GA - Zoey McCue, 10, dies in fire intentionally set by brother, Loganville, 17 Apr 2022

[tlcya]

I wonder if we could get the victim's name - Zoey McCue

added to the title. These poor kids.

I feel horrible for the victim, for the perp and all the siblings in this household of hell.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

IMO both parents should permanently lose custody of the children. The mother was an adult, just as responsible for their well-being as their father. I bet the 15-year-old is cognitively much younger than 15.
Rest in peace Zoe.

 

[MysteriousNoblewoman]

15-year-old charged in Gwinnett County house fire that killed 10-year-old sister on Easter Sunday

“The ten-year-old girl was Zoe McCue. Firefighters found her deceased in the home.
….
William McCue was at work with his teenaged daughter at the time of the fire. A coworker broke the news to him.

"I went over to her, and she told me I had to go home, there was a fire," he said. "I tried to get a hold of my wife and she answered the phone and said, come home."

When he got home, he saw the devastation.

He recalls his 10-year-old daughter lovingly.

"She kind of like take the lead and be in charge. She's a handful of a ten year and wants to be the boss of everybody. That's little Zoe," he said.”

What is that description?!

 

[spangled]

A murder charge for this boy is truly horrendous I hope he gets the support he needs.

 

[realanastasia]

State records show prior abuse charge for father of girl killed in Gwinnett fire

“The parents were first investigated in September 2015, when DFCS was called to a Gwinnett school after getting reports that one of the children had a large mark on his face and claimed his father had pushed him down in the yard.

That investigation included an interview with the child at school, his school counselor and both of his parents, according to DFCS records. The case manager noted that the boy was clean and well-groomed, and he said his house had working utilities, running water and that he got enough food to eat. He told the case manager that he fell because his father pushed him down, and photos were taken of the mark on his face, the report said.”

And NO ONE who was supposed to be looking out for these kids batted an eye when they were pulled out of school altogether?!

 

[realanastasia]

From article above:

“The father was interviewed the day of the walk-through, the DFCS report said. He mentioned to the case manager that the two youngest siblings, one of whom was Zoe, were losing weight and had gone to the hospital with eating issues. He described the children’s weight loss as a major source of stress in the home.”

Interesting…I wonder who bore the brunt of the punishment for the kids losing weight and suspect it was the poor kids themselves. Who in their right mind WOULD want to eat food prepared and served in an absolutely disgusting and unsanitary home environment?!

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Is it true that the kids were seen at a hospital?
I think we can safely say these children weren't losing weight because they didn't want to eat.
There would have been another reason. I wonder what types of food they were offered and how often.
Who knows what went on their house.
The father saying that the kids lost weight and didn't eat should have been a red flag. Their case should not have been closed.
In my opinions.

 

[vls12345]

The parents of a 10-year-old girl who was killed in a house fire in Gwinnett County are now on the run, according to police.

Gwinnett County parents accused of abusing kids after daughter dies in fire have vanished

Both parents have been charged with first-degree cruelty to children and second-degree false imprisonment.

www.wsbtv.com

 

[bombardier]

The parents of a 10-year-old girl who was killed in a house fire in Gwinnett County are now on the run, according to police.

Gwinnett County parents accused of abusing kids after daughter dies in fire have vanished

Both parents have been charged with first-degree cruelty to children and second-degree false imprisonment.

www.wsbtv.com

Crazy! Is this the first mention of criminal charges for parents?
"Both parents have been charged with first-degree cruelty to children and second-degree false imprisonment."

 

[vls12345]

Crazy! Is this the first mention of criminal charges for parents?
"Both parents have been charged with first-degree cruelty to children and second-degree false imprisonment."

I don't think I had previously seen that they had been charged....

 

[Marg from Oz]

Poor girl. They haven't stuck around to give her a proper funeral. MOO

 

[realanastasia]

Crazy! Is this the first mention of criminal charges for parents?
"Both parents have been charged with first-degree cruelty to children and second-degree false imprisonment."

The article I linked to above says the father had previously been charged with child abuse:

”In 2019, a second case was opened when law enforcement in Tennessee contacted the state’s child abuse hotline after the father and four of the children were seen getting out of a truck and walking into the woods, DFCS records said. Officers called the mother, who said she thought the children were at their paternal grandparents’ house. At the time, she told the officers that her husband had mental health issues but had not been diagnosed with anything, the report said.

Officers in Tennessee searched for the father and children for hours, according to DFCS records, and eventually found them walking down a street. The man had kicked in the door of an abandoned house in the woods, the DFCS report said, but no further details were included. He was arrested and charged with child abuse, and the mother drove from Gwinnett to pick up the children, the report said.”

