Testimony continues in Summer Phelps case
November 5, 2008
Although there were troubling clues, 4-year-old Summer Phelps' severe abuse remained invisible to the nurses who visited her family and went unreported by the residents of the Spokane apartment building where she lived.
That's according to testimony Tuesday in the Spokane County Superior Court trial of Jonathan Lytle, Summer's father, who is charged with homicide by abuse.
Nobody caught enough of the danger signs to save Summer.
Sandra Gormon-Brown, a First Steps social worker, said she first visited the family in July 2006, shortly after the birth of Johnny Lytle, the son of Lytle and his wife, Adriana Lytle.
~snip~
She described Summer as a "darling little girl" whose speech was delayed. She also noted in her reports that Adriana was "too harsh" with Summer.
~snip~
Adriana Lytle canceled a second visit on Jan. 10, 2007, and during her February visit, Harms said Adriana Lytle didn't let her see Summer, saying the child was asleep in the bathroom and shouldn't be disturbed.
~snip~
Linda Davis, who was staying at the Dresden Apartments where the Lytles lived, told the jury she heard "lots of crying and screaming" in the Lytle apartment, with "mentally abusive" words used against Summer by her stepmother. After Christmas, she saw a collar around Summer's neck that later proved to be a dog shock collar. Bryon J. Rogers, a painter who lives at the Dresden, said he worried about the safety of the Lytles' baby because he'd heard Adriana Lytle scream at him.
More at link:
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/local/story.asp?ID=267246
Attention all Social Workers: When you hear that a child is 'asleep in the bathroom' .... there's a huge clue that something might be wrong! :doh:
To any "neighbor" that hears lots of crying and screaming from a neighboring child, you might want to think about picking up the phone and asking the police to do a wellness check on the child.
Maybe, if we all pay attention, we can prevent the next "Summer" from the same fate.