GUILTY OH - Zuri Whitehead, 2 mos, beaten to death, 11yo girl charged, 6 Feb 2015

[sallye818]

It's quite disconcerting that with 2 children closer to her own age why did this 11yo want the baby to sleep over?... at 9:30.... on the couch @ 3:00am


:cow:

From the Daily Mail article below:
The babysitter told a 911 dispatcher the girl was breathing 'a little bit' but her eyes were closed, according to WOIO.

She also told the dispatcher Zuri was in her daughter's bed at the time of the incident.Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...eveland-Ohio-taken-custody.html#ixzz3RxrSU792
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Could it have happened this way...could the mom have pressured the 11yo to take the baby upstairs so Mom could get some sleep (after all, she could've said 'you're the one who wanted the sleepover'), and then the baby wouldn't stop crying .... maybe having a really fussy night. I know most kids wouldn't beat the baby to death, but maybe if this 11yo didn't feel like she could "bother" her mom, she might've lashed out. An immature 11yo may not understand the implications of "beating" a baby, esp. if she were subject to "beatings" herself. Totally mho and speculation.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

It seems odd that a mom of a newborn would get a call from a friend at 9:30 pm, asking to come over and take the infant for a sleepover, and she would say OK. When your baby is only 2 months old, they are kind of attached on a golden string to you. It took a lot for me to allow someone to even walk in the other room with my newborn, let alone take her away for the night. Seems kind of odd, imo.

Yes, exactly, that's what I observed with my baby nephew. At the very least, mom needs to be around for feedings at odd times since most are usually not sleeping through the night yet, are they? And maybe a little something in their tummy soothes them back to sleep?

Well I am assuming Trina was nursing Zuri and maybe she wasn't, but then again, don't even formula-fed babies eat better when mom gives them the formula?

As I said I am not a parent so I am seriously ignorant on such topics, so if I'm mistaken on any baby lore I welcome correction.

In any case, now that I met my new nephew and watched his excellent, loving, experienced mom care for him, I can see much more clearly how weird this story is. I agree with everyone who said there are pieces missing.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I know most kids wouldn't beat the baby to death, but maybe if this 11yo didn't feel like she could "bother" her mom, she might've lashed out. An immature 11yo may not understand the implications of "beating" a baby, esp. if she were subject to "beatings" herself. Totally mho and speculation.

Snipped for focus

I clearly remember being 11 years old. That's a sixth-grader on the cusp of puberty--and unless seriously developmentally delayed, quite old enough to understand the implications of beating a baby.

Your theory about beating the baby to make her be quiet so as not to "bother" her mom makes sense except for the fact that the girl woke her mom up showing her the injured baby.

It seems to me that if she wanted the baby to be quiet so as not to bother her mom, once the baby got quiet due to her injuries, the girl would have relaxed and let the baby be.

IDK, just speculating too.

 

[katydid23]

I just am having trouble with the story that it was the 11 yr old that was insisting on the sleepover---even though the infants mom did not want it at first. It all seems so odd. Why at 9;30 at night does an 11 yr old want a newborn to come sleepover? And even weirder, why do the 2 moms agree to it?

I could understand if they were all together that day and they saw that mom was tired and they said ' hey. we will continue our visit and watch her overnight.' That might make more sense. But this story does not ring true as told, imo. Something is missing from the story, imo.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I can envision a scenario in which a maternal kid insisted on a sleepover because--as I think another poster put it upthread--she wanted to play Little Mama.

However, I agree, I can't envision the adults agreeing to it.

I also agree, much is missing from the story. I hope we eventually find out what.

 

[katydid23]

I can envision a scenario in which a maternal kid insisted on a sleepover because--as I think another poster put it upthread--she wanted to play Little Mama.

However, I agree, I can't envision the adults agreeing to it.

I also agree, much is missing from the story. I hope we eventually find out what.

True, if she was a maternal type and wanted to play 'Mama' it would make sense---except for the deadly beating. That part is hard to figure. Except maybe she had a fantasy of having a sweet little baby doll, but of course baby was not going to cooperate. She was hungry and missing her mum, and was probably inconsolable. Poor sweetheart. :rose:

 

[Steleheart]

I'm still stuck on the couch. Why weren't the children in bed? 3:30 am the child wakes the mom and shows her the injured baby.
It's not a healthy situation for the infant or the child IMO, if it starts out unhealthy it ends unhealthy. Dysfunctional.

:cow:

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Oh, one last thing I wanted to say here.

If the girl is little, I think prematurity is one of the least likely causes.

I say this as one born after 8 months gestation back in the Mesozoic age. Even after having skipped a grade of school (they let some kids do this back in the Mesozoic age), I wasn't noticeably smaller than my classmates, worse luck. As an adult, I am above average in height for American women, and I have never been underweight in my life, worse luck!

My mom, born full term even earlier in the Mesozoic age than I, is a tiny little thing whom I have towered over since reaching puberty.

I'm rambling, but my point is that premature birth does not necessarily equate to being smaller than average throughout life.

ETA: For crying out loud, I meant to say AFTER ONLY 8 months gestation. In other words, I was a month early. And I went home from the hospital after 3 days at most.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

True, if she was a maternal type and wanted to play 'Mama' it would make sense---except for the deadly beating. That part is hard to figure. Except maybe she had a fantasy of having a sweet little baby doll, but of course baby was not going to cooperate. She was hungry and missing her mum, and was probably inconsolable. Poor sweetheart. :rose:

Excellent point. A child genuinely playing Mama would seek the assistance of an adult if the baby wouldn't stop crying. Not beat her to death to make her shut up.

