GUILTY IA - Jackie Burkle charged in deaths of newborn twins, Huxley, Jan 2012

[Trident]

Since the beginning of time parents have been disposing of unwanted babies in one fashion or another, from leaving them outdoors to die of exposure to tossing them into the filth of an outhouse or public toilet. Perhaps "motherhood", as people today want to ideally define it, has never been a constant and we, as a people/nation, need to understand that and draft laws, etc., accordingly, making it easier for women and girls to give up their babies in a more humane manner without the "stigma" that IS attached to doing so.

 

[mysteriew]

I am a local to this story but not verified yet (not sure how to do that). I work for the same company that this girl worked for and we share the same supervisor but we work at different stores, about 30 miles apart.

It's my understanding that she told her co-workers and family that she was not pregnant, even when asked. She had worked for the company for awhile, then she left the state for awhile, when she came back and started working for the company again, she was obviously pregnant but told her co-workers she was not.

She does not have a criminal record. Her only record was when she got in a car accident and did not have insurance.

Since I am not verified yet, I can't go into any more details and I am not sure just how much I can say about this.

Certainly a lot of denial there. I am wondeing if the denial is just for coworkers or if it was for herself too.

I was just thinking of options for her. Abortion is legal. But she didn't do that. Could have been a lack of money, but could also have been as a result of her denial of the pregnancy.

There is no report that she tried to induce a miscarraige on herself. She carried them till she went into labor, even though others were questioning her and she was denying the pregnancy.

She delivered them at home. Even the easiest delivery, there is a lot of pain involved. I would guess that the denial ended, though she seems to have continued denial with others. Certainly would have been much easier to have called for an ambulance. But she didn't. She delivers in her parents home. So she had the opportunity to talk with mother if she had questions about what she was feeling, what she should do.

She delivers not one, but two babies. A placenta or two. Face to face with two babies. No more denial to herself. She doesn't walk across the street to deposit the kids at the police station. She could have been afraid of gossip, recognition. She could have driven to a nearby town and dropped them at a safe haven. She didn't.

She admits to committing an act to terminate their lives after she was faced with the fact that her pregnancy was known.

I am sorry. I know that many do not believe. But this is so outside the norm of behavior, so illogical so unbelievable that I have to belive that it has to be from something wrong.

If she just didn't want to be pregnant, she could have had an abortion. And she would have stayed out of trouble. She could have delivered them and put them up for adoption and stayed out of trouble. If she feared someone finding out about the pregnancy, she could have given them up for safe haven annonumously. And stayed out of trouble.

To me this just indicates that for some reason, she wasn't thinking clearly, wasn't seeing a way to get through this with the children living. She wasn't seeing reality.

 

[mysteriew]

Since the beginning of time parents have been disposing of unwanted babies in one fashion or another, from leaving them outdoors to die of exposure to tossing them into the filth of an outhouse or public toilet. Perhaps "motherhood", as people today want to ideally define it, has never been a constant and we, as a people/nation, need to understand that and draft laws, etc., accordingly, making it easier for women and girls to give up their babies in a more humane manner without the "stigma" that IS attached to doing so.

I don't think it is the laws. With the safe haven laws in most states, they don't have to tell who they are, sign any papers or do anything except see that the babies get there safely.

Now family, yes many times there is stigma. She still lived with her parents. Maybe she had been told that if she ever came up pregnant and not married, she couldn't live there?

Society, yes sometimes. While this was a smallish town, she might have been talked about. But it wouldn't have been long before another 'scandal' would have come along and it would have been forgotten. And most small towns have learned to accept that people have children out of marriage. Giving them up would have caused more talk, but again that would have been forgotten eventually.

Religion still sometimes there is a stigma, mainly because she wasn't married. But usually asking for forgiveness would take care of most of it. Though they might look at her a little funny for a while. But again, time would take care of this.

 

[Trident]

I don't think it is the laws. With the safe haven laws in most states, they don't have to tell who they are, sign any papers or do anything except see that the babies get there safely.

Now family, yes many times there is stigma. She still lived with her parents. Maybe she had been told that if she ever came up pregnant and not married, she couldn't live there?

