Woman Allegedly Throws Sons Into River (unidentified man rescued one child)

ap ^ | 7/6/2003 | ap

[TLBSHOW]

Woman Allegedly Throws Her Twin Infant Sons Into Mississippi River; One Child Still Missing

The Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. July 6 — A woman allegedly threw her twin infant sons off a bridge into the Mississippi River, then jumped in herself, screaming incoherently as she fell 75 feet to the water, police said.

Several people who were at the river's edge for the city's July Fourth fireworks display Friday jumped in after them. A man rescued one of the 11-month-old boys, then pulled the mother to safety with the help of others.

By then, the second boy had disappeared, said police Cmdr. Brian Coyle.

Naomi Gaines, 24, and the rescued boy were expected to recover, though Gaines remained hospitalized Sunday and doctors were concerned that she could have internal injuries, Coyle said.

The other child was still missing Sunday and presumed drowned, Coyle said. Divers could not be sent into the river to search because of a swift current.

Coyle said Gaines, who has no criminal record, could face charges as early as Monday. She also has a 7-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter, neighbors said.

She dropped the twins over the 5-foot railing of a bridge, then climbed over and jumped, witnesses said.

Coyle said the unidentified man who led the rescue of Gaines and her son put himself in harm's way by swimming out into the powerful current.

"It was heroic," Coyle said. "I'm impressed that a citizen would jump into the river and do what he did."

Witnesses said the woman kept screaming and resisted her rescuers.

"We were just sitting there, and we heard her screaming," said Erin Mac, who was among thousands of people at the river's edge. "She just kept screaming these bloodcurdling screams."

[Happy2BMe]

What is it with these mothers who turn from the most powerful instinct in nature (self-preservation and protecting their young) to killing their own children?

It's popping up much more recently than in past history - even here in the U.S.

[friendly]

Either schizophrenia, or (more likely) untreated post-partum psychosis, big time.

[TheCrusader]

"A woman allegedly threw her twin infant sons off a bridge into the Mississippi River, then jumped in herself, screaming incoherently"

I can hear the liberals and feminists already, "let's investigate her husband and find out why her turned her into this monster". And the defense attorneys, "It was her doctor's fault for not prescribing the right medication". Somewhere behind this now commonplace atrocity of mothers murdering their children, they will want to find a father to blame.

[TheCrusader]

"Either schizophrenia, or (more likely) untreated post-partum psychosis, big time."

Surely it's not murder, women just don't commit such crimes ---

[csvset]

River Search Continues Sunday

The search continues for a child missing and believed dead in the Mississippi River in St. Paul.

Witnesses claim a woman threw or dropped two children into the river off the Wabasha Street bridge around nine p.m. Friday night — then jumped in herself. It happened while thousands of people were gathered on Harriet Island for the Taste of Minnesota.

Onlookers entered the river and rescued one of the one-year-old twin boys and his mother. They are at Regions Hospital, where both are expected fully recover.

"Her injuries are considered non-serious." St. Paul Police Commander Brian Coyle said.

The mother is under arrest inside the hospital and could be charged with a crime on Monday. KARE TV will not disclose her name until she has made a court appearance.

Witnesses
Dozens of people witnessed the bizarre incident, several tried to help.

"I saw a baby falling," said Mahmoud Hassan, one of the men who went into the river to rescue mother and child. "She wouldn't shut up … yelling freedom, freedom, freedom."

"You could see the baby's hands coming up and then go down and come up and go down," said Kristina Manning. "It was the unthinkable, you don't think to see something like that."

Manning returned to the scene Saturday, still unable to understand what had happened.

"How could she do something like that? Nothing in the world could be that bad … to kill her kids."

Children saw the incident as well. Felicia Smith said her four-year-old son was deeply troubled by what he saw. She had to try and answer when the boy asked "Why did she throw her babies in the water?"

"I just held him tight and we just sat there on the couch and I just told him some people go through things that are unimaginable, I don't know what was going through her mind, but we're going to pray for her."

Rescuer Hassan seems troubled as well — apparently feeling guilty that he didn't save the other child.

"It's pretty tough right now. I honestly wish I would have looked for the other baby instead of taking her out of the water," Mahmoud Hassan says.

The Investigation
Police are still sorting out witness statements trying to figure out what happened.

"Our information is that her behavior didn't draw attention to herself prior to the act," said Commander Coyle.

Police wouldn't say if the woman was intoxicated, taking any kind of behavior-altering medicine — or if she'd ever tried killing herself.

"It's unknown at this time," Coyle said referring to the possibility of drugs or alcohol. As for suicide, "That's under investigation."

One thing Coyle could share, his respect for Hassan and the others who tried to save the children.

"I'm impressed that a citizen would jump into a river and make the kind of effort that he did," Coyle said.


Last Updated - 7/6/2003 8:35:16 AM

[TLBSHOW]

"I'm impressed that a citizen would jump into a river and make the kind of effort that he did," Coyle said.

BUMP

[Cobra64]

It is caused by the "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy." Hillary told me so!

[csvset]

"I saw a baby falling," said Mahmoud Hassan, one of the men who went into the river to rescue mother and child. "She wouldn't shut up … yelling freedom, freedom, freedom."

A Richie Havens fan?

[SauronOfMordor]

Either schizophrenia, or (more likely) untreated post-partum psychosis, big time.

A lady I used to work with was telling me about her post-partum depression. She said that at one point she had to suppress the urge to drive head-on into a truch on the road -- while her kids were in the car with her. It can get bad

[friendly]

Oh it is murder all right. But we really prepared to execute someone who was "screaming incoherently" as she threw herself and her babies 75 feet to the Mississippi River?

The law (and justice) recognizes gradients in homicidal guilt, with differing punishments. I have no doubt that most of the posters here will cry out for her death, but this would not meet the requirements of justice.

[jocon307]

"Mahmoud Hassan, one of the men who went into the river to rescue mother and child..."

Good Muslim alert! I bash them so much I feel I must single this fellow out for praise. Good Job, Mr. Hassan!

[TheCrusader]

"A lady I used to work with was telling me about her post-partum depression. She said that at one point she had to suppress the urge to drive head-on into a truch on the road -- while her kids were in the car with her. It can get bad"

Since when does an urge to do something destructive give one some legal right to do it? We all have urges, our legal and moral obligation is to suppress the ones that are bad and do the right thing. There is no illness or disease that makes people kill, especially their own children. Jeffry Dahmer, Charles Manson and John Salvi were notorious schizophrenics, but it didn't help their cases any.

[friendly]

"Philosophy professor" Peter Singer of Princeton University, liberalism's answer to Satan Incarnate, advocates for (among many, many astonishing evils) "Post Delivery Abortion" in which this mother would have a perfect right to kill a baby for the first 12 months after birth.

The mom was just excercising "choice" in this ultimate liberal sicko view.

[TLBSHOW]

"It's pretty tough right now. I honestly wish I would have looked for the other baby instead of taking her out of the water," Mahmoud Hassan says.

....
BUMP

[lawdude]

" It's popping up much more recently than in past history - even here in the U.S."

Don't agree. It is being REPORTED much more recently than in past history - even here in the U.S.

I do recall instances of mothers (both meanings) killing or trying to kill their children as a kid in the 40's-50's. Difference is we didn't then have FOX news blasting the same crap 24/7. There may be more statistically but back then, troubled mothers could go to a neighbor, a church, a friend or a relative for solace. Today, mothers are trained (brainwashed) to believe only government can help, but 'nana' state worker is never around.

FOX does a great job of telling it like it is politically, but their social agenda is pitiful and reeks of "checkout counter" tabloidism!

[joesnuffy]

better living through chemistry- mediated brains

[sticker]

"FOX does a great job of telling it like it is politically, but their social agenda is pitiful and reeks of "checkout counter" tabloidism!"

You prefer larry king or katie curic(sp) placing the blame on everybody but the person that did it?

[friendly]

The liberal Minnisota newspapers announced the result of their investigative reporting: it is all Bush's and the Republicans' fault.

[Vinnie]

An unusual case of SIDS. (sudden infant drowning syndrome)

I'm not trying to may light of this, it's sicko.
I'll bet that many of the cases of the 'real' SIDS are actually infantcide, done in a less spectacular fashion.