More depressing news involving children

[redheadbaker]

A Philly M.E. has ruled a 3-year-old child's death a homicide by starvation. She was brought to a hospital early this morning. Reports currently vary, but she weighed between 11 and 18 pounds. Police are interviewing the girl's mother and are searching for her father.

She had siblings (including a twin) and neighbors say those children appeared well-nourished.

Can't C&P link, but I'm reading 6abc.com.

I'm mobile and miss my physical keyboard!

[msmerymac]

abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=9241436

WEST OAK LANE - September 9, 2013 (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police say a 3-year-old girl who was found weighing 11 pounds inside a West Oak Lane home died from starvation and her father has been declared a person of interest in the case.

"This is one of the worst cases of abuse that I've seen in my five years on the homicide unit. Very sad and very disturbing," Philadelphia Police Homicide Captain James Clark said during a Monday afternoon press conference.

Clark said the 3-year-old's father, identified as 30-year-old Carlos Rivera, found his daughter unconscious inside the home on the 7300 block of Sommers Road around midnight.

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"Instead of calling police or the ambulance, he called the mother who was over a male friend's house," Clark said.
After arriving home, the mother and male friend took 3-year-old Nathalyz Rivera to Albert Einstein Medical Center where she was pronounced dead at approximately 1:50 a.m.

Clark said Nathalyz showed "obvious signs of neglect." The medical examiner ruled her death a homicide through starvation.

According to Clark, the house was in such bad shape that Nathalyz appeared to have suffered bruises from either fleas, rodents, or insects biting her.

Detectives are interviewing the the mother and male friend and are actively looking for the father.

Carlos Rivera is described as a 30-year-old Hispanic male, 5'10 and 155 pounds. He was last seen in a blue 2002 Chevy Suburban with PA tags JHC1574.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Philadelphia Police at 215-686-TIPS (8477), text a tip to PPD TIP (773847) or through PhillyPolice.com.

[UMaineTeach]

how do you starve a child to death?

and how do you starve only 1 of your children to death? how do you look a kid in the eye and say - your brothers and sisters get food today and you don't.

[simplyinpenguin]

They didn't specify what gender her siblings are. Does anybody know? If I get that information and find out her siblings are all male, this explains a lot. That poor girl. The torture she endured because of the people who were supposed to love and protect her the most.

[Jermys]

Dude, Freddie is 19 lbs at 18 months, and he's below the fifth percentile for weight. I can't imagine a THREE year old weighing less than he does. That boggles my mind. Goddamnit.

[kapoentje]

Between 11 and 18 pounds at 3 years?? Bruises from fucking fleas/insects/rodents??

Honestly, I quit today. I QUIT.

[Deleted]

She weighed one pound more than my son at BIRTH? Jesus.

I, too, quit.

[redheadbaker]

Mother has been arrested and charged with murder; dad has been found and is being questioned.

I'm mobile and miss my physical keyboard!

[redheadbaker]

I heard a radio report on my commute home that said the little girl had developmental disabilities but had not been seen by a doctor in over a year.

I'm mobile and miss my physical keyboard!

[josieposy]

OMG that poor baby.

[msmerymac]

Sept 9, 2013 15:59:16 GMT -5 UMaineTeach said:

how do you starve a child to death?

and how do you starve only 1 of your children to death? how do you look a kid in the eye and say - your brothers and sisters get food today and you don't.

There has to be some kind of mental illness. I mean, you'd think that would have to be the case for any child abuse of course, but it seems like any time I see a story like this, there will be siblings in the house who are, admittedly, living in squalor, but who are not being starved/chained in a closet/beaten. Baffling.

[5thofjuly]

It always makes me wonder why it seems like the parents just choose one child to target in these extreme cases. Then, if that child is removed from the home, they choose another one to target, but just one at a time. There's got to be some reason for that.

[sushi]

Sept 9, 2013 16:42:31 GMT -5 5thofjuly said:

It always makes me wonder why it seems like the parents just choose one child to target in these extreme cases. Then, if that child is removed from the home, they choose another one to target, but just one at a time. There's got to be some reason for that.

My guess is it gives them power over all children. The favored children are happy to not be abused and scared shitless that they'll lose favor. They may be forced to participate in the abuse, too, which is abusive in and of itself.

[Deleted]

This is awful :-(

[Dumbledork]

Wasn't the author of all those child abuse books (A Child Called It and all the follow ups) abused through starvation and beating while his brothers and sisters were cared for normally? I remember one part of the book where they went on vacation and he was burned on the stove and had to eat regurgitated hot dogs while his siblings got to play on the beach and get treats and stuff.

I could be remembering wrong because it's been ages since I read the book, but I don't think it's necessarily uncommon for one child to be abused while the other children are spoiled.

That poor baby. At least her suffering is finally over.

[sushi]

Sept 9, 2013 17:00:02 GMT -5 Dumbledork said:

Wasn't the author of all those child abuse books (A Child Called It and all the follow ups) abused through starvation and beating while his brothers and sisters were cared for normally? I remember one part of the book where they went on vacation and he was burned on the stove and had to eat regurgitated hot dogs while his siblings got to play on the beach and get treats and stuff.

Yes. Although, I think in his case the others were biological children and he was foster? Or maybe I'm conflating his experience with his biological family and subsequent abuse once in the foster system.

[Alyssa]

Skin and bones, my daughter is 3.5 and weighs around 35lbs. Sickening.

[mrsukyankee]

The older children may have been old enough to scavenge for themselves or gotten free meals from school when they were there. Who knows, but these people are sick. I hate hearing stories about people who shouldn't have children doing such things when I can't have them.