WV WV - Hevin Jenkins, 2, Cabell County, 15 December 2005

[GreenEyedGirl]

You know, I can only visit this site every so often....if I come here too often, I'm totally depressed for days. I can't understand how people can get so angry or be so dumb or neglectful that they do such horrible things to innocent children.
I REALLY think there needs to be a movement that insists on some legislation to find a way to protect these kids.
I guess I think it needs to start at the hospital when these kids are born. I don't know...maybe parents need to undergo some sort of psychological test before they are allowed to take their kids home from the hospital...maybe it should be manadatory for all parents - and a social worker should have to do a visit to the home to see if it is fit. Maybe friends , neighbors , family should be questioned . Like you should have to bring in character witnesses or something to be questioned. I know people are probably rolling their eyes at what I'm saying....but it's a sad day when it's harder to adopt a pet from the humane society than to take an innocent child home.

I know this all sounds impossible because of the work load it would create and how much it would cost.....but what other answer is there?

Remember many years ago when there was no MADD and drunks were virtually given a slap on the wrist when they hit and injured/killed someone ( I have personal experience with this - my husbands sister and her friend were killed in 1980 by a drunk - and he got 6 months in jail and a $500 fine....real STIFF penalty....people saw him back in bars right afterwards)
Anyway, remember when Candy Lightener got MADD enough to do something. She changed the drunk driving laws and saved many many live since then.
I think this is the type of thing that needs to be done to save kids from lunatics who just happen to give birth to them.

It's just so frustrating:furious:

I totally agree!

 

[mysteriew]

Dangerous conditions on the Ohio River halted a search for a missing 2-year-old boy Thursday afternoon, and it likely will not resume until the river recedes in the next few days, authorities said.

"It was choppy, rough and moving rather fast," Merry said. "One diver went in, and others were there. We spent more time trying to tether (the diver). The conditions were so bad that we made the decision not to put anyone else in the water."

He said that decision likely will stick until the river recedes.
http://www.hdonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051230/NEWS01/512300306/1005

 

[Amraann]

I am actually physically ill from reading all of this. This poor little baby..

All I can imagine is my own autistic son. They are not disabled.. the rest of us are just to freakin stupid to figure out how they think.....

 

[OneLostGrl]

We are required to take a test and "get" a license to drive a car.
Yet, to "get" a baby all ya have to do is have sex... no questions asked!

More and more these days I question the Government, the laws, and mainly these parents who think children are disposable.

We have a neighbor that has a 2 yr. old girl and I have noticed lately, she hardley ever has the baby with her.
So I asked her the other night "where's the baby?" she told me "It's my mothers weekened to have her." I said.. wow that's nice, your mom is giving you a break this weekend. She corrected me by telling me it is her mothers RESPONSIBILITY to take the baby every other weekend.
See- I just don't understand that. It's YOUR child and YOUR responsibility!

 

[mic730]

I am at a loss for words this is so disturbing.

 

[Taximom]

I am actually physically ill from reading all of this. This poor little baby..

All I can imagine is my own autistic son. They are not disabled.. the rest of us are just to freakin stupid to figure out how they think.....

:clap: Amen, Amraann.

I also understand how hard it is to parent a child with issues. Sometimes I just sit down and have a good cry because it can be frustrating. But never have I thought of ending her life. Wanting to run away like Marie Osmond did, maybe, but I don't have all the credit cards she has! People have offered respite care to me, but it costs too much. We just try to do our best.

I shouldn't joke though. I just wanted to applaud Amraann. I pray for the day when someone can tell us how to get into our children's brains. Imagine what our children think of US.

This is my first time using the "quote" feature, so I hope it turns out o.k. All this stuff is sort of intimidating.

 

[mysteriew]

Welcome to WS, Taximom. You are doing fine. If ever you have questions about a function on here, there is a forum called forum finesse at the bottom of the forum index page. Look for an answer there, or post your question.

 

[Taximom]

Ah, thank you, Mysteriew.

I'm having fun personalizing things a bit. Perhaps I should read that thread before I do something wrong!

 

[Details]

Part of the problem is that there is still a strong belief that a child is a parent's property - so unless the parent is outright killing them, we keep letting the kids go home with the parents. There's no testing, no checking up on parents.

But in this case - I do find the mother at fault to a fair degree. A parent (where is the father, BTW...) who cannot care for their children should make sure they are put into the hands of someone else responsible when they need a break. Sounds like she already knew the aunt was not a good responsible adult, knew there might be drugs around. So, don't let her take care of him!

When you become a mother or father, you agree to accept the responsiblity for that child - even if your responsible choice is to put the child up for adoption because you know you are too immature to handle a child. But to hand it over randomly to family members and not check up to make sure they are handling it OK - that isn't right.

 

[Taximom]

When you become a mother or father, you agree to accept the responsiblity for that child - even if your responsible choice is to put the child up for adoption because you know you are too immature to handle a child. But to hand it over randomly to family members and not check up to make sure they are handling it OK - that isn't right.

Sad to say, but being too immature to handle a child and being responsible enough to make that choice negate each other.

I know exactly what you mean, however. I'm just saying that if you are that immature then you probably don't realize what you should do.

That sounds like I'm making excuses for these poor examples of human beings, I don't mean to.

 

[Amraann]

Taximom I wanted to say thank you ...

I know those days you posted of above where you just sit down and cry..

But not all days are like that And the good happy moments always far outweigh the bad.

