MT - James Hurley, 12, tortured to death, W. Yellowstone, Feb 2020 grandparents & uncle arrested #1

[mickey2942]

West Yellowstone reels after death of 12-year-old boy, candlelight memorial planned

Really interesting reading. West Yellowstone is such a small community, everyone knows everyone there. Trying to figure out how this fell through the cracks.

Trying to figure out the perpetrators in this situation, because there are several.

Interesting that one of the perpetrators was actually caught because he posted on Facebook, defending Sasser. The police followed up with him, and discovered he was on a video abusing the victim!

 

[Vail]

I'm surprised they even called 911 instead of dumping him somewhere.

Great question. They could have easily dumped him, and said that he ran away.

I wonder if the Grandmother was also abused, and possibly feared that her children would be the next victims. She probably wanted the 300 pound adult male, who seemed to be the primary abuser, gone, and out of the house. Not giving her a pass, but she may have also been a victim here.

Patricia is a narcissist that likely felt justified in her actions and judgements, and her husband is IMO a big dumb brute. It isn't surprising to me in the least their son behaves the way he's being reported to. They both need to be put away for a long time - that 14 year old will murder again if he isn't locked up.

ETA
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This post on pat's page is about dad Tommy Patricia Sasser

 

[mickey2942]

West Yellowstone reels after death of 12-year-old boy, candlelight memorial planned

Really interesting reading. West Yellowstone is such a small community, everyone knows everyone there. Trying to figure out how this fell through the cracks.

Trying to figure out the perpetrators in this situation, because there are several.

I was confused, thinking that the adult male lived in the house, the 18 year old was a neighbor, Gage Roush.

The 14 year old, is the 300 pounder.

The Grandfather, is William Sasser.

The Grandmother is Patricia Batts, Betts?

 

[PinkPrincessPoop]

"Home Schooling". Once again.
Investigators: videos show boy being tortured by members of his family before his death

How many times have we seen "home Schooling" involved with abused and dead children? Something needs to change. There should be more oversight and monitoring of children who are homeschooled.

Why did these people take videos of abusing a child? Great evidence. But it is beyond depraved.

A group of pediatricians did a study in 2014 that was published in the Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, where they found 47% of child torture victims were pulled out of school to be "homeschooled." Many times this was a result of the abuse starting to be uncovered by school officials. I know I have stated this elsewhere on the forum but it bears repeating every time we see a story of a child whose abuse was allowed to worsen due to cracks in the law.

Let's be clear: The problem is not homeschooling. This study does NOT say 47% of homeschoolers are abusive. It does say that abusive parents use homeschooling to conceal abuse and homeschool settings can be especially severe. It allows the abuse to escalate to unfathomable levels with zero consequences.

 

[mickey2942]

Homeschooling is not the problem, agreed.

It is the fact that in so many cases it serves as a cover for abusers.

1. Princess in California
2. Nubia Barahona in Florida
3. That family in California...?

Those are just the ones I remember off hand. There are so many.

 

[neesaki]

Horrific behind words. What is going on that people can be so cruel and evil. I hope these disgusting non-humans never see the light of day outside prison walls... rot in prison you miserable maggots.

 

[neesaki]

Patricia is a narcissist that likely felt justified in her actions and judgements, and her husband is IMO a big dumb brute. It isn't surprising to me in the least their son behaves the way he's being reported to. They both need to be put away for a long time - that 14 year old will murder again if he isn't locked up.

ETA
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This post on pat's page is about dad Tommy Patricia Sasser

So this poor boys father was Tommy Tate, who the evil GM loved SO SO much . And TT passed away in 2018? I’m just trying to get this straight. Everyone has a different last name so it’s really confusing.

 

[PinkPrincessPoop]

Homeschooling is not the problem, agreed.

It is the fact that in so many cases it serves as a cover for abusers.

1. Princess in California
2. Nubia Barahona in Florida
3. That family in California...?

Those are just the ones I remember off hand. There are so many.

Oh, there's a bunch more I can name off the top of my head! Hmmm, these past 12 months alone.....Takoda Collins. Skylea Carmack. Eduardo Posso. Sarah Dubois-Gilbeau. Antonio Juan Gonzalez Jr. Damon Decree Jr.
Do not forget their names.

A lot more because these are just the extreme cases where the children were murdered, plenty of other stories in the media of "homeschooled" children being starved, beaten, and tortured without dying and so LE does not release their names. Not to mention I'm sure plenty of other cases that are not deemed salacious enough to include in the nightly news.

 

[mickey2942]

I wish that if a child was diagnosed with a disability prior to death, that would be reported. My hypothesis is that children who are disabled, including ADHD, are at higher risk for abuse, and murder by caregivers.

But, it is impossible to get the data for the research, because that information is never reported.

 

[PinkPrincessPoop]

I wish that if a child was diagnosed with a disability prior to death, that would be reported. My hypothesis is that children who are disabled, including ADHD, are at higher risk for abuse, and murder by caregivers.

But, it is impossible to get the data for the research, because that information is never reported.

