This week has me ashamed to live where I do. It seems a breed of monster, or a random cloud of insanity has spread.
Unfortunately I cannot pull up the news articles while at work. If anyone else wants to post the articles, please do.
It started last week, less than 10 miles from my rural home. I woman, home from the hospital with her 5 DAY old baby answers the door. Another sad woman is having car trouble, can she use the phone. WHen the mother lets her in, the deranged woman attacks.
She slits the throat of the mother saying "I've come to take your baby." SHe grabs the 5 day old child and leaves, leaving the mother to her fate and another 1 year old child alone in the house.
Luckilly the mother survived.
Several days later, after a massive manhunt and media attention the baby was recovered, thanks to the intervention of the kidnapper's sister-in-law.
The kidnapper claims that she was pregnant. Earlier in the day she had lost the child. In her depression she saw the "New Baby" sign outside the victim's house, went in and took it to replace the one she lost.
THere is some question if she was ever pregnant to begin with.
Later this week, I was just told, another woman who had foster care of 3 children, slit the womb of a mother-to-be and took her child. SHe was caught, but there is no news on the whereabouts of the three children she had in her custody.
And finally, a woman and her one year old child were forcibly taken out of their home by the father. He is reportedly taking them home to Mexico--by force.
These types of crimes I've seen and nodded knowingly about when the occur safely far away. Yet these three have all occured with in the last week or so, all locally.
The Monsters are not out there. They are knocking at my door. Can I hide under the blankets till they go away?
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
Vaguely remember reading about 1 of the 2, and definately remember the other.
Sheets might not be enough Dan, try dead bolting your doors, and getting plexy glass for your windows.
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
I generally find it's better to keep an eye out and confront them as soon as you see them-generally by proxy, such as the police. If necessary, directly. Never had to do that myself, but I hope I'd have the guts to, despite having the same instinct to do otherwise.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
That is so eerie, Dan. I was going to ask if the mother and seized baby survived. I guess not.
Posted by lynn johnson (Member # 9620) on :
They both survived and are happily reunited. The mother's throat was superficially slashed; the baby was robust. The perp is in custody.
Dan, there are some saints and holy people in your neighborhood too, but they tend to keep themselves hidden. If you look, you will see.
Take some self-defense (I am most impressed with Brasilian Ju-Jitsu; aikido is also quite good) and consider getting a concealed carry permit. Then look for the holy and spiritual ones and protect them.
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
I believe a man with a cell phone and quick wits is more likely to be of more help more often than a person who styles themself a vigilante wielding martial arts and firearms.
Posted by HegemonsAcolyte (Member # 1468) on :
perhaps, but batman would have some pretty boring comics if he just spent the night dialing 911
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
Batman also didn't carry firearms.
Posted by Palliard (Member # 8109) on :
Actually, in his very earliest days, when he was styled after The Shadow, Batman did carry a pistol.
Posted by Libbie (Member # 9529) on :
Jeeze, creepy! You know, this isn't the first time I've heard of a deranged woman slitting open a pregnant woman and stealing the baby. I can't remember when that occurred before, but I don't even want to look it up. It freaks me out.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Rakeesh: Batman also didn't carry firearms.
Why is that? Has he ever explained why he finds NO use for a gun?
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Who needs a gun when you have the Batmobile and Bat-gizmos?
-pH
Posted by cmc (Member # 9549) on :
BlackBlade - Maybe because of his parents? I have no idea what it really is, just guessing.
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
That's true, almost half a century ago Batman did carry a firearm. The character has been radically redesigned since then though, and not just in appearance.
Blackblade, it's my understanding that there are several reasons given why Batman doesn't carry firearms. First being, he despises them due to the part a firearm played in the murder of his parents. He generally feels they are a sign of cowardice, and something he wants nothing to do with.
Also, he has a very strict policy about killing-he doesn't do it. Enemies of his have died of course, but never to my knowledge (in the most recent bunch of continuities, that is) because he killed them himself, with an intent to kill. Firearms are really, when you come right down to it, only useful for killing or threatening to kill. The only other potential use-targeted wounding-can be served better and more silently by a whole lot of other tools.
Also, he doesn't use them for a practical reason-not doing so increases his mystique and the fear he instills in...well, everyone, but especially criminals. If he were to be seen or known to use firearms, that would put into the heads of everyone that the way to deal with him is to deal with anyone with a gun who's in your way, i.e. shoot them first.
As is stands, most of his enemies spend the first several seconds at least of their fights essentially wetting their pants or trying to run away, generally more than enough time to be dealt with.
Posted by HegemonsAcolyte (Member # 1468) on :
The primary reason for his not using guns is related to his parents. And yes, a long time ago he did carry a gun. As a matter of fact, I recall an early appearance where he used a machine gun from an airplane to shoot down zombies. More recently, he was portrayed in the 1989 movie as using a gun when he shot one of the Joker's goons.
In modern continuity, Batman has been pretty anti-killing. There have been a few close calls, many of which involve the Joker, but he has yet to actually kill someone. One of the Batman's apparent exceptions to his no killing rule is that he doesn't seem to mind killing off vampires.
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
They're already dead, after all Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :
A friend of the dead pregnant lady has been arrested and charged with her murder, and of her kids. The 3 missing kids were found dead today.
quote: Relatives of both women told media outlets the two grew up together and attended alternative schools. The woman in custody often baby-sat Tunstall's children, and Tunstall never expressed worry about leaving them in her care, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
To answer Libbie's question about where another horrific case like this has happened, another did. . . in Dan's neck of the woods, several years ago.
quote: Also in Missouri, Lisa Montgomery will stand trial April 30 on charges of snatching a baby from the womb of Bobbie Jo Stinnett at her Skidmore, Mo., home in 2004. The baby survived.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
Thanks for the batty info guys, sorry its so belated I forgot I had asked this question until today!
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