Posted on 03/14/2002 8:57:59 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
Couple arrested after children forced to dig ditches
03/14/2002
TYLER, Texas - Arrests of an East Texas couple followed accusations that they forced their four young children to dig ditches in subfreezing weather as punishment for sneaking food between meals.
Luis Guevera Sanchez, 31, and Melissa Dale Raynor, 32, were arrested last week in connection with felony child endangerment, Smith County Jail records show. Both were released this week after posting bond.
Child endangerment charges against the Lindale couple were forwarded Wednesday to the Smith County District Attorney.
The youngsters, ages 6, 10, 11 and 12, have been returned to the custody of their parents, but Child Protective Services is continuing to investigate, according to the Tyler Morning Telegraph's Thursday editions.
The children were punished for dipping their fingers into jar of peanut butter and sneaking cookies between meals, investigators said.
A CPS report filed on the case indicated the children had been subjected to "bizarre punishment," authorities said Wednesday.
Lindale officials acting on a welfare concern March 2 found the youngsters alone at night, monitored only by an in-home surveillance system.
"The children have been exposed to extreme weather, they are malnourished, meals have been withheld," Precinct 5 Constable Dennis Taylor told the newspaper. "The parents used cameras to make sure the kids weren't disobeying."
Authorities found the children sitting motionless on the floor at various points in the house after their parents went to the movies.
The children told authorities Sanchez imposed a variety of punishments, including digging in a wooded creek bottom about 200 yards from the house.
No argument with you there. I never maimed or injured my children, but I had no problem with busting their butts. I am sure these days, I would be sitting in a jail. However, my kids grew up decent and honest, which is more than I can say for the permissive parents who were always making excuses for their little darlings.
In the ditch digging case, there is not enough info to go on. I do not trust the state for a minute when they start accusing the parents, because an investigator can really pile on the charges. Not to say that that is the case here, there really isn't enough info in the article to say.
But I don't think digging ditches in the cold weather constitutes abuse. If it does, my parents have some explaining to do, and my grandparents would have been locked away for a thousand years!
When I was about 12, my father was entertaining some guests. Just to be little jerks, my three brothers and I put on our most puppy-dog faces, dressed in our worst clothes, wandered out into the living room where all the guests were and asked my father meekly, "We've been good, can we eat today?"
My father, without batting an eye, looked me up and down and said, "you ain't been that good. Go to your room."
We didn't get punished for it, though I don't know why.
Got that right Boxsford...same where I live (in winter anyways)...It's -10 to 0 now every morning...then gets to 50+ as the day goes on...living in the mountains is always interesting.
FMCDH!
That seems to be the only type of child abuse cases that get coverage these days.
LOL--however, I would wager that the guests knew you and your family well enough to recognize childish clowning when they saw it.
BTW you guys are lucky you didn't get your little butts kicked after the company went home. Thanks for a cute story.
This is the saddest part of the story. There are many folk who would give their entire fortune to have a child of their own. These have been abused, sadly. So sadly.
I pray for these dear children.
Thanks for the ping, MeeknMing.
I am making no judgement call on this case as far too much information is missing but 'authorities' can and will wander into a home on nothing more than an anonymously placed phone call.
Good point and I questioned that as well. I just go over the line when I think of abused children. As others here have pointed out to me, there seem to be a lot of missing information and I concur.
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