Mom Jailed For Leaving Handicapped Daughter Alone

**Unamused Cat** · June 22nd, 2008, 06:52 PM

A 23-year-old Omaha woman confined to a wheelchair was critically injured in house fire Saturday night near 65th and Maple Streets.

Tawnisha Harbour was taken to the Creighton University Medical Center and then transferred to the burn unit at Clarkson Hospital.

Omaha Police Officer Michael Pecha, a police department spokesman, said the fire at 6557 Maple St. was reported about 7:45 p.m. It appeared to have gutted the house, but the extent of the damage was not known, he said.

A police investigation determined that Harbour was left unattended in the house and was unable to escape on her own. Her mother, Cherie Harbour, was booked into jail on suspicion of abuse of a vulnerable adult.

Tawnisha Harbour has been in a wheelchair since being injured in a car crash on Sept. 18, 2003.

Harbour, who was 18 at the time of the accident, was driving a 1986 Oldsmobile north on 30th Street about 12:20 p.m. when her car swerved into the path of a southbound car.

As Tawnisha Harbour tried to correct her error, her car was struck on the driver’s side.

Damage to the home is extensive. Investigators aren't elaborating on why the fire is suspicious, only saying they are continuing to investigate.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pag...u_sid=10364433

**Dakota Valkyrie** · June 22nd, 2008, 07:00 PM

A neighbor told the firemen that the handicapped woman was still inside. I hate to think what may have been otherwise.

I am curious about the amount of her handicap, why mom left her alone, if the neighbor knew the daughter was in there, did she know the mom was gone? And what caused the fire?? Hmmm....

**petrina** · June 22nd, 2008, 07:02 PM

hmm, why do i think they are gonna come back and say that momma set the fire?

**w8ng4msrgt** · June 22nd, 2008, 07:33 PM

If the daughter could move her wheelchair by herself I would say that there shouldn't be charges. There isn't much info out yet. I imagine that the girl stayed in the front part of the house.

Where was her sister Requish? I am going to wait they publish more info.

**Jaded** · June 23rd, 2008, 12:53 AM

Originally Posted by w8ng4msrgt

If the daughter could move her wheelchair by herself I would say that there shouldn't be charges. There isn't much info out yet. I imagine that the girl stayed in the front part of the house.

Where was her sister Requish? I am going to wait they publish more info.

Totally off topic here.....but Requish??
Really?

**w8ng4msrgt** · June 23rd, 2008, 01:46 AM

Originally Posted by So Jaded

Totally off topic here.....but Requish??
Really?

Yep but there is a warrant out for her so she was keeping a low profile.

**Unamused Cat** · June 23rd, 2008, 01:50 AM

Originally Posted by petrina

hmm, why do i think they are gonna come back and say that momma set the fire?

I have that feeling too.

**Unamused Cat** · June 23rd, 2008, 09:23 PM

Police: Mother Barricaded Daughter In Room

OMAHA, Neb. -- A woman found burned in her home was barricaded into a room by her mother, details from investigators revealed on Monday.

Tawnisha Harbour, 23, has burns over 30 percent of her body. She is being treated at Creighton University Medical Center.

Police said she is disabled and was unable to get out of a fire in her home in the 6500 block of Maple Street on Saturday. Harbour's mother, Cherie, is charged with abuse of a vulnerable adult. Police reports show that the fire began in the room where Tawnisha Harbour was found. Investigators said the doors to the room could not be opened from the inside because one was tied shut with a sheet and the other had no inside door knob.

http://www.ketv.com/newsarchive/16688326/detail.html#

**w8ng4msrgt** · June 23rd, 2008, 09:35 PM

I think there is still more to this story.

**Unamused Cat** · June 23rd, 2008, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by w8ng4msrgt

I think there is still more to this story.

What do you think happened?

**~Absynthe~** · June 23rd, 2008, 09:43 PM

WTF..Barrricaded in the room!!
Do you think once they find out what caused the fire, even though they are saying right now that it wasn't intentional, that they could upgrade the charges to Attempted Murder?

This mother is a piss poor example of a mother!!! Bitch outta be doused in deisel fuel and given a match, locked in a room and told..either starve to death or set yourself ablaze!! It's your choice..Biotch!!

**petrina** · June 23rd, 2008, 09:44 PM

um, did mom have a life insurance policy on daughter? i mean if she didnt set fire to her, then she at least trapped her in a room and oopsnshit it caught on fire.

**w8ng4msrgt** · June 23rd, 2008, 09:59 PM

I am thinking the door was tied shut because she would go into another part of the house and take mama's stuff. I am not sure about the door handle though.

The neighbor's seem to think that she can take care of herself. The police are saying the fire wasn't intentional but did start in her room.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · June 24th, 2008, 08:19 AM

The accident left the daughter in a wheelchair. Did it cause a mental disability also? Anyone know??

**Unamused Cat** · June 24th, 2008, 01:13 PM

Judge set bond at $25,000, unreasonable confinement causing physical injury of a vunerable adult. She could face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.

I don't know if she had a mental disability.