PA - Helen Miller, 19, stabbed to death by sister, 14, Manheim Twp., Feb 2021

[Lusitana]

Oh... the parents had no contact with her since she was arrested, did they?

 

[MsBetsy]

Oh... the parents had no contact with her since she was arrested, did they?

I didn't read that, at least not in that article. She is probably allowed outgoing phone calls but I don't think we know if she has communicated with them. If the parents are included on the visitors list they should be allowed to visit. Maybe she doesn't want to speak to them.

Her parents must be devastated. I can't even imagine the pain they must feel. I'm sure they want to understand why and how their daughter was capable of doing such a thing.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Are they doing in person visits during Covid?

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I hope her parents have been able to talk to her. If not, that would be unimaginable.

 

[MsBetsy]

I hope her parents have been able to talk to her. If not, that would be unimaginable.

I think it would be up to the inmate. She may not be ready to face her parents yet. I'm not saying she hasn't, but I can understand the tremendous guilt and shame she must feel. If she doesn't, well, that's a whole different matter. That may be why her parents were trying to look closely at her. I noticed her attorney told her that her parents were in the room.

It sounds like her attorney has a good rapport with her, which is a good thing.

 

[MsBetsy]

Are they doing in person visits during Covid?

I don't think so, at least not until PA is in the green phase. Imo

 

[Lusitana]

It’s a bit weird how they had her waive the hearing just at the day of. It’s almost like the plan was to waive all along but she wanted her parents to see her or something like that.

 

[MsBetsy]

It’s a bit weird how they had her waive the hearing just at the day of. It’s almost like the plan was to waive all along but she wanted her parents to see her or something like that.

I could be wrong, but I think one reason for having her appear on video is to humanize her, and to emphasize how young she is. She appeared in pigtails and the lawyer asked her when she was going to send a letter. After all, he's trying to get her case moved to juvenile court. Imo

 

[Lusitana]

I could be wrong, but I think one reason for having her appear on video is to humanize her, and to emphasize how young she is. She appeared in pigtails and the lawyer asked her when she was going to send another letter. After all, he's trying to get her case moved to juvenile court. Imo

The bit about him asking about the letter was really weird. Made no sense to me whatsoever.

 

[MsBetsy]

The bit about him asking about the letter was really weird. Made no sense to me whatsoever.

Maybe he was just trying to make her feel comfortable. She was probably very nervous.

 

[realanastasia]

I was thinking about Helen Miller (and her parents) this Saturday when I was strolling around West Philadelphia and ended up waiting to cross the street directly in front of the HMS School, where Helen was a student. I'd never noticed it before, and it wouldn't have caught my eye this time had it not been for reading about it in the context of this case, but it did give me a pang of sadness to think of the happy and fulfilling experiences Helen likely had at the school before her life was tragically cut short.

I also think the reports from the court appearance are interesting. I interpreted the father peering closely at the screen in the same way as some of you--like he was searching for any signs of the daughter he thought he knew. This particular behavior also makes me think that perhaps CM and her parents have not been in regular contact (or seen each other) since her incarceration; the Muncy Correctional Institute where CM is currently being held appears to offer "video visits" in lieu of in-person visitation, and I just can't imagine that the father would have peered so intently at the screen showing CM during this court appearance if he had been regularly seeing her on video visits. All that is IMO/conjecture, though.

 

[Dancemom1]

If she is a sociopath she may not be feeling any guilt.

 

[Lusitana]

If she is a sociopath she may not be feeling any guilt.

The information we have makes it seem like she did feel guilt. At least to me it does.

 

[Shamrock1]

The information we have makes it seem like she did feel guilt. At least to me it does.

I agree. I see a terrified kid. JMO. Totally a gut feeling, but she strikes me as someone who could be rehabilitated and become a healthy, productive member of society with proper care & treatment.

 

[Lusitana]

I agree. I see a terrified kid. JMO. Totally a gut feeling, but she strikes me as someone who could be rehabilitated and become a healthy, productive member of society with proper care & treatment.