Good grief, when my infant nephew started crying while I was holding him, I immediately returned him to his mom in the hope of relieving his distress ASAP.

The more I think about it, the less this story makes sense.

 

[blue22]

From the Daily Mail article below:
The babysitter told a 911 dispatcher the girl was breathing 'a little bit' but her eyes were closed, according to WOIO.

She also told the dispatcher Zuri was in her daughter's bed at the time of the incident.Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...eveland-Ohio-taken-custody.html#ixzz3RxrSU792
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Could it have happened this way...could the mom have pressured the 11yo to take the baby upstairs so Mom could get some sleep (after all, she could've said 'you're the one who wanted the sleepover'), and then the baby wouldn't stop crying .... maybe having a really fussy night. I know most kids wouldn't beat the baby to death, but maybe if this 11yo didn't feel like she could "bother" her mom, she might've lashed out. An immature 11yo may not understand the implications of "beating" a baby, esp. if she were subject to "beatings" herself. Totally mho and speculation.

BBM.

I keep asking myself, what 11 year old wouldn't understand you can't beat a baby. Then you said that. What if beatings were the NORM for her and you make noise and you get beat?

 

[sallye818]

Snipped for focus

I clearly remember being 11 years old. That's a sixth-grader on the cusp of puberty--and unless seriously developmentally delayed, quite old enough to understand the implications of beating a baby.

I have an 11 1/2 yo daughter, so I know 11 yo's too. But I said an IMMATURE 11yo...I was thinking, developmentally delayed or having some sort of mental issue. Yes, most 11 yo's would know full well the consequences, but I'm not sure this child did. I don't think she meant to kill the baby, I honestly think she was trying to make her be quiet and didn't have the experience or help to do it. Someone mentioned maybe she was "taking the fall" for someone else...roundabout, this might be true. By that I mean it was the adult (Mom's) job to be responsible while the infant was in her home and she turned that responsibility over to this young 11yo, who obviously didn't know how to handle a small baby. So, I believe that the girl did this deed, but I don't believe it was premeditated or intended. Factor in that she may have been used to abuse herself to "keep quiet" or "behave" and I think this was a horrible perfect storm:tears:

 

[1&2&3]

After rereading this sad story, now my thought is baby was asleep in car seat, they had to have it to bring her over to their house. Mom and daughter were asleep on couch. Daughter decided to take baby to her room, to her bed, and mom did not know it. It was a sleepover after all.

When daughter takes sleeping Zuri out of car seat in her bedroom, she wakes up and starts fussing. Daughter has no idea what to do to get her to be quite, and as we know, wake a sleeping infant and Zuri just cried harder and louder. Daughter has not been around infants and has no idea this is normal. Daughter is upset that her Live Baby Doll is not happy. Zuri is not playing the game daughter had planned.

All daughter knows as a means of correction is hitting/spanking. Zuri continues to scream that newborn cry! Daughter doesn't know her strength until baby has quieted down, and daughter realizes something is wrong.

How and why did mom not hear Zuri's screams? A newborn cry is not one to sleep thru, let alone if you are babysitting, one should be on full alert.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.wfmynews2.com/story/news/crime/2015/02/26/11-year-old-charged-with-murder/24089159/

At a Monday detention hearing, Judge Karen Lawson of Lake County Juvenile Court entered a not guilty plea on murder charges for the girl... she will remain in custody in Lake County Juvenile Detention Center in Painesville...

Ohio law prohibits the girl from being tried as an adult; the youngest age allowed is 14. However, an 11-year-old can be sentenced to a state Department of Youth Services facility until age 21.

 

[JanetElaine]

http://www.wfmynews2.com/story/news/crime/2015/02/26/11-year-old-charged-with-murder/24089159/

That is so weird... all the info in that article is old, yet the date on it shows February 26th. The guilty plea was entered on Feb 9th and the funeral was on the 14th... how would something like that happen in a newspaper?

Thanks for posting it anyway, OkieGranny.

 

[sallye818]

Any news on this case? I think often of baby Zuri...

 

[MsMarple]

Any news on this case? I think often of baby Zuri...

So do I.

The only thing I found was this:

The second competency hearing for an 11-year-old Wickliffe girl accused of murdering a 2-month-old baby has been rescheduled to June 1.

http://www.news-herald.com/general-...ed-for-wickliffe-girl-accused-of-killing-baby

 

[StarrChance]

Girl charged in baby's death not competent to stand trail

http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/loca...babys-death-not-competent-for-trial/29952923/

 

[Rayemonde]

Sept 2015:

The mother of an 11-year-old Wickliffe girl accused of murdering a baby earlier this year has lost custody of her daughter.

A Lake County Juvenile Court Judge on Monday placed the girl in the custody of the Lake County Department of Job and Family Services.

...the 40-year-old mother is not able to properly care for her daughter since both have serious mental health issues...

The girl will be released in about a week from the juvenile detention center where she has spent over seven months. The Department of Job and Family Services will determine whether she will be placed with a relative, in a residential facility or in foster care.

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/09/mother_of_11-year-old_wickliff.html