Tuesday August 7, 2007, 6:37 am
A plank and an electric cord -- fashioned into a whip -- were among the implements the South Side couple used to inflict the fatal blows, prosecutors said. Three times in the last 13 years, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services had been notified about potential abuse and neglect involving Shavon. Officials with DCFS said Monday they plan to review the family's case file.

Another child falls through the cracks and CPS fails to save her!!!!

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 6:48 am
I hope to Goddess these horrible excuses for human beings spend the rest of their miserable lives in jail.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 6:59 am
I will never understand how some people can not understand what a gift a child is...
I'm with Cate, the rest of their lives in jail... and all eternity in hell!

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 7:14 am
The Illinois Dept. of Children & Family failed this child miserably and some heads need to roll. I have heard story after story where they intervened when it was not necessary and then when there is actual abuse they don't act. I bet they review the case! I hope someone takes actions on the part of this child! I am not excusing the parents but those who are to assure the safety of a child failed her miserably.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 7:32 am
Something must be done to protect our children of the world. Life in jail, with no possiblility of parole, is what these despicable "people" should endure. Heaven, I think it's a given they'll be lving with Lucifer.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 7:37 am
These people make me sick. How could anyone do that to a helpless child. My God, she was blind. It breaks my heart. They should have given her to the state.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 7:41 am
Noted. This breaks my heart.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 7:48 am
Noted/sick bastards/child abusers supposedly don't do too good in jail/put them there for the rest of their sorry lives/

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 8:08 am
Heartbreaking! .....What is wrong with people today!!!
I'm with Heaven L....how could they do this..so many people have not been blessed with the gift of a little child.....So heartbreaking..

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 8:13 am
RIP young angel, unfortunately you were born to sub-humans, 1 being a step-parent which is even worse, the real mother should have stepped in and stopped this insanity to HER child, no, instead she chose the step-father over her own childs welfare. Obviously, she was sub-human also. Pitifully shameful! This child was a gift, espescially a special needs child who had blindness....My heart & soul are aching deep inside for this young lady, as she had no way of protecting herself, not even the idiots at the Child Welfare agency had the smarts enough to SEE what the real situation was with this family, maybe, just maybe...this beautiful young girl would be alive today, just look at her beautiful smile...by the grace of God she will now rest in peace, with no more beatings. She will walk with the light of the lord and is protected from all harm now, my sweet girl, I am so sorry, noted very sadly, and TY Charles for noticing, posting, & caring my friend.....

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 8:15 am
Apparently, the state didn't want her, as they were called and did nothing to protect her. They need to change their name to Child Unprotected Services!!!
These two should burn in hell for what they have done!!!! I'm with all of you on this, life in jail, and no, I don't think child abusers do to well in jail.....paybacks are a you know what!!!!!

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 8:19 am
This is truly evil, WTF could make those people hurt that little girl?

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 8:27 am
Thank you Shell, I will always notice, care and fight for the voiceless for the rest of my life, or until they are safe from monsters like this, whichever comes first. It seems every time a kid dies from abuse, CPS had reports and did nothing to insure the safety of that child, and obviously, I am not placing 100% of the blame on them, but they do share the responsibility for this innocent life lost to abuse!!!
Heaven, agreed.....a child is about the greatest and most treasured gift I can imagine.....you are to me and always will be my greatest gift in this life!!!

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 8:58 am
I know that Dad, but it is still good to hear it!
I love you, and love the fact that this has become such an important cause to you!

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 9:24 am

Children are my own number 1 cause. In fact, I spent some time as a child abuse counselor, working directly with families. In order to do so, you are required to read many case histories. Each and every one of them is touching, and although extremely sad, must be brought to light.