I hope so. What a horrible situation.

 

[K9Enzo]

Perhaps an unpopular opinion. I wouldn’t trust Claire Miller alone with anyone right now, especially another child. Not with the brutality of what she’s been charged with. I don’t believe at this stage, anyone can say what her future could hold. IMO

 

[Richrd]

Awaiting (Upper) Court Date*
.

Defendant:
Claire Elaina Miller, Now 15

- Manheim Township,
Lancaster County,
Pennsylvania -
- 22 February 2021 -

11)) NBC News:
Attorney for Lancaster County teen accused of killing sister plans insanity or mental health defense

12)) Google™ Supplements & Updates:
Claire Elaina Miller - Lancaster, PA - Google Search

14)) Pennsylvania Court Docket:
*https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/Report/MdjDocketSheet?docketNumber=MJ-02102-CR-0000057-2021&dnh=Uu1OQZZnPnnCj8BLJcwwJA==
via: Case Search

15)) Autopsy:
Cause of Death :: Stab Wound
Manner of Death :: Homicide
Mechanism of Death :: Exsanguination

16)) February 2021 -- Lancaster Online dot Com:
Read the criminal complaint: Lancaster Country Day School student charged with killing her sister
[GRAPHIC Text]

17)) PA "Juvenile Act"
Pennsylvania Statutes Title 42 Pa.C.S.A. Judiciary and Judicial Procedure § 6301 | FindLaw
​

& = And - [AMP' err sand]
§ = Section / Silcrow - [SILL' crow]
§§ = Sub-Section - [Double-Silcrow]
™ = Trademark
Autopsy = Body Examination to Determine Cause & Manner of Death
CP = (Upper) Court of Common Pleas
C.S.A. = Consolidated Statutes - Annotated
DA = District Attorney
Exsanguination = Major Blood Loss
F/14 = Female / Age 14
F/19 = Female / Age 19
F1 = Felony-Grade Crime of the 1st Degree
Fratricide = Killing of One's Sister
GED = General Equivalency High School Diploma
LCP = Lancaster County Prison
LE = Law Enforcement
LWOP = Life With-Out Parole
ME = Medical Examiner
MJ = (Lower) Magisterial District Judge Court
Ms. = Female Form of Mr. / Mister
via = by-way-of
YOA = Years of Age

Our Support to All Domestic Violence
Survivors and Victims...​

[Contribution # 7960
Thread # 560437]
.

 

[SarahW]

I feel like this will either be explained as a misguided attempt at a "mercy killing" (i.e., CM thought that HM was suffering due to her disability) OR the result of one sibling resenting the fact that their sibling demanded so much time/attention from their parents (through no fault of the sibling's own).

Or she was forced into a caregiving role.

 

[Shamrock1]

I don’t really see this as a “forced caregiving” situation. Pre-covid, Helen attended school in Philadelphia - at least an hour away, depending on traffic. The parents seem to have both girls’ interests worked out: house was in the name of Helen’s trust, Helen attended a wonderful, specialized school, and Claire attended prep school. Many prep schools require participation in extracurricular activities so her (pre-covid) day would be unlikely to end at dismissal.

I see this more as an awful mental health break and a vulnerable sibling. Hope the poor parents are managing.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I'm not sure why any of the below could rule out her thinking that she was responsible for caring for her sister and it just became too much for her. And possibly thinking that she would always be in that position may have occurred to her.

And like the expession says, one day she snapped.

I don’t really see this as a “forced caregiving” situation. Pre-covid, Helen attended school in Philadelphia - at least an hour away, depending on traffic. The parents seem to have both girls’ interests worked out: house was in the name of Helen’s trust, Helen attended a wonderful, specialized school, and Claire attended prep school. Many prep schools require participation in extracurricular activities so her (pre-covid) day would be unlikely to end at dismissal.

I see this more as an awful mental health break and a vulnerable sibling. Hope the poor parents are managing.