Death of Maryland boy pushed in swing for three days ruled homicide

[Little Tich]

Source: Yahoo! News / Reuters

(Reuters) - The death of a 3-year-old Maryland boy discovered last month in a park swing where his mother had been pushing him for three days has been ruled a homicide, authorities said on Tuesday.

The boy died of dehydration and hypothermia, according to a statement from Charles County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Diane Richardson.

Officers found the boy, Ji’Aire Lee, around 7 a.m. on May 22 after witnesses reported seeing a woman pushing a child on a swing for an unusually long time at a park in La Plata, about 35 miles (55 km) south of Washington, Richardson said.

When the officers arrived they found the 24-year-old mother, who has not been identified, still pushing the child, and realized immediately that he was dead.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/death-maryland-boy-pushed-swing-three-days-ruled-212805331.html

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Omigod. What was wrong with her? And that poor little boy.

Sick.

[SunSeeker]

2. Horrible way to die. Mother was obviously mentally ill.

[Live and Learn]

3. ... nt

[wheniwasincongress]

4. Huh?

When the officers arrived they found the 24-year-old mother, who has not been identified

do they mean publicly identified, or can the police not identify her for whatever reason?

[AnnetteJacobs]

5. Um, what?

Not challenging the veracity of the article, but how does the mother push someone for 3 days straight...with no potty breaks, no food, no sleep, etc.?

[Person 2713]

6. Going to guess mental illness . Perhaps a catatonic schizophrenic episode

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/192263.php

[annm4peace]

7. wasn't their other people at the park

didn't the child cry? how could people not think something was wrong ?

[brer cat]

9. Good questions.

One woman did realize that she had been there a second day and called the police. I haven't heard if other people were there often enough to realize she wasn't leaving. Horrid situation.

[Uncle Joe]

8. What a nightmare only it was for real!

Thanks for the thread, Little Tich.

[Little Tich]

14. You're welcome. This story is getting more horrific everytime I read it.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

10. Sad. So sad.

It's tragic that there was nobody there to intervene in time.

[gvstn]

11. Father had filed for custody in March because he was worried.

Very sad case.

Lee (the father), who lives in southwest Washington DC, had filed for custody of his son in March because he was deeply worried about Simms's mental stability and believed she needed to get help, according to the Washington Post.

The judge, however, deemed Simms a fit parent, and on May 11 the parents agreed to share custody - Lee would have his son on the weekends while Simms took him during the week.

Eleven days later, Ji-Aire was found dead.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3145109/Toddler-dead-playground-swing-pushed-mother-ruled-homicide-autopsy-reveals-died-dehydration-hypothermia.html#ixzz3ecUCIjtw

[LisaL]

15. Cleary she was not a fit parent.

[Amishman]

16. agreed

I cant help but think if this were the father with custody and mental issues, the court would have ruled differently. In far too many places the courts inappropriately favor the mother in custody decisions.

[yardwork]

19. Other articles state that the father willingly shared custody.

The father had recently changed his mind and stated before the court that there was no problem with the mother's fitness as a parent. Apparently she had been better, then obviously had a severe breakdown.

[Telcontar]

17. I woild be hard pressed not to hunt that judge down

He bears responsibility for that boy's death.

[yardwork]

20. It's not the judge's fault. Read more on the case.

The family, including the father, advocated for the mother to have shared custody.

[romanic]

12. Poor kid.

[TheCount_]

13. Geez what a terrible way

to go. I can't imagine being afraid, confused, cold, and in great pain. Disgusting.

[Brickbat]

18. Mental illness is a terrible, terrible thing.

[Gloria]

22. Which makes us ask...what kind of treatment, if any was she really getting??

Getting handed some pills doesn't really cut it...we lack a real system every since they decided to close down institutions and put everyone suffering from illnesses on the street. Jails have become the mental institutions, it seems. Institutions weren't perfect, but certainly the flood of people who really don't get the proper care on a regular basis and who are on and off meds without real caring is just terrible. Even families who are involved and try to work with their family members really don't have the support they need to do the job that has been thrust upon them...

Homeless, in trouble with law, then jailed or executed because of illness..it's like medieval times.

[lonestarnot]

21. Welp why in the hell didn't the woman observing call someone sooner?