Mom kills her 4 girls, and no-one noticed?

WonderWendy3 · Post by **WonderWendy3** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:27 pm

updated 10:35 a.m. ET, Sat., Jan. 12, 2008

WASHINGTON - A woman found in her home with the decomposing bodies of her four daughters was suspected by a social worker of holding one of the girls hostage as early as April, city officials said.

An investigation into the family was closed weeks later because child and family welfare officials thought the family had moved to Maryland, even though authorities there couldn't locate the family.

"It's completely unclear why they made that determination," Carrie Brooks, spokeswoman for Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, said Friday. The city is continuing to investigate.

The girls — ages 5 to 17 — were found Wednesday when deputy U.S. marshals served an eviction notice at the apartment. Banita Jacks was charged with four counts of first-degree murder after reportedly telling investigators that the children were possessed by demons and died in their sleep.

The medical examiner's office said there was evidence that one girl had been stabbed and that the others had markings on their necks and other signs of trauma.

Social worker's visits

The oldest girl, Brittany Jacks, stopped attending classes in early March. A social worker from the Booker T. Washington Public Charter School went to the home April 30 and called police after she was denied entry, Fenty said.

The social worker reported that after speaking to Jacks she appeared to have mental health issues and "that she was possibly holding Brittany hostage by refusing to allow her to attend school," Fenty said. A police officer who responded also was denied entry, but Jacks told him she was home-schooling the children.

Fenty said social workers visited the home several more times in the following weeks, but there was no answer when they knocked at the door. He said the case was closed May 16 because they believed the family had moved to Maryland after finding an address of a relative they believed she was living with.

By mid-June, however, Charles County officials said they were not able to locate the family and "nothing (was) done to reopen the case," D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles said.

The family did have relatives who live in Maryland, including Jessie Fogle, grandmother of two of the girls. She told The Associated Press that the family's living situation began to deteriorate in February after their father, Nathaniel Fogle Jr., died of cancer.

Jessie Fogle said she helped them rent an apartment, but they were later evicted and lived out of a van and hotels for several months before settling at the Washington address where the bodies were found.

'It devastated me'

The grandmother said she tried to see Jacks after her son's death, but no one answered the door and when she returned home, there was an abusive voice mail from Jacks berating her for visiting.

The grandmother said she made another attempt to contact Jacks a few months later, but again no one came to the door.

When she learned what happened to the children, "I just started screaming and hollering," she said. "It devastated me. I had been praying to God to bring them home to me."

A spokeswoman for the D.C. Child and Family Services agency referred all calls to the mayor's office.

Sabrina Brown, vice president of Local 2401 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents city social workers, said they are extremely overworked and urged people to look for solutions.

"We just need to talk, not to blame," she said.

It is unclear when the girls died. The city's medical examiner has said the bodies were likely in the apartment for more than 15 days. Jacks has told police that the deaths occurred before a utility turned off her electricity, which prosecutors said was in September 2007, according to charging documents.

Lloyd Nolan, a public defender representing Jacks, said the defense team would have no comment on what Fenty said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22623296/

My question is, HOW?? How did NO-one know? :-1

Mia · Post by **Mia** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:32 pm

OMG she must be insane,howcould you do that.

mrsK · Post by **mrsK** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:40 pm

How would no one notice??

Same thing happened here last week,not a murder admittedly but just as sad as no one noticed this man had died.

Don't people care about each other anymore?

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 21,00.html

Chezzie · Post by **Chezzie** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:43 pm

What a sad sad story wendy:(

Truly awful and very telling of the world we live in now where no one would question where these girls were all this time. Shocking and very sad:(

WonderWendy3 · Post by **WonderWendy3** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:45 pm

Both of these stories blame Social Services basically....and in part they are to be blamed....but my question is along the lines of Mrs. K's.....Where is the family, friends, acquaintences? She had 4 girls, they didn't have friends? I was told that this woman was also working and functioning normally (as if) I didn't find that in a report yet though, not sure how credible, but still....who saw her go to the grocery store without her children and didn't question it?

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:52 pm

I read this story a few days ago, I'm still shaking my head just tragic.

mrsK · Post by **mrsK** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:05 pm

WonderWendy3;757276 wrote: Both of these stories blame Social Services basically....and in part they are to be blamed....but my question is along the lines of Mrs. K's.....Where is the family, friends, acquaintences? She had 4 girls, they didn't have friends? I was told that this woman was also working and functioning normally (as if) I didn't find that in a report yet though, not sure how credible, but still....who saw her go to the grocery store without her children and didn't question it?

Exactly WW.People must notice things,surely.

Everyone knows what everyone else is doing in this street.

If I didn't see my neighbour for a few days I would go visit,just in case they were sick.

If I was the grandmother I would have wanted to see my grandchildren ,no matter what.

Easy to say I know,but I would have had to see them.:-6

grh · Post by **grh** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:13 pm

It leaves me completely unmoved that this woman started screaming and hollerin' when she heard what happened to the kids.

I'd have felt bad for her had she been arrested for screaming and hollering outside the door of that apartment in the past 9 months!

Devasted should have cared before they died!:mad:

WonderWendy3 · Post by **WonderWendy3** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:00 pm

I agree with fuzzy butt about the "not hanging over the fence anymore" comment, I am guilty of it myself. I can tell you this much....if my mom came to my door, or my mother in law and I wouldn't let them in or there was no answer.... they would BREAK the door down to see my kids. So, yeah....something just doesn't add up. This is so very sad....she apparently broke down after losing her husband, it doesn't excuse what she did by any means, but it would've been nice if someone could've stepped in and gave her help and got those sweet girls out of her home and in foster care with people that would love and care for them. I guess we take for granted the times that people are helped and this woman slipped through the cracks....I'm thankful, so very thankful for the people in my life.

mrsK · Post by **mrsK** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:11 pm

fuzzy butt;757322 wrote: That's what happens here Mrs K but I'm thinking that's now a small town thing rather than a city thing these days , no one seems to hang over the fence and talk to each other anymore.

I guess that is true,how sad for all of us that we have come to this.:-6

mrsK · Post by **mrsK** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:13 pm

rjwould;757324 wrote: I think at least in the U.S. one reason is because everyones working all the time and those that aren't don't come out much because they don't want to be ridiculed for not working....

mad:

WOW. Is it that big a thing if you don't work ?:-6

moonpie · Post by **moonpie** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:30 pm

What do you say to that?