Suject only

[Mirewen]

http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/2008/11/07/7338111.html

Only probation?

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A Connecticut man has avoided prison time for his role in the dehydration death of a toddler deprived of food and liquids for at least a week.

A judge in New Haven sentenced Robert Patterson to five years probation Friday in the death last February of 23-month-old Amari Jackson.

Amari was denied food and water as punishment for wetting the bed.

The boy was in the care of Patterson and his sister, Sharon Patterson, when he died.

The two were friend’s with Amari’s mother, who was ill at the time.

Manslaughter and cruelty charges are pending against Sharon Patterson.

 

[Kerowynn]

Wow...

 

[Skaw]

Must've been a damn good lawyer.

 

[Mirewen]

This is what got me:

The two were friend’s with Amari’s mother, who was ill at the time.

"Friends"

 

[Mistra]

Well, "were" is a key word in the statement too, to be fair. Although, why you'd leave your child in the care of someone else, even if minorly ill is beyond me...

 

[Mirewen]

A friend wouldn't do that to another friend though. One would hope :/

 

[Dejavu]

Without knowing his role in the crime how can we exactly know if the charges are accurate. First of all it states that the kid was in fact not in his care and that his sister is facing charges that are much stronger than the kind that will get you probation. Secondly the death was in no way intentional or atleast according to the charges it does not appear that they are trying to prove it as intentional since the charge is Manslaughter.

http://wcbstv.com/local/probation.toddler.dehydration.2.859030.html

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) ― A Hamden man was spared prison time Friday for his role in the death of a toddler who was deprived of liquids for a week as punishment for wetting a bed, prompting the victim's sobbing mother to call the case an outrage.

New Haven Superior Court Judge Richard Damiani told Robert Patterson that he had a moral obligation to protect 23-month-old Amari Jackson from harm. The boy died Feb. 26 while in the care of Patterson and his sister, Sharon Patterson, who police say was primarily responsible for the boy's death.

The five-year probation sentence Robert Patterson received was the result of a plea deal he accepted in September. He pleaded guilty to risk of injury to a minor, which carries up to 10 years in prison.

"You have a lot to think about, Mr. Patterson," Damiani said.

The plea deal and sentence angered Amari's mother, Sara Hicks, who cried throughout Friday's hearing. Hicks has said that the Pattersons, who were her friends, were caring for her son while she was sick with a fever and tending to her 8-month-old daughter.

Hamden police say Sharon Patterson, who has been ruled incompetent to stand trial, deprived the boy of liquids for at least seven days because he wet a bed. They say she also left cups laced with hot sauce around her apartment to teach him a lesson about drinking from other people's glasses.

Hicks wrote a letter to the judge that was read aloud by a victim's advocate in the courtroom on Friday.

"Something was taken from me that can never be replaced -- my son's life, the life of an innocent, helpless, one-year, 10-month and 18-day-old baby," she wrote. "The worst part of it is that it could have been prevented."

Robert Patterson witnessed the boy's cruel treatment for a week, Hicks said. She said when she called to check on her son, he did not warn her of the neglect.

Amari was a healthy baby when he was dropped off at the Pattersons and was able to articulate when he was hungry or thirsty, Hicks said. But when she saw him in the hospital, his bones were sticking out of his neck from malnutrition, she said.

"I understand that Amari was not left in the direct care of Robert Patterson, but does that give him a right to watch my son be tortured, do nothing about it and get away Scot free?" Hicks asked.

Prosecutor Michael Pepper has called the case a tragedy. But he said when Patterson was convicted that the plea deal reflects the law that applies to such situations and prosecutors' conclusion that Robert Patterson's role was, at worst, "arguably passive."

Damiani said without the plea deal, he would have ruled on a motion to dismiss the charges. He said if he found Patterson had no legal duty in the case, "he would have walked out of court scot-free."

Robert Patterson, who bowed his head as the victim's advocate read Hicks' statement, did not comment in court or after his sentence. His attorney said he feels terrible about what happened.

"The temptation when a child dies is to fix the blame on someone," Patterson's attorney, Jane Grossman, said after her client was sentenced. "Unfortunately, that's not always possible. This is a complicated case and we're grateful the judicial system took the time to look at it carefully and reach a fair result."

Sharon Patterson is charged with manslaughter, cruelty to persons and risk of injury to a minor. Although she has been ruled incompetent, she is receiving psychiatric treatment and another hearing on her competency is set for Dec. 12.

