Martha Toogood Is Sick Now

Various | Sep. 25, 2002 | Self

[A Vast RightWing Conspirator]

Since the Martha Toogood's story is being dissected into the most minute details, here's one aspect not yet discussed:

- Martha gets a spanking from her mommy (some call it a savage beating). Whatever that was, it turns out that not one doctor, not even the prosecutor could find any sign of abuse such as bruises, cuts, broken bones, missing limbs or rigor mortis. In fact there are nude pictures apparently showing Martha as intact as ever.

- The state takes Martha under its own loving wing and... MARTHA IS SICK NOW!!! In fact, Martha is so sick, not even her mother can be allowed to see her.

Can anyone explain what's going on here? Is Martha better off with the authorities in charge? Or is she a victim of the authorities loving care. Perhaps too much love got Martha sick?

[glory]

She's sick now, with the flu is what I've heard and how long does that take to incubate? If I'm right and it takes a few days, then she got sick BEFORE she was turned in, not after. She didn't start getting symptoms however until AFTER she was turned in. Funny thing is her caseworker is sick with the flu as well so what's your point? Sounds like with the cooler temps lately in the midwest(and I live in this area and it is cooler) the usual gunk is moving in and people defenses are down. It's quite usual in my experience to get anything from cold to a flu from fall through spring, with lot's of people getting them as the seasons change ie right now.

[Corin Stormhands]

And it did not seem to be in response to any inappropriate behavior on the part of the child.

I kinda got the impression that she had put the kid in the car, turned away and snapped when she turned back and the kid wasn't in the car seat. Of course, that's no reason to beat a child...

[freddy]

If she was beat, she would have marks...MARKS on her from the beating...There were NO marks...NO MARKS...!!!

That is not too hard to understand...!!!

[glory]

BTW, I can't believe you are justifying a beating, but making it sound as though the child is abused for having a cold. I can understand to some degree where you are coming from, but you are grasping for straws and the things you are using to justify your position are just outrageous.

[AppyPappy]

I do know from experience that parents abuse their children.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

If the story I heard on MSNBC is accurate, I see absolutely no reason for the Toogood family to take pictures of the child's genitals. None.

To play devil's advocate, since they are being accused of abuse, might they not want to have some evidence that they did not sexually abuse the child should that charge be leveled later on? Also, since the state was taking custody of the child, might they not want proof that they did not abuse the child should the child, God forbid, be abused while in state custody?

[Faith]

I had the best parents in the world and they used their open hands, yardsticks, and my dad's belt to keep us in line. If we spoke unclean language, the insides of our mouths were washed with soap. If we misbehaved at school, we knew there would be severe punishment at home.

That said, I do believe that a little preschooler should not be struck the way it appeared Martha was.

[AppyPappy]

If she was beat, she would have marks

Not necessarily. My mother used to beat me and I never got marks.

[AppyPappy]

I'm with you. A belt or a switch or a yardstick is OK with me. But wailing away in a parking lot is too scary. She could have done some damage if she hit the right spot.

[Fred Mertz]

My mother used to beat me and I never got marks.

I thought she dropped you on your head when you were an infant.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

If she was beat, she would have marks..

How many days between the admitted beating and the examination? What about blows that landed above the hairline which would leave lumps that would be reduced by the time of a later examination?

[Humidston]

You've made an excellent point, PBRSTREETGANG. I honestly didn't think about that. I guess I am naive to a certain extent. I look at a four-year-old as a baby and that would not cross my mind if I was in her shoes. Maybe the lawyers had them do it.

[AppyPappy]

Actually, they put me in a crib that used to fall apart in the middle of the night all the time. I notice they bought a new crib when my sister came along.

[Lower55]

Parents should never abuse their children.

If they do, the state should take over and abuse the child and the extended family much worse.

[Catphish]

They didn't see the child for over a week after she was beaten - more than enough time for bruises and abrasions to heal on a small child.

How many times do they have say that on the news before it sinks in?

And if you think that was a "spanking" go get get yourself some help and God help your children if you have any.

[southern rock]

This whole story is sickening from start to finish. There is no excuse. Not only has this woman showed the world her poor mothering skills, people are now applauding the use of surveillance camera's on the American Public, and CPS (which has a dubiuos reputation in some states) just scored a round of applause. Are we slowly being acclimated to public surveillance by video?

TigersEye had a very god point on another thread about this topic. He said (to paraphrase) that the government seems to like to set their sights on somewhat flawed or strange individuals when searching for folks to make an example of. Thus the govt. can usually garner public sympathy for themselves in these cases despite their going waaaay over the line in destroying a human being's life. And you know what? It is TRUE!

[hopespringseternal]

You are nuts. The video alone is strong, if not damning evidence. The confession + the video, forget it. The lack of bruises mean that Toogood had trouble connecting, which probably saved the child serious injury.

A solid connection to the upper part of the head, especially given the size disparity, is a dangerous thing.

The fact that she is now sick is meaningless. Maybe it is a ruse by CPS. CPS and the authorites screw up quite often, but those screwups seldom involve pummeling kids in the head.

[Texaggie79]

I was one of the first :)

[southern rock]

Only in the most EXTREME cases should the state ever take a child!

I say that only in cases where the natural parent has been duly CONVICTED in a court of law and sentenced to prison, should the state TRANSFER custody of the child to the next CLOSEST relative. The state itself should NEVER have a child in it's custody.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

I look at a four-year-old as a baby and that would not cross my mind if I was in her shoes.

I agree with you. If the world was as it should be, it wouldn't have to cross anyone's mind. (Unfortunately, I'm required to think that way, sometimes.)