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Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 5:25 p.m. ET: LOS ANGELES -- A scrawny Georgia teen who was discovered at a bus station told police his abusive stepfather gave him $200 and a list of homeless shelters before he was put on a bus to Los Angeles on this 18th birthday, authorities said Thursday.
Retired Los Angeles police Sgt. Joe Gonzalez was working security at a downtown bus station Sept. 11 when he spotted Mitch Comer, who stood just over 5 feet tall, weighed 87 pounds and looked much younger, the LAPD said in a news release Thursday.
The teen told Gonzalez his stepfather declared that he was now a man before putting him on a bus.
Paul Matthew Comer is seen in an undated photo provided by the Paulding County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators in Paulding County, Ga., planned to search at the home where authorities allege the teen was kept in such seclusion that his two younger sisters in the same house did not know what he looked like.
"The sisters haven't seen the brother in over two years," Paulding County sheriff's Cpl. Ashley Henson said. "They didn't even know what color his hair was."
Stepfather Paul Comer and mother Sheila Comer face charges of false imprisonment and cruelty to children, Paulding County jail records show. They were being held without bond.
Police described him as "pale" and "gaunt" and said they believed he was around 12 or 13 years old at first. Concerned about his age, they decided to investigate further.
Sheila Comer is seen in an undated photo provided by the Paulding County Sheriff's Office.
"The LAPD officer said his skin was translucent, that he was obviously malnourished," Los Angeles District Attorney Dick Donovan told WSB-TV in Atlanta.
The 18-year-old told authorities that he had suffered years of abuse. After removing him from school in the eighth grade, his stepfather shut him in a room, he said.
The youth was fed only small amounts of food and forced to hold a grueling disciplinary position for eight hours a day with the top of his head against a wall, his fingers interlaced behind his head, and his feet raised off the ground.
'Heartbreaking circumstances'
The teen told police he had two younger sisters still living at home, but he did not know his address. LAPD contacted local Paulding County, Georgia, sheriff's deputies, who tracked down his stepfather and mother and took them in for questioning.
The parents were subsequently arrested on child abuse and false imprisonment charges. Detectives also put the teen's younger sisters, aged 11 and 13, into protective custody with Paulding County Children's Services.
After staying in a Los Angeles board and care home, the 18-year-old flew to Georgia on Wednesday to help in the investigation and legal proceedings against his parents.
"I am greatly relieved and thankful that one of our retired officers brought this victim to our attention and started the process to uncover these heartbreaking circumstances," Police Chief Charlie Beck said in a statement.
Dion Walker and Mea Smith, who live near the family in Dallas, Ga., told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution their children had played with the teen's sisters.
"Maybe, when the young girls would stare at us, were they trying to say something?" Walker said according to the Journal-Constitution. "Should we have noticed?"
Monica Moore, an investigator with the Paulding County district attorney's office, accompanied the 18-year-old home from California and described him to WSB-TV as small and very timid, but exceedingly polite.
"I made sure that he knew that ... once he came here he had a lot of people here helping," she told WSB-TV.
Donovan told the station his office struggled to find an agency willing to take in the teen because he is legally an adult, but a local family agreed to house him.
NBC News's Sevil Omer and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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This is a sad thing. What is the rest of the story? What was his Mom's, even though she was in the picture, role? I know, unfortunately, of too many situations where the mother does not protect the child, and always defends the step father or boy friend.
This is disgusting!
Wow, and I thought my step father was an @!$%#... well he was, but not as big as this animal. Please put the mother and @!$%# under the jail.
Georgia - another one of those very red states where family values and blah, blah, blah...
So - this kid clearly is in the 47%. Romney sure will abandon him but the society shouldn't. Neither should any president.
I generally don't like to politicize issue. But the narrative coming out of GOP is very disturbing and idiotic. Romney has gotten awefully close to bachman and palin territory. Which is what makes such stories resonate more. What do we do with the weak in the society. Just let them get slaughtered?
PJ,
By "weak," do you mean also those able-bodied, mentally and emotionally sound people who abuse the social security and welfare system? You have to include those poor poor people too. Good for Romney!! Finally a real man in the White House hopefully. And the intended communist/socialist abuses toward the American people can begin to be turned back.
Narrative coming out of the GOP brings hope for real change. Not like these slackers now.
PJ, How about trying to figure out how to put abusive parents away and stick your'e liberal poitical views up your'e azz. Some of us are tired of all the lies you people tell. Tell us what obama has done for anyone. He talks about sharing the wealth. He doesn't donate any money to any charities whatsoever. He's an empty chair president and full of hot air. He doesnt do anything that he preaches, but he expects everyone else to do it. Do what I say, not what I do. There's your'e hero!!
Three posts before it turned pseudo-political. This article is not about:
Georgia
Politics
It's about abusive parents and the abuse three children endured. This could be happening right next door to you.
First, 18 years old and can't remember his address? Couldn't get off at the next bus stop? Putting his parents away is a postive message?
Face it. The TP/GOP eat their own.
REALITY has a LIBERAL BIAS.
@tim - the "Teapublican AZZ" needs to tell us - why those family values keep failing in those red states and why there are any 47% people in those red states at all.
Dwight ... how many exactly are able bodied and live off welfare? GOP talks about it as if 47% are all like that.
IF you guys are so opposed to the so called welfare then stop enrolling in it. Finally the so called welfare is not really welfare since people have actually paid those darn taxes to get those benefits. What the hell is FICA (i.e. social security and medicare taxes.
GOP is a divisive party that tries to spread hate.
@tim-580939
dealing with abusive parents is the job of the Gov't and the Republicans are ranting about too much Gov't. so PJ has a point.
