GUILTY OR - Sahara Dwight, 5, raped & murdered, Roseburg, 9 July 2010

[JoeFromLB]

http://www.kmtr.com/news/local/stor...Roseburg-for-rape/oIR0YXJuZEGZrn_cKPEndQ.cspx

Roseburg Police say 5 people were in the home when the crime happened overnight. Two adults were home, including the victim’s mother, and the victim’s mother’s boyfriend.

Three minors were also in the home including the 5 year-old victim, another uninjured child and the 16-year-old suspect.

Roseburg Police say the 16 year-old suspect is the son of the mother’s boyfriend.

 

[2goldfish]

http://www.kcby.com/news/local/98127224.html

oh Izzy, boy 16 charged with murder & rape

oh god...I just started reading this from original post down, was surprised at myself to read article and immediately get the feeling parents were not involved and wondered if it was unresolved medical issue, I was floored to then read this, how terrible, awful, distressing, sickening, tragic....I am out of synonyms...

 

[gypsy gal]

I am thankful that they are going to try him as an adult.
http://www.kcby.com/news/local/98145429.html

I hope police are interviewing all of the children that he had contact with over the last couple of years. I have a feeling there could be more victims. This case has been so sad for me. It is so horrible to think about a sweet and innocent little girl having to have her short little life come to such a tragic and awful end.

 

[Krystylsea]

This is spooky, hopefully not tied to Kyron case as the bro lives there now with his father..

 

[Salem]

And there is this story out of LA - LA-8-year-old dead, 16 year old in custody, St. Francisville - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Another 16 year old murdering an 8 year old. Why? Why?

This story just breaks my heart. I don't even know what to say.

I'm sending prayers to Sahara's family,

Salem

 

[Missizzy]

I can't tell you why the boy raped but I think I know why the child died. I think I know as a few of mine almost died the same way. Teens aren't as skilled at understanding how long someone can go without breathing. During the rape, the rapist often covers the mouth of the child so that they can't scream and only releases their hands when they are certain they have gotten the victim under control with whispered threats. Teens and those with cognitive challenges can sorely miscalculate and smother the child. I don't know if everyone noticed but Dustin is 6'3" and most 5 year old girls are very small.

I know this as one of my little girls stopped breathing during one of her rapes. This why this case hurts so much. This literally rattled me to the core as I, too, was nearby when my children were raped. In school, their teachers were nearby. A single scream could have caught the rapist but my children didn't fight. They desperately wanted to please the rapist as they wanted him to be their "grown-up friend". Plus, there was the threat that there would be murders if they ever told. They believed him and kept silent. I have to admit that there was a secret part of me that was angry that they didn't fight back. Now, I'm just counting my blessings that they didn't. They all lived.

The child's very life hangs by the slender thread controlled by the rapist.

 

[RoseWhite]

I've thought of the mouth/nose covering scenario and it haunts me.

So sorry for you and your family's pain, Missizzy. I know there really aren't words.

 

[SunnieRN]

http://www.kcby.com/news/local/98127224.html

oh Izzy, boy 16 charged with murder & rape

http://www.kmtr.com/news/local/stor...Roseburg-for-rape/oIR0YXJuZEGZrn_cKPEndQ.cspx

Roseburg Police say 5 people were in the home when the crime happened overnight. Two adults were home, including the victim’s mother, and the victim’s mother’s boyfriend.

Three minors were also in the home including the 5 year-old victim, another uninjured child and the 16-year-old suspect.

Roseburg Police say the 16 year-old suspect is the son of the mother’s boyfriend.

I hope and pray that the people who are responsible for sentencing these "boys" take into account the number of years they can still be a threat to children. Please be kind to children that could potentially become future victims.

 

[Missizzy]

Thank you for that comment, Sunnie. I'm sure you all know that I don't sleep at night due to worry. Our children's rapist, who was found guilty of 12 counts--many first degree rape and sodomy convictions, was released at age 25. He walks as a free man; no post prison supervision nor court-ordered therapy. All he has to do is register on his birthday and if he moves. Of course, I know that this is a hindrance to employment but it's nothing compared to the pain our family will carry the rest of our lives.

I live in absolute terror that he's going to strike again. I can bear a whole lot. That, I don't think I could.

 

[ella971]

Thank you for that comment, Sunnie. I'm sure you all know that I don't sleep at night due to worry. Our children's rapist, who was found guilty of 12 counts--many first degree rape and sodomy convictions, was released at age 25. He walks as a free man; no post prison supervision nor court-ordered therapy. All he has to do is register on his birthday and if he moves. Of course, I know that this is a hindrance to employment but it's nothing compared to the pain our family will carry the rest of our lives.

I live in absolute terror that he's going to strike again. I can bear a whole lot. That, I don't think I could.

Oh God! Heart wrenching.I'm so,so sorry.My prayers to you and your family.

 

[Missizzy]

http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20100710/NEWS/100719998/1063/NEWS&ParentProfile=1055

Teen accused of murdering Roseburg girl to appear in court

"A 16-year-old boy accused of raping and murdering a 5-year-old Roseburg girl is set to have his first court appearance on Monday.

Dustin Michael Wallace will be arraigned at 1:15 p.m. Monday in Douglas County Circuit Court, Douglas County District Attorney Rick Wesenberg said Friday.

