Women Sought in Videotaped Beating

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[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.

[seeker41]

I noticed that too, you are correct.

[twyn1]

Don't forget the highly effective stiff as a board back arch to avoid being latched in

Oh I know THAT move well ! My middle son had that one perfected, which he could quickly alternate with the wet-noodle draining through your arms trick. He also howled like an ambulance during these gymnastics :) He did occasionally get a swat or two in the middle of such a virtuoso performance.

The good news is that he is now 18 and is a fine young man, a real "gentleman" and a pleasure. So don't worry, a swat on the leg isn't gonna' warp your son forever.

Most parent's know the difference between a well-deserved swat and an unprovoked beating...this video is the latter (even if the punches didn't connect)

[twyn1]

Did you see the scene in Kindergarden Cop where Arnold Schwartzenager (sp ??) deals with a seat-kicker on the plane ?? It's great !!

[John Lenin]

Just saw the video on FOX. It was a pretty brutal beating for a 4-5 year old little girl.

[HairOfTheDog]

Yes, it was, especially for a little girl, but I happen to think it would considered assault no matter what the age of the recipient, so your qualifyer only makes it seem worse.

[Paul Atreides]

You failed to note that the mother punches the child AFTER she gets in the seat.

[Conservababe]

Just saw the video on FOX. It was a pretty brutal beating for a 4-5 year old little girl.

It was a brutal beating for anyone at any age.

[Shooter 2.5]

I never saw the scene. What happened?
The kid kicked my wife so hard she had trouble walking afterwards. The kid did it after he was warned by me and the kid's mother.

[John Lenin]

A few smacks would have done but when you see her throwing punches thats way over the line.

[Paul Atreides]

I get the feeling that people have more of a problem that the beating was caught on a security camera, than the actual beating. The woman was in a public place. No one has been snooping at her living room window, or bugging her house. SHE WAS BEATING THAT POOR CHILD IN PUBLIC! Is it that people don't want to admit that it's a mother beating the child? Is it that she is an SUV-owner? Just as people like to make fun of Floriduh voters for not being able to use a ballot, they should be able to see a beating when they see it.

[twyn1]

This kid keeps kicking Arnold's seat, Arnold looks back a few times, but the kid keeps doing it...finally Arnold leans around the seat, looks right at the kid and says (paraphrasing) "if you don't stop kicking, this is what I'll do to you" and he breaks a pencil in half between his thumb and finger --the kid gulps and quietly sits back in his seat, looking like he's gonna' wet his pants...

[seeker41]

Perhaps there are plently of folks who need new glasses or are just in deep denial of the evil that exists in society. Maybe you are right about the camera thing, it doesn't bother me.

[SerpentDove]

>>I doubt seriously any lasting physical harm resulted. <<

Really. Well, I'm no doctor, but I tend to be concerned when a doctor was interviewed and said that the girl quite possibly suffered blunt force trauma and most likely needs medical attention right now.

But maybe that's just me.

[TamiPie]

In a way, you're correct, BUT - displaying violence even if it's now physical - is not good, emotionally, in front of a young child like this little girl. If this erratic behaviour continues by her mother, the girl's precious self-esteem could very well be ruined forever...

[SerpentDove]

>>The thing I noticed about the video is that the woman's arm is not moving very far back...

You are not discussing the same video that is being discussed here.

[Paul Atreides]

This whole thread reminds me of an argument on the meaning of the word "is".

[A_perfect_lady]

Those who really value liberty will oppose reporting both.

Failing to report muslims making threats is not exactly the best way to hang on to our liberty inasmuch as they have repeatedly and openly stated that their goal is to bring American citizens to their knees to submit to Islam and Sharia law. No thanks.

[Paul Atreides]

I just saw the video again. The woman appears to be in a bad mood, on the way to the car. Also, the child doesn't appear to be kicking happily (duh!), but her leg appears to be shaking, possibly from the sister joining in on the beating, or from terror.

[A_perfect_lady]

Hey, can you give me some links or sources for these gypsy-crime-spree items? Ramsey Clark is coming to my university to try and sell us on the poor Romani gypsies and their "plight" and I might want to go heckle him.

[Paul Atreides]

Hmmmm...didn't the Smart girl's sister give a description of her sister's abductor? Also, didn't a child give a description of his friend's abductor? Shame on them! They should mind their own business. </sarcasm>