Society, yes sometimes. While this was a smallish town, she might have been talked about. But it wouldn't have been long before another 'scandal' would have come along and it would have been forgotten. And most small towns have learned to accept that people have children out of marriage. Giving them up would have caused more talk, but again that would have been forgotten eventually.

Religion still sometimes there is a stigma, mainly because she wasn't married. But usually asking for forgiveness would take care of most of it. Though they might look at her a little funny for a while. But again, time would take care of this.

Firstly, I do not believe the safe haven laws are well known or well understood. Perhaps there needs to be a LOT more publicity for such, including exactly WHERE and HOW to drop off the child, and what to expect when you do. Maybe this could be published in the newspaper, on the radio, in sex ed classes, or as someone here pointed on, in pregnancy test kits.

Secondly, there is always a stigma - "she's the one who gave her baby away," snicker, wink, and nudge. Yes, that thinking is still alive and well. Towns, both large and small, have long memories, and women are so vicious to other women, even, and perhaps especially, "religious", church-going women. Ideally, it shouldn't be that way, but in the real world. . .well, a lot of first stones are cast.

I don't know the answer, but I do know there is often a lot of fear, and/or hatred, involved in infanticide. I keep hearing on these boards, "she should have used a condom". Well, guess what? She didn't. Now what? Until we educate our daughters to abstain until they know what they are doing, or use a condom, or give the baby up for adoption, or take it to the nearest KNOWN safe haven, we will continue to have infanticide. Maybe mothers need to take some of the responsibility for the actions of their daughters, replace fear and ignorance with knowledge and support. Maybe that would work?

 

[Belinda]

I agree that there needs to be much more publicity about safe haven laws. The only thing I can think is this girl is scared to death of her parents. I know, thinking back, I don't know what in the world I would have done with the parents I had. No, I don't think I would have killed the baby, but I can imagine that kind of fear. I could be way off base, but I wonder. She lived with her parents. They had to know she was pregnant. There is just something hinky here.

 

[josie1986]

Safe haven laws are a great idea....where I live we have nothing like that or that I have ever heard of.I've had 2babies so u would think u would be made aware of.

Back on topic...I have no sympathy for this woman u don't give birth and then kill your child or children in her case.....just makes me think of wild animals that kill their young...I hope she never leaves prison or at least until she is unable to have kids.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[BrownRice]

I agree that the Safe Haven laws are not that well known. There should be some teen celebrities that make it their "signature" cause and have commercials plastered all over TV/online (like bullying, drugs, etc).

Someone earlier mentioned that even "easy" births still involve pain. A lot of pain. It's not like it's time to have the baby and here we go. Contractions go on forever (well, it seems like it) and often women opt for an epidural to relieve the pain. I find it incredulous that at some point these young women don't say enough, and go running to their parents for assistance and to be taken to the hospital. And twins. That's a long process for most.

I don't care if she knew about the Safe Haven laws though. She could have put them in a box and put them on someone's doorstep, she had a lot of options that maybe wouldn't have been 100% legal, but would have kept the babies alive and she could have gone unnoticed.

 

[Trident]

I agree that the Safe Haven laws are not that well known. There should be some teen celebrities that make it their "signature" cause and have commercials plastered all over TV/online (like bullying, drugs, etc).

Someone earlier mentioned that even "easy" births still involve pain. A lot of pain. It's not like it's time to have the baby and here we go. Contractions go on forever (well, it seems like it) and often women opt for an epidural to relieve the pain. I find it incredulous that at some point these young women don't say enough, and go running to their parents for assistance and to be taken to the hospital. And twins. That's a long process for most.

I don't care if she knew about the Safe Haven laws though. She could have put them in a box and put them on someone's doorstep, she had a lot of options that maybe wouldn't have been 100% legal, but would have kept the babies alive and she could have gone unnoticed.

BBM - The thing is, if she had done that, she could NOT have gone unnoticed. It would have beel splashed across tv and all the newspapers. She would have been publically outed, probably arrested and charged with something. Of course, anything would have been better than murder, but knowledge of safe haven laws might have saved those babie's lives, or maybe not, we will probably never know.