Thank you, Charles. You have a good heart.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 9:25 am
For the life of me, I will never understand what possesses 'people' to carry out such evil acts. Obviously, they had no compassion for this child ~ why then not let the real Father have her, or even the state? It almost seems they wanted the child around in order to carry out this torture ~ dare I say they enjoyed it? Most acts of abuse are 'enjoyable' in some way to the perpetrator. This makes them Monsters indeed! Shame on CPS for not following up on this ~ they most definitely share in the blame. Of course, these monsters should be behind bars the rest of their lives, and heads should roll at CPS for sure! Thanks Charles.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 9:27 am
Thank you Heaven, you are the Best...I could not have had a more loving, caring, compassionate kid and am proud of you!
These kids need all the help they can get from all of us to push for better protection from monsters like these, at any cost. It just takes a piece of my heart every time I see another child lost to abuse. The current system sucks and they need to get their act together and investigate and act upon every call they get if these children are to have have any chance at all.
My way of running it would make their heads spin......every call is answered swiftly and with police backup, and if ANY abuse is identified, the child is taken away and the abusers incarcerated on the spot!!! A zero tolerance policy for abusers.....right to jail and severe punishment befitting the crime, no chance of parole for even first time offenders...no second chance to hurt a child.....color you gone from civilized society!!!
Yes, I am tough one, and that is what it would take to make the system effective!!!

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 10:06 am
Thanks Charles for bringing this horrendous incidence to the notice of our Care2 friends. I know how our friends are - they are so united in fighting any injustice committed on anyone - be it to the animals or human beings. Thank you friends for being such caring souls. You have certainly imbibed the very spirit of what Care2 stands for. I just cannot imagine what would happen if caring people such as you were not there to help these uncared, voiceless children of this world. Oh what a destiny! I fully condemn the parents and particularly the Dept of Children & Family Services for having failed in its duty toward its citizen. There cannot be any excuses for this matter since they were informed about the abuse meted out to the girl. "What you sow, so shall you reap". In this case the Dept and the parents have sown seeds of malice and hate. However, it is not for us to judge what they will reap. The above picture of the poor blind child really touches my heart. May her soul be at peace with the Lord.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 10:30 am
I can't understand what would even cause a mother and father to kill with their child, and in such a horrendous way. I can't begin to say how heartbreaking it is to read this, but I'm very glad to know about it all the same. This child should have been taken from these people way before this happened. I wonder how many other children will "fall between the cracks" before we have to read of them like this. May the Gods and Goddesses urge the district attorney and especially the judge, to issue the proper punishment, which is life in prison without any chance of parole. And to know the child was blind leaves me even more speechless and heartbroken and just plain pissed off!

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 10:42 am
Welcome Ivy......and Tammy, I am sorry to say, there will be countless others that fall through the cracks of the system before it gets better!!! Many go unreported until something like this happens, and by then it is too late for another child!!
"C" - you are welcome and thank you for all you do for the children.
Thank you all for your comments and I truly appreciate all my friends and those that are not friends yet, as you are the most caring group of people I have ever met!!!

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 11:23 am
Noted with great saddness!!

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 12:44 pm
The cruelty is unbelievable, I agree CUS would be a better name for the Agency -- It makes me sick that the innocent souls suffer so much at the hands of those who are supposed to love and care for them. It serves as a reminder to us all to hug and really appreciate our own children with utmost gratitude for the gift they are.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 12:55 pm
I know it's already been said but I will never understand how people can be this cruel. How do children grow up to become that kind of heartless adults. I suspect that there is a vicious cycle at place here.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 1:14 pm
I think many things come into play here, although I find it difficult to believe that every abuser was abused as a child. There comes a time in life when you know right from wrong, and if you were abused as a child, all the more reason not to ever let your child go through the same horror...just my take on this!!!
I also feel that drugs play a big role in abuse, the drug of choice becomes the users only priority and the child pays the price when the parents are either under the influence or cannot score the drugs.....they take the anger and frustration out on the child. Either way, anyone for any reason that abuses a child should be removed permanently from society and never to be around a child again......sounds extreme? That's how much child safety means to me!!!

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 1:28 pm
Unfortunately, if there is not enough substantiary evidence to obtain an order of protection from the court, then CPS cannot remove a child. In this case, as a reviewer, I would be looking into why there was not an order of protection issued in the past. I would not be looking at why the child was not removed when the grandmother reported the child was "withdrawn". (If the court allowed the removal of a child due to an ambiguous emotional state, the public would be screaming at the state for warrantless removal.) Since we only know that the state had been notified of "potential "abuse and neglect 3 times over the past thirteen years, I will withhold judgement regarding who is to blame other than to lay it on the mother and stepfather as they are the actual perpetrators.

