GUILTY MD - Sarah Foxwell, 11, Salisbury, 23 Dec 2009

[OrdinaryLife]

I think its because we all know who he is... we all know what he is about, he is an RSO, we dont need to dig into his background to know this.. its right out in the open. We dont need to pick him apart to see why he did this. The answer is obvious. He is a sick piece of scum, he did it because he could. So the question to me is why could he? How could he? Who let him in or out? How was he able to get to this child? The judicial system. The guardian.

Someone said earlier that " maybe he is just not that into you.. maybe its your child(ren)." All moms/guardians of children need to give this some thought. Men speak up... seriously.. there are not many decent men I know who would consider dating a woman with 5 kids. That doesnt make them bad, just clear headed IMO. IF you are a single parent with 3 kids, 5 kids, however many kids you need to seriously ask yourself if it is YOU they are into. Not saying you arent worth it, just saying any man who is interested in that arrangement should be questioned thoroughly by you as to what their motives are.

So, bottom line is this woman is at fault for the murder of this child. Because according to "us", she should have done better work at protecting Sarah.

What about the legal sysytem? Are they going to be held just as accountable for their failures? The guy was registared in Delaware and Maryland. Maryland does not put out there, as public record, the why of being a RSO. Just that he was. Pedophiles are verbal/emotional artists to get what they demand. Expect. This guardian could only go with what information was available.

imho

 

[suzyq211]

I dont think people are taking AWAY from the responsibility held by the Predator, and let's face it...if they zero in on a certain child it is likely they will find that one vulnerable moment to move in.

The point is, we as parents and guardians of these innocent children...CARETAKERS until they reach maturity, must make it a priority to make it as DIFFICULT as possible to allow these monsters to take our babies. I think education is the key, because before I started hearing about these cases and joining this site, I probably was as oblivious to the dangers as alot of other people. Can I, with a clear conscience, say without a doubt that I NEVER did anything to make it easy for some freak to get to my sons when as a single mother I worked and did my best to keep a roof over our heads?

People need to be made aware of what is out there, and how they operate.

 

[RJA00]

im sure this site has been listed
this is maryland judiciary site
it lists all of his charges for years

http://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/inquiry/inquirySearch.jis

 

[RJA00]

looks like there has been a child support fight going on that ended in 2008
I am not good at reading the court stuff so im not sure who was fighting for child support

its looks like there was a dna test done and came back 99 %

if you put foxwell, sarah in the search box it will come up

http://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/inquiry/processDisclaimer.jis

 

[eyes4crime]

Needed to leave this link to the info about the toothbrush -

on page two of this article:

http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/...ults-awaited--girl-s-body-was-severely-burned

Leggs knew about a spare house key hidden under a pot on the porch, so he had access to the house, according to police interviews with Fothergill.

Police searched a 2003 Dodge pickup truck Leggs reported driving Dec. 23 and found a toothbrush and lollipop; however, sources close to the investigation say police do not believe the toothbrush belongs to Foxwell.

 

[roller26]

This is just SO sad. Little angel was looking forward to Christmas. My heart breaks for her.

 

[sadnpod]

So, bottom line is this woman is at fault for the murder of this child. Because according to "us", she should have done better work at protecting Sarah.

What about the legal sysytem? Are they going to be held just as accountable for their failures? The guy was registared in Delaware and Maryland. Maryland does not put out there, as public record, the why of being a RSO. Just that he was. Pedophiles are verbal/emotional artists to get what they demand. Expect. This guardian could only go with what information was available.
imho

I am saying that. Yes, the mom, aunt, guardian, whoever it was... DID NOT protect this child to the best of their ability. The legal system failed... again. Yet, because of this system, we have information on RSO's... key being R for registered. KNOWN as such.

BBM... Does anyone seriously think the information that this guardian had was NOT enough to make a prudent person keep this monster away from children? Seriously? Would any of you give him access to your daughter, to your house where your daughter sleeps?

Thieves are good at staking houses, good at finding pawnable things,,, would you give a known to you convicted thief the key to your house? Or would you say, well yes, he is convicted of stealing gold, but all I have is silver, so I will trust him with my precious silver? I mean, all I KNOW is that he has been convicted of is stealing gold.

It IS MY responsibility to protect MY house, MY belongings, MY child with the tools I have available. Knowing he is an RSO should be enough, his exact crime can be researched, but please until you KNOW... keep them away from children!!!!!!!!! Is this concept so hard to understand?

 

[sadnpod]

I'm married, but if I was single it wouldn't bother me. And I have no sexual attraction to children, but I do to adult women. Adults who are attracted to children are defective and should be executed, they cannot be fixed.

I didnt mean to imply all men are this way. Just for women in these circumstances to question the why.

