Posted on 03/22/2011 9:07:56 AM PDT by DCBryan1
FORT SMITH, Ark. - Fort Smith investigators say a dozen dogs inside a north side home were well fed, but a baby they rescued was little more than skin and bones. Another infant showed signs of abuse.
We want to warn you that some of the photos with this story are very graphic and not appropriate for children.
Officers at the Fort Smith Police Department have seen many things, but this is one of the worst cases. Most of them have young children themselves, and this case challenged them to set their personal feelings aside and do their jobs as professionals.
“These children can't fend for themselves,” Captain Jarrard Copeland told 5NEWS.
Officers discovered two babies they say were severely neglected. One of them was grossly malnourished.
“We executed a search warrant of their home today and found 10 cans of baby formula,” Copeland said.
Twenty-year-old Angel Richard, 33-year-old Ricky Bruner, Sr. And his 21-year-old girlfriend, Melissa Workman remain in jail. It happened at a home on North 5th Street in Fort Smith.
A neighbor said he had no idea the people next door were allegedly neglecting their infant sons.
“They were some pretty friendly people they would ask me for rides to the grocery store every now and then,” Ray Flores explained.
Two month old Ricky Bruner, Jr. was extremely malnourished; his ribs were visible through his little body. His parents, Bruner and Workman are charged with endangering the welfare of a minor in the 1st degree and battery in the 1st degree. Meanwhile, two-and-a-half month old Eli Richard's brain was hemorrhaging and he's suffering from a broken arm. He also has multiple bone fractures throughout his body that are in various stages of healing. His mother Angel Richard is charged with endangering the welfare of a minor in the 1st degree and battery in the 1st degree.
The babies were taken to a local hospital to be stabilized before being sent to children's hospital.
Police became involved when an anonymous call led them to one of the moms pushing her baby in a stroller down the street. They later went to the home and found the other baby covered by a blanket and sitting in front of a heater. Ray Flores says sometimes they would come over to visit.
“They would always bring him covered so we would only see his face, and he looked ok I guess,” Flores told 5NEWS.
Officers found dog feces and urine throughout the home.
“There were also between 10 and 15 dogs inside the home who were all fat and well fed,” Copeland said shaking his head.
The captain says he has a dog and he would never let his own pet stay in that house--much less a newborn baby. There was evidence of drug use in the house according to investigators. Police say the suspects have been cooperative.
All three are currently being held in the Sebastian County Detention Center without bond.
Dear Lord, bless these little ones who are so precious to You. You said that their angels are always before You. You are the helper of the helpless and defender of the weak; give them healing and life, and love them dearly as their true Father.
Be with all those who care for them; help them work through their anger and shower these little boys with all the love they have. I ask Your miracle of healing.
Lord, also be with those who have done this terrible thing. Wake them from their drug-induced stupor so they can see with clear eyes how precious these children are that they violated so badly. Break their hearts over what they have done so they will come begging to you for forgiveness. Lord, the depravity of sin is what You died for.
I pray it in Jesus’ name and for His sake. Amen.
Why the he’ll do I click on these threads?
Prayers being said for the babies.
You have to pass a test to get a license to drive but any idiot can be allowed to procreate.
Yeah, per God -’be allowed’ to procreate.
Well said. Amen.
Great! THanks! Amen!
You want to tell me what these shining examples of procreative activity have to do with God?
People seem to think that it is a myth that certain people breed for the government check, they do and this is an example of that.The dogs were well fed because they probably breed them and make money from selling the pups while the children only cost them money from the checks they get for them....They all need to be tied up and starved so they know what it feels like.
I agree 100%. These people don't look like, or act like, noble pillars of society.
Proactivity and the way those babies were treated are 2 different subjects.
Oh man, Lord help these children, and as for the idiot freaks that did this, GRRRRRRRR! Makes me want to cry, but angry also.
My point remains, and this case exemplifies that no, not ‘everyone’ should be creating children.
Although some may disagree, I know that there has to be a special place in Hell for people that abuse innocent children.
I think that’s next to the George Tiller suite.
Judge Isaac Parker. Known as "The Hanging Judge". His court was in Fort Smith during the late 1800's.
Despite the severity, and inhumanity of the crimes described in this article, your reactionary remarks are wholly beyond the pale; throwing the pendulum to the equally damnable opposite extremity; reacting to abuse of liberty by advocating readily abusive control.
The implications of both of your statements are so utterly unspeakable as to thoroughly debase whatever conservative credibility you ever had. Have you ANY notion of the extent to which even nominal tyrannies can, have, and would abuse such powers to the complete detriment of all society? Did you even pause to consider before you let fly with the keyboard; diving into bed with the most vile utilitarians and social engineers of all time?
Indeed, you have leaped with both feet into the black night of unnatural selection, reproduction by government approval, “One Child” policy, euthanasia, forced abortion, genetically-based caste systems, and government-led efforts to breed a “master race.” We have seen these banal spectres before; some of them haunt us even now. The free and the brave ever labor to banish them eternally, yet — here you are speaking as their advocates!
What fresh Hell is this?! What have you done?!
Do you not know; are you not already painfully well aware that, as with the manifest failure that is “gun control,” licenses to parent, forced sterilization, and other such government-imposed measures of social engineering will NEVER manifest themselves in a form that curbs criminal behavior; only in forms that oppress the law-abiding?
How, then, in the name of all that’s Holy, can you possibly find it humane, civilized, or socially acceptable to voice the least support for anything of that ilk?
Please, say your reactions were purely emotional, and not representative of your deeply-held views. I’d rather not think so ill of you as the substance of your brash statements warrants.
That’s an insult to banjo players everywhere.
Prayers up for the kids!
You are right, I am wrong, what we need is a lot more of these people having a lot more babies. THAT ought to show me.
Notre père, qui êtes aux cieux!
Que votre nom soit sanctificié. Que votre règne vienne.
Que votre volonté soit faite, sur la terre comme au ciel.
Donnez-nous aujourd'hui notre poindre ce jour.
Pardonnez-nous nos offenses, comme nous pardonnons aussi a ceux, qui nous ont offensés,
et ne nous soumetez pas à la tentation, mais délivrez-nous du mal.
Car c'est à toi qu'appartiènne, le régne, la puissance et la gloire, pour les siècles des siècles.
Amen.
Je vous salue, Marie, pleine de grâces,
le Seigneur est avec vous, vous êtes bénie entre toutes les femmes,
et Jésus le fruit de vos entrailles est béni.
Sainte Marie, Mère de Dieu, priez pour nous pauvres pécheurs,
maintenant, et à l'heure de notre mort. Ainsi-soit-il.
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
People don’t give up babies for adoption because they can get welfare money.
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