Sick Stuff
If you haven’t yet heard the sad saga of Sincere and Treasure Isaac, we wish we could say it ended with the fact that they were 17-month-old twin babies with crazy names.
And while we rarely report on stuff like this (because it depresses us), the idea that there are people capable of treating infants the way that these two kids were treated makes our blood boil.
To recap, Sincere and Treasure Issac were discovered a week ago in a roach, rat, trash and feces-infested “home” in Sumter, S.C.
They both weighed less than ten pounds, were wearing soiled clothes, suffered from “skin breakdown in the diaper area” and had not seen a doctor since shortly after they were born in October, 2007.
How did this treatment work out for them?
Well, Sincere Issac died of exhaustion and starvation shortly after he was discovered in these deplorable conditions, while his twin sister, Treasure, recovers from her severe malnourishment and related ailments in a Columbia hospital.
Unbelievable.
The two parents – and let’s be honest, that word really doesn’t apply here – made their first court appearance last week in Sumter where they were arraigned for a lesser charge of unlawful conduct toward a child.
Marketta Sharnise McCray, 23, and her husband, Kevin DeWayne Isaac, 25, still face arraignment for the charge of homicide by child abuse or neglect – which carries a sentence of 20 years to life in prison.
These two frankly deserve far worse that that, which is why it amazes us that a family court judge in Sumter actually ordered them into a “parenting program” sponsored by the state while they remain incarcerated.
Apparently, he thinks this program will help them learn how to deal with their hospitalized daughter and their other three children if/ when they get out.
From the Sumter Item:
(Family Court Judge Jeffrey) Young ordered both parents into a treatment program and they agreed to participate. Marilyn Matheus, DSS spokesperson in Columbia, said later that the program typically involves a series of parenting classes, drug screenings and possibly a mental health evaluation. She also said it was possible they could participate in the program while incarcerated.
“It’s very important you follow this treatment plan, otherwise your parental rights could be terminated,” Young told McCray and Isaac at the hearing.
Young asked the parents if they were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and they replied they were not. He also asked them if foster care was in the children’s best interest, and they both said, “Yes, sir,” nodding their heads in agreement.
Excuse us???
Did he just say that their “parental rights could be terminated???”
Could???
They just let a 17-month-old starve to death and left another one in critical condition in the hospital.
We’re not sure exactly what planet this Judge was on when he made his ruling, but he’s clearly out of his mind.
In fact, if one dime of taxpayer money is expended on the fantasy that either one of these two is fit to “parent” again, then so help us God we will drive to Sumter, S.C. and lead the riot ourselves.
This isn’t an “oops, my bad” situation.
You don’t get a mulligan when you’ve killed a kid.
And the only “rights” McCray and Young should be granted moving forward involve choosing their method of execution, last meal and final statement.
We’re not knee-jerkers when it comes to legislation, people, but there’s no way in hell judges in this state should order state-funded parenting classes for accused child killers.
There’s also no way in hell trial judges shouldn’t at least have the option of deciding whether homicide by child abuse is a capital offense.
Seriously, how can you starve a baby to death and then get “three hots and a cot” for the rest of your life?
No sir. Not in our benevolent dictatorship …
Pics: Sumter Item
Comments
By justme on March 9th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Will:
There is something called due process. We are lucky enough to live in a country where we have it. Yes, what those parents did IS horrific. Actually, there are not words to describe it. I think we should treat them like they did their children. BUT, they need to be accorded the same rights as any other criminal. There are defenses – suich as insanity (which is the only possible defense I could think of for this). Therefore, just like other people, they are entitled to their day(s) in court.
By Help needed. on March 9th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Sic,
Parental rights will very likely be terminated. The problem isn’t the judge, its the process. First DSS has to intervene to remove the child, then bring a separate action to terminate parental rights. The issue of TPR was not before the court at an emergency removal hearing. The parents have certain due process rights, so the court can remove the children at an emergency hearing and give them the opportunity to get attorneys (probably court appointed) so that they can have adequate time to protect their rights. Removal hearings generally have to be had within 48 hours of the arrest.
The classes are an inititive to rehabilitate people. I’m not sure that’s such a bad thing. Not everyone is a lost cause. It like a fart in a whirlwind trying to break a cycle of neglect and poverty buts its our governments best shot. But that being said, the child has been removed and placed with foster parents, which, at least currently, is as good as they can do until a TPR action can be orchestrated. Then, you’ll have criminal charges on the side. So, the parents will be in jail and the child will be placed with foster parents in the interim, while DSS is getting their ducks in a row for a TPR action, which will likely be successful.
So, since we recognize things like the constitutional right to due process in this state and country, it takes a little longer for justice to be served, but I think it will.
I think it is a terrible thing that happened but to be honest it doesn’t suprise me. There are millions of children starving in this world, some because of negligence, others because of poverty. I would imagine there’s a lot of both in this situation. Its sad, but the key is to be proactive about these situations, not reactive. It really is easier to be reactive but we will never solve our poverty and child neglect problems just by executing people. To solve the problem we have to dig deep down and find a way to help break the cycle before the fact. Then comes the fundamental question of who is responsible for doing this. Government? Private organizations? It is very easy to render judgment from an ivory tower. It is very difficult to climb down from the tower and be a part of the solution to an almost insurmontable problem.
