GUILTY NY - Erin Maxwell, 11, found hanged, Palermo, 29 Aug 2008

[PrayersForMaura]

where and when did they get 100 cats? I thought the last time they were checked on by DHS was in 2006, they only had 7? They must have gotten almost 100 cats in 2 years. Crazy. Where did they find them all??
Or were they hiding in the master bedroom the whole time that the parents wouldn't let them see their room?

 

[MeoW333]

"Lindsey explained to police that "she always goes to bed around 6:00pm right after she eats dinner. She usually eats dinner in her bedroom and we usually eat dinner in the living room."

http://www.9wsyr.com/mostpopular/story.aspx?content_id=12d5a7c1-bacd-478d-a518-2e2c8c030106

Now why on earth would an 11 year old girl always eat in her room and the rest of the family eat together in the living room??
Lock them all up for murder; they probably planned it all out together for some sick reason or another. Why did they keep her locked in her room with 3 locks on the door?
They probably killed her thinking they'd get away with it. The poor thing was probably ready to turn them in.

 

[MeoW333]

"Then there was her habit of stealing food from other students. Her fifth grade teacher says that one day she "asked her why... Erin broke down and cried then told us she was hungry."
So the principal got involved, and called the Maxwells to offer them an application for free or reduced price school lunches. When the Maxwells refused, "I ended up personally paying for erin's food," the principal said."


http://www.9wsyr.com/mostpopular/story.aspx?content_id=12d5a7c1-bacd-478d-a518-2e2c8c030106

New York State is a disgrace; with all this evidence and the amount of times social services was called and CPS they should have taken this child out of their care a long time ago.

 

[ArizonaGiGi]

Anybody ever notice how when a child is starved to death, the rest of the family members are usually "overfed".

 

[MeoW333]

Anybody ever notice how when a child is starved to death, the rest of the family members are usually "overfed".

I have noticed that as well; in a number of cases..

 

[believe09]

I have noticed that as well; in a number of cases..

It's gotta be part of the "kick" or the selfishness that creates the situation to begin with.

I swore I was done posting on this case and here I am again-the child was isolated and her parents did not care enough about her to feed her or fill out the paperwork that would allow her to be fed at least one square meal per day.

:behindbar:behindbar:behindbar:behindbar:behindbar

 

[MissieMt]

Lyn1001, thank you for posting your personal knowledge on this subject. I agree that we shouldn't be blaming only the caseworkers and if I have I am sorry.
I DO however, blame the system that completely, 100%, without a doubt, FAILED poor Erin. I blame those who sit idley by and allow the system to work in such a screwed up manner, and I blame those who have first hand knowledge of the backward thinking of the system and do nothing to change it.
I'm sorry if this offends anyone but there were red flags flying up EVERYWHERE around this poor little girl-and those who tried to do something about it were completely blown off by the system that is supposed to know what is best for children. It is down right unacceptable and disgusting in my opinion.

 

[believe09]

Lynn, what would make sense if someone told you that you could re-write the laws associated with social work? I mean, what is realistic?

 

[MrsG728]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/10/07/child.killed.charges.ap/index.html

FULTON, New York (AP) -- A man was charged Tuesday in the strangling death of his 11-year-old stepsister who was starved by her parents and slept in a locked room inside an upstate New York house filled with garbage and more than 100 cats, police said.
Alan Jones, 27, was indicted on a second-degree murder charge in the death of Erin Maxwell on August 29. The girl died a day after she was found unconscious in her bedroom with a green cord around her neck, one end caught on a nail in a window frame.

 

[believe09]

I am not being salacious, but didn't the original stories include sexual assault? I am becoming nauseous at the scenario unfolding here, and the last terror filled hours of this child.

 

[Lyn1001]

Lynn, what would make sense if someone told you that you could re-write the laws associated with social work? I mean, what is realistic?