 

[Paintr]

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120113/NEWS/301130022/-1/GETPUBLISHED03/Huxley-newborns-bodies-state-custody

Huxley newborns' bodies are in state custody


The infants’ bodies will stay at the state office until arrangements are made by family members, said Dr. Dennis Klein, deputy state medical examiner.

 

[Melanie]

There's a FB page dedicated to the justice of the twins. The family of Jackie is trying to get it shut down (shades of Cindy Anthony). Your support would be appreciated if you're a FB'er. It's not a private page, and the owner is named on the page (so no secret). It's above board.

Just search:

Life X2 for Jackie Burkle

Thanks so much!

Mel

 

[Belinda]

Each one of these cases is so unnecessary and so very sad. What kind of person does this? Does she feel any grief at all, other than for her trouble? I wonder if she thinks about them or dreams about them. I can't help but hope that she is haunted by them for the rest of her life.

 

[peeples]

People gather to mourn slain Iowa newborns
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/pe...cle_0b1023d2-4035-11e1-b16a-0019bb2963f4.html

 

[Paintr]

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46009100/ns/local_news-des_moines_ia/t/twins-tribute-most-never-knew-newborn-who-never-had-chance-twins-mother-accused-killing-them-now-strangers-want-make-sure-twins-feel-their-love/

The Huxley community honors the babies by vowing to educate other young mothers about their options.

“There`s always something else that would have been a better choice.”

Iowa is one of 30 states that protect parents who don't want to keep their baby. The Safe Haven Act allows parents to leave an infant up to 14 days old at a health care facility without the fear of prosecution for abandonment.

 

[Belinda]

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46009100/ns/local_news-des_moines_ia/t/twins-tribute-most-never-knew-newborn-who-never-had-chance-twins-mother-accused-killing-them-now-strangers-want-make-sure-twins-feel-their-love/

The Huxley community honors the babies by vowing to educate other young mothers about their options.

“There`s always something else that would have been a better choice.”

Iowa is one of 30 states that protect parents who don't want to keep their baby. The Safe Haven Act allows parents to leave an infant up to 14 days old at a health care facility without the fear of prosecution for abandonment.

I have a problem with it listing only medical facilities. There are many places that a baby could be taken, such as the police station, etc. There need to be as many drop off points as possible. IMHO I'm to the point where I feel that if they take the baby to the McDonald's and hand it to someone at the register, it should count as safe haven. They will call the police and the baby will be safe. That is the desired end result after all.

 

[JoeFromLB]

Striking resemblance between her and Shelby Dasher, the mom in St. Louis accused of killing her toddler son.

 

[Reader]

Striking resemblance between her and Shelby Dasher, the mom in St. Louis accused of killing her toddler son.

Both have those same lifeless, blank stares....the loss of their babies has not affected them at all, no remorse but they cannot control their dreams, or nightmares....

 

[JoeFromLB]

Both have those same lifeless, blank stares....the loss of their babies has not affected them at all, no remorse but they cannot control their dreams, or nightmares....

One word comes immediately to mind: possessed.

 

[iamnotagolem]

These types of cases really bother me. I think safe drop points need to be part of sex education in school. I think there should be posters plastered in dr's offices, in break rooms at places of employment, there need to be billboards.

The very first case I remember was 15ish years ago, when I was in high school. I did an art project about it. Within a year of that a girl in my high school killed her baby and left it in a toilet.

I can't comprehend the sickness in a person's mind that allows them to do such a horrid thing. My heart hurts for my son when he cries and I can't help him. I do not understand.

 

[Paintr]

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2012/01/18/autopsy-information-in-death-of-huxley-twins-may-not-answer-all-questions/

Autopsy information in death of Huxley twins may not answer all questions


“I know there are still a lot of questions,” said Huxley police Chief Mark Pote. “Twenty years from now there may be questions, like why did it have to happen.”

 

[Paintr]

http://www.whotv.com/news/who-story-burkle-court-hearing-friday-011912,0,2848117.story

The Huxley mother accused of killing her newborn twin girls is scheduled to appear in court Friday.

http://http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120119/NEWS/301190063/-1/state_fair/Circumstances-deaths-twins-may-not-known

Investigators said they believe Burkle killed the babies around 7:30 a.m. Jan. 6.