By Earl Capps on March 9th, 2009 at 10:45 am
I’m sick and tired of seeing human life treated with such little regard. Give ‘em due process, and then a bullet to the back of each of their heads.
I’ll pay for the bullets.
By Todd on March 9th, 2009 at 11:13 am
I agree with the above posted responses. Due Process should be allowed to operate. You may check with our DSS, however. Our South Carolina termination of parental rights system is one of the slowest in the nation. Getting court time is a problem. I can’t believe I am going to say this, but we need more family court judges.
The burn out rate for the DSS workers is horrible. Part of the problem is no one wants to be the heavy and say, “You are too stupid to parent a child.” I agree with your statement that the term “parent” should not be used in this case. These two were only the providers of the genetic material for these children.
By Selena on March 9th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Why exactly is the Judge out of his mind? It would be nice, since you have the medium, if you would actually educate yourself on certain topics before writing up a knee-jerk response. More well thought out, educated posts would lend much more credence to what you’re trying to do here.
The parental rights will most likely be terminated, as they should. These people clearly have no concept of humanity or empathy that most humans learn early on from childhood. Because of this, a guardian at litem (for the children) will be appointed, DSS will do their part of the case, and the Judge will work together to determine what is in the best interest of the child. A lot of people criticize our judicial process while lamenting those who criticize America for not being perfect. You can’t have it both ways. We have a pretty amazing judicial system – the very one that took the children away from these parents.
It is not for individual Americans to take matters of the law into their own hands. The judicial system isn’t perfect, but I would prefer to see your criticism pointed in the right direction.
It’s a shame you often post and discuss topics on which you’re woefully misinformed.
By fitsnews on March 9th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Selena-
We do have the “medium.” Thank you for acknowledging that.
And yes, we suppose props are due to our judicial system for taking these children away from these parts after one of them STARVED TO DEATH and another would up in intensive care.
Listen, since you were obviously too wrapped up in your sanctimonious bitching and moaning to even notice what we wrote, we’ll repeat it for you.
Our point is simple – ordering these people into parenting classes paid for by the state is ridiculous under the circumstances.
We stand by that point.
Our other point was also simple – that trial judges should have the option of considering the death penalty for infant murders by abuse or neglect.
We stand by that point as well.
Again, if you don’t like the way we make our points, then by all means go back to reading the Daily Kos. But don’t come on here and call us “misinformed,” or else we shall be forced to rhetorically thrash you once more.
Then again, some people like it when we spank them, so there’s that.
-FITS
By Help needed. on March 9th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Sic,
Putting opinions aside, I can see why someone might get the impression that you don’t understand the process by looking at your post.
By fitsnews on March 9th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
That’s just the problem – if mandated “parental counseling” is what the “process” calls for in this case, then with all due respect, Help, the process is tragically FUBAR.
Our “process” would call for swift, Old Testament-style justice.
-FITS
By Earl Capps on March 9th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
I will apologize for suggesting they be shot.
Public hanging seems more fitting, and in discouraging others from such inhuman behavior, more informative. Kind of like the days when Charleston hung pirates at what is now the Battery to address the problem of criminal recidivism among some in the region’s nautical community.
Death by callous indifference is the same as first degree murder. If they don’t care about the lives of others, I would suppose they wouldn’t mind it terribly if we snuffed their asses out with just as much regard.
Hang ‘em and I’ll pay for the rope.
By Selena on March 9th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Hm. Thank you for enlightening me. Clearly I misunderstood everything you were saying when I pointed out your ignorance as to one part of your post here.
I almost feel as if there’s no point to continue, because well, there’s no point. You didn’t appreciate the verbal spanking you were given and decided instead to misdirect to your other points, which I didn’t even happen to touch upon.
Look, absolutely you are entitled to your points that you so non-eloquently discussed in your above response – and, in fact, I might even agree with you – but the fact remains that this original post is woefully misinformed.
Let me ask you this – and watch out! It might spurn you to actually think intellectually about something – is what you are advocating for when you say, and I quote, “trial judges should have the option of considering the death penalty for infant murders by abuse or neglect” activist judges?
OOh! I said activist judges. And let’s face facts, that’s exactly what you are advocating for with that thought.
So, again, I have no problem with your personal opinions. I have to wonder though, do you?
By Help needed. on March 9th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
I guess anyone’s view of due process can be a matter of perspective. For instance, you probably liked the concept of due process when you were arrested for CDV, didn’t you? The shoe on the other foot, as it were. What if the judge would have given you swift “Old Testiment-style” justice under that scenario? You offered a guilty plea so guilt wasn’t even questioned. According to Hammurabi, her father could have beaten you to death with a bat on the statehouse steps. Sorry Will, just trying to make a point.
By Ben on March 9th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Ouch! Help lighten up. We get it. Due process is cool. Some people are just tired of hearing this type of stuff. The people I know love their kids so much that when they hear this stuff they get enraged. Welcome to fatherhood Willie. Don’t usually write about this sort of stuff? Now you will.
By liz on March 10th, 2009 at 8:44 am
I have not been allowed due process in this state. Due Process is not observed on a regular basis in South Carolina. Don’t kid and fool yourselves. The law protects criminals, taunts victims and basically is invalid. I know I know, that means anarachy.
If you lived in my world, yep anarachy describes it pretty good. You see, it just depends on WHO commits the crime as to whether or not it gets noticed and dealt with…..