Like a child

June 9, 2006 at 9:19 pm (Child, Domestic Violence)

Randy Fisher Jr., 25, and his girlfriend Christy Carver, 21, allegedly had been arguing on Thurs. afternoon.

At some point later she was reportedly walking along the sidewalk holding their 2 month old baby when Fisher allegedly drove his vehicle up on the sidewalk and hit her.

After hitting her with his vehicle, he then drove away. His car was found at a nearby apartment complex and he was arrested.

Carver was treated at a local hospital. The baby was transferred to the Children's hospital with "severe" injuries. Subsequent articles indicate that a nursing supervisor at the hospital has said the child was not a patient there.

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/news-story.php?story=191483

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/14779539.htm

I wonder if Fisher even saw the baby? Or did his anger give him tunnel vision to the point that he only saw the focus of his anger? I wonder how he felt waking up to realize that his girlfriend was walking around, but that his child was hospitalized?

But domestic violence is not really a result of anger. It is about control over the spouse or girlfriend. Control to the point that loss of that control can lead to rage. And the person who refuses to submit to that control can end up dead. And so can anyone who stands between them. Like a child.

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Three hours of life

June 9, 2006 at 9:47 am (Child)

Patrick McCabe, 55, and his wife Deborah, 48, have been said to have been very involved with their children. Patrick sometimes played Santa at Christmas and they both volunteered at the school, involved in school activities, volunteered and coached.

And both have been charged in the death of their 16 year old daughter's newborn baby. Both were indited by the Grand Jury on a charge of manslaughter.

Prosecutors say they don't know if the baby was born on the toilet or if it placed there after it's birth. But they  say the baby was submerged in the toilet for about an hour after its birth. And they say that the couple remained in or around the bathroom during that hour.

The 16 year old girl called her 18 year old brother for assistance. He is an EMT, and he arrived in an ambulance. Reportedly he intervened with the parents.

Allegedly he wrapped the baby in a trash bag and transported both his sister and the baby to the hospital in the ambulance. Reportedly at the hospital, the brother told emergency staff that his sister had "miscarried".

But when the staff opened the bag to examine the baby they found a full term infant and were able to detect a faint hearbeat. The staff attempted to resusitate him, but he was pronounced dead about 40 min. later. Reportedly the infant was alive for only about 3 hours.

An autopsy determined the child was full term, and the cause of death was due to prolonged immersion in the toilet water and prolonged enclosure in the plastic bag.

 The 16 year old mother of the baby and the 18 year old brother have not  been charged. But the brother is no longer a rescue squad member. Patrick McCabe has said that the baby's death was 100% an accident.

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1149744767241310.xml&coll=1

New Jersey does have a Safe Haven Infant Protection Act. It allows for infants less than 30 days old to be dropped off anonymously at any emergency room or police station. The parent or someone acting in their behalf can drop the child off, no names are required and there will be no prosecution. The infant would then be given over to Division of Youth and Family services.

Likely by the time the brother arrived, the infant may have appeared unresponsive due to the lack of oxygen. And it is likely that he never heard of something peculiar to babies called the diving reflex. Babies up to 6 months of age have a reflex that prevents them from swallowing water when submerged. More information on that can be found at pregnancy-info.net. However by the time the brother arrived, the baby had most likely been submerged and deprived of oxygen for some time.

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I need help, please help me

June 9, 2006 at 5:27 am (Domestic Violence)

Three months ago Lisa Williams, 20, filed domestic violence charges against her live-in boyfriend Larry Burns, 31. Reportedly they had lived together about two years. The charges were for allegations that he had choked her. A restraining order was granted at the time. Williams was due to go back into court 9 days ago, but she didn't show up for court, so the order was cancelled.

Monday morning about 10:30 am a witness says he was making deliveries in the area when he saw a woman running out of an apartment building.  "I heard gunshots from the third floor," "I pulled down. She come running out the door. She grabbed me, and she said, 'I need help. I need help. Please help me.' … She had been shot in the head."

Police responded to the area and when they arrived Williams was able to tell them who had shot her. Police went to the apartment she had indicated and found Burns unconcious. He was transported to the hospital where he later died. Police say that after he shot Williams he shot himself.  

