Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Forgotten 1-year-old found dead in mother's vehicle
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal ^ | Thursday, August 4, 2005 | D. LANCE LUNSFORD

Posted on 08/04/2005 6:41:41 AM PDT by WestTexasWend

A mother's horror turned to a grave reality just before 6 p.m. Wednesday when she stopped to pick up her 1-year-old son from Madison's Place Day Care, located in the 5200 block of 13th Street.

According to police, day care employees told the mother they had not seen Joseph Duemer - born July 15, 2004 - all day, and he had not been checked into the facility.

The mother returned to her vehicle to find Joseph dead in the back seat, said Lubbock police spokesman Lt. Roy Bassett.

"He was in the back seat and had been back there all day," Bassett said.

Although Joseph was transported for treatment, Bassett said it was too late to save him.

According to Lubbock police Sgt. Leland Hufstedler, unconfirmed reports indicate the mother left her home about 8 a.m. Wednesday to drop off the child at Madison's Place.

"Right now, it doesn't look like it was anything intentional," said Hufstedler.

The high temperature in Lubbock was 93 Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. The temperature dipped to 90 at about 6 p.m.

The mother was being questioned Wednesday night by police about the incident, Bassett said.

"The mother was taken to the police station to possibly give a statement and possibly speak to detectives if she chooses to," said Bassett, who indicated the father arrived at the day care shortly after the baby's death was reported to 911 from the facility.

At press time, a Lubbock police investigator said the mother had yet to give a statement to police and did have an attorney present at the station.

Exiting the police station at about 9:30 p.m., the mother was consoled by her husband along with a Lubbock attorney and a small group of people.

Leaving in a white T-shirt, black jogging shorts and tennis shoes, the mother dabbed at eyes swollen with tears before getting into a vehicle and leaving the station.

Hufstedler said the investigation continues as they plan to determine whether the case should head to Lubbock County Criminal District Attorney Bill Sowder for presentation to a grand jury.

Bassett said there will be an autopsy conducted to determine the cause of death.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: mars
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 161-170 next last
To: bboop

Bingo!


81 posted on 08/04/2005 8:36:26 AM PDT by ItsOurTimeNow ("For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome, who can endure it?" Joel2:11)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: csvset

My husband's family left his little sister at a rest stop while they were on vacation one time. They didn't notice that she hadn't gotten back in the car until about two exits down the freeway.


82 posted on 08/04/2005 8:36:52 AM PDT by Eva
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: WestTexasWend
Those who say prison is too harsh need to remember that this is not golf. You don't get a MULLIGAN for being so irresponsible as to forget a helpless child. Involuntary manslaughter at a minimum.

I've got a daughter and I can't imagine taking her to daycare and "forgetting" to leave her their. How ridiculous. May the Lord have mercy on her but not the justice of Texas.
83 posted on 08/04/2005 8:40:07 AM PDT by veeceeque (Proudly fighting for the greatest nation on Earth! God Bless the USA.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: WestTexasWend

Bookmark


84 posted on 08/04/2005 8:40:49 AM PDT by Black Tooth
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: WestTexasWend
I have been reading down the comments on this thread.

I had to go back and check the URL as I read the apologists for this whole mess.

So pay attention, here. Listen up.

NOTHING, I REPEAT, NOTHING IS AS IMPORTANT AS THAT CHILD. NOT THE D@MNED SUV, THE YUPPIE MANSIONETTE, THE NEW CLOTHES THE PLASMA TV, THE SPORTS TICKET, THE PHONE BILL, NOT ONE D@MNED GEEGAW OR THING ON THIS PLANET IS AS PRECIOUS AS THAT BABY.

IF YOU ARE "SO TIRED" THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO REMEMBER YOUR CHILD FOR LONG ENOUGH FOR THEM TO DIE IN THE BACKSEAT, CHANGE YOUR LIFE, CAUSE YOU ARE NOT LIVING.

YOUR CHILD HAS BECOME JUST ANOTHER "THING" AND NOT THE SOURCE OF JOY AND FULFILLMENT HE OR SHE WAS MEANT TO BE.

Give the race to the rats and move.

Better to live in a hovel and drive an old beater to a menial job than to risk the life of your child. All the rest is just stuff. In the end it is meaningless crap. The only thing you will leave behind which will make a difference is your kid.

Absolutely no appologies for 'SHOUTING'.

85 posted on 08/04/2005 8:43:19 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (God save us from the fury of the do-gooders!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GGpaX4DumpedTea
The passenger side bag hit my wife in the chest and injured her, leaving trauma and bruises that took a couple months to heal.

My attorney, Snydney R. Whiplash would have jumped all over this one. 6 figures, no less.

86 posted on 08/04/2005 8:43:27 AM PDT by Chuck54 (Confirm justice Roberts!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: Drew68

>If you ask me, this is just another unintended consequence of >children in the back seat where they are more easily >forgotten. If the child was sitting next to her in the front >seat, it would be unlikely she would have forgotten him.

AIRBAGS? You've got to be kidding me.

That's as wrong as saying "the real problem was a lack of birth control. That would have prevented the child from being there in the first place."

Get real.


