Living on the edge kills a 2-year old

[Horse with no Name]

Honestly, sometimes things are so incredibly sad that I don't know where to begin.

A friend of mine was telling this story, so I googled it and found the link for it. Please read the link and then I can fill you in on details regarding what was REALLY happening. I sincerely hope that someone (perhaps the ACLU?) can help this family and if you know someone who can, please comment. The setting is El Reno, OK. You know, the area that has been hit with the devastating tornadoes as of late.

http://www.news9.com/story/22514116/toddler-drowns-in-el-reno-lake

>>>snip
Brown tells News 9 Kemper Shropshire and his 6-year-old sibling were living in a car with their parents. In the middle of the night, the children somehow wandered off.

Someone in the RV West Park spotted the 6-year-old child and called police. When officers arrived they found the child and then the parents. That's when they discovered the 2 year old in the water.

Officers attempted to give the child CPR and he was eventually transferred to Mercy-El Reno where he was later pronounced dead.

Brown said the community is now working to help the family find temporary housing.
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Okay. Here is the ENTIRE story as told by someone who works with the mother. Amazing that the news didn't pick up on the entire story....

This couple had been living on the edge. They had suffered layoffs and loss of home. They had 2 children--a 2 year old and a 6 year old. The 6-yr old suffered some type of condition--coworker thinks it might have been autism. The child couldn't speak and was developmentally delayed. FINALLY both parents were able to get jobs, they got a car and got a house. Their coworkers had been helping them get back on their feet by giving them rides, etc. Things were going well. Apparently, the parents both worked second shift. The husband's family had disowned them because the woman was Native American so there wasn't any family support.
So, 2 days before the incident, the landlord approached the family and wanted them to sign a waiver that they were knowingly and willingly signing a lease where they knew that the house had radon AND lead in it. This was after they were already living there. Apparently, the refused to sign the paper.
The next night--at midnight--the landlord was waiting at their home and had locked them out and was serving them with eviction papers and wouldn't allow them to enter the home. They had no place to go, so since it was hot, they drove down to the lake in the car to sleep.
Apparently, the next day, the parents searched and searched for help but couldn't find any. So, they went to the lake again to sleep. This is when the children got out of the car while the parents were sleeping.

The 2-year old went into the water and even though the 6-year old was present, was not able to run back and tell the parents.

My heart is broken...I cannot BELIEVE that somehow this landlord is NOT responsible.

[Ohio Joe]

1. It does not sound like what the LL did was legal...

They need a lawyer ASAP.

[Warpy]

4. Nope, not if they'd paid the rent before they moved in

I agree, it's time to lawyer up.

[Horse with no Name]

6. I have sent a message to the friend

although she isn't sure that the woman will come back to work or not.

[Mnemosyne]

2. Oh god, Horse. It could so easily happen to any one of us. I agree, that landlord is responsible,

but he will never acknowledge, even to himself, that his actions lead to this happening. You'd need a conscience to even consider it. Too many people now that never think for a moment how their actions, or lack of, affect everyone else.

Heartbreaking...

[Horse with no Name]

3. I know.

I read this earlier today and have just been sick about it. The problem is, at least in Texas, that renters don't have very many rights that are enforced by the local law. I could tell you horror stories about the places I have rented.

One in particular, I had the most horrid landlord. When he rented me the house, it had space heaters in it. They were like brand new and very efficient and worked well. I had the gas company come out to turn on the gas and they checked to make sure that there weren't any leaks, etc. The very next day, WHILE I was at work, the landlord entered my house and replaced all the new heaters with old beat up heaters that didn't work very well and the house was very cold.

There is a list of things he did, but that one sticks out in my head because it was so cold.

So, when I moved, I SWORE that I would never rent from an individual again.

I went through a Property Management company that was with an established realtor.

I had signed all the papers, it was on Memorial Day weekend and I get there, the AC didn't work. It took the Property Management company two weeks to get the landlord to agree to fix it. Then the hot water heater went out...same thing.
The house flooded when the pipes burst...the same thing.

So, what did the Property management company who I assumed would protect me do?

They fired the landlord and quit managing the house.

Nothing ever got fixed again.

I hate this part of the country because these landlords get away with so much crap regardless of what the laws are.

I only hope that this family finds a way to nail this slumlord.

[ReRe]

5. This is the kind of thing...

... I think of when someone hollers "USA! USA! USA!"

[Eagleheart1230]

7. This shouldnt have happened!

Something I didn't read in any of the articles-yet...
The children's mother is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes Of Oklahoma. Its no secret that our Tribal government is in shambles right now,in my opinion the governor/lieutenant governor have run our Tribe to the ground. It seems that once they were elected,a feud between the two began. Each claimed to be rightful governor,each accusing the other of embezzlement,etc. This feud turned into chaos,with neither one willing to step down for the people's sake. It got media attention,which was quite embarrassing to all members. People started taking sides,families were at odds with one another because of these two women. The banks that held/handled the money for the tribe did not know which signature to acknowledge,as a result,accounts were eventually frozen....still-neither one would step down...
Programs meant to provide assistance to those in need were turning people away,due to drastically cut funding.
Little Kemper's mom had gone to the tribe,applied for assistance to find a place for her family-and was DENIED. Although it appears that the government is up and running,in reality,the tribe is Still suffering from the damage these two women have caused. Because of their actions,their stubbornness,their ignorance and greed,I no longer have a nephew.
I could go on,but Long story short-The tribe could have helped them out,but they didn't.
This post is meant to hopefully make people aware that it doesn't matter which woman was "Rightful Governor",BOTH are equally wrong for making themselves priority,and tribal members secondary.

[Horse with no Name]

8. I am sorry for this loss to your family

As I said, a friend knows the family and has told me a lot of information and most of it sickens me.

This family fell through the cracks and a sweet child died from it.

I am glad you came back with this.

Thank you.

I haven't added any more information because there didn't appear to be enough interest.

My thoughts and prayers go to you and your family.