MA - Four children found hidden in apartment with alcohol, drugs, sex toys & corpse - Boston - June 21 2023

[MyBelle]

And that should be that. BUT, sadly it won’t be. IMO

I think Congressman Lynch intends to tackle the human rights issues that have been raised. I'm trying to be optimistic.

JMO

 

[Stunned]

I think Congressman Lynch intends to tackle the human rights issues that have been raised. I'm trying to be optimistic.

JMO

That wasn’t who I was referring to.

 

[Keane]

A few things, from my perspective as a Queer Bostonian:
- it's not the Globe who has been inflammatory in their reporting, it's the Herald (BosGlobe:BosHerald = NYTimes:NYPost)
- the conditions at the Mary McCormack are horrendous. It's no surprise a 51A was filed by both the BPD and BFD.
- at the McCormack, even an apartment kept as clean as possible housekeeping-wise will still have structural issues or deteriorating conditions. The complex is nearly 100 years old. (This is why a huge renovation project has been proposed. More info about the project and the issues here: https://www.memredevelopment.com/home )
- "[the 51a] report [filed by the BFD] does not mention drugs, drug paraphernalia, or sex toys." (Quote from the Boston Globe article posted upthread)
- being around trans folx does NOT equal being around 'sex' or 'sexuality'. That's absurd.
- a trans woman is not a 'man wearing a wig', as Councilor Flaherty referred to the victim and others in the apartment.
- Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara is spot on: such rhetoric furthers “the false narrative that our trans siblings are sexual deviants who our children need to be protected from.”

 

[MyBelle]

A few things, from my perspective as a Queer Bostonian:
- it's not the Globe who has been inflammatory in their reporting, it's the Herald (BosGlobe:BosHerald = NYTimes:NYPost)
- the conditions at the Mary McCormack are horrendous. It's no surprise a 51A was filed by both the BPD and BFD.
- at the McCormack, even an apartment kept as clean as possible housekeeping-wise will still have structural issues or deteriorating conditions. The complex is nearly 100 years old. (This is why a huge renovation project has been proposed. More info about the project and the issues here: https://www.memredevelopment.com/home )
- "[the 51a] report [filed by the BFD] does not mention drugs, drug paraphernalia, or sex toys." (Quote from the Boston Globe article posted upthread)
- being around trans folx does NOT equal being around 'sex' or 'sexuality'. That's absurd.
- a trans woman is not a 'man wearing a wig', as Councilor Flaherty referred to the victim and others in the apartment.
- Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara is spot on: such rhetoric furthers “the false narrative that our trans siblings are sexual deviants who our children need to be protected from.”

BBM. Thank you for your perspective! I'm not that familiar with the publications and likely confused them. I apologize.

From the photos of the aging building, it wouldn't surprise me that the "unsanitary conditions" had more to do with the aging structure. I'm glad the renovations are being proposed but is there political controversy surrounding the funding? I have never understood why any politician resorts to a false narrative about anyone or anything.

JMO

 

[Ontario Mom]

A few things, from my perspective as a Queer Bostonian:
- it's not the Globe who has been inflammatory in their reporting, it's the Herald (BosGlobe:BosHerald = NYTimes:NYPost)
- the conditions at the Mary McCormack are horrendous. It's no surprise a 51A was filed by both the BPD and BFD.
- at the McCormack, even an apartment kept as clean as possible housekeeping-wise will still have structural issues or deteriorating conditions. The complex is nearly 100 years old. (This is why a huge renovation project has been proposed. More info about the project and the issues here: https://www.memredevelopment.com/home )
- "[the 51a] report [filed by the BFD] does not mention drugs, drug paraphernalia, or sex toys." (Quote from the Boston Globe article posted upthread)
- being around trans folx does NOT equal being around 'sex' or 'sexuality'. That's absurd.
- a trans woman is not a 'man wearing a wig', as Councilor Flaherty referred to the victim and others in the apartment.
- Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara is spot on: such rhetoric furthers “the false narrative that our trans siblings are sexual deviants who our children need to be protected from.”