Lisa Williams was transported to the hospital, nothing about her condition has been released but she remains in the hospital.

http://www.channelcincinnati.com/health/9340685/detail.html

http://www.wkrc.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=C6F1053D-0A49-4317-8671-0C164DD37D24

I am not seeing anything to say if the couple had reconciled or not. Certainly it wouldn't be unusual. If you have read here before, you would have seen a disscussion on the "honeymoon cycle of abuse". The cycle tends to run as an episode of abuse, apologies maybe gifts and compliments the "Honeymoon" period, then maybe a period of somewhat "normal" time but there is a building of tension, then another episode of abuse.

Or maybe she wasn't aware of the importance of the court appearance. Many times in the legal process, because it is a process that is begun during a time of crisis for the individual, they may not always be familiar with the "process" and may not be really clear on what is expected of them.

Or it could have been that there had been a quiet period and maybe she hoped that if she didn't pursue it then maybe he would just forget and go his own way.

However it happened, as has been said before- a piece of paper doesn't stop a bullet. People who have been abused should file all the police reports and file for the restraining order. But they should also enact a safety plan. This might include moving to a shelter, moving to a new address, or even in some circumstances assuming a new identity.

There were some interesting statistics in the article. There have been about 120 domestic violence murders in Hamilton Co. Ohio since 1989. Now I am not strong on math, but by my calculations that is about 17 years and works out to just a little more than 7 domestic violence murders a year. According to epodunk.com Hamilton County had a population of 814,611 in 2004.

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“Winnie wouldn’t hurt a fly”

June 9, 2006 at 3:23 am (Domestic Violence)

Wayne, 70, and Winfred Moniz,73, were planning a party for this weekend. It was to be a celebration of the graduation of three of their 14 grandchildren. Some have said there would likely have been a toast made to her daughter, for the opening of her hair salon and spa. However the family will now be gathering for a different reason.

The couple had been married for 47 years, they had 6 children and 14 grandchildren and one great grandchild they hadn't had a chance to meet yet. It is said to be a close family, and the couple were reportedly very generous with gifts and cash to their family members. 

The couple lived next door to Wayne's widowed sister-in-law, Josephine Moniz, 87. She was not only a sister-in-law, and neighbor but the family says the two women were also close friends. Josephine was no longer able to stay by herself, so her granddaughter 40 year old Robin Casali, and Robin's daughter 21 year old Nicole moved in to care for her. Casali was also a car saleswoman. It has been reported that the Moniz's often included Robin and her daughter in their generosity.

The family has said that Robin Casali has shied away from family gatherings lately and "did her own thing". But that when she needed money, she turned to her great-aunt. The family had reportedly speculated that she might be involved in drugs, as she had lost weight and became "distant".

Reportedly Wayne Moniz was mowing his lawn Monday. And when he came back into the home, he found his wife on the floor. She had been stabbed multiple times, and it is said she put up a struggle, as she appeared to have defensive wounds.

Police have arrested Robin Casali in the murder of her great aunt. They reportedly believe that she broke into the home, and that robbery was the motive. Police say there was money missing from the home. Drugs, marijuana and heroin,  were also allegedly found in Casali's home. Robin Casali has been charged with murder, breaking and entering in the daytime, possession of heroin and possession of marijuana. Police state they believe that the robbery was planned and that Casali acted alone. The murder weapon has been located, but police are not saying where it was found other than near the home. The evidence is still being tested. It is alleged that Josephine's distinctive car had been seen parked near the couple's home on Monday, and that the car was later found at Casali's home, along with the drugs.

Casali's attorney says that she is innocent and that Casali has an alibi. He says she was taking her grandmother to a clinic for poison ivy and then later to a phamacy on Monday. The attorney also has stated that his client didn't have a criminal record, other than a bad check charge, years ago.  But at least one article alleges that Casali has been arrested at least twice before, once in 1998 and 2001, both times for stealing.

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=142657

http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/relativecharged8.htm

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/06/08/kin_charged_in_cape_slaying/

There was one quote that I especially wanted to mention. ''Winnie wouldn't hurt a fly,'' It is said that was meant literally. It is said that if Winifred caught a fly in her home, she would catcch it and release it outside in the fresh air.

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