Calista Springer

[QueenBeeBeeMari]

16 year old Calista Springer died in a fire chained to her bed with a choke collar around her waist,attached to her bed with twist ties.She had no blankets or pillows on her bed that February night,while the rest of her family did.Even the bunk below her had sheets,pillows and blankets.The family claims she was chained to her bed for her protection because she was a special needs child.The state of Michigan is pressing for murder charges.
There were also allegations of abuse long before the incident of her death occurred.
I have a link listed below with the story but you can find other articles.I didn't list them because there were so many.

Let me rephrase here..they were already charged so,do you think they should be convicted of these charges and if so,what sentence should they receive?
http://blog.mlive.com/kzgazette/2008/02/girl_who_died_in_centreville_f.html

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=Arz91uJF5dFBCzTGPgkqoiqbvZx4?fr=yfp-t-701-s&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF8&p=calista%20springer

 

[Budweiserbob!]

... oh, this actually happened? I thought this was going to turn into a riddle.

 

[Frost King]

Yes, i think they should be charged for murder. thats awful to do that to a child even if she was a special needs child you don't need to do that to them thats bullshit.

 

[Violetta]

I really, really need to stay away from threads that you start, Marie.

 

[QueenBeeBeeMari]

I really, really need to stay away from threads that you start, Marie.

Well,I started one happy one Bella.The kitty one and I had one that asked what good news you had.

 

[Senshi1]

That's all kinds of messed up, keeping a kid chained up like that.

As for the murder charge, I would only charge them with murder if they started the fire. If they didn't and the fire was an accident, they should get slammed with manslaughter/negligence, cruelty and all other kinds of stuff, but not murder (speaking from a strictly legal angle). I could be wrong on this because I'm not really up on law, but that's what I would have assumed.

 

[QueenBeeBeeMari]

That's all kinds of messed up, keeping a kid chained up like that.

As for the murder charge, I would only charge them with murder if they started the fire. If they didn't and the fire was an accident, they should get slammed with manslaughter/negligence, cruelty and all other kinds of stuff, but not murder (speaking from a strictly legal angle). I could be wrong on this because I'm not really up on law, but that's what I would have assumed.

Well,this was in Michigan and law vary from state to state so,unless someone is kind enough to check up on that for us,who knows.They say they do not know what started the fire but assume (since that's what the lady said)that it started from the vacuum cleaner.

 

[Frost King]

Well,this was in Michigan and law vary from state to state so,unless someone is kind enough to check up on that for us,who knows.They say they do not know what started the fire but assume (since that's what the lady said)that it started from the vacuum cleaner.

Still, if they wouldn't have had the child chained up, then she could have got out of the house. but they had her chained up so its still there fault she died... so i think they should get charged not just for murder but for child abuse aswell. just my thoughts though.

 

[QueenBeeBeeMari]

Well,they were already charged with murder so,I really needed to rephrase the question.

 

[Horus]

Let's see what I can come up with....

Involuntary imprisionment, endangerment of a minor, aggravated assault, mental anguish, physical restraint. Involuntary Manslaughter should be the main focus. My guess the family had no intention of the girl dying, but she did perish in the fire (accident or intentional is another matter).

Anything else I missed?

 

[QueenBeeBeeMari]

Let's see what I can come up with....

Involuntary imprisionment, endangerment of a minor, aggravated assault, mental anguish, physical restraint. Involuntary Manslaughter should be the main focus. My guess the family had no intention of the girl dying, but she did perish in the fire (accident or intentional is another matter).

Anything else I missed?

No,I think you got it all.However,I don't think you can use involuntary imprisonment because a parent can prevent their child from leaving.As far as aggravated assault this was not assault this was neglect and child abuse.Lastly,a parent can physically restrain their child,I believe,it's just the way they restrained her that was unacceptable.

 

[Horus]

I wonder how children services have gotten paranoid over the years. Now a parent can go to jail for even disciplining a child when the school officials get up on their hind legs.

We got sent to our rooms for punishment. If a child is not even allowed to go the bathroom, that's different.

Also, the police use aggravated assault as a 'catch-all' for the least little offense. I used to work in the bailroom in City Hall. I was surprised when most of the charges included 'aggravated assault'. I asked one of the cops why would this be a common entry.....his response was it was a general charge and we can always add more to it if necessary.

Assault means the person felt they were in danger or they were threatened by a show of force.

 

[QueenBeeBeeMari]

I wonder how children services have gotten paranoid over the years. Now a parent can go to jail for even disciplining a child when the school officials get up on their hind legs.

We got sent to our rooms for punishment. If a child is not even allowed to go the bathroom, that's different.

Also, the police use aggravated assault as a 'catch-all' for the least little offense. I used to work in the bailroom in City Hall. I was surprised when most of the charges included 'aggravated assault'. I asked one of the cops why would this be a common entry.....his response was it was a general charge and we can always add more to it if necessary.

Assault means the person felt they were in danger or they were threatened by a show of force.

Well,apparently child services had been to the home several times and found nothing wrong.She was also involved with different organizations that were there to help her deal with Calista.She had Wrap Around,psychologists,and Social Workers.They told her she absolutely could not lock her in her room that it was inappropriate,that she should not spank her,and that an alarm should be used.She cooperated at first then,she stopped.It was also said,during the trial,that two people were told she was being restrained to her bed at night but no action was taken,because one person thought that mental health services knew and gave the Springers permission.The other lady just signed the paper and didn't read it apparently,stating she had made a huge mistake.

 

[Horus]

Very recently here in Philly, a sub-contractor for child services was held in contempt and fraud because of the death of a child because of neglect and starvation.

It turns out the staff falsified records showing they visited the home numerous times when in fact they didn't. The principles along with several staff members are going to jail.

 

[QueenBeeBeeMari]

Very recently here in Philly, a sub-contractor for child services was held in contempt and fraud because of the death of a child because of neglect and starvation.

It turns out the staff falsified records showing they visited the home numerous times when in fact they didn't. The principles along with several staff members are going to jail.

Oh,wow that is awful.I can't believe someone would lie about such a thing