Wallace was arrested Friday afternoon in connection to the death of a 5-year-old girl whom relatives have identified as Sahara Dwight...."

more at link

 

[RoseWhite]

A community grieves for a little girl. Touching words at the link.

http://kezi.com/news/local/180928

<respectfully snipped>

Roseburg resident Mona Bly doesn't even know the family. But she says, as a mother...

"I've been bawling my eyes out. I couldn't stop thinking about the mom, I couldn't stop thinking about the mommy."

Flowers, card, and teddy bear in hand, she hugged a family member, asking how Sahara's mom is holding up.

"She's in the same room, in the same house where her little girl was being murdered. What do you do with those emotions?"

Sahara's family packed up the house. While down the street, Hawkins was still trying to figure out her own emotions.

"Not going to let them (daughters) go to anyone's house now because you never know."

She's even planning to call a child pyschologist for her daughter.

"It's got to be traumatizing at 7-years-old to find out a friend of yours, that this happened," she said.

When you think of how tall 5-year-olds are, they need to be helped, need to be protected," Bly said.

 

[Missizzy]

Nothing is more important to me than the truth. Every word I ever post on WS has to pass a "litmus test" for me--I simply pretend that our children's rapist or his family is reading my words. I have no doubt that they are. I mentioned 12 counts upthread. I went back and checked as I do NOT want to err:

Sex Abuse in the 3rd Degree: 3 convictions
Rape in the 1st Degree: 2 convictions
Sodomy in the 1st Degree: 5 convictions
Sex Abuse in the 1st Degree: 2 convictions

These are convictions involving victims who were 7-12 at the time of disclosures (1998), although each is developmentally disabled and therefore was not functioning at that chronological age. Only a few have progressed beyond the developmental level they were at in 1998.

One point I'd like to make, concerning the case at hand, is that this young man was known to the family. I know much will be made as to "where was this child's mother?" and that could end up being a pertinent issue BUT I want to remind everyone that the most common abuser is known to the victim. The perp spends a lot of time, not only grooming his/her victim but also the caregivers of the child.

 

[STEADFAST]

The father of the suspect also has a 13 yo daughter. I hope people are checking that she has not also been sexually assaulted.
The father's non-private facebook page lists his children and their ages.

 

[JoeFromLB]

I just saw the suspect's booking photo. He's got a dead look in his eyes. Totally blank expression. Very disturbing. He also looks older than 16 to me.

 

[gypsy gal]

This young man needs to pay. I live in Douglas County, but I don't think I need to subject myself to the appearance, what do you guys think? If you want me to, I would go if I could make the drive into town.

Missizzy -- I want to tell you that oddly enough I was thinking about your story today. I did not yet realize that you were posting on this thread. I thanked you many months for a heart wrenching story of the abuse that your children suffered. It is brave of you to share your story.

I also hope they are checking into this guys history. he is only 16, sure, but he killed and raped a 5 year old to death there may be many other victims in his past.

 

[Missizzy]

I'm going out on a limb here and if I get shouted down, so be it. Why do so many young men arrested for rape happen to be of larger than average size? Surely, there are smaller men who are convicted of child rape, but in my very non-scientific overview, there seems to be something about large guys. A little girl would have no chance against a young man so big and strong and so driven to offend.

I haven't found where Dustin went to school yet (which seems odd) but I wonder if he's an athlete. The articles say that he lives part time with his dad in Roseburg and with his mom in Hugo (a very small town near Grants Pass). What I'm getting at is whether he's had karate, ball skills, weightlifting, or wrestling skills instilled in him from a young age. That could make him even stronger than he realizes.

There are three possible public schools that I can come up with; North Valley High School in Grants Pass, Roseburg and Phoenix Charter High Schools in Roseburg. Being 16, I'd think that he's just completely his 9th or 10th grade.

And I certainly do not have a prejudice against larger men...my husband is a bigger guy. I'm just left with the haunting image of Lennie in "Of Mice and Men" and a particular very disabled but very large young teen (almost 300 lbs.) we fostered for 6 months. He had no idea as to his strength and had the mental level of a 7 year old.

 

[Missizzy]

The fact that Dustin has a younger sister and seemed to move about this housing complex (never to be identified on WS, I hope, as to the socio-economic level!!!) with great freedom, I am almost certain that this young man's first victim was not sweet Sahara. The only way I can see that happening is if he had recently started using meth. Then all bets are off.

 

[RoseWhite]

I don't know why, but I think that this is a first time offense in this case. It doesn't make it any less tragic... in a way I think if it is true, it makes it all the more horrifying.

The grace of the universe is taking care of little sweet Sahara now. As will it take care of Dustin.

 

[Missizzy]

Can I ask, RoseWhite, what brings you to this conclusion? I'm curious. You might be right but according to this book, the average age of the first offense for juvenile offenders is 10-12:

http://books.google.com/books?id=ui...age first offense youth sex offenders&f=false

We surely know that our children were not the first victims for their rapist. He'd been noted to have inappropriate sexualized behavior since pre-school and also had a long history of animal torture. My guess is that more will be learned about this young man. Hopefully.

I not only want justice. I'm always looking for societal implications.