 

[LadyL]

Working on a memorial plaque to be placed (if permitted) at the site where Sarah was found. If anyone would like to offer suggestions on the memorial wording/layout, please do so.

that's incredibly generous of you

it's lovely

 

[Patty G]

So, now semantics of Aunt vs Mother. The woman was the legal guardian and was "Mom" to Sarah.

Frankly, I am lost as to how a victim of murder, their family, is responsible for her death at the hands of someone who planned it and carried it out.

Becoming very disillusioned as to what our part of victim/family advocacy is all about here......

Since Sarah has a mother, we need to be specific when writing about "who is who". The mother is the mother and the aunt is the aunt who has legal guardianship.

Parents/guardians must be vigilant in the care of their children. It all begins at home.

Right now we know that the Aunt knew Leggs is a RSO. That alone is reason to be careful in protecting the children.

The very first thing the Aunt should have done was to call the police and make them aware that a RSO was in her home.

I figure the next cause of action would have been LE making an arrest as the RSO would have been in violation of his probation and he would have been in jail.

Morale of the story: Sarah would still be here.

 

[SuziQ]

Working on a memorial plaque to be placed (if permitted) at the site where Sarah was found. If anyone would like to offer suggestions on the memorial wording/layout, please do so.

I like that. That is very nice of you.

 

[Betty P]

Sounds as though part of the problem involved states not sharing information?


"State Sen. Nancy Jacobs (R-Harford) co-sponsored Maryland's version of Jessica's Law, a bill passed in 2006 that set sentencing guidelines for child sex offenders. It's named for Jessica Lunsford, a 9-year-old Florida girl who was kidnapped, sexually abused and killed by a convicted child sex offender.

At the urging of activists such as Norton, Jacobs and other legislators have tried unsuccessfully to tighten the law to prevent offenders from getting parole. She thought Sarah's case would "absolutely" inspire legislators to reinforce the law.

"I've already had e-mails from people asking about it," Jacobs said. "It's about how far can we go, and I'm in favor as going as far as we can."

Jacobs also said the case exposes weaknesses in how Maryland communicates with other states about child sex offenders. If Leggs was considered "high risk" in Delaware, she thinks he should have been in Maryland, too."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/26/AR2009122601674_2.html

 

[lbminnesota]

Maryland has no restrictions on where a sex offender can live within a community.

Q13. Are There Any Restrictions on Where a Sex Offender Can Live?
No, Maryland does not have any residency restrictions. Information put out by other states has shown that residency restrictions do not help to prevent sexual offenses from occurring because the victims and the offenders, in most situations, know each other. Having ready access to victims, in private and secretive environments, is how sex offenders thrive.

http://www.dpscs.state.md.us/onlineservs/socem/SOR_FAQs.pdf

 

[what about this?]

JMO -

The way the world is today, a woman - already at a disadvantage just by being a woman - alone and with children, can get so caught up in the day-to-day struggle just to survive that they will subconsciously minimalize what the terms "sexual offender" and "sexual predator" actually mean and what these monsters are actually capable of doing (especially in the case where you already know the person).

Most of the women who need this information drilled into their heads and to have reality take hold are not on these message boards. They have never heard of Sarah Foxwell and never will. If they do, it will be, "A little girl was murdered in Maryland by a sexual predator? Oh, that's terrible . . ." And that will be it. And then next week, another.

Information and education about these monsters needs to go out to where these women live and work, the ones who are not watching the news or online - the ones who are putting these children at risk.

I also think that women need to be better educated in the signs of psychoses (case in point, poor Susan Powell - "it's not your fault and you can't change him - ever") - what to look for and when to cut loose. JMO

 

[LadyL]

I want to know why she wasn't discovered missing earlier.

 

[OrdinaryLife]

Maryland has no restrictions on where a sex offender can live within a community.

Q13. Are There Any Restrictions on Where a Sex Offender Can Live?
No, Maryland does not have any residency restrictions. Information put out by other states has shown that residency restrictions do not help to prevent sexual offenses from occurring because the victims and the offenders, in most situations, know each other. Having ready access to victims, in private and secretive environments, is how sex offenders thrive.

http://www.dpscs.state.md.us/onlineservs/socem/SOR_FAQs.pdf

This is the point I've been trying to make. The information shared is all that a person(s) have to go on. Much frustration, on my part long term, is that it's a State by State law regarding pedophiles vs having one that covers all 50. That is why so many can slink away to another state and get away with that they do. These "people" are not stupid. They know where they can go, what statutes are, or worse, do not exist.

So, for the sake of argument.... Is it not possible that this woman did research who this guy was, found very little "evidence" that he could work (we all know how cunning this a----bags are) through verbally, and she believed him? They did not date long. I don't think she should be tossed into the same pile that this p^%$^ belongs. Sorry, I don't. I cannot even imagine what she is going through now.

