to work with... it is just so stinking sad. When the first lull came around in the case I posted that I hoped it didn't turn into another Neveah Buchanan situation... and look... it did.. I PRAY that they can solve this soon.

Dr. Fessel,
I think the interviews with the children came back inconclusive... one child said they got lost, one didn't, and one wasn't interviewed at all (per the article I read on this situation posted in the forensic astrology thread). So, to me that doesn't mean they didn't get lost.... What is of interest to me is how it came to the attention of the social worker (call from a concerned parent, etc???). As a nurse I have seen plenty a case come back that I knew in my gut to be true but was deemed "unfounded".

Bottom and recurring line in so many of these cases is that children are alone and/or unsupervised. Little Sandra Cantu skips out of her trailer alone. Neveah Buchanan goes out to play with friends without supervision. Lindsey Baum walks home alone from a friends' house... list goes on.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

Questions for you guys. Sorry if it has already been talked about. Why is there a social worker at Somers school and why would she report something that wasn't true?



ORANGE PARK — A social worker at Somer Thompson’s school warned about the danger of the 7-year-old girl’s walks from school a year before a killer snatched her on her way home, state records show.

But a two-week probe by Children and Families concluded the allegation about the children getting lost and being found with a stranger had no basis.

I think some one reported it to the social worker.I believe I remember hearing in the newspaper article the persons name was not disclosed.I personally feel it was some one trying to cause trouble with situations that didn't exist.It was all found out to be unfounded.

 

[Dr.Fessel]

Jim Schoettler's picture
Clarification, etc.
Submitted by Jim Schoettler on Wed. 1/13/2010 at 8:31 pm

My name is Jim Schoettler and I'm the reporter on this story. A few points of clarification:

-- To waverider54: the supervisory review occurred on Oct. 12, 2008, three days after the initial report to DCF. I apologize if that wasn't clear in the story and I've added that info.

-- To Jagnutz: The DCF report as submitted to me last week left me with many, many questions that I had to get answered before pursuing the story. I submitted those questions to DCF and had to wait while they sought answers. I then did the same thing with foloup questions to those answers. Only when all my questions were answered did I feel comfortable enough to approach the principals involved to seek their comment. That occurred today. That's why the story held.

--To ItalianRider: Somer's mom was at work when she disappeared.

A few general thoughts:

--No one "leaked" this info. It came as the result of a public records request. I believe we would be remiss in not seeking all the records in a case such as this.

--For those who suggest I be ashamed for reporting this story, I would appreciate if you read our full body of work in this case, including the one-on-one interview with Somer's mom and the year-end piece. That also includes a particular post I made after one of the stories. Several people in that instance chose to criticize me for voicing support for Diena. It was something I felt strongly about at the time and wouldn't hesitate to do it again, though I may not be as preachy next time.

Diena Thompson has been victimized in the worst way by what a brutal killer did to her daughter. I have found inspiration in her strength and in those who have supported her. My job is to report on what we as a newspaper decide are relevant developments in this case - past or present - and to do it in a fair, balanced and accurate manner. I will continue to do that job to the best of my ability, never forgetting that a loving mother has lost her baby girl.

Jim

 

[Dr.Fessel]

Is there normally a social worker at each school in FL?

 

[pinamia]

Pinamia,
I know! I cannot BELIEVE that they have not caught the person who did this yet! They found the body so quickly and should have had a lot to work with... it is just so stinking sad. When the first lull came around in the case I posted that I hoped it didn't turn into another Neveah Buchanan situation... and look... it did.. I PRAY that they can solve this soon.

Dr. Fessel,
I think the interviews with the children came back inconclusive... one child said they got lost, one didn't, and one wasn't interviewed at all (per the article I read on this situation posted in the forensic astrology thread). So, to me that doesn't mean they didn't get lost.... What is of interest to me is how it came to the attention of the social worker (call from a concerned parent, etc???). As a nurse I have seen plenty a case come back that I knew in my gut to be true but was deemed "unfounded".

Bottom and recurring line in so many of these cases is that children are alone and/or unsupervised. Little Sandra Cantu skips out of her trailer alone. Neveah Buchanan goes out to play with friends without supervision. Lindsey Baum walks home alone from a friends' house... list goes on.

You are very wise.

I do hope though that they will find the killer/killers. I think they are minors.

 

[Dr.Fessel]

The social worker called the agency’s abuse hot line on Oct. 9, 2008.

There is nothing in the article that says someone reported the lost in the woods story to a social worker. It just says the social worker reported it through the hot line. I have to conclude it was the social worker making the complaint and that nobody reported it to him or her.

http://jacksonville.com/community/m...ty_expressed_a_year_before_her#comment-156939

 

[nursebeeme]

The social worker called the agency’s abuse hot line on Oct. 9, 2008.

There is nothing in the article that says someone reported the lost in the woods story to a social worker. It just says the social worker reported it through the hot line. I have to conclude it was the social worker making the complaint and that nobody reported it to him or her.

http://jacksonville.com/community/m...ty_expressed_a_year_before_her#comment-156939

unless..... the complaint call came in to the social worker at the school who than called DCF. (just a thought)

 

[NSC]

unless..... the complaint call came in to the social worker at the school who than called DCF. (just a thought)

Or they are meshing multiple reports to DCF into one story -- thus comes the confusion, JMO

 

[Ms Suzanne]

The social worker called the agency’s abuse hot line on Oct. 9, 2008.