87 posted on 08/04/2005 8:45:21 AM PDT by veeceeque (Proudly fighting for the greatest nation on Earth! God Bless the USA.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: csvset

Nor have I ever forgotten a baby or child in the back seat.
I'm astonished at this- we're not talking about a memory problem , but a VISION problem.
How do you get INTO and OUT of your car and NEVER see the back seat? You don't SEE a child there, or you don't process seeing him/her? How do you miss something two feet away from you? How do you look in your rear view mirror during traffic and NOT see your child?
Are these people brain damaged or preternaturally stupid? Speaking as a woman, I would vote that people whose inattention and stupidity KILLS their child this way be sterilized. They would not 'replace' that baby. I'm not sure any older children should be left in their care either, I'd find family members to take over custody.


88 posted on 08/04/2005 8:45:32 AM PDT by ClearBlueSky (Whenever someone says it's not about Islam-it's about Islam. Jesus loves you, Allah wants you dead!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

How many more babies must this dits kill before you beleive that she's copable for the death of a child in her care?


89 posted on 08/04/2005 8:48:53 AM PDT by kharaku (G3 (http://www.cobolsoundsystem.com/mp3s/unreleased/evewasanape.mp3))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Smokin' Joe

RIGHT ON, JOE!


90 posted on 08/04/2005 8:49:06 AM PDT by veeceeque (Proudly fighting for the greatest nation on Earth! God Bless the USA.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: cromero
I agree that accidents happen to all of us and we all need to slow down and that is why accidents happen. let me ask, you both got out of the car, didn't you ask each other, who was taking the baby to the nursery? True it's easier to sit her and judge and condemn other for their lack of parenting, but is our actions, our haste that puts our children in danger. I don't know what the answer is other than we as parents do need to "slow down" and outside observers that have saved children forgotten in cars. God has entrusted us with the gift of life and our haste is no excuse. We learned that early with our older son who started crawling at 4 months and was always curious, couldn't leave him out of our sight. They fall asleep in cars and we can't hear them.

I come from a big family and the problem with today's families is that many mom's have to work, where as my mom stayed at home. I just think with the financial stress today just getting by and then bringing a child without young parents thinking of the cost of daycare puts alot of stress on parents trying to tend to child's needs and getting to work on time. So again you are right, it's about "slowing down" to check on your child, smell the roses or whatever else is put on the back burner in a nonstop society.
91 posted on 08/04/2005 8:51:43 AM PDT by newfrpr04
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: WestTexasWend
My heart goes out to these poor parents.

I have in my life forgotten things, important things, while distracted. It's my good fortune that none of these has caused me to live the rest of my life knowing that I'd killed my own child in a horrible way.

92 posted on 08/04/2005 8:53:12 AM PDT by Physicist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Smokin' Joe

ditto that


93 posted on 08/04/2005 8:53:42 AM PDT by newfrpr04
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: myprecious

but actually, you dont' really KNOW, do you? All what you just wrote is purely CONJECTURE.


94 posted on 08/04/2005 8:54:39 AM PDT by merry10
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: cromero

I agree with your post. Good for you. I've been guilty of things too - and I bet many of the parents posting indignantly here also have.


95 posted on 08/04/2005 8:56:29 AM PDT by merry10
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Smokin' Joe

But how do you know she has all those things???


96 posted on 08/04/2005 8:57:24 AM PDT by merry10
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: Smokin' Joe

We have a winner! Bravo!

You have it exactly. The baby has become a 'thing' to be dropped off and picked up, like laundry. It's not uppermost in their mind, it's just one more possession in the back seat and it becomes invisible once the 'important' stuff takes over the mind-work, the schedule.
I think there's a real element of impaired brain function at play in these incidents too. Low IQ or just plain stupid- it's the 'duh' factor.
If it's not intentional then it IS negligent, and it is death by negligence and should be prosecuted. If you neglected to FEED that child, get it medical care or let it wander the street and it died- you would be prosecuted,no?
What's the difference here?
BUSY is a good enough excuse for death by negligence? Since when???


97 posted on 08/04/2005 8:57:51 AM PDT by ClearBlueSky (Whenever someone says it's not about Islam-it's about Islam. Jesus loves you, Allah wants you dead!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: ventana
I want to put my two cents in that there is much too much of a burden placed on young mothers who are forced back to work in order to survive.

My sympathies to the family, but "young mothers who are forced back to work in order to survive" is a little melodramatic for this situation, IMHO. This is Lubbock, after all, and a dual-income married couple, not a teenage single mom struggling to make ends meet. This was no young mother "forced back to work in order to survive," I've no doubt. (Unless bigger house, two cars, cable TV, weekly trips to the mall, and fast food are considered necessary for survival.)

98 posted on 08/04/2005 9:01:27 AM PDT by shezza (God Bless Our Troops)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

Comment #99 Removed by Moderator

To: kharaku
How many more babies must this dits kill before you beleive that she's copable for the death of a child in her care?

I totally agree that having the gubmint punish her makes it all better.

100 posted on 08/04/2005 9:04:30 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Drug prohibition laws spawned the runaway federal health care monopoly and fund terrorism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 161-170 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson