Women Sought in Videotaped Beating

Yahoo ^

[Texaggie79]

MISHAWAKA, Ind. (AP) - A woman who was angry after leaving a department store was caught on a surveillance tape looking around as she helped her young daughter into a vehicle and then brutally beating the child for about half a minute, authorities said.

Police were searching for the woman and 4-year-old child Friday. The woman's sister, who had been with her in the store, was arrested, said community prosecutor Maggie Jones.

"As far as we know, she tried to exchange some merchandise, was denied that, became angry in the store at the service clerk and left. But I don't know how that could provoke an attack like this on a child," Mishawaka Police Chief Anthony Hazen said Friday on NBC's "Today" show.

The woman could be seen on the tape punching the child and shaking her, and authorities believe the little girl might have serious injuries. A doctor who saw the tape said she could have suffered head, neck and brain injuries, said Mike Samp, a police investigator.

Authorities identified the 25-year-old woman as Madelyne Gorman or Madelyne Toogood and the child as her daughter Martha Toogood.

Hazen said the woman is believed to be from the Dallas area and has a history of misdemeanor charges. He did not elaborate.

"We've spoke with several members of the family; they are not being cooperative right now. They said they disagree with the actions but they don't know where she's at," he said.

Hazen said the sister faces charges of failing to report child abuse, and the child's mother could face felony battery charges in the Sept. 13 beating.

"You can see the woman grab one of the girl's pony tails and forcefully shake her. That right there, not even counting all the blows that we saw the woman make, that right there constitutes battery," Jones told CNN.

The videotape shows the woman and girl walking to a sport utility vehicle along with a boy and the woman's sister.

The two women had tried to return merchandise at a Kohl's department store in Mishawaka, just east of South Bend near the Michigan border, but were refused, police said.

The tape shows the woman placing the girl in the vehicle's back seat and then striking her about the head. The woman also appears to shake, slap and punch the child before getting in the front seat and driving off.

The vehicle shown in the video had Texas license plates, and police eventually found it at a Mishawaka apartment complex. Police said it was not registered to either of the women shown on the tape.

[Conservababe]

Fox reported that there was an incident with the child inside the store and that was the reason they were asked to leave. Wonder what the incident was. And why did not the woman's sister stop this attack as she was in the van, also. The sister is no better than the mother.

[glory]

That's the thing. i think the way these clans stay so tight knit is a fair amount of inbreeding and a lot of abuse, both verbal and physical, as kids are growing up to intimidate them into cooperating and to also make them so dependent as to think they can't do anything without "the family"--almost cultish. When they said more of her history and background(being a Traveler) and saying the above, I'm afraid that what we think we saw probably was exactly what happened.

[lady lawyer]

See post # 134

[L,TOWM]

TA79, I gotta disagree with you here. The shot that clinched it for me was the shaking at the end, and the look on the woman's face.

Young kids can be frustrating to deal with. They pitch a fit, you discipline them (hopefully) and they scream louder. This was discipline that went over the line, and then the mother shook the kid probably yelling at her to shut up. I have no doubt if audio was available that kid was screaming at the top of her lungs, and if the mother had her limit of crying and whining already (that led to the slaps and punches) the shaking to try to get the kid to be quiet would be (IMO) a conclusion to this ugly incident that would fit in with a child throwing a tantrum and a woman going beserk.

My kids pushed me to the limit when they were young, Thank the good Lord I never lost control of myself, and raged like this woman did, but (God forgive me) it got close sometimes.

That was frustrated rage on that woman's face, make no mistake about it.

[GirlNextDoor]

The sister is no better than the mother.

I agree. The sister was arrested. How did they get her and not the mother, though?

[Defend the Second]

Don't live in Austin, and I don't condone the clear abuse of children either, as you apparently do.

[GirlNextDoor]

They probably did, but couldn't get there on time.

Thanks.It would be good to know you're right and they did try. Perhaps further reports will tell.

[glory]

well said!

[GovernmentShrinker]

Hopefully, she'd back off as soon as she was confronted by my trusty personal protection device. If not, I'd start shooting out the tires while screaming for assistance. As a last resort, I'd fire on her, since as a 110 pound female, I'm not big enough to safely take her on, and saving the child's life is suffucienct justification for firing. I'd probably end up needing a lawyer, and spending huge amounts of time defending myself in court, and my trusty PPD would live in police custody for a long time, but that would be a lot easier than trying to sleep at night knowing I'd stood by and let this monster kill or brain damage her helpless toddler.

[Billy_bob_bob]

I see. A multi-hour beating is an "attitude adjustment". Well, at least now I know where you stand.

[GovernmentShrinker]

There seem to be multiple versions of the video, which I think explains the wide range of reactions. I know the police would have seen the fullest available version, and the police and the doctor (apparently advising police) who watchid it seem really panicked about this. So did the security guys who raced out to the parking lot when saw this on camera. Both the security guys and the police have seen lots of possible crimes on video tape, and yet this one provoked an exceptionally strong reaction from them. I'm inclined to trust their judgement, especially since the mother hasn't cared to turn up to show her uninjured child to police and media. Of course, this charming "family" may have delivered a similar beating to the mother, as punishment for drawing attention to them, and/or she may be being held captive by them. Not a pretty situation all around.

[glock rocks]

do i look fat in these threads?

[wardaddy]

I watched it again. I counted around 20 strikes....many at first looked like spanks. The latter ones after she's in the booster chair are harder to tell....they could be fists...I don't know.

20 swats is way more than enough. I usually get my manchild's attention with one or two if the old collar bone pinch doesn't work. And no, I don't do "it" in public.

That's part of the split reaction I'm having to this. If the woman is closed fist striking her child then of course I find that horrible. However if she has just had a mad spanking episode which is no doubt over the top then I question all the hyperbole and nationwide manhunt talk.

Will it come to the point where parents are criminalized for corporal punishment?

There are some children that simply do not respond to verbal persuasion. It's your will against their's. Very tough balance.

This video leaves me with far more questions than answers.

Parent of 3 and 8/9ths children. I spanked my girls with my hand maybe 5 times total in their entire lives (now 13 and 14 and too old to spank...cause they are girls). My 2 and a half year old manchild could be spanked as a matter of course daily. Time-Out is like the proverbial briar patch.

Parenting ain't easy. I'd sure like to know more about this episode other than the woman's hysterical tantrum spanking/striking??

[GovernmentShrinker]

I truly despise violent single mothers who take their frustrations out on their children.

I despise sadistic child-beaters regardless of their marital status. Don't you?

[Texaggie79]

Are you my hiney?

[Billy_bob_bob]

Agreed.

[GovernmentShrinker]

They did. They reportedly ran out to the parking lot but she had already driven off.

[wardaddy]

Q: What's the definition of a liberal?

A: A conservative who's been arrested.

While i agree with your sentiments, I must confess that your above description didn't work for me personally.

[glory]

procudes=proceeds...good grief--husband just got home and I was distracted I guess