As far as what to do with them, I have absolutely no problem with the death penalty. Frankly, I am sick of hearing how many get a literal slap and just some weak piece of paper to let others know what they are. It means nothing to innocent children and families after the fact. No, I do not believe a pedophile can be rehabilitated. At all.

For me, I must know more as I do not believe, at this moment, this guardian should be held more accountable than the s.o.b. that planned and carried this crime out. But, as I can see, that's just an OL moment regarding this case.

imho

 

[LadyL]

JMO -

The way the world is today, a woman - already at a disadvantage just by being a woman - alone and with children, can get so caught up in the day-to-day struggle just to survive that they will subconsciously minimalize what the terms "sexual offender" and "sexual predator" actually mean and what these monsters are actually capable of doing (especially in the case where you already know the person).

Most of the women who need this information drilled into their heads and to have reality take hold are not on these message boards. They have never heard of Sarah Foxwell and never will. If they do, it will be, "A little girl was murdered in Maryland by a sexual predator? Oh, that's terrible . . ." And that will be it. And then next week, another.

Information and education about these monsters needs to go out to where these women live and work, the ones who are not watching the news or online - the ones who are putting these children at risk.

I also think that women need to be better educated in the signs of psychoses (case in point, poor Susan Powell - "it's not your fault and you can't change him - ever") - what to look for and when to cut loose. JMO

I respect your message about educating the masses but I disagree. I believe that the protection of one's child is an innate thing. There is a maternal instinct that kicks in and internal alarm bells that go off and if some people choose to ignore that at their child's peril, then no amount of educating them is going to change their 'mothering' style. I don't believe it is a teachable thing ... all the stats and info in the world won't stop people from making stupid choices. They have to care enough to make the right decision and those who care would protect their child at all costs anyway. Those who don't give a beep about their parental responsibilities won't give a beep about some educational pamphlets in their mail.

 

[luthersmama]

Reporting is so sloppy these days that I cannot make any judgment about the aunt (Amy) until there is more information. Although one source has said that Amy knew that Leggs was a sex offender while she was dating him, I think it is quite possible that this information is incorrect and the reporter misunderstood. I'm going to wait and see. I'm not going to speculate on whether any adults were home. When the holidays are over, the police work is more developed, and the news organizations are caught up, the information might be different that the tiny snips that keep getting repeated over and over.

In any event, how about placing some blame on the biological parents? Jennifer had seven children by at least 4 different men. She has been in all kinds of criminal trouble and has been dragged into court and put in jail for non-support.

Likewise, Mr. Foxwell hasn't been very helpful either. Where are all the daddies of those kids?

Maybe this will be a wake-up call for the biological parents to straighten up and take care of their own children instead of handing them off to Amy and then not even paying for their support.

 

[luthersmama]

In researching the court records for all of the fathers, it seems pretty obvious that this family is a mess. Jennifer was involved in a custody battle with the father of one of the children. The last entry in the docket is "Custody moot: "child" is 17, married and pregnant". (I wonder if she is the "relative" that noticed that Sarah was missing?)

If Leggs sold Amy the story that his SO registration was because he had sex with a 17 y/o (as his ex-wife explained) she probably wouldn't regard that as any big deal.

It also looks like at least two other family member, maybe both sisters of Amy's and Jennifer's, or their sister and their mother had custody of one or more of the kids at times. Two other women have brought Jennifer and the daddy's to court for support.

BTW, two of the fathers have many criminal convictions. Mostly theft and bad checks. Plus all the non-supports. I get the feeling that this family is not unfamiliar with ex-cons.

 

[OrdinaryLife]

I haven't seen that argument made, so I cannot comment on it.

I feel the dirtbag RSO that did this should be snuffed out. He will never serve a purpose in this world, the only thing he can do to improve the lot of the human race is to be removed from it.

The aunt, if the story she appears to have told that she knew he was an SO is accurate, needs to be saddled with guilt and shame for bringing him into the lives of children she was supposed to protect. I don't know of any law under which she could be charged and that's not what I'm looking for. I'm looking for her to stand up, admit that she contributed, and devote her life to speaking about the need to keep strangers away from your kids. Or something to make up for her enormous lapse of judgement.

I don't think that will happen, but I'd like to see it.

Okay, I get what you are sharing. I guess, for me, I want more information about this aunt and her choices before I make a firm decision about her involvement. Including this that was part of their live no matter how briefly. Yeah, I'm tossing a bone out there and I have no doubt truth will be more available before long. I always prefer to look at the cup half full than half empty. Doesn't mean I'm naive, just like to have all possible facts first.