To be perfectly honest, nothing is realistic. The system, in theory, is a great idea. However, there is no good way to put it into practice. Due to the fact that a lot of gut feelings are involved, so many things are subjective, and there are always going to be both bad and overzealous workers. If the laws are written too strict, people will be losing their kids to the system left and right. If they're too lienient, then kids who should be removed will stay in the home. There are plenty of cases on each side. And that's just at the first line. Then you have the courts to deal with. Sometimes it comes down to which judge you're in front of. Then you go even further to everything being overlooked by the state or the federal government. As a worker, you do what you can. You try to help. Sometimes you have a feeling it will turn out bad, but there is nothing legally you can do. You either get shot down by "higher ups" or the court. You just have to know you did the best you could. And if something does happen, and the media doesn't have the whole story, you have to know in your heart that you tried.

As an aside, until you have a case in the media, you don't really realize how much they get wrong! You also don't realize how many "official statements" don't include the whole story.

 

[RainbowsAndGumdrops]

I don't know why I am on such a high horse today about the safe haven rules, but this is exactly why those safe haven rules are needed for older kids. Erin would be in a sucky situation knowing she wasn't wanted and that she was dumped at a hospital, but at least she'd be alive if she were taken to a safe haven. The family could/would continue living their pathetic life and continue to pretend Erin didn't exist. The difference is that Erin would have a chance in life if there were a safe haven she could be left at - and that the family were willing to take her to.

 

[Txmom]

I have been thinking about Erin for the past 4-5 days. She was at an age that she could verbalize what was going on in the home, she knew that she was hungry and was digging in the trash cans for food, she knew that she smelled, and she most likely was being sexually assulted in her home by her step-brother.

We have to establish some type of system that is "better" than what we have. Maybe we need to take children of this age out of the home, and down to sometype of "home" style like office building. Something that is like an office, but yet could house children for overnights if possible. And "interview" them and find out whats going on in their lives. But in reality, the neighbors, teachers, etc., knew what was going on and the state blew it.

As I have say many times, at the age of 51 I have no business raising more children, but she would have been welcomed with open arms into our home. My daughter and son would have absolutely loved to have had a sister.

 

[ArizonaGiGi]

I hope he gets the max 25 years. Too bad they can't give him more. And baby killers don't fare well in prison. He will get lots of special attention in there. Every single day. And night.
Now it's time for the Dad and Step-Mom to pay.

 

[Jesikah1]

Could somebody explain to me why he would get a second degree murder charge as opposed to a first degree charge? I really don't understand the nuances of this. I'm off to look for the answer on the web, but I am sure somebody here will give a more straight forward answer that I can actually understand!

I am not being salacious, but didn't the original stories include sexual assault? I am becoming nauseous at the scenario unfolding here, and the last terror filled hours of this child.

Believe09

Yes if I remember correctly one newspaper article actually said that Sexual Assault was listed as a secondary cause of death, but I am working on memory, but I'm positive that sexual assault was part of this poor girl's world. This story simply makes me sick. :furious:

 

[Jesikah1]

Believe09: Here is the information regarding the Sexual Trauma
http://www.9wsyr.com/mostpopular/story.aspx?content_id=12d5a7c1-bacd-478d-a518-2e2c8c030106
"Lanza and the family produced what they say is the official death certificate -- asphyxia is listed as the primary cause of death; sexual trauma is listed as a contributing factor. The family says they have no explanation for the sexual trauma, but point to the month and a half Erin spent in Nevada visiting relatives this summer"

The interesting part is that I found no other mention of the sexual assault, which is peculiar, it seems that if it was indeed found to have occurred, there would be more mention of it by prosecutors and reporters. So at this point I'm less sure about this aspect of the case, but it was brought up by the family themselves. My guess is that it did occur.

 

[believe09]

Thank you for the link-it is beyond sickening to have sexual trauma listed as a CONTRIBUTING to COD...that is how I am interpreting this. I suspect that this is why the family is quick to indicate that angel-baby hung herself...I am puzzled by the concept that a child of this age could have killed herself in this fashion, accident or otherwise because we can all read between the lines as to what they are trying to imply.

Man this case is getting to me-I can not let it go.

 

[cinegal]

I apologize if this has been previously posted:

http://justiceforerin.webs.com/index.htm

 

[ckwood32]

http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/sto...-Alan-Jones-trial/zTdC7uwVDEqdKHu0j0ihuQ.cspx
This creep is finally on trial!!!

 

[ckwood32]

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/judge_in_erin_maxwell_murder_t.html
I pray for Justice for this sweet baby!