77 Days For Murder: The Alissa Guernsey Story

[Vilijonkka]

At some point, when you read these stories enough, you get not only overwhelmed, but somewhat cold to the cruelty of the world. After Brianna and Peter and Rhys and all the endless tears you think that there won't be another one that makes you throw up. Well, this one did. Don't know why. Probably the autopsy photos and the fact that someone can drive around buying burgers with a dead baby (and bunch of other kids) on the backseat.

I came across this on facebook. The whole story screams out FAILURE, from each and every person in this baby's life. And I'm so sick of failure. How can all the adults, adults that are supposed to have a built-in system to protect the weaker, not see? Like you'd think that someone would have the balls to scream stop at some point.

I'm looking at my 11 month old and think how anyone can rip off that fine thin baby hair? Handful my ass. I could guess that any baby would be a crying whining handful, refusing to eat and having difficulties with coordination after regular beatings.

And, without being mean - if she was such a handful, bitch, she was not yours. You could have actually returned her, I would think.

I would love a special hurricane come down and wipe off all these disturbed people off the planet. That's all. Goodnight.

[SkummyRummy]

This is so heart breaking.. :( Poor baby. Fuck this whole bullshit system!!! It just keeps the cats fat and as long as you have money and know the "right" people in the "right" spot you can get away with anything!!! I don't know if there is a god but I hope this cunt suffers til her last breath!!

[Jerri Blank]

DCS settles suit in foster child’s death
October 13, 2012 - Chicago Sun-Times

SOUTH BEND (AP) — The Indiana Department of Child Services has settled its part of a lawsuit involving the death of a 16-month-old girl while she was in foster care.

The lawyer for Alissa B. Guernsey’s mother told the South Bend Tribune that the agency has agreed to pay $150,000 to Kelli Sprunger for its alleged role in her daughter’s March 2009 death.

DCS spokeswoman Stephanie McFarland told The Associated Press on Saturday that a settlement had been signed but the paperwork hasn’t been finalized. She says the settlement doesn’t admit any fault.

The 2010 lawsuit claims the child died from unexplained injuries after the DCS placed her with Sprunger’s cousin and her family.


Sprunger’s cousin was later convicted of neglect and served 77 days of a four-year sentence.

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/15...lds-death.html

[Dakota Valkyrie]

The circumstances surrounding the case of a toddler beaten to death in 2009 by her caretaker in LaGrange County will be featured this week by a national television newsmagazine.

The Tribune has reported extensively on 16-month-old Alissa Guernsey's beating death while in the care of her mother's cousin, who a judge released from prison after serving only 77 days.

That judge, Circuit Court Judge J. Scott VanDerbeck, recused himself from the case shortly after a Tribune series last fall pointed out comments he had made about knowing the cousin's family.

But this will be the first time Alissa's story will reach a national audience -- partly spurred by a large online interest in the case.

"Inside Edition" investigative producer Charles McLravy in New York and reporter Lisa Guerrero in Los Angeles said in a telephone interview Friday they were part of a team that made several trips to Indiana to report the story.
[...]

But despite the fact VanDerbeck has recused himself from both the criminal and civil cases involving Alissa's death, experts have said Shaffer's sentence cannot be altered, and she cannot be charged with a higher crime in the baby's death because of constitutional protections against "double jeopardy."

The idea that Alissa was apparently failed by so many has not set well with an outraged online audience whose followers have consistently called and written to LaGrange County and state officials and media outlets.

The largest such site -- BabyAlissaCries4Justice with nearly 111,000 "likes" -- has witnessed dramas of its own in its year of existence but was successful in persuading "Inside Edition" to act.
[...]

"The attorney general of Indiana is saying, 'We can't open this case, it's up to the prosecutor,' and the prosecutor is saying, 'It's a double jeopardy thing,' " McLravy acknowledges. Still, "you never know how people are going to react."

Guerrero hopes that if nothing else, the report raises awareness of child abuse in communities across the country.

"So many people are going to look at this and feel passion and rage," she says. "We definitely know it will cause people to feel passionate about the issue of child abuse."

http://www.southbendtribune.com/news...706,full.story