There is nothing in the article that says someone reported the lost in the woods story to a social worker. It just says the social worker reported it through the hot line. I have to conclude it was the social worker making the complaint and that nobody reported it to him or her.

http://jacksonville.com/community/m...ty_expressed_a_year_before_her#comment-156939

I think it is the social workers obligation to report any thing like this to social services even if some one called in.Again it was unfounded and nothing found wrong.

 

[Dr.Fessel]

unless..... the complaint call came in to the social worker at the school who than called DCF. (just a thought)

Right, but it doesn't say that in the article. Here is what might be messing me up. What is a social worker and what is that person doing at Somer's school. I get the feeling they do not work for DCF because why would they use the hot line if they did.

What kind of Social Worker would be at her school that did not work for DCF?

 

[houndstooth]

At the time of this report there were TWO 6yr olds and a 9yr old all in the same situation.
It is curious to me why only S having afterschool care was an issue. Despite the fact that lil ST admitted to being lost and AT thought beneath the radar so much that she wasn't even spoken to by the social workers. Hindsight is 20/20. But why were they so precient back then one wonders to know why only S should be of concern. There is something missing in this story that was redacted from that report. I wonder what.

 

[RainyDaze]

But, it was 2 years??????
2 years is a long time.

I have sympathy for ST, he lost his child.
But, at least DT was in their lives. IMO she was trying to do for them the best she could.

There are free or discounted legal avenues for parents/custody issues for those who need it.
Did he look into that?

IMO H377 or high water could not keep me away from my children for 2 years. JMO

I had no intention's on getting in on this one but you left me no choice.
you said atleast DT was in their live's?? and that she was trying to do for them the best she could.

well this is where i stand on this one. if she were a true parent that actually cared about her kid's well being and doing what was best for them, then it is my opinion that a true caring and loving parent will allow the other parent to be a part of the children's live's no matter how you look at it.
you are correct when you say she got to be a part of their live's but she was very selfish in not allowing ST to be a part of thier live's also. FACT!

 

[Dr.Fessel]

I had no intention's on getting in on this one but you left me no choice.
you said atleast DT was in their live's?? and that she was trying to do for them the best she could.

well this is where i stand on this one. if she were a true parent that actually cared about her kid's well being and doing what was best for them, then it is my opinion that a true caring and loving parent will allow the other parent to be a part of the children's live's no matter how you look at it.
you are correct when you say she got to be a part of their live's but she was very selfish in not allowing ST to be a part of thier live's also. FACT!

How did she not let him be part of their lifes?

 

[nursebeeme]

I think it is the social workers obligation to report any thing like this to social services even if some one called in.Again it was unfounded and nothing found wrong.

I respectfully do not mean or intend to harp on the word "unfounded" but after reading the article and finding out that one child said they got lost, one said they didn't and one wasn't even interviewed I swallow unfounded with a box of salt. But than again, I have been a nurse over 20 years (including time as a school nurse) and have seen what it takes to be "founded" and it is crazy~ (and it makes me crazy a lot of times)

I guess the point I am making is that even though they said it was unfounded that does not mean it didn't happen or that the person who reported this to the social worker was just blowing smoke. Where there is smoke there is often times fire... and if there isn't a fire there is most times, a fire hazzard (that being the children walking home from school alone).

If they had "founded" this case perhaps DT could have gotten some sort of aid to help her pay for after school care. If it were founded she may have been forced to comply with what, as an 'unfounded' case they could only suggest. What is very sad is that the root of the problem, the fire hazzard if you would, was the children walking home from school alone/possibly getting lost... and it was this very thing that put Somer in a vulnerable and unsupervised position that day.

So very sad all around...

all moo of course

 

[nursebeeme]

Right, but it doesn't say that in the article. Here is what might be messing me up. What is a social worker and what is that person doing at Somer's school. I get the feeling they do not work for DCF because why would they use the hot line if they did.

What kind of Social Worker would be at her school that did not work for DCF?

Doc, As a school nurse we had a social worker in our school system. Not sure about Somer's school. But yes, schools can have a social worker even working as the "school counselor" role.

 

[houndstooth]

I am also curious about a baseless story of them being in the woods with a man.
Where did this story come from? Maybe why is it being floated now is a better question?

Perhaps to bolster the thought S was snatched by a stranger off the streets of OP.

There are no details to this story. Even kids of the age they were then know whether or not they go through woods on their way home or just follow sidewalks. Muddy waters run deep.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

Be careful what you put down as a fact.I don't think it was ever proven a fact Somers mother kept her father away from the children.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

Right, but it doesn't say that in the article. Here is what might be messing me up. What is a social worker and what is that person doing at Somer's school. I get the feeling they do not work for DCF because why would they use the hot line if they did.

What kind of Social Worker would be at her school that did not work for DCF?

A counselor?

 

[NSC]

It is so interesting - fact or rumor - whatever - some posters who knew the family made slight references to some of this type behavior/issues way back in the earlier threads and were lynched for it for being a rumor starter - now it is in a news article -- Nothing shocking about this in the least -

The reason the other kids are NOT mentioned is because they are still ALIVE therefore details of them can be released - as far as the reports are concerned.

 

[RainyDaze]

How did she not let him be part of their lifes?[/Q


well let's see. she stated herself on national TV that when ask if ST was coming to town "DT" stated not to stay with me he isn't. it is no secret that she did not allow ST to be a part of these children's live's. he had not seen them in over 2 year's. i am a mother myself and if the father of my children lived some where other then with me, i would do everything in my power to make sure that they are a part of their father's life whether i like it or not. it is not about how it would effect me but how it would effect my children. all children have the right to be a part of both parent's live's unless they are just down right unfit.