justice’s posterous

Note to the media pundits: do you have any more speculations to make about the economy? The lawyer for the ex-wife called James Kraig Kahler (city official J. Kraig Kahler), who nevertheless was being given custody and visitation rights, an "absolute monster" who was "rigid and controlling" and "emotionally abused the girls". Bail has been set at $10 million. Too late. http://www.fox4kc.com/wdaf-kahler-murders-lawyer-120109,0,7315787.story

"...Sept. 16, 2:02 p.m.: A Broward sheriff's deputy calls the Florida child-abuse hot line to report that a 4-year-old had been molested by a babysitter as the sitter's boyfriend videotaped the assault. A hot-line counselor declines to forward the report to an investigator.

"Oct. 6, 10:15 a.m.: A school guidance counselor reports a mother who had repeatedly missed doctor's appointments for her daughter, whose sickle-cell disease is so severe she is losing her hearing and needs a new liver. The report is rejected.

"Nov. 16, time unknown: A father is attempting to break into his estranged wife's home. He says he will kill his children. That call, too, is not accepted for investigation.

"These decisions, and thousands more, are the result of a little-known -- but potentially dangerous -- practice by the Department of Children & Families: Beginning last year, DCF dramatically increased the number of abuse calls considered unworthy of investigation.

"In an effort to reduce workload -- and the system-wide stress that high case loads generate -- intake workers at the Tallahassee-based hot line have been screening out tens of thousands of calls.

"Among the screened-out allegations: reports of kidnapping, rape, aggravated child abuse, medical neglect, malnutrition, kids roaming the streets unsupervised and domestic violence that threatens to harm the children.

"Among the callers being turned away: school counselors, grandparents, circuit court judges, hospital social workers, day-care workers and juvenile-justice staffers.

"The hot line rejected a call from one of the agency's own child-abuse investigators: On Oct. 15, a state child protective investigator filed a report on behalf of an infant whose babysitters' own 4-month-old suffered :significant head injuries.:

"Details of the screenings have come to light as part of a review of procedures by child-welfare managers in Broward County.

"DCF administrators say the policy is a necessary triage that allows investigators to concentrate their energies on children who are most at risk..."

Read the rest of the article at: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/1356292.html

The father, Edelmiro Gonzales, in turn was shot and killed by a police officer. "Seven-year-old Adrian Gonzales was pronounced dead at the scene, while his 11-year-old brother, Edryn Gonzales, and their mother, Johanna, were both hospitalized in critical condition." http://wcbstv.com/local/paterson.fatal.shootings.2.1338507.html

UPDATE: Now we find out that dad Edelmiro Gonzales who gunned down and murdered his 7-year-old son, has a history of domestic violence. It also appears that Mom tried to protect herself and her children by obtaining restraining order, which the father obviously ignored. And that there was a "bitter custody dispute" (harrassment of the mother? threats to strip her of her children, leaving them at a heightened risk of injury and death?) Families of abusers are often conditioned into knee jerk defenses of their actions, which we see here. For all the talk that Dad wasn't really a "violent man," his actions prove otherwise.

"A Paterson man who murdered his young son and shot his estranged wife and a second son on a busy city street Saturday had a history of domestic violence and was under a restraining order at the time of the shootings, police said... Authorities declined to speculate on a motive for the rampage, but Edelmiro Gonzalez’s daughter said Sunday that her father was locked in a bitter custody dispute with his estranged wife, Johanna Gonzalez, 31. 'He was just fed up with the situation,' said the daughter, Yulisa Robles, 30..."

[Charming. The daughter-defender is the same age, note, as the second wife he married when she was... 18?  19?] http://www.northjersey.com/passaic112909_Police_Paterson_Father_who_killed_son_shot_family_had_history_of_domestic_violence.html?c=y&page=1

Paul Martikainen aka Kristian Turunen had a history of being abusive. Nevertheless, he was given court-ordered visitation with a toddler. Why. Why why why why why why why. http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20091128/BREAKINGNEWS/91128014/1006/news01/Police+looking+for+dad+in+abduction Read more at http://dastardlydads.blogspot.com/ Read more about fatherhood and child custody issues at the liz library

UPDATE: and, apparently, a criminal record, including aliases:  http://www.wftv.com/news/21764062/detail.html What in heck were you thinking, Judge Charles J. Roberts, giving this man visitation with a toddler? Any visitation at all. Even supervised.  Why? He's a role model?  Nurturing?  Do you think the kid needs to spend time with him?  It's doubtful.  For whose benefit was this? We've got to get off this fatherhood exaltation nonsense already. The man's got a long rap sheet.  Drugs. Dangerous. A liar. An abuser. He's got one fit parent; that ought to be enough for the State. The mother expresses her fear and concern (albeit mothers with concern about fathers generally are accorded the credibility of dried worm meal in family courts).  DCF confirms the abuse of the child. What more is there? What more could you possibly need? What could this man possibly have to offer of benefit that a 3-year-old has to have? Why can't we err (IF it's an "err") your Honor, on the side of children? If you make a mistake and deny a good man his visitation rights, really, it still won't hurt the kid.  We've got exemplary men and women who are parents fighting in the Middle East, separated for months or years from their children. Come ON, already!  Time to quit catering to the "parenting" rights of these men. http://www.wftv.com/video/21763914/index.html

UPDATE: SAFE!  Thanks to the U.S. Coast Guard. (Now, Judge, will you terminate the guy's parental rights, please?) http://www.news-press.com/article/20091201/NEWS01/91201013/1075/Missing-Cocoa-boy-found-safe-off-Sanibel-coast

Alleged model family man and father, baseball coach and all around nice guy Thomas Mangiantini wiped out his family under circumstances that did not (apparently) include a (formally) pending divorce or separation, or the ubiquitous media rationale of financial distress. We suspect: either there really was a possible separation threatened (for multiple possible reasons... someone cheat? someone commit a crime? etc.), or he wasn't really such the all-around nice guy the neighbors say he was. And once again a school system stupidly is calling out the "crisis management team" for students. http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=340178

Murderer Steven England was on probation for domestic violence. http://www.forestgrovenewstimes.com/news/story.php?story_id=125937746097876500

"Robert J. Beiser's threats against his estranged wife started long before he assembled the weapons to kill her, according to a man who became romantically involved with Teresa Beiser as her marriage disintegrated..." http://www.oregonlive.com/tualatin/index.ssf/2009/11/post.html

"Prosecutors have charged Jamar Pinkney Sr. with first-degree murder and jailed him without bond." http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/6735967.html

"Aaron Bowman, 28, of New Roads, was booked into the Pointe Coupee Parish Prison on one count of first-degree murder, said New Roads Police Capt. Mark Munson on Saturday... An autopsy showed that one of the baby's legs was broken and he had been hit with the palm of a fist on his head, his stomach and his back... The child also had liver damage... died from internal bleeding... Bowman first told police that the child was injured while Bowman was playing with him. Bowman said he was throwing the child in the air when the child 'slipped' and fell." What nincompoop gave this man custody of a baby and a 2-year-old toddler? http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/police/70731097.html

"After consulting with the District Attorney, deputies arrested the father [Raley A. Lane] and charged him with involuntary manslaughter, reckless conduct and cruelty to children." http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=137888&catid=3