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Baby Dies in Texas After Mother Reports Cutting off Arms
TBO ^ | Nov 22, 2004

Posted on 11/22/2004 2:03:51 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection

An infant died Monday after her mother called 911 to report that she had cut off the baby's arms, police said.

When authorities arrived, they found the baby with her arms severed and the mother waiting calmly with blood on her clothing, police said. The baby died at a hospital.

The 35-year-old mother, whose name was not released, was being questioned by police.

Authorities said other family members, including two school-age children, lived together in the Plano apartment.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: death; murder
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To: Melas
$50 says she's found insane, and rightfully so. Which would preclude execution in Texas.

Not so fast.

Revision of Texas' Insanity Defense

The Andrea Yates trial put the spotlight on Texas' insanity defense. Texas has some of the nation's most stringent requirements for the use of the insanity defense. The defense must prove not only that an individual has a serious mental illness, but also that the individual did not know that his or her conduct was wrong in the eyes of the law. This was how Texas law permitted jurors to find Andrea Yates guilty, despite past treatment for postpartum depression and psychosis, four hospitalizations, and two suicide attempts. Andrea Yates was found guilty because in her testimony to the police, she stated that she knew the criminal justice system would punish her for her actions, implying that she knew they were wrong in the eyes of the law. ...

The Texas statute ... requires the jury to focus not on whether a person is delusional, but on whether the defendant from knew right from wrong at the time of the crime. In Texas, it is not enough for a judge or jury to believe that a defendant had a severe mental illness that included strong delusions - there also has to be a finding that the defendant was unable to know the difference between right and wrong. ...

In the past, the Texas insanity defense allowed acquittal for defendants, ... even when they knew their actions were wrong. However, Texas, like many states, revised its insanity statute ... 1981. ... Five states have abolished the insanity defense completely. The resulting changes have made the insanity defense extremely difficult to employ, even in the cases of severely ill individuals. As a result, despite popular belief, the insanity defense is used in less that 1 percent of criminal cases. ...

Texas law also creates an additional burden for the use of the insanity defense. Attorneys for the defense, courts and prosecutors are prohibited from informing any juror or prospective juror of the consequences to the defendant if a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity is returned. ... While a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity is a full acquittal of charges, in cases where the court finds that there was a threat of serious bodily injury to anyone, then the criminal court retains jurisdiction and must order the defendant be committed to a maximum security unit within the Texas Department of Mental Retardation. The criminal court retains jurisdiction for a period of time as long as the maximum term provided by the law for the crime committed.


141 posted on 11/22/2004 6:16:54 PM PST by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: softengine; Calpernia; Velveeta; Alabama MOM

Another there is something very wrong with us
all/we've been exposed to something, ping.

tin foil hat on.

Save a bit of tin foil for me, please.

When all the school shootings were happening, the one thing
that was in all the cases, was the dopes the doctors gave the children.

Ritalin and the others.

Even Andrea Yates was on something, tried to come off of it, and went crazy, as I recall, something about the Doctor not refilling her prescription.

All this from my memory, but I think I am right...LOL

It reached the point that I was watching for the "the kid was on medication" reports.


142 posted on 11/22/2004 6:25:33 PM PST by nw_arizona_granny (Today, please pray for God's miracle, we are not going to make it without him.)
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To: Rosenkreutz

No details necessary....you take a life, you surrender your own. Just one bullet, that's all the gal needs.


143 posted on 11/22/2004 6:25:47 PM PST by RasterMaster (Saddam's family were WMD's - He's behind bars & his sons are DEAD!)
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To: MeekOneGOP


The woman kept all of her appointments and at one time, was
prescribed with a psychotropic drug to treat the depression.
CPS caseworkers continued to visit the family through the
spring and summer.

2 minutes ago, I posted that I watched for the drug notice,
and here it is, thanks to your find.

Good work, thank you.


