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NC couple face murder in death of son tied to tree
Star-Telegram | AP ^ | 6/13/08 | Mike Baker

Posted on 06/14/2008 11:43:09 AM PDT by LibWhacker

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A couple accused of tying their 13-year-old son to a tree for two nights to punish him for disobedience has been charged with murder in his death, authorities said Friday.

Brice Brian McMillan, 41, of Macclesfield, told a deputy that the child was being disobedient and was forced to sleep outside Tuesday while tied to a tree, the Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office said. The teenager was released Wednesday morning but again tied up that night for bad behavior, authorities said.

The boy was left tied to the tree until the following afternoon when his stepmother found him unresponsive, Sheriff James Knight said. Knight said authorities believe the boy was bound to the tree with plastic ties and possibly other kinds of material.

"An adult couldn't get out of those," he said.

Temperatures in the area rose to above 90 degrees on Thursday afternoon, with a low of 73, according to the National Weather Service. Knight would not discuss any details on the cause of death, saying an autopsy was being conducted at the state chief medical examiner's office in Chapel Hill.

The sheriff also didn't have details on why the boy was being punished, although he said deputies were investigating whether he had run away.

Dwight Jefferson, an emergency responder with Pinetops Rescue Squad who was first on the scene, said he did not know the cause of the child's death.

"What we found was a 13-year-old laying on the ground - CPR being done by his father," Jefferson said. "Then we took over."

Knight said the boy was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

McMillan and Sandra Elizabeth McMillan, 36, also have been charged with felony child abuse. Two other children at the home, ages 7 and 9, have been placed in the custody of the Department of Social Services, authorities said. Knight said he does not know of any past allegations of child abuse in the family.

He also said he could not release the name of the boy.

The McMillans are being held in the Edgecombe County Detention Center under no bond and are scheduled for a first appearance in court Monday. The sheriff's office said they did not know if the couple had an attorney.

Macclesfield is about 90 miles east of Durham.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: childabuse; death; mcmillan; teen; tied; tree
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To: DrC

As you know, initial charges are always greater in the begining so a lesser plea, even though not as serious is still serious. Charge with murder plea down to manslaughter. Charge with manslaughter initialy could be plead down to something much less.


21 posted on 06/14/2008 2:47:01 PM PDT by eastforker (Get-R-Done and then Bring-Em- Home)
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To: DrC

Large areas of NC are mountain or rural regions the same as TN. My husband could tie me to a tree on our farm and I could scream for days and nobody would hear me, not that he would, I hope.


22 posted on 06/14/2008 3:17:00 PM PDT by Melinda in TN
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To: BenLurkin; Libloather; All
From WRAL (Raleigh):

The father was performing CPR on the teen when paramedics arrived at the house, said John Dwight Jefferson, of the Pinetops Rescue Squad.

The teen, who was identified as Tyler Gene McMillan, was in cardiac arrest and was taken to Heritage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Jefferson said.

"People are people. When it happens, you still always ask the same question – why?" Jefferson said.

Edgecombe County Sheriff James Knight said the boy's wrists and ankles were bound with plastic ties and that he was also tied to the tree with some other material. Although a rope was seen dangling from a tree in the yard outside the house Friday, he wouldn't confirm whether that was used to tie the boy.

Investigators found bruises on the boy's wrists and ankles, Knight said, declining to comment on whether other marks were found on his body.

A 7-year-old and a 9-year-old who live in the McMillan home have been placed in the custody of the Department of Social Services, authorities said.

Tyler McMillan's mother, Michelle "Mickey" Sasser McMillan, died of cancer several years ago.

Carolyn Pollard, who lives across the road from the McMillans, said the family moved to the area about three months ago from Florida. The children were homeschooled, and the family kept to themselves, she said.

[great, more whack homeschoolers for the statists to use as fodder to brand all of us. Anyway, there's video at the link which shows a fairly normal rural brick home]



From newsandobserver.com:

The boy had languished outdoors while the area was blanketed in dense, acrid smoke from the Pocosin Lakes wildfire to the east. State officials had warned residents to stay indoors because of the smoke's health threat.

Both of the McMillans are widowed, according to past news reports.

Sandra McMillan's first husband, Dwayne "Scott" Wilburn of Rockledge, Fla., died in 2002 at age 38, according to his newspaper obituary. The couple had a daughter, Brynana Shay Wilburn.

Brice McMillan's first wife, Michelle Sasser "Mickie" McMillan of Greenville, died in 2004 at age 37, according to her newspaper obituary. The couple had two sons, Tyler Gene McMillan and Ryan Wesley McMillan.

Records show that Brice McMillan has been convicted of several driving violations, but nothing more serious.