While I appreciate your perspective, I don't consider it inflammatory or rhetoric to state the facts as observed & stated by the BFD. Unless they come forward and make a public statement, I can only assume we'll never know why they reported one thing, and the BPD reported something else. It seems to have created a secondary story for some, making it all about transgender people, obscuring the most important thing, the children that were removed from the home, and their safety and well being.

jmo

 

[MyBelle]

While I appreciate your perspective, I don't consider it inflammatory or rhetoric to state the facts as observed & stated by the BFD. Unless they come forward and make a public statement, I can only assume we'll never know why they reported one thing, and the BPD reported something else. It seems to have created a secondary story for some, making it all about transgender people, obscuring the most important thing, the children that were removed from the home, and their safety and well being.

jmo

What about the baseless, non-existent facts? That is what fueled the offensive, inflammatory rhetoric by the politicians and their favorite media outlets.

"[the 51a] report [filed by the BFD] does not mention drugs, drug paraphernalia, or sex toys." (Quote from the Boston Globe article posted upthread)

JMO

 

[Keane]

Flaherty and Murphy have NOT stated 'facts as observed.'
They observed nothing.
They are the ones using the inflammatory rhetoric; hell let's call them what they are: LIES about the victim and the other individuals present.
If Flaherty really cared about the kids in question, he would not have relied on transphobic garbage and lies to bring attention to their plight.

From the Boston Globe article:

BFD stated "said there were six adults in the apartment, which at the time “was in extreme unsanitary conditions.” Firefighters found four children in the back bedroom being hidden by a man, according to the report. Firefighters estimated the youngest of the children to be 5 years old.

“All the adult parties were being uncooperative and did not provide helpful information,” the fire department report read. “All adults present denied having children inside the apartment.”

At the very least, BFD misgendered one individual in their report. Their observation about the adults cooperating has been contradicted by the BPD and Mayor Wu after she reviewed the reports, case files, and photographs.

 

[mooseandcoffee]

While I appreciate your perspective, I don't consider it inflammatory or rhetoric to state the facts as observed & stated by the BFD. Unless they come forward and make a public statement, I can only assume we'll never know why they reported one thing, and the BPD reported something else. It seems to have created a secondary story for some, making it all about transgender people, obscuring the most important thing, the children that were removed from the home, and their safety and well being.

jmo

The most important thing is, of course, those children.

However, the way this story was represented and reported (here and in the news), it sounded like the children were taken away because of the sex toys and suggestions of sexual activity/drug use/depravity in the apartment. In reality, it sounds like the children were taken because of the condition of the apartment--which could mean a lot of things.

So maybe the representation of transgender people isn't important to some, but it should be. These seemingly small misrepresentations only serve to inflame people's opinions of a minority group who happen to be under constant attack and scrutiny right now.

So while it's important to protect the kids, it's also important to be honest and objective in reporting.

IMO. MOO. FWIW.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

The most important thing is, of course, those children.

However, the way this story was represented and reported (here and in the news), it sounded like the children were taken away because of the sex toys and suggestions of sexual activity/drug use/depravity in the apartment. In reality, it sounds like the children were taken because of the condition of the apartment--which could mean a lot of things.

So maybe the representation of transgender people isn't important to some, but it should be. These seemingly small misrepresentations only serve to inflame people's opinions of a minority group who happen to be under constant attack and scrutiny right now.

So while it's important to protect the kids, it's also important to be honest and objective in reporting.

IMO. MOO. FWIW.

The problem is we literally have no idea what the reality was and it seems we may never do so.
Because of the confidential nature of issues relating to the children the facts may likely never be published.

So what we get left with is the residue of a story that fizzled out and dwindling interest from the public.
Doubtless there are many people who live nearby who know exactly what happened but for the rest of us, probably we'll never know.

I don't think children would be separated from their parents were it down to poor physical conditions such as structural repair issues or lack of good facilities, unless the parents were not ever meant to be inhabiting the premises in the first place, ie squatting a condemned or unfit apartment.

If there was squalor and insanitary filth such as trash, hoarding, excrement, and the kids were unkempt and hungry, maybe then the child welfare could say the parent is obviously unfit to be in charge. Even then, usually don't they try to help the parent get in a straightened up condition?

So it does lean towards that something more criminal was going on. The fact someone died seemingly of a drug induced cardiac arrest and there was some sort of gathering of adults who caused at least some form of concern to the authorities would paint a certain picture, removing the 'trans' and 'sex toys' parts of it.

If the adults at this purported gathering were truly in fact trans or queer people behaving recklessly, sexually, and using drugs, leaving paraphernalia and toys around, and tried to hide the kids, they sadly did a huge disservice to themselves, the kids, the community they live in, and the wider queer community, so it's on them.

