GUILTY IN - Christian Choate, 13, starved, beaten to death, Gary, April 2009

[Julindy]

Sources say Christian was being home-schooled at the time he disappeared.


http://www.wgntv.com/wgntv-gary-charges-may7,0,2724663.story

So many questions in this case. I don't know much about home schooling, however with what we know were excessive absenses prior to being pulled/transfered from school in March 2005 was Christian ever working with the school social worker?

What kind of follow up occurs with home schooling?
If a child is being home schooled and is suddenly no longer participating in any kind of state approved (I think there is some kind of state approved schools or something along those lines) what kind of follow up is required to ensure the child is still being educated?

I'm thinking along the lines of Christians case and cases similiar to his. Child has problems while in school - either due to abuse, neglect and parent pulls child from school under the guise of home schooling to avoid detection of abuse or neglect. Is there any kind of reporting with children suddenly not participating in home schooling programs?

 

[Julindy]

They should check when children are taken out of school and "home schooled" as Zarah & Erica was,and Zarahs school had their suspicions,poor kids,there has to be a way to check on home schooled children if there's doubt about their safety...

 

[Julindy]

I have been home schooling for 23 years in Indiana. Yes, we have a quite hands-off law. 99.9% of us do a good job, are diligent and have our children's best interest at heart.

Sadly, homeschooling laws are occasionally 'used' to cover up educational neglect, physical neglect and rarely abuse. Legitimate home schoolers are horrified by this.

 

[Julindy]

That's exactly the way I was trying to explain,thank you marycarney,you are absolutely correct..

 

[Julindy]

aww that poor little babe .. im going to stick to my guns . the abusers should die the same way they made their victims die.. and all child abusers should get death

 

[Julindy]

Yes agree,they should definatley be treated the exact Same way,made to suffer the same length of time their victims did,see if they survive that,then jail time,then death penalty, so by then they know exactly how their treatment on ours felt like...:furious

 

[Julindy]

I'm on the fence with this one. I think I need more information before I can form an opinion on the sister. Better stated I have too many unanswered questions right now. One being was she schooled? Yes, I'm glad she finally came forward......

5 other siblings living in that household witnessing the abuse.
A step aunt who visited and witnessed the abuse.
Another unknown witness.

I'm wondering if the 5 children including Christina were all attending school why didn't any of them have the courage to tell someone?

I'm trying to wrap my head around pulling one out of school to avoid detection of the abuse and not fearing one of the other 5 might tell. If the others attended school.

 

[Julindy]

Thought at least one would have done the right thing,and saved that child from the beginning, a lot of people knew from the start,so all guilt as far as I'm concerned...going by my own experience

 

[Julindy]

From what I've read, the "Grandma", Kimberly's sister, Belinda Bradburn, and a cousin to start with...

 

[Julindy]

Poor kid had no chance...

 

[Julindy]

I realize the sister, Christina, can be viewed as a victim herself, but I find some of her statements very disturbing. She shows a total lack of empathy.

In the father's early statement to police, he pointed a finger at the sister. Normally, I would've been outraged that he was trying to put the blame on his daughter. For some reason, his words rang true, and reading this additional information makes them even more believable. Don't get me wrong. I hold him and the stepmother responsible for Christian's fate. Don't have any warm, fuzzies for his biological mother, either. Christina, though, seems to share her father's sadistic nature. I pray she's not allowed to be alone with younger children.

Rest in Peace, Christian. I am so sorry you were made to suffer so horribly by your own family.

 

[Julindy]

Agree with you Bessie on the no empathy.....any human being have problems locked in a dog cage,as if that's a normal thing to do..and is like her father...

 

[Julindy]

I have to agree with you on this one. I do understand what mysteriew is saying; but the fact is Christina was old enough to know this was not just wrong but evil. She could have helped him, yet she choose to participate in the extreme abuse and actually allowed for excuses for it such as Christian had problems and that he was hated by them all. Like that made it ok.

Just as I sited the other case in Missouri where the 15 yr old girl took part in the extreme abuse of her own brother, I see little difference with this one. And she was charged. So we will just have to see and also wait for more details to come out.

I think we will find that she isnt exactly the innocent victim here as well.

 

[Julindy]

Similarities with Erica's stepbrother, being forced to beat her breaking her arm at one point,but he was the one who reported her missing,and Christians sister showed where he was,so thank god they did that or these two would never had been found...

 

[Julindy]

Here is the explanation of why Christina finally broke her silence after two years:

"Christina Choate said she finally broke her silence recently when she felt safe enough to tell a relative what had happened to Christian. She said her father moved her to Kentucky with her stepmother and half-siblings after Christian's death. She said she wasn't allowed to go to school, talk on the phone or live anything resembling the normal life of a teenage girl. About three weeks ago, Riley Choate moved back to Indiana without her, she said."

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[Julindy]

Sadly - the minister at Christian's memorial called him 'Christopher' twice and the cameraman from NBC dropped his camera during the service.

 

[Julindy]

Poor kid,could have got his name right at least:crying:

 

[Julindy]

This case just hurts my heart. I cannot fathom anyone treating another human being like this, much less a child. I wonder when Christian ran away where he went and how they caught him. Was there any police involvement and if so, why did they not check out this situation a bit more?

I've read some comments on some of the news articles that point to some neighbors involvement as far as calling Child Services, yet it fell flat with a knock on the door and talking outside the trailer.

We have read that some people outside the immediate family knew what was happening to Christian and did nothing.

Then there is the homeschooling situation. I want to make myself clear that I am not knocking those that home school, but there should be some fail safe put into place for these children to check on them and make sure that there is no abuse in the home, because while all children being home schooled are not abused, those that are being severely abused are taken out of the schools eventually and being "home schooled" so no one will know about the abuse.

As far his bio mother; I would not like to be too harsh on her either right now but I cant imagine not pursuing what is going on with my children. She had supposedly left Riley because he was abusive. How would she not worry that her kids may be in danger.

Unfortunately, it seems Christian was failed by so many.

 

[Julindy]

There's another law right there for you,not reporting a child abuse,you should be jailed for that to many knowing about abuse and doing nothing about it,its disgusting and not acceptable,this is how they get away with it,seems they know how to fool the child protection service as well....I worry for today's society, its getting worse not better..
Why is it never the kind or caring members of the family who end up with the care of the children, they are the ones who would be happy to do so,but seems its never the case..

 

[Julindy]

If you can get through reading this, a piece of your heart and soul will be missing.

I have never imagined anything like it, and to think of the poor boy living it, along with the children witnessing it, well, I don't have any words.

Just tears.