Welcome to WS!!

 

[Taximom]

Taximom I wanted to say thank you ...

I know those days you posted of above where you just sit down and cry..

But not all days are like that And the good happy moments always far outweigh the bad.

Welcome to WS!!

Thank you, Amraann. So far it's been an enjoyable experience!

Thank God that most days are not all like that. She is full of hugs, and knows when to use them!

My sister once told me that if everyone laid their problems out on tables and you got to choose which table you wanted...you would probably take back your own table. I know I would, unless Bill Gates had a table in the same room!

 

[rednfiery]

any updates on this case? Did they find him yet?

They are not disabled.. the rest of us are just to freakin stupid to figure out how they think.....-Amraann

AMEN! :clap:

 

[LovelyPigeon]

mjak, you're a dear! Providing occasional respite to your nephews is a wonderful thing for them and for their parents! Not every family has members that will take the responsibility to do what you do.

 

[LovelyPigeon]

This boy's family sounds to be very dysfunctional--and probably became more so with the addition of autism to deal with.

I don't understand why the mother asked state police to check on her son at the aunt's house. Maybe the mother is incarcerated?

I hope he's found soon.

 

[mysteriew]

This boy's family sounds to be very dysfunctional--and probably became more so with the addition of autism to deal with.

I don't understand why the mother asked state police to check on her son at the aunt's house. Maybe the mother is incarcerated?

I hope he's found soon.

No, she isn't incarcerated. She has stated that she gave ther son to her mother and cousin to care for,for a period of time, for "personal reasons". It appears that two of her brothers have been arrested (for murder I think, unknown how this is related).

 

[mjak]

mjak, you're a dear! Providing occasional respite to your nephews is a wonderful thing for them and for their parents! Not every family has members that will take the responsibility to do what you do.

Thank you LovelyPigeon for the kind words. I am blessed to have the wonderful nephews I do and any time I spend with thiem is truly a gift to myself.

mjak

 

[Details]

No, she isn't incarcerated. She has stated that she gave ther son to her mother and cousin to care for,for a period of time, for "personal reasons". It appears that two of her brothers have been arrested (for murder I think, unknown how this is related).

That's a good indication of the type of family this is - drugs, murder - these aren't people like we work with, like your friends and neighbors. There are serious problems with these people. The mother seems one of the better in the family - but she still decided to give her most difficult child to her sister who had plenty of her own problems, and the mother who did such a good job that three of her kids have serious criminal problems.

 

[mysteriew]

An unseasonably warm day that saw temperatures soaring to nearly 70 degrees and a dropping Ohio River, gave divers a good opportunity to search again for a missing toddler.

Representatives from several agencies, and two divers from the West Virginia State Police, dove for 15 minutes at a time for more than three hours Friday trying to recover the body of a 2-year-old boy, who was reported missing on Dec. 26.

Kevin Nance, a paramedic and rescue diver with Cabell County E.M.S., said they were rediving on targets that had been found by sonar on previous search dives for the body.
http://www.hdonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060114/NEWS01/601140328/1005

 

[mysteriew]

West Virginia State Police testified Tuesday at a preliminary hearing that Jenkins' aunt, Tonya Sloan, drowned him, and then days later tossed his body into the Ohio River after she and her boyfriend, Anthony Milam, had eaten dinner at a South Point drive-thru.

The child's body has never been found.

Trooper First Class Mike Parde testified that based upon the investigation, he believes Sloan placed the child on a tire rim, tied him with weed-eater string, put him in a garbage bag and placed him in the back of a sports utility vehicle.

Parde testified Sloan has told police she and Milam then went the South Point Taco Bell, picked up dinner and stopped just shy of the "Welcome to West Virginia" sign on the 17th Street West Bridge, where she tossed the child's body into river.

Sloan and Milam, both 27, are charged with first-degree murder of a child by a parent, custodian or guardian because they contributed to the child's death by not seeking medical attention, according to criminal complaints filed in Cabell County Magistrate Court.

White said she had asked Sloan to care for Jenkins temporarily in early November, while she worked two jobs and cared for three other kids.

Milam told police Sloan had drowned Jenkins at the couple's Salt Rock home after the child soiled himself Dec. 15. She then placed the child's body in a Lincoln County creek, retrieved it and finally tossed it off the 17th Street West bridge days later, according to testimony offered by Trooper First Class Edgar Blankenship Tuesday afternoon.

Milam's defense attorney, David Brown, argued Tuesday afternoon that his client is not criminally responsible for Jenkins' death, and he said there was no duty for Milam to call 911 after he sped home with his flashers on, checked Jenkins' condition and encouraged Sloan to call for help.

Parde testified that Milam told police Sloan called him on Dec. 15, alerting him to a medical emergency. Once he arrived the couple's residence, Parde testified that Milam told police he found Jenkins sitting in a chair where he described the child's body to be warm with no detectable heartbeat.

Blankenship testified that Milam told police Sloan knocked the phone from his hands when he attempted to call 911, but Milam still made no effort to contact 911 after leaving the residence.

Parde and a correctional officer from the Western Regional Jail testified that Sloan has made attempts to clear Milam's name from any wrongdoing since the incident. However, Parde said those stories were inconsistent with Milam's statement to police.

Sloan's attorney, Kerry Nessel, said his client remains adamant that she did not harm the child and said she is helping police try to locate the child's body
http://www.hdonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060118/NEWS01/601180315