Sharon Patterson told police she had been smoking marijuana and drinking Smirnoff Ice the day before Amari died, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. She also told them she had previously lost custody of four children because of drug addiction.

Hicks said she will never get to see her son's first day of school or watch him learn to ride a bicycle.

"The pain never subsides, the tears don't stop falling and is constantly worsened by the aftermath we now find ourselves dealing with," she wrote.

So he pleaded guilty to risk of injury to a minor because he failed to stop his sister from unintentionally killing her son. Sounds a lot different when you say it like that doesn't it...

Also it says that the girl taking care of the kid has been ruled incompetent to stand trial now (so i think she is really the one with the good lawyer).

So let me sum this up for you. Mother was sick. Asked friend to watch it for her. Friend refused to give toddler water because it pissed the bed. Brother of friend did not stop her. Brother gets probation for not stopping her. Friend declared batshit insane and is in the bin. Mother regrets giving kid to friend who had lost custody of 4 kids of her own due to drug issues.

Sounds like all 3 of them are winners and now the mother is looking for blood... I think what the guy got was appropriate but i think he needs to have some long thoughts about his judgment in the issue.

Thats why its good to have all the facts before you judge..

 

[Mirewen]

That's why I posted it, in hopes there was more to be found

The paper I had read is a Canadian one that probably doesn't have access to all the facts. He should have been charged with criminal negligence at least though. And why would the mother let her "friend" take care of her son when her "friend" had lost custody of 4 children? That doesn't seem right.

 

[Taurothar]

Yea, here in CT, we are usually pretty strict about the baby killing. Glad more details came out.

 

[Dejavu]

It has happened often enough that it is a "usually" thing?

 

[Javir]

It has happened often enough that it is a "usually" thing?

In today's society, are you honestly surprised? These kinds of things happen more often than reported and its a terrible and sad thing. It only gets this much public attention during slow news weeks or there is something unique to the story and/or matches another story they covered.

I'm sure he likely also meant when considering lesser crimes such as other forms of child abuse are conducted with more serious consequences.


As far as the guy goes, unless he only found out about this 'punishment' the day the kid died or perhaps the day before, he should be considered as guilty (or as insane).

 

[Calais]

Sharon Patterson told police she had been smoking marijuana and drinking Smirnoff Ice the day before Amari died, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. She also told them she had previously lost custody of four children because of drug addiction.

If you let someone like that watch your child, you probably shouldn't be having kids in the first place.

 

[Mirewen]

If you let someone like that watch your child, you probably shouldn't be having kids in the first place.

Bingo.

 

[Hexx]

If you let someone like that watch your child, you probably shouldn't be having kids in the first place.

My thoughts exactly. As a parent myself, this child's mother should ALSO be to blame for leaving that child with a pair of irresponsible idiots. Of course, there is no greater punishment to a parent than to outlive your children.

 

[Eilistrae]

I don't know many children under the age of two that are completely potty trained, at least, not over night. It took my niece till she was about 4, almost 5 to stop night time bed wetting.

Anyway, everyone in this situation is a dumbass and that lady should have her 8 month old taken away from her for putting her toddler with a crazy lady.

 

[Mirewen]

Every time I see those commercials for diapers for kids that are 10-12 I die a little inside. They might claim "small bladders" or what have you, but when I was that young and going to sleep overs and summer camp, no one ever wet the bed.

 

[diamond]

Every time I see those commercials for diapers for kids that are 10-12 I die a little inside. They might claim "small bladders" or what have you, but when I was that young and going to sleep overs and summer camp, no one ever wet the bed.

Sorry to be so late jumping in to this conversation. But there are kids that do have small or underdeveloped bladders, and for this... these are good.. but there are also alot of lazy ass parents that would rather slap thier 7yr old in a diaper then acctually spend the time training them. Oh and just cause you didnt know that any of them wet the bed, doesnt mean it didnt happen.

 

[Mirewen]

Well this epidemic rash of 10-12 children with small bladders who constantly wet the bed enough to wear diapers should maybe have government funding.

Maybe along side the kids who have to wear the diapers that change colour or cool down when they wet themselves so they know when to run to the washroom... not like you can actually feel when you have to pee right? Just leaks out and you get assistance telling you that you're wet.

Edit: I'm not saying that there are a few kids with bladder problems, I'm saying that for a lot of kids it curbs learning how/when to use the toilet properly. I agree when you say that some parents are lazy, but so are some kids.

And 95% of the sleepovers that occured in the 8-10 years I had them were at my place, I would have noticed.