I would also like to remind everyone that in reporting cases of abuse and neglect, report to the police!

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 1:29 pm
The child is blind so why beat the child to death. A price to pay for what we do. Parents are still asleep taking things out on children. They have not waken up they still sleep. Jail time so they won't be able to get a get out of jail card. They will get life in prison. Those inmates will whip them and torture them to death. Inmates when they hear things like that they will kill you or torture you. I hear stories about it.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 1:48 pm
Noted thanx Charles there are and always will be I guess seriously evil people - this is another case that child welfare should have picked up on. NZ has put into action neighbourhood watches now since the spate of child abuse and deaths have gotten worse here - so - it has come to spying on each other now - which in turn is sad - but these shocking crimes have to be stopped. My heart goes out to this darling girl who suffered dreadfully at the hands of her "mother". Compassion, Kindness, Love & Peace
Love & Light
J

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 2:50 pm
What can I say that has not been said above and in entirely too many other horrendous reports of the abuse of a child? It seems to be a nightmarish road of unimaginable fear, confusion, pain, and disbelief that these young and oh so vulnerable gifts from God traveled. Where and when and how does it end? There are no off-ramps. It ends in a place called Tragedy. It gets a standard, "We are reviewing the case...and while that might lead to improved services and policies, it comes too late. In just a short time, the story fades away because there is always another and another and another account to take its place.

No more tears, my precious one. Mercifully, your torture has ended and He has "suffered the little children to come unto me." I want to weep, but my tears are unable to flow. There are so many cracks in my heart for each account of abuse that my unshed tears have turned to ice so enraged am I. So sickened. So sorry. And so bitter. Too many looks at loss and each one so rapier-sharp that it digs deeply into one's heart and will not let me go. To live every day in the shadow of death...and to have it come so violently. I won't forget. I promise. Many of us are suffering because we could not help you. All we can do is, in your memory, try to shine a harsh bright light on this insidious condition that continues to escalate. Whatever we accomplish will be for all of you. Justice in your names. I am sorry, so very sorry, that I could not take you from that Hell. Forgive me. We who care will find a way to determine how and why this keeps happening. I promise.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 3:12 pm
I am considering running for office on a national platform of overhauling the adoption agency. We need candidates who are willing to take on the adoption business for the sake of our youth.

As we continue to have smaller and smaller families adoption is becoming more important. If you are interested in getting involved please write. Thank you.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 3:28 pm
This is senseless to me. Just another death that should have never taken place. The abuse should have never gone on this long.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 5:11 pm
Marian - thank you for your insider point of view, appreciated.
As she laid out the case, Cook County assistant state's attorney Lu Ann Snow shared details of earlier abuse, including cigarette burns on the girl's skin and bleeding in the brain. This should have been more than enough to warrant removal!!
Obviously, the mother and step father are the ones that perpetrated this horrible crime, but my personal opinion is still that she fell through the cracks and it is a little late now for CPS to do an investigation as far as the child's safety goes! And I surely agree that any suspected abuse should be reported to the police!
Daniel - please stick to the issue, as this is not about adoption or you running for office...It is about a child losing her life to abuse... I am not trying to be rude, but this is not the first time you have done this...thanks!!
My friends thank you for your thoughts and comments.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 5:23 pm
Charles, thanks for bringing this to my attention. I find it so hard to believe all the crap that Family services doesn't do. I've heard so many different ones right here just on care2. What the hell will it take to make family services become more responciable for the neglect that they are allowing. There's just NO excuse for this ever. I wish that they had some types of audits and were always checked to see if htey are even doing any type of good job. they need to spare all the children. They've already SUFFERED ENOUGH before they wind up in another bad system. I thin that instead of just jail time; they should first endure whatever haneus crime that they do prior to being sent to prison. Many prison inmates really hate any type of child abuse, Maybe they should suffer from them as long as they live with NO chance of parole. This is so heartbreaking. Thanks Stanley for letting me know about this one. Thanks Cate for your inputs when you send them to me also. Italia

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 9:48 pm
I can't say my words right now, but this poem is special to me, it helped me to open up my own past as much as I can, sometimes not at all. There is so much of this out there, and so little is done about it.
There are too many angels in Heaven right now that has said this poem...