Kind of hard for this kid to pull himself up by his own bootstraps isn't. Oh, and he didn't build that bus station he was found in either.
The kid was malnourished and physically tortured. His brain can't be expected to perform up to your standards at this point. How did you not understand that after reading the article?
The reality is that after you said that first, anything you said after it is meaningless.
And yes, putting away his parents is a positive message. If you have anything positive to say about letting them go unpunished, I'd like to hear it.
Agreed... No child should have to suffer this way.
What I did love about this story? The description of this young teen as "exceedingly polite." It goes to show that your circumstances do not have to define who you are.
And yet--How heartbreaking!!
Dear Mother, dear Father
What is this hell you have put me through?
Believer, deceiver
Day in, day out, live my life through you
Pushed onto me what's wrong or right
Hidden from this thing that they call life
Dear Mother, dear Father
Every thought I'd think you'd disapprove
Curator, dictator
Always censoring my every move
Children are seen but are not heard
Tear out everything inspired
Innocence, torn from me without your shelter
Barred reality, I'm living blindly
Dear Mother, dear Father
Time has frozen still, what's left to be
Hear nothing, say nothing
Cannot face the fact I think for me
No guarantee, it's life as is
But damn you for not giving me my chance
Dear Mother, dear Father
You clipped my wings before I learnt to fly
Unspoiled, unspoken
I've outgrown that @!$%#ing lullaby
Same thing I've always heard from you
Do as I say, not as I do
Innocence, torn from me without your shelter
Barred reality, I'm living blindly
I'm in hell without you
Cannot cope without you too
Shocked at the world that I see
Innocent victim please rescue me
Dear Mother, dear Father
Hidden in your world you've made for me
I'm seething, I'm bleeding
Ripping wounds in me that never heal
Undying spite, I feel for you
Living out this hell you always knew
Dyers Eve- Metallica
Dear Tim:
"Obama and wife Michelle also gave more to charity than they paid in federal taxes in the 2011 tax year. The numbers: on income of $789,674, the Obamas paid just over $162,000, a tax rate of 20.5%. They gave $172,130 to various charities, including the Fisher House Foundation, which provides support to military families. The Obama’s Tax-N-Charity payments came to $334,000 or 42% of their income."
Where do you get your "facts from? But never let facts get in the way of a good story (lie).
The first post below is left standing tall and the second post gets collapsed.....WTF? Please explain to me nicely what politics has to do with this article. Why is it with every article there has to be a republican or democrat dig. We all know the republicans don't agree with the democrats and the democrats don't agree with the republicans. Since politics was brought into this article I will have to say, Dwight I agree with you.
PJ-1795048
Dwight-2364224 Comment collapsed by the community
These actions are more common then we're aware of, it's a chain that must be broken of generational abuse. I wish the young man the best as well as his sisters, to get the help they need to cope through life with this burden of anger and mistrust they must have for others that might reach out to help.
@ IMHO-2730490: For the past 4+ years, this poor child was locked away from any socialization.. of course he's not going to have the mental strength to stop and ask for help. He was barely given any food, his body and brain were shutting down. This is so sad.
27K kids a year are drop from foster care @ 18 years old. 104k are waiting to be adopted.. you don't see this on the news..
This is was extreme, but on the other side of the coin, as a step parent I have been supporting a loser who is 29 yrs. old, and has only worked about two years in his whole life. Knowing what I know now, I wish I had put him on a bus 11 yrs. ago.
The saddest part is that this situation is not unique. There are groups of kids traveling around the country together - safety in numbers. They are dirty and very frightened...and very disrespectful of society. Who can blame them? After all, we protect "daddys" more than we protect our children!
No matter the type of abuse, abuse is abuse and we need to make calling abusers out into the light of day a social norm in the good ole USA!
Care for children? Prove it! Get involved! Speak up!!!
The problem with the idea that someone "politics doesn't enter into it" is that politics effects everyone. If Mitt Romney is elected President, do you think that the 47% of the American population he has expressed disgust for will not be affected? Our seniors, our military, all of whom are dependent on government for their income and are in his 47%? And people like this kid?
Do you think that's not important?
Mitt Robme represents the rich because he is rich. He has never done without no matter what he says. We all know that to make money you have to have money and investors. He doesn't like the middle class to the poor because we don't have the money to invest and become rich ourselves. The 47 percent he speaks of are the people on Social Security, the people in the military, the people who have either an illness or injury that prevents them from working, and then there is welfare. There are people that scam those programs and do not deserve to be on them such as welfare.
That said, what a tragedy for this young person, who does not have the ability to deal with the world. He hasn't had the education or the guidance and to throw him out and expect him to survive is down right unconscionable. His mother and step father need to pay for the treatment they gave those poor children.
Byron,
He never expressed disgust for them. You are just unable to understand anything. He knows they wont vote for him because they depend on the government, thats all.
Both these "parents" should be locked away for years. Im more angry with the mother. The stepfather was an @!$%#, but the mom should have stood up for her son over her new guy. She should have never become a mother.
The first thing someone needs to do is remove those children from the Paulding county "Child protective Services". Unless they have changed in the last few years they SUCK.
I pray those children will be protected from the mom as well as the stepdad. Neither are Mother and Father. If they were they would have loved those children, no abused them. That mom needs to endure the same punishment her son went through.
Get off the POLITICAL floor. This has nothing to do with Obama or Romney. This has to do with jerks who have children they don't deserve.
Everyday we get a strange story..............what humans will do to fellow humans much less family.
The hint here is that they sent him to California. Almost certainly, they think he is gay--whether he is or not isn't that critical, but the stepfather almost certainly thinks that he is gay and was trying to instill "discipