Remembering Baby Benjamin Sargent ~ Feb-12-2008
It was one year ago today, February, 12, 2008, when a little body, soon to be known as Baby Benjamin Sargent, was found dead. This is the case that brought me to dreamindemon. I remember reading everything I could find on it, desperate to understand how two "human beings", could simply chose to ignore and let die a 5 month old baby. I cried for him as I held my own baby boy who was born only 4 days prior to Benjamin.
Baby Benjamin had been left in that car seat for over 8 days and eventually succumbed to starvation and dehydration. His "mother and father", Tracey Herman and James Sargent, listened to their baby cry for days and ignored him. What kind of monsters can do this? Most parents can barely stand to allow their 5 month old baby to cry for 10 minutes and these bastards allowed Benjamin to cry for days.
Benjamin weighed 10 pounds when he passed, 2 pounds more than he weighed at birth. This leaves me to conclude that this was not the first time Benjamin had gone without food. There are conflicting reports of exactly how the last 8 days of Benjamin’s life unfolded. Some reports state that he was found exactly how he was left by his grandmother when she dropped him on Feb. 4th, 2008. However, the grandmother,
Rosemary Sargent, claimed she dropped Benjamin off after taking him shopping, but only after she changed him and put him in his crib. Accounts from a man staying in the garage of the home state that he noticed Benjamin was still strapped into the carseat wearing a snowsuit in the middle of the living room. He claims he found this odd and then placed the carseat, with Benjamin inside, in the crib. Something doesn’t add up, but what we do know for sure is that the result was little Benjamin’s death.
The full truth of Benjamin’s last days is likely to never be known, but we do know this…the signs of neglect were ignored and this precious baby paid the ultimate price.
In his last days, baby Benjamin sat in his own waste, starving, dehydrated and scared beyond any recognition that anyone of us can imagine. On the eight day, his lifeless body was found dead. He's eyes were open, staring straight ahead, with his fist clenched. It is so very difficult to think of the fear, loneliness and physical anguish this child felt in his final days; feeling unloved, feeling unworthy of the smallest amount of affection or care.
Benjamin, I know in the heavens you are treasured and loved in the way you always deserved. You will not be forgotten little one...kisses.
As of today, this is where the jury trail is set for May, 4th, 2009.
http://www.peoriacountystatesattorney.org/practice%20develop.sargent-hermann.htm