144 posted on 11/22/2004 6:31:23 PM PST by nw_arizona_granny (Today, please pray for God's miracle, we are not going to make it without him.)
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To: Righter-than-Rush

"In the eyes of the government, yes. But not in the eyes of God."

Actually, I would wager that mental illness is rarely taken into account in the eyes of the government, and always in the eyes of God.


145 posted on 11/22/2004 6:36:19 PM PST by Flightdeck (Gravity and EM are the same thing)
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To: nw_arizona_granny
:^)

146 posted on 11/22/2004 6:39:04 PM PST by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: El Gato
Given the so called "quality" of the water in Plano, it could very well be.

Being a Planoite myself, I can attest to that. Switched to bottled seven years ago and never looked back.

By the way, this demented woman is by no accounts a representative of Plano.

147 posted on 11/22/2004 6:42:40 PM PST by Eyrie
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

The worst punishment you could give this woman would be to forcefully treat her insanity and give her life in prison. No torture, no sentence of death would be worse for her than to regain her sanity and live with what she has done. She would more than likely end up a suicide.


148 posted on 11/22/2004 7:10:16 PM PST by Texas Deb
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

Draw and quarter her. Why did she even have a baby to begin with???????? Some people should not have children period.


149 posted on 11/22/2004 7:11:05 PM PST by Ptarmigan (Proud rabbit hater and killer)
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection
This lady needs to die, simple as that. If I was working in the jail she was being held in she would expire fast.

Having children of my own, knowing how precious children are; reading this enrages me beyond my belief. I almost told my wife about this, but all I could do is point at the monitor.

May that bitch rest in hell whenever she gets there. THE SOONER THE BETTER, and I hope her entry into hell is very slow and painful.

P.S. Sorry is I may have broken any forum rules.

150 posted on 11/22/2004 7:20:10 PM PST by KoRn
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

How old was this poor baby???


151 posted on 11/22/2004 7:27:31 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: Arizona Carolyn

I believe the baby was born in January so about 11 months old.


152 posted on 11/22/2004 7:31:08 PM PST by Texas Deb
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To: miltonim

This child was given life not aborted, I think your post of an abortion is unfit for this site. That poor child was given life by her mother and yet that mother choose to take it from her. Once again the system has failed the child and the parent, failing to follow up and continue treatment, 9 months isnt enough time to make sure the mother is in full control of her 'senses'.
People say its the water, its the democrats, its the liberals or republicans, but its society as a whole who has failed these children. People are too eager to turn their backs on things that make them 'uncomfortable', where were the neighbors? dont tell me they didnt hear the child scream in pain! WE FAILED THAT CHILD!!!!!! so willing to push the mother through the system and close the case that an innocent one lost her life...what a loss we have suffered.


153 posted on 11/22/2004 7:35:38 PM PST by evolvingsoul (Blessed be the children for they didnt ask to be here)
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

This just breaks my heart. :*(
I live near this town, and I would
have adopted that baby in a New York
minute. :*(

They are already reporting that the
mother suffered from PPD (post partum
depression), but I understand the baby
was born in January? So I guess they
are setting her up for some sort of insanity
plea, like that other mother from Plano
who smothered her two young daughters not long ago. :*(


154 posted on 11/22/2004 7:38:10 PM PST by pillut48 (CJ in TX)
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To: softengine
I think the best description of PP Depression came from Marie Osmond after her episode. She indicated that initially they gave her "drugs" which only made her more disoriented. Eventually she found her way to a nutritionist who changed her diet and with the help of diet and the right supplements slowly helped bring her out of it... it's a hormonal thing.

What is known, for sure, is Postpartum depression is related to the hormonal fluctuations following childbirth. Nothing can be done to prevent it though there are some coping strategies that can help alleviate it.

Unlike baby blues PPD comes on later as hormones try to sort themselves out. It seems to be more pronounced after each pregnancy.