Fun fact: disability rights laws exempts homeschooled children.

 

[Vail]

So this poor boys father was Tommy Tate, who the evil GM loved SO SO much . And TT passed away in 2018? I’m just trying to get this straight. Everyone has a different last name so it’s really confusing.

James Hurley is the son of Alicia Davis , who lives out of state, and the late Tommy Tate. From what I gather, Patricia Bates (aka Patricia Sasser) is Tommy Tate's mother, making her the paternal grandmother of James Hurley. Her current husband is James Sasser, also the father of James Sasser Jr, the 14 yr old. They also have a teenage daughter who is not implicated. Gage is a friend of James Sasser Jr.

 

[mickey2942]

Fun fact: disability rights laws exempts homeschooled children.

True, but often, if a parent is truly homeschooling the school district can still do an IEP and provide some services in the home. It depends on a lot of things.

 

[PinkPrincessPoop]

True, but often, if a parent is truly homeschooling the school district can still do an IEP and provide some services in the home. It depends on a lot of things.

Families with disabled homeschooled children CAN use these resources but unlike public school, it is not mandatory. Parents are allowed to waive this right if they are homeschooling. Evaluations must be consented by the parent. There is a bit of funding put aside for private schools (in most states, homeschool is technically a private school), but no individual homeschooled disabled child has a right to it and funding is not distributed evenly.

 

[mickey2942]

Either way, I appreciate parents who want to home school their children, but there needs to be more oversight of the children who are enrolled in home school, so that the bad parents are not isolating the child further to continue and escalate the abuse.

1. If either caregiver had ever been in prison, no home school.
2. If CPS had ever been contacted regarding child, no home school.
3. If the child is not living with biological parents, no home school.
4. If the family is receiving any public assistance, including medical or EBT, no home school.
(Public assistance is optional, so if they want to home school their kids, get off the public dime).

I could add more, and it probably wouldn't save a lot of kids, but there needs to be more oversight.

 

[shotgun09]

Just wondering, but where is the poor little 6 yr old uncle, who more than likely witnessed torture, terror and abuse? Is he in CPS custody, or with the aloof 18 year old who noticed a dying James, and texted her friends that she thought he was dead?

 

[NuttMegg]

Just wondering, but where is the poor little 6 yr old uncle, who more than likely witnessed torture, terror and abuse? Is he in CPS custody, or with the aloof 18 year old who noticed a dying James, and texted her friends that she thought he was dead?

I don't think that has been released. I hope he has decent relatives to step in.

Investigators: videos of James Alex Hurley, 12, appearing being tortured by members of his extended family before his death

"On Jan. 27, 2020 a video on Batts’ phone shows the boy only wearing underwear, being forced to stand in front of fans in the dining room. Throughout the video Batts is heard berating the boy, while the 6-year-old uncle is seen, acting as if it were a normal occurrence."

 

[Cortne]

I don't really follow this forum anymore because I find it too painful, but like a dummy I kind of peeked at this. I couldn't finish one msm article when I saw the warning of the content that would follow. I headed the warning because what I had already read was horrific. It bothered me until I finally fell asleep. This poor kid, can't even imagine his life with this disgusting family. And I seriously wonder wth is wrong our society. I hope they all get the max but reading through the trial info that Niner posts each week, I've somewhat lost faith in our justice system when comes to children. This has got to change.

I too cannot follow this one. Just had to peek, hits too close to home.
Much love peace and strength to all childhood abuse survivors!!
Im sorry this happened to you James.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Just wondering, but where is the poor little 6 yr old uncle, who more than likely witnessed torture, terror and abuse? Is he in CPS custody, or with the aloof 18 year old who noticed a dying James, and texted her friends that she thought he was dead?

Someone else in that household that is so accustomed to torture of a child?

 

[NuttMegg]

"The grandparents were charged under the felony murder law, alleging they committed felony aggravated assault that contributed to the boy's death.

Bail was set at $750,000 for Batts and $500,000 for Sasser. Boyer said he sought a higher bail for Batts because he believed her to be more culpable."

I wonder if he (grandfather Strasser Jr) is being charged because he witnessed some or all of it, or because it happened in his house (?), or because they have phone videos that do involve him.

I just don't see him listed as a perpetrator in the videos they released, but probably they have a lot more. (?)

Montana boy, 12, beaten by grandparents and 14-year-old uncle, prosecutors say

ETA: The 14 year old did send some horrible texts to his father, (the grandfather), re he was going to kill the boy today (para), and maybe a lot more which would show his inaction in protecting his grandson basically from murder by his own son.

 

[NuttMegg]

I too cannot follow this one. Just had to peek, hits too close to home.
Much love peace and strength to all childhood abuse survivors!!
Im sorry this happened to you James.

Unless there is a trial, we probably won't hear a lot more, imo. Because we already know "who did it" and there is no manhunt. I could predict the 18 year old friend might rat out the rest of them, and get immunity (jmo). If the 14 year old gets tried as juvey, isn't that private? Or not, I don't know.