Dallas, TX : Mom, grandmother of boy could face more jail time

Mom, grandmother get probation in scalding of boy

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...1.41fd7f1.html

Dallas: Mom, grandmother of boy could face more jail time

12:00 AM CDT on Saturday, October 27, 2007

By JENNIFER EMILY / The Dallas Morning News


Jurors listened Friday to the tearful pleas of a mother and grandmother
and gave them probation for not seeking medical care for a 20-month-old
who died from severe burns while in their care.

But the judge said they may spend more time in jail.

In contrast to the earlier tears, Consuela Polk, 22, and Mae Edwards,
39, smiled as Judge Rick Magnis read that a jury had given each of them
a 10-year suspended sentence.

The women admitted during their punishment hearing that they had made a
mistake not taking Jah'tavian Taylor to the hospital after he was
scalded by bathwater at their Far East Dallas home.

They could have faced a life sentence.

"Please give me probation," Ms. Polk asked jurors, her voice cracking.

Ms. Edwards made a similar appeal: "I lost everything. I have nothing
left. Please don't take my freedom from me."

But prosecutor Reynie Tinajero accused the women during cross
examination of crying because they were convicted and facing prison, not
because Jah'tavian died.

"Why didn't you cry like that when you saw those pictures?" shouted Mr.
Tinajero, referring to photos of the boy's injuries after he died.
"You're showing more emotion now than we've seen through this entire trial."

Judge Magnis did not immediately sentence the women. He told jurors that
he wants to consider his options for the terms of their probation.

He said those options include not spending time with children unless
another adult is present. He said he is also considering making the
women spend 180 more days in jail as a part of their probation sentences.

The women have been in jail since shortly after Jah'tavian died in
August 2006.

In closing arguments, Mr. Tinajero and prosecutor Carmen White had asked
jurors to sentence the women to a minimum of 20 years.

Defense attorneys Ray Jackson and John Read told jurors their clients
were God-fearing women who loved children and deserved probation. Before
their arrests, Ms. Edwards worked as a cook at a Garland day care and
Ms. Polk was taking classes to teach early childhood development.

Ms. Polk had four other children besides Jah'tavian and gave birth to
another child in jail.

Mr. Jackson, Ms. Polk's attorney, said after the verdict that the women
are looking forward to seeing Jah'tavian's siblings, who have been
living with a relative.

"They'll take it," Mr. Jackson said of the supervised visits the judge
said he will impose. "They just want to love their children and
grandchildren."

The day Jah'tavian was burned, Ms. Edwards was giving him a bath because
he had a dirty diaper and was smearing feces on the wall.

She testified that she left him in the tub without water in it because
another child was crying. She said Jah'tavian was burned when his
4-year-old sister apparently turned on the bathwater.

Jah'tavian had second- and third-degree burns over one-fourth of his
body, including to his legs, waist, penis and hands. Photos taken after
the boy died show that his skin was gone where he was burned and the
tissue was bright red.

The women treated Jah'tavian at home with prescription ointment from
when another child was burned. They bandaged the wounds and cleaned them
twice a day.

They told police in written statements that they did not take Jah'tavian
to the hospital because they feared police and that Child Protective
Services would take the children away.

They called 911 when Jah'tavian did not wake from a nap. Paramedics
tried to revive him, but Jah'tavian was already dead.




CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA
WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....

CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.

every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com

Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS

*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*

Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5

Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that
are supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per
100,000 children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse
and kills more children then parents in the United States. If the
citizens of this country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold
parents too. No judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY
government agency because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and
death than any human being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more
human rights violations and deaths of children then the homes from which
they were removed. When are the judges going to wake up and see that
they are sending children to their death and a life of abuse when
children are removed from safe homes based on the mere opinion of a
bunch of social workers.


CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...


BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...