My name is Sarah
I am but three,
My eyes are swollen
I cannot see,

I must be stupid,
I must be bad,
What else could have made
My daddy so mad?

I wish I were better,
I wish I weren't ugly,
Then maybe my Mommy
Would still want to hug me.

I can't speak at all,
I can't do a wrong
Or else I'm locked up
All the day long.

When I awake I'm all alone
The house is dark
My folks aren't home.

When my Mommy does come
I'll try and be nice,
So maybe I'll get just
One whipping tonight.

Don't make a sound!
I just heard a car
My daddy is back
From Charlie's Bar.

I hear him curse
My name he calls
I press myself
Against the wall.

I try and hide
From his evil eyes
I'm so afraid now
I'm starting to cry.

He finds me weeping
He shouts ugly words,
He says its my fault
That he suffers at work.

He slaps me and hits me
And yells at me more,
I finally get free
And I run for the door.
He's already locked it
And I start to bawl,
He takes me and throws me
Against the hard wall.

I fall to the floor
With my bones nearly broken,
And my daddy continues
With more bad words spoken.

"I'm sorry!", I scream
But its now much too late
His face has been twisted
Into unimaginable hate.

The hurt and the pain
Again and again
Oh please God, have mercy!
Oh please let it end!

And he finally stops
And heads for the door,
While I lay there motionless
Sprawled on the floor.

My name is Sarah
And I am but three,
Tonight my daddy
Murdered me.

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 9:52 pm
There are so many proplr out there who want children and can't have them, and then people like this are blessed with children??? I will never understand this cruel world we live in and I'm making a list if questions to ask when I get to the next world! This is just the saddest thing yet! That poor child!!

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 10:24 pm
Wow, I have read that poem before Drew and no matter how many times I read it....it always has the same effect, the tears flow from my eyes and my heart aches, for you just know that somewhere there is a child right now thinking those same thoughts!!
For the life of me.....sorry, cry break.....How could anyone be so cruel and heartless to ever hurt their baby, that only wants mommy and daddy's love, and that is what should come naturally to a parent.

I pray to God that I never see someone hurting a child because I know me too well......that is the day they will experience their worst nightmare on this Earth!!!..........ME!!!!!!!!! I just am not the type of person to call police and and do nothing until they get there!

Tuesday August 7, 2007, 11:01 pm
where are the neighbors when a child is getting beating like this. you know they have to hear it. all of us have to step up and start protecting these childern who need us. keep our eyes, ears and hearts open aand start turning these so call parents into the law. God Bles Our Childern. Love and Hugs Linda J and God Bless Our Troops.

Wednesday August 8, 2007, 8:33 am
Life in jail is too easy for them. They beat this child to death, what ever happened to an eye for an eye? These miserable excuses for human beings don't deserve to live. Children are a GIFT from God, they are not ours, only loaned to us, to love and cherish. I hope the poor little girl is in peace now. God knows her life here on earth was hell.

Wednesday August 8, 2007, 9:36 am
I am so personally outraged by this that I have written to Acting Director, Erwin McEwen at DCFS - Springfield Headquarters, 406 E Monroe, Springfield, IL 62701-1498 demanding that someone in that local field office be charged with neglect of duty. You can also visit DCFS at www.state.il.us/dcfs and contact the acting director. What really got to me is on their homepage, they were just awarded - ILLINOIS RECOGNIZED AS NATIONAL LEADER IN CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION - certainly NOT in this case.

Wednesday August 8, 2007, 3:50 pm
this is so terrible. forget life in jail. these people deserve the death pentile in my opinion. i have NO sympothy for people like this. and this poor girl. oh god please bless all these children...