Sandra McMillan was convicted of theft in Florida in 1991 and received probation, records show.

Their first court appearances on the murder and child abuse charges are scheduled for Monday.

23 posted on 06/14/2008 3:17:58 PM PDT by lainie ("You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body." - C.S. Lewis)
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To: DrC
I'm thinking a blood clot could have killed him if not the dehydration alone. The kid was bound up with plastic and ropes plus police say there are marks on his body showing he was bound with other things as well. The plastic, ropes and other things on his body, as well as the tree limited his ability to sweat and impaired his circulation. Dehydration also thickens the blood.

They warn people on long airplane flights in cramped positions to be aware of the deadly clots which often start in the legs and move up to a vital organ. They tell people to get up and move around every once in awhile to prevent this.

Former Vice President Dan Quayle had these clots and they believe it was from his long airline flights.

As the paramedics arrived around 4:30 p.m. Thursday and he'd been tied to the tree the evening/night before he was in a very fixed position for over 3/4 of a day. And that's assuming they did give him a break on Wednesday. They could be lying.

I believe and investigation will show he was abused and it's said that he was punished for trying to run away - likely trying to escape the brutal parents.

24 posted on 06/14/2008 3:31:39 PM PDT by joan
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To: eastforker
What if he threatend to kill everyone once they were asleep or threatend to burn the house down but, I doubt the parents planned to kill him.

Goodness, it doesn't matter!!!! They could have called authorities! Are you seriously telling me, and everyone else this behavior by the parents is justified?

Would you send your kid off to be raised by the state because of control issues?

I tell you right now there is no way in hell I'm tying my kid up to a tree in June in N.C. for punishment no matter what he said or did. If it's serious enough, and he's that out of control you're absolutely right I'm sending him off for professional help.

I can't believe I'm having to even argue this point with another freeper! There is absolutely no justification for what these parents did over a TWO DAY PERIOD! NONE!

25 posted on 06/14/2008 3:55:59 PM PDT by sirchtruth (Yes, Chef!)
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To: lainie

Poor kid...he was about nine when his mom died from cancer. This kid had a rough life (probably remembered alot about his real mom and her illness). Dad remarries (quickly) a woman with her own loss and child to deal with. Blended families are not easy...and I would guess that both ‘sides’ of children were still grieving the loss of their biological parent. Can become a volatile mix.


26 posted on 06/14/2008 3:56:09 PM PDT by PennsylvaniaMom (I am still bitter.)
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To: sirchtruth

I never said it was justified but I did say it did not warrant a murder charge. Remember little Lionell Tate from Florida, 13 when he killed his playmate practicing wrestling moves.On the other hand niether you or I lived in that home or even a clue as to what went on. As far as the mug shots of mom and dad, they look like they are at thier wits end and haven’t slept in quite a while. I will withhold judgement till I hear the whole story.


27 posted on 06/14/2008 4:07:52 PM PDT by eastforker (Get-R-Done and then Bring-Em- Home)
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To: eastforker
"little Lionell Tate"

Lionell Tate was a 170 pounder - not little. Meanwhile a neighbor described this boy as little - and that is probably in observance of his size.

These parents look good-sized, not cowed parents at their wit's end - and they look tough.

The woman is a convicted thief meaning she's very sneaky and a law violator.

The man has had "several" driving offenses (they don't get into details of how serious they are, but he violated driving laws frequently.)

It's said they only moved from Florida recently - perhaps to escape their bad reputation they were accumulating or suspicions of neighbors there.

There is no report on any crime record on the kid - no mention of any injuries to the other children or parents. Even they said he was punished for disobedience and I read also of running or trying to run away. No mention of him making threats - though perhaps people like you will give the lawyers a good story to cook up and somehow justify this deadly treatment of the boy.

Plus the woman's husband died at age 38 in 2002. She could have murdered him for his insurance for all we know - you can't put it past her being a sneaky thief, plus allowing the boy to be tightly bound (he's got bruises and marks from this all on his body) for over 3/4 of a day and with no water.

I think you are the one barking up the wrong tree and an investigation will show the parents in more and more worse light.

28 posted on 06/14/2008 4:19:02 PM PDT by joan
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To: eastforker
I will withhold judgement till I hear the whole story.

My problem simply is there is no justification for what the parents did. They admitted they were "punishing" him, not trying to remain safe as you might suggest could be the case.

I understand your point here and even agree with it, but I can't imagine anything that could convince me what the parents did with their 13 yr old son was justifible under any circumstances.

Do you know of any "punishment" or protection for family safty where it would be warrented to tie up a child to a tree, with sweltering heat oiutside by protective parents over the span of a two day period?