JMO MOO

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Exactly why politicians need to stay out of it. IMO

I would hope that the mayor of Boston is behind getting the truth out to the members of her community.

 

[Stunned]

I would hope that the mayor of Boston is behind getting the truth out to the members of her community.

Post #479, seemed to get to the truth. So discussion should be over. IMO

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

Post #479, seemed to get to the truth. So discussion should be over. IMO

I just went to read that post and it does clear a lot up. But it doesn't explain on what grounds removing the children happened and that bit is the exceptionally strange part as we saw days later a woman crying and saying two of them were her kids and she would like them back.

Anyway, who knows, we'll never know is my opinion.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Post #479, seemed to get to the truth. So discussion should be over. IMO

I found the fact that "Detectives" were called to photograph the scene to be unusual.

Why was that necessary if it was simply a medical emergency? There's more to this story that needs to be discussed. JMO.

Update to Death Investigation at 381 Old Colony Avenue, South Boston — bpdnews.com

Boston Police were called to 381 Old Colony Avenue in South Boston at 11:11 am on Saturday 06.17.23 to investigate a call for an unconscious person. Boston Fire and EMS were on scene assisting the individual. At 11:41am Boston EMS pronounced the person non-viable and the Medical Examiner's

bpdnews.com

 

[MyBelle]

I found the fact that "Detectives" were called to photograph the scene to be unusual.

Why was that necessary if it was simply a medical emergency? There's more to this story that needs to be discussed. JMO.

Update to Death Investigation at 381 Old Colony Avenue, South Boston — bpdnews.com

Boston Police were called to 381 Old Colony Avenue in South Boston at 11:11 am on Saturday 06.17.23 to investigate a call for an unconscious person. Boston Fire and EMS were on scene assisting the individual. At 11:41am Boston EMS pronounced the person non-viable and the Medical Examiner's

bpdnews.com

It became a death investigation. Detectives were called in to ensure chain of custody of photographs of the possible crime scene. I think that is SOP.

JMO

 

[Deleted member 39678]

It became a death investigation. Detectives were called in to ensure chain of custody of photographs of the possible crime scene. I think that is SOP.

JMO

Why did it become a "death" investigation and a criminal one?

I've had family members that died of natural causes at home and not once did the police call in "detectives" to take photos. JMO.

 

[MyBelle]

Why did it become a "death" investigation and a criminal one?

I've had family members that died of natural causes at home and not once did the police call in "detectives" to take photos. JMO.

iirc, BPD issued an official statement that explained why detectives were called.

I personally have never had a younger family member die of "natural causes" that were unknown to me.

JMO

 

[Deleted member 39678]

iirc, BPD issued an official statement that explained why detectives were called.

I personally have never had a younger family member die of "natural causes" that were unknown to me.

JMO

If you can find a link for that statement I would appreciate it.

I've never had a family member who is younger than me die. I have had an uncle and sister who died way too young of natural causes unexpectedly at home. Police were on scene but no "detectives" taking photos. JMO.

 

[asmi106082]

I had a childhood friend who committed suicide in 8th grade. There was a detective assigned to her death investigation even though they knew it was suicide. I think that if there’s any possibility of foul play they have to have a detective review it but that’s MOO.

 

[MyBelle]

If you can find a link for that statement I would appreciate it.

I've never had a family member who is younger than me die. I have had an uncle and sister who died way too young of natural causes unexpectedly at home. Police were on scene but no "detectives" taking photos. JMO.

My opinion is based on the many relevant links already posted in this thread about the conflicting reports and why there is now a city council investigation.

JMO

 

[tlcya]

Section 3: Duty to report deaths; failure to report​

(12) sudden death when the decedent was in apparent good health;

Section 4: Investigation; transportation of bodies​

Section 4. Upon notification of a death in the circumstances enumerated in section three, the chief medical examiner or his designee shall carefully inquire into the cause and circumstances of the death. If, as a result of such inquiry, the chief medical examiner or such designee is of the opinion that the death was due to violence or other unnatural means or to natural causes that require further investigation, he shall take jurisdiction. The body of the deceased shall not be moved, and the scene where the body is located shall not be disturbed, until either the medical examiner or the district attorney or his representative either arrives at the scene or gives directions as to what shall be done at the scene.