Regarding the most recent charges, I wonder what constitutes “second-degree false imprisonment“?

 

[azure]

State records show prior abuse charge for father of girl killed in Gwinnett fire

“The parents were first investigated in September 2015, when DFCS was called to a Gwinnett school after getting reports that one of the children had a large mark on his face and claimed his father had pushed him down in the yard.

That investigation included an interview with the child at school, his school counselor and both of his parents, according to DFCS records. The case manager noted that the boy was clean and well-groomed, and he said his house had working utilities, running water and that he got enough food to eat. He told the case manager that he fell because his father pushed him down, and photos were taken of the mark on his face, the report said.”

And NO ONE who was supposed to be looking out for these kids batted an eye when they were pulled out of school altogether?!

I am so sick of homeschooling being a free for all in the US! Here we have a father accused of abuse with kids hospitalized for weight loss, and he was allowed to pull his kids from school and abuse them for 7 more years without any oversight? After his abuse allegations, not one person saw these kids for years and nobody batted an eye? I know our social workers are overwhelmed with the number of kids needing help but this is unbelievable.

 

[HMSHood]

It is really disturbing case all around.

 

[MissMalowe]

Looks like that support from the community went to really good use.....skipping town/being on the run.

 

[Shamrock1]

I am so sick of homeschooling being a free for all in the US! Here we have a father accused of abuse with kids hospitalized for weight loss, and he was allowed to pull his kids from school and abuse them for 7 more years without any oversight? After his abuse allegations, not one person saw these kids for years and nobody batted an eye? I know our social workers are overwhelmed with the number of kids needing help but this is unbelievable.

It is complicated. Some states have check-ins every 1-3 years and some that simply require the parents to provide an education. Some homeschoolers are vehemently against any oversight, for a very wide variety of reasons that I won't detail here. There is a small group of homeschoolers (like myself) who are happy to cede some freedom so that every child gets the education to which he is entitled. There is one particular homeschool lobby that is very strong.

 

[vls12345]

The parents were due to be in court tomorrow. Obviously it's doubtful that will happen if they are still on the run... JMO.

Gwinnett parents who vanished after daughter died in house fire scheduled to appear in court Monday

William and Carina McCue are scheduled to face child cruelty charges on Monday, but haven't been seen in days.

www.wsbtv.com

 

[vls12345]

It is complicated. Some states have check-ins every 1-3 years and some that simply require the parents to provide an education. Some homeschoolers are vehemently against any oversight, for a very wide variety of reasons that I won't detail here. There is a small group of homeschoolers (like myself) who are happy to cede some freedom so that every child gets the education to which he is entitled. There is one particular homeschool lobby that is very strong.

Georgia has fairly lax homeschool rules, imo. You have to submit a yearly form of your intent to homeschool, agree to provide 180 days of education in five specific areas, as well as do some standardized testing for some grades (and you are to maintain proof of the testing but don't have to provide it unless asked). You used to have to send in monthly attendance reports but it looks like that is no longer a requirement.

Home Schools

www.gadoe.org

 

[tlcya]

Since filing charges against William and Carina McCue, police have not been able to locate them, Valle said. Their last known location was the Hometown Suites at 1775 North Brown Road in Lawrenceville. Valle said the McCues were last seen driving a white 2017 Honda Accord with Georgia tag CHB7385 near the intersection of Oakbrook Parkway and I-85 North in Norcross.
[snip]
Anyone who sees Carina and William McCue or has any information to offer in this case is asked to contact Gwinnett police at 770-513-5300. To remain anonymous, tipsters can contact Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477 or visit www.stopcrimeATL.com. Crime Stoppers tipsters can receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case.
Gwinnett parents charged after daughter’s house fire death are on the run, police say

 

[vls12345]

Woman wants son, daughter-in-law facing abuse allegations against children to turn themselves in

Mary McCue is asking her son, William, and daughter-in-law, Carina, to come home and turn themselves in.

www.11alive.com

Two Gwinnett County parents facing abuse allegations -- who allegedly refused to allow their children to leave their home for years -- are still on the run after failing to show up for court Monday.

[snip]

The court hearing Monday was to determine whether the parent’s three other children should remain in foster care moving forward. But because the parents didn’t show, and the court is waiting on additional medical exams on the children, the hearing was rescheduled for July.

Mary McCue said she is happy with the care her grandchildren are reviving from their foster family.

“We know my grandkids are in a place that’s very good for them right now and were very happy with the people who are watching them,” she said.