Guilty !!
Posted on 11/28/2007 6:06:07 PM PST by Deo volente
HOUSTON — The toddler believed to be the girl whose body was found in Galveston Bay was beaten to death by her stepfather who lost control because she failed to say "please" and "yes sir," an attorney for the girl's mother said Wednesday.
Attorney Tommy Stickler Jr. also confirmed Wednesday that the girl's mother, Kimberly Dawn Trenor, is pregnant. Her pregnancy was first reported by the Houston Chronicle.
The fatal beating happened after Royce Clyde Zeigler II stayed home from work to make sure his wife was following the discpline plan he'd established for her daughter, 2-year-old Riley Ann Sawyers, Stickler said.
Riley is believed to be the girl dubbed "Baby Grace," whose body was found by a fisherman in a plastic box floating in Galveston Bay last month. The girl's identity was a mystery for weeks, and authorities are still awaiting the results of a DNA test on the body to prove she is Riley.
Police arrested Zeigler, 24, and Trenor, 19, on Saturday, after Trenor told police she and her husband had killed the girl in July and hid her body in a shed before dumping it in the bay.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
Child’s mother is reportedly pregnant. (I assume with the child of the presumed murderer.) Did he know she was pregnant with his child when he murdered the little girl?
The stepfather (wonder if he really legally created that relationship) decided to stay home to impose a strict discipline regime on the 2 year old. He became enraged when she failed to obey him and beat her to death. He thereby eliminates the unpleasant, ever present reminder that he was not the first to possess her mother.
Wonder how controlling/abusive he was toward the mother? Did he guard her closely and not permit her to go outside the home or have any friends? Was she afraid he would kill her next?
Elimination of non-genetic offspring is a pattern of behavior in certain animal predators. Is there a similar biological pathology going on these fatal human relationships?
Neither one of us would ever injure a child in any way. The brute force that an adult has oven a child is so overwhelming that it must be TOTALLY under control, and always done out of love.
My children are very well behaved, and people are always asking us for advice on how to raise small children. As a Texas prosecutor, I have to say that I will be disappointed if the DA in Harris County does not seek the death penalty for this monster. The facts of this case qualify it for the DP under Texas law because it was a homicide of a child under the age of 6. May this poor child rest in the arms of her Heavenly Father, who will give her perfect love.
Let’s keep in mind that this is *the mother’s* attorney claiming this guy was a monster. While it may be true, let’s not discount the time-honored tradition of women to paint the man as the villian and themselves as just a victim.
We really don’t know anything except that there’s a dead girl with skull fractures. How she got them and who may have done what to her is open to question since forensic evidence of the crime scene has probably long since been cleaned up. They’ve both made confession statements but how reliable are they?
Personally, I’d send them both away for life and put the mother’s new child up for adoption soon after delivery. Neither deserves to be around children ever again. Even if these allegations are true, she let them happen and then conspired with him to cover it up. No mother I know would stand by and watch their baby endure such violence or have such an impersonal disposal of the body.
Guilty !!
This story, from Chronicle reporters, provides some necessary background:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/spring/news/5327597.html
The girl’s father was never married to the mother. They lived together at his parents’ home. She got a court order against him and visitation rights were arranged but soon afterwards she fled the state (although many such court orders include a clause preventing flight without notifying the court, this court order did not have thast clause because neither parent had legal counsel).
This whole timeline took place very quickly from the first charges in Ohio to her relocation to Texas to murdering the girl - from late March to July.
I know. This is one of the saddest stories I have ever heard.
What that poor little child must have suffered.
My husband and I have very strict rules for discipline in my house.
You are not allowed to spank a child under 1 year old - EVER.
You are not allowed to spank a child anywhere but on their tush - EVER.
You are not allowed to spank them with more than 3 swats. If you didn't get your point across in 3 swats, it's YOUR fault.
You are ONLY allowed to spank for disobedient behavior. If your child is crying or acting out because they are hungry, thirsty, cranky, tired, or need the potty - it's YOUR fault. Take care of them.
My beautiful son, our 3rd, turned 2 years old today. I thank God daily for our 3 precious miracles. New words are coming out of his mouth daily, but even I know I shouldn't expect "please" and "thank you" from a 2-year old.
The creature that stood by and allowed this animal to abuse that dear little girl is NOT a MOTHER. She has no right to be called a MOTHER. A MOTHER would defend their child to the death.
She is a breeder, nothing more.
They are lucky that God proclaims that vengeance will be His. He may have mercy on their souls; because I sure as heck wouldn't have any.
If they need a volunteer to pull the switch, tell me where to sign up!
GALVESTON — The 2-year-old girl known as Baby Grace was beaten with leather belts, held under water in a bathtub and slammed onto a tile floor in July, according to a statement her mother gave to investigators.
---------------------------------------------------------
The statement says that on July 24, Zeigler and Trenor beat Riley with belts and held her head under water in the bathtub. Zeigler picked up Riley by her hair and threw her across the room, causing her head to slam into the tile floor, according to the statement.
The medical examiner found three skull fractures — which were fatal — on the back of the head, according to the affidavit.
Trenor told investigators that Riley's face was pushed into a pillow and into a couch, but her statement does not say who was responsible.
There is evil in the world, and worse than evil.
The punishment should fit the crime. These savages should be locked in a room with other willing participants who are issued baseball bats and they should be beaten to death, slowly.
Frankly, I don't know who is worse, the attorney or the baby killer.
Very similar to a case in York County, PA, way back in 1982. Larry Hake killed 3 year old Aleta Bailey and actually had a list of infractions and punishments for the little child posted on the refrigerator door. He died in prison...natural causes, unfortunately.
Same demon...
Well, he certainly showed her some good manners, didn’t he?! What a scum!
Considering he stayed home from work to make sure his wife was "following the discpline plan he'd established for her daughter.." I'd say that is a control freak times 1000.
If a man stayed home from work to beat my child...he would never go to work again.
What the h-— is with these mothers?
Poor poor baby. God rest her.
He should die horribly.
This is one of those stories that stays with us. It’s so horrific. I’m trying not to think about it.
The so-called “mother” deserves the death penalty, too. Her baby should be adopted to loving parents, and then the so-called “mother” needs to die ASAP. Even if her version of the crime is 100% accurate, she helped dispose of her child’s body, stuck by the man who murdered her child, and even became pregnant by him. Sick!
Mama picked a good one. Poor, poor little kids in this country. Some of them don’t have a chance.
Or women that have never been married but go from one boyfriend to the next.
According to the arrest affidavit, the mother told the police the stepfather grabbed poor Riley by the hair and threw her across the room. She either hit the wall or the floor hard, and sustained a skull fracture, which was fatal.
The two monsters are only charged at this time with injuring a child, but I understand the case is going to the grand jury, so I would expect an indictment in the near future. Proving an intent to kill, which would be necessary for a first degree murder conviction, might be tricky.
The death penalty would be too merciful for these two fiends, IMO.
‘Baby Grace’s’ Short Life Filled With Torture
http://www.kbmt12.com/news/state/11857681.html
The mother of Riley Ann Sawyers voluntarily told Texas authorities how she and her husband abused the toddler before the pair stuffed her body into a plastic box and dumped it into a Texas waterway, officials...
Excerpt
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