Wednesday August 8, 2007, 4:25 pm
Earline.....No argument from me on the eye for an eye...all for it!!
Margaret.....that's what I like to hear....taking action. So much for their award for allowing another child to die!!!
Linda, yes, someone had to have seen something. "Silence is Violence"!!!
Lauren...again, I'm with you!!!

Wednesday August 8, 2007, 5:11 pm
Words cannot describe my sadness.

Wednesday August 8, 2007, 5:45 pm
You are in a better place Shavon...you taught so many things to all of us and our hearts will be filled with your courage to stand so much pain

But life will make these tow subhumans to pay for what they did...jail wont be enough...life will fill them with misery

Wednesday August 8, 2007, 7:31 pm
Nheurona - All about karma......and theirs is not good, there will be a heavy price to pay for what they did, hopefully long jail time first, and karma might catch up to them while in jail.....most inmates will not appreciate child killers!!!

Wednesday August 8, 2007, 10:11 pm
What a short sad life for this little girl-now she will never know love. No child should die -their last vision that of an angry, raged filled parent. Why do people like this keep children. Just drop them off at Protective Services, but dont kill them. This makes me sick, physically sick. I'm so sorry little one that you were abandoned by the very people who should have loved you...

Thursday August 9, 2007, 6:16 am
I agree with you Charles. Not everyone who was abused becomes an abuser. I come from a very dysfunctional family with 6 kids where physical and emotional abuse were normal for us. Both my sisters, who are parents, are still screwed up, but my 3 brothers and I are wonderful parents if I do say so myself. In our case we decided that we would be the ones to stop the chain of abuse and be the parents we didn't have.

Thursday August 9, 2007, 6:30 am
I agree Jennie, but unfortunately they will probably be turned away from CPS, unless of course they stated that otherwise they were going to kill them, and that's not going to happen. Changes need to be made NOW in the system to protect our greatest asset...our children!!
Beverly - sorry that you and your siblings went through that, but my hat (if I wore one), is off to you and your brothers for being wonderful loving parents, as it should be!! If people have children, they had better be prepared to put that child's well being before their own, and never show that child anything but love from them.

Thursday August 9, 2007, 3:53 pm
noted,

Friday August 10, 2007, 8:30 pm
Makes me deep-down angry. You're right, neighbors must've heard or noticed SOMETHING. "Bleeding in the brain" doesn't just HAPPEN.
The child was probably AFRAID to tell anyone, including her other family, her father and grandmother, both because she had been threatened, and because she thought no-one would believe her anyway.
It is amazing how such things can be kept hidden. It requires almost a CONSPIRACY of silence.
And yes, the IRONY of the Dept. receiving an AWARD........
We have had cases LIKE THIS in Seattle, too...... too many everywhere.
Then, Child "Protection" TAKES AWAY children when there is actually NO reason..... it seems CORRUPT POLITICS is involved.......
Beverly, kudos to you and your brothers for making the NOBLE decision to "be the ones to stop the chain of abuse". There is HOPE there........

Friday August 10, 2007, 8:32 pm
Makes me deep-down angry. You're right, neighbors must've heard or noticed SOMETHING. "Bleeding in the brain" doesn't just HAPPEN.
The child was probably AFRAID to tell anyone, including her other family, her father and grandmother, both because she had been threatened, and because she thought no-one would believe her anyway.
It is amazing how such things can be kept hidden. It requires almost a CONSPIRACY of silence.
And yes, the IRONY of the Dept. receiving an AWARD........
We have had cases LIKE THIS in Seattle, too...... too many everywhere.
Then, Child "Protection" TAKES AWAY children when there is actually NO reason..... it seems CORRUPT POLITICS is involved.......
Beverly, kudos to you and your brothers for making the NOBLE decision to "be the ones to stop the chain of abuse". There is HOPE there........

Friday August 10, 2007, 8:43 pm
B Mutiny - Like I said above in a reply to a comment from Marian, the cigarette burns and the bleeding on the brain was more than enough reason for CPS to pull that child from that family, but once again, another child dies partially due to their incompetency and lack of caring....right, and they are honored with an award.....what am I missing here????
Thank you all for your comments....