Posted on 04/21/2005 6:31:17 AM PDT by maica
ELKTON - New evidence against an Elkton man accused of locking up the mother of his children for six years until her death has prompted a Cecil County grand jury to increase the charges against him from manslaughter to second-degree murder.
John Joseph Dougherty, 53, told authorities that he started keeping Mary Elizabeth Kilrain, 46, in a bedroom in 1999 after she suffered an aneurysm and became verbally aggressive toward their daughters, according to police. He told authorities that he wanted to keep her from wandering around the house.
Kilrain did not have access to food, water and hygiene, prosecutors said. Her emaciated, 81-pound body was found Feb. 25, surrounded by decaying food and excrement.
--snip--
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
If Dougherty had only known about Felos and the Florida court system, he could have put his wife in a hospice.
There has been very little mention of this in local news, and I think it is because there are so many parallels to another closely watched death.
Not surprising that the media is ignoring this, but it is absolutely disgusting that they refuse to report extensively on what happened. You're right, they're avoiding it because it undercuts their "Michael Schiavo is a hero" meme.
ping
By Mike Spector mspector@cecilwhig.com
An Elkton man accused of murdering his brain-damaged wife by keeping her locked in a bedroom regained custody of his three daughters Wednesday.
Judge Dexter M. Thompson Jr. returned the children to John Joseph Dougherty, 53, after a hearing that lasted all afternoon in circuit court.
The county's social services department took custody of the children Feb. 25, after police found their mother dead on a mattress amidst squalid conditions in their Chestnut Drive home.
Terri's feeding was discontinued on March 18
Dougherty's live-in girlfriend, Kathleen Marie Zeman, 32, was indicted last month on a misdemeanor charge of abuse and neglect.
---snip---
Dougherty's children, ages 10, 13 and 16, and Zeman's children, ages 9 and 14, are in foster care.
What a horrible situation for those children to have experienced. There really is nonly one reason why this did not become a big talk show and news topic. - the too close to call parallels.
Either he is a sadist and murderer or he isn't. I guess it all depends on the judge. /sarcasm!
My heart grieves for those poor children.
"My heart grieves for those poor children."
Yes, and also for their mother. What a horrible death. She suffered for quite some time.
Disgusting!
Terri/spousal abuse ping! If anyone would like to be added to or removed from my Terri ping list, please let me know by FReepmail!
But she never had a feeding tube therefore he couldn't have it removed. That must be the fact that makes this murder and the other situation just fine. Ugh.
�??8?��?����(��b??ged wife by keeping her locked in a bedroom regained custody of his three daughters Wednesday
^^^^^
Because his wife was brain-damaged and she surely "wouldn't have wanted to live that way" I am surprised that he is facing charges of any kind. Of course, he is a fit father.!!!!!!
God protect those children. Social services can't/ doesn't want to..
What I meant to post.
OMG!
I am calling this the New Privacy. (Spouse/parent has a right to abuse/neglect/starve/kill in own nest.)
For the record, lest anyone get excited, I'm against New Privacy, but predicting that will be the defense.
It sure seems like the way so many already interpret our laws -
He was her legal representative, in her diminished capacity!
He Knew that if she wanted to eat/get better/ act right etc she would Just Do It.
Therefore it is her fault that she died!!!
*ping*
This has been a real strange story from the time it happened. They added the murder charge this week after the grand jury got the medical examiner's report. It was reported that he tried to get help from social services but his income was above the level that qualified. Her family wanted nothing to do with her (siblings). Everyone is in a CYA mode.
We used to have institutions for the severely disabled. Now they "compassionately" become homeless. This poor woman just became "familyless." What a thoroughly awful situation.
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