29 posted on 06/14/2008 4:25:07 PM PDT by sirchtruth (Yes, Chef!)
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To: joan

Gee, where did you read or hear about he had no water and the theft conviction was in’91 and the guy had some traffic tickets,big deal. So, if the kid ran away and got killed doing something stupid I guess your gonna blame the parents again. I work in 95 degree heat all day long, in the sun wearing long sleave FRC’s. I doubt being tied to the tree killed the kid and I severely doubt the parens meant to do the kid pysical harm.Oh, and I smoke 2 packs a day and the heat still hasn’t killed me and I’m 55. In the end, it still does not justify murder charges.


30 posted on 06/14/2008 4:30:55 PM PDT by eastforker (Get-R-Done and then Bring-Em- Home)
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To: sirchtruth

Thats just it, we do not know the whole story, thats why I am with holding judgement.


31 posted on 06/14/2008 4:33:59 PM PDT by eastforker (Get-R-Done and then Bring-Em- Home)
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To: eastforker
"I work in 95 degree heat all day long, in the sun wearing long sleave FRC’s."

You move around and get circulation. This boy was in fixed position from Wednesday evening/night until around 4:30 p.m. Thursday. He also had bindings all over his body such that it left bruises. I doubt your shirt gives you bruises.

You are probably long used to working in the heat if you've done it for years and years.

The theft conviction was in '91 but most often a person is only caught a small percentage of the time and the character of a person is usually formed and doesn't change once they are grown - and she would have been 19 or 20.

Though we will have to wait and see for the autopsy report. I wonder if they'll give the child's weight but I'll be it is much less - probably almost half - than that 170-pounder you bring up.

32 posted on 06/14/2008 4:36:23 PM PDT by joan
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To: joan

Though we will have to wait and see for the autopsy report. I wonder if they’ll give the child’s weight but I’ll be it is much less - probably almost half - than that 170-pounder you bring up................. A hundred pound kid can wield a knife or a match just as easily as a 170 pounder.


33 posted on 06/14/2008 4:43:35 PM PDT by eastforker (Get-R-Done and then Bring-Em- Home)
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To: eastforker

I don’t see any cuts on their faces nor hear about any cuts at all on them or the kids, and if he was wielding a knife then they make reports to the police to at least get it on record. Interviews with his siblings and an investigation will reveal what is really went on. But I’ll bet my intuition will spell out better than yours.


34 posted on 06/14/2008 4:51:39 PM PDT by joan
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To: eastforker
"Oh, and I smoke 2 packs a day"

What does bragging about your smoking have to do with anything? But while you brought it up, how long can you hold your breath if you time yourself?

35 posted on 06/14/2008 4:52:58 PM PDT by joan
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To: joan; PennsylvaniaMom

This person seems bent on justifying the actions that killed a 13-year-old child.

Presuming it all happened the way we’ve been reading, I actually agree that the first degree charge is perhaps unjustified, since afaik, in order to get a conviction for that charge, premeditated intent would have to be proven. I seriously doubt either of them planned for things to work out this way.

But to rail against a murder charge in general is absurd. They clearly neglected/abused the kid. He died from their actions. It might not have been premeditated, but that’s why the law recognizes several degrees of murder.


36 posted on 06/14/2008 4:53:59 PM PDT by lainie ("You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body." - C.S. Lewis)
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To: joan

I share your intuition with these two. They are not frail or weak looking (aside from the dead eyes) they seem stunning ‘normal’ in the mug pix. So ‘normal’ (no remorse, sadness, signs of crying or stresss) that in IMO it keeps with the ‘type’ that could so wantonly disregard the safety and well being of another human (let alone their—at least his—own child).


37 posted on 06/14/2008 4:55:39 PM PDT by PennsylvaniaMom (I am still bitter.)
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To: lainie

Amen. And the cops don’t release all the info they have either. I am just surprised that no one has shown up (here) yet to rail against the other kids being taken care of by CPS.


38 posted on 06/14/2008 4:57:46 PM PDT by PennsylvaniaMom (I am still bitter.)
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To: PennsylvaniaMom

Thats right, the cops don’t give all the info,sometimes they even hide it from the courts, especialy if it doesn’t help the prosecution.


39 posted on 06/14/2008 5:04:55 PM PDT by eastforker (Get-R-Done and then Bring-Em- Home)
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To: eastforker
LEO's don't release all information to the media in ongoing criminal investigations...thereby openning the door for wild speculations on (intoning AlGore) the Internets.

Really...I don't think that the Police in NC have it 'in' for the couple whose mug shots are posted here.

40 posted on 06/14/2008 5:12:27 PM PDT by PennsylvaniaMom (I am still bitter.)
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