As to why so common today: Could be our lifestyles. In the "old days" women usually had help after the birth of a baby. Mom or Grandma came to stay and care for the other kids, the new mother and the baby and the new mother was able to get more rest. Remember they usually kept the mother in the hospital for at least a week and in bed for quite a while thereafter (they thought childbirth made you an invalid).

Perhaps that was a good thing because now they expect supermom to be up and about take care of home, family and back to work right away. Women feel overwhelmed and afraid to admit it for fear of being called a bad mother.

I'm not excusing what happened in her case -- it's HORRIBLE and my heart breaks for the baby and the pain it endured. But just as with Yates. Where was the husband? CPS? Also.. WHAT drug was she on. These drugs have a blow-back factor that many people just don't understand and not the cure-all. The drugs that were given Andrea Yates is a good example of a bad drug that shold never have been prescribed.

155 posted on 11/22/2004 7:44:26 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: nw_arizona_granny

Ritalin and the others.

Even Andrea Yates was on something, tried to come off of it, and went crazy, as I recall, something about the Doctor not refilling her prescription.




There has been quite a few threads here recently about all the prescription drug meds too.


156 posted on 11/22/2004 7:47:28 PM PST by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: FreedomCalls
The insantity defense usually doesn't work but once in a while it is used successfully......



157 posted on 11/22/2004 7:47:59 PM PST by deport (I've done a lot things.... seen a lot of things..... Most of which I don't remember.)
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To: Calpernia; All
Psychiatric Drugs: Types, Side-Effects,
Dangers and Permanent Damage

There are no "safe" psychiatric drugs. Each has numerous harmful short term and largely unknown long term effects. Each psychiatric drug which was orginally heralded as the new "safe" wonder drug, was found to have severe harmful side effects, including addiction, and withdrawal symptoms, among others. Psychiatric drugs obtain their result by causing brain dysfunction.

Thorazine, a strong tranquilizer, creates a very similar effect to a lobotomy (brain surgery) by disrupting frontal lobe nerve activity. Psychiatrists grossly neglect to point out the potential harm of psychiatric drugs to their patients, such as tardive dyskinesia, tardive dementia, general dulling of awareness, emotional numbing, and cognitive dysfunction.

Side effects can occur in as high as 50% or more of patients, depending on the drug and dosages, and often the effects are permanent with no known cure.

The following modern psychotropic drugs are all dangerous and should not be used by anybody under an circumstances:

1) Neuroleptics (anti-psychotic agents, major tranquilizers) - Such as Haldol, Prolixin, Thorazine, Mellaril, Stelazine, Vesprin, Clozaril, Navane, Trilafon, Tindal, Taractan, and Compazine.

2) Tricyclic Antidepressants such as Tofranil, Elavil, Adapin, Surmontil, Norpramin, Pamelor, Aventyl, Vivactil, and Anafranil.

3) Atypical Antidepressants such as Asendin, Ludiomil, Desyrel, and Wellbutrin.

4) Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (very dangerous antidepessant agents) such as Marplan, Nardil, Parnate, Eldepryl, and Eutonyl.

5) Lithium

6) Prozac

7) Xanax

7) Minor Tranquilizers - such as Xanax, Valium, Librium, BuSpar, Ativan, Halcion, Tranxene, Paxipam, Centrax, Klonopin, Dalmane, Serax, Ativan, Restoril, Miltown, Equanil, Atarax and Vistaril.

8) ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) & ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) drugs (psychostimulants - "speed") - Such as Ritalin (highly addictive), Dexedrine, and Cylert.

Maybe everyone here is trying to hang the wrong person?

Say NO To Psychiatry!

158 posted on 11/22/2004 7:54:33 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: Calpernia

Andrea Yates was on Haldol even though her husband asked them to take her off because it made her into a zombie.


159 posted on 11/22/2004 7:55:45 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: Tumbleweed_Connection

Dear God...Lord Jesus...come quickly...


160 posted on 11/22/2004 7:57:27 PM PST by PleaseNoMore
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