ND - Dana Deegan charged in death of newborn, Mandaree, 20 Oct 1998

[daisy7]

O/T - Can anyone tell me if I am doing the right thing here? I have noticed that older cases come up at the bottom of threads and that a lot of the cases didn't have a final disposition in them. I thought it might be helpful if I could post the sentences received in these cases and so have been researching and updating them. Does that just clog up the board or is this wanted information?

Yes, this is wanted information. Thanks for researching the final outcome and posting about it :blowkiss:

 

[gogrannypop]

O/T - Can anyone tell me if I am doing the right thing here? I have noticed that older cases come up at the bottom of threads and that a lot of the cases didn't have a final disposition in them. I thought it might be helpful if I could post the sentences received in these cases and so have been researching and updating them. Does that just clog up the board or is this wanted information?

Personally, I like what you are doing.

 

[BeanE]

O/T - Can anyone tell me if I am doing the right thing here? I have noticed that older cases come up at the bottom of threads and that a lot of the cases didn't have a final disposition in them. I thought it might be helpful if I could post the sentences received in these cases and so have been researching and updating them. Does that just clog up the board or is this wanted information?

I think it's just wonderful, Belinda, and I'm very grateful. Thank you so much for caring, and for spending the time to do all this work!

:blowkiss:

 

[kbl8201]

10 years?

this is getting ridiculous how lenient they are going on baby killers.

she wasnt a teeneger even (not that that's an excuse) and she alledgedly worked to 'help'kids. yet she left her newborn baby to rot..

absurd

 

[Missizzy]

Yes, the relative family who took in the other children will be eligible for federal IV-E adoption or foster care assistance and the children will be categorically eligible for full medical care, through age 21.

The federal Child Welfare Act of 1980 has special provisions for tribal children. Being that this woman had knowledge of the system, I fail to see why she did not avail herself of every possible appropriate service to assist with the needs of this child. It makes me very sad.

She should have known about and been able to access those services. Being that she had dedicated so much of her life to children's issues, I have to believe that she must have suffered some sort of postpartum depression, which clouded her thinking. I'm not saying that others have to believe this. I'm merely saying that I do.

 

[kbl8201]

thats good, cause i dont buy it.

 

[Beyond Belief]

She didn't share the fact of being pregnant with anyone, this was premediated murder, she should have gotten life. Starvation is a horrible way to die.

 

[Missizzy]

Read the statistics about numerous babies close in age and PPD. She had 1, 2 and 5 year olds "living with her" (were there other children or were some of these kids adopted or foster children?) when she gave birth. From what I can tell, this is very out of character. I'm saying the woman was overwhelmed and not thinking clearly. It's sad to me that family members or friends didn't see the risk here.

Of course she committed a crime but you know me, kbl, I want everyone to learn from this so the next newborn doesn't get left to die. Had she had the appropriate support, maybe the baby wouldn't be dead and three other kids displaced. It's very sad on so many levels.

 

[kbl8201]

mizz iz maybe if she hadnt been cold blooded the baby wouldnt be dead and her other kids displaced....

 

[Belinda]

Leaving the baby alone to starve to death moves it to a whole other level IMO. That is a particularly cold way of disposing of "the problem".

 

[not_my_kids]

Yes, please keep updating. I know this has to be tedious, but it is really helpful. Thank you so much.

Back on topic.
I know the easy answer is evil, but I wonder about the motivations here. This woman had to have known about the available programs that she could have chosen instead of murder. She obviously had no issues with leaving her child, that much is perfectly clear. She had diapers, she would have access, with her job, to all of the needed services including treatment for depression, if that was indeed part of her problem.

These cases are so difficult for me, simply because of the seeming lack of emotion. To me, even malice is better than nothing. But, in this case, she simply let her child die of apathy, and that, to me, is the saddest thing possible.

 

[southernbrunette]

No Safe Haven laws in ND where she could have dropped the baby off - no questions asked - at a hospital or fire station and never had to tell any one that she gave birth? Surely if there were safe haven laws she'd know about that in her position!

 

[kbl8201]

given her occupation and her age (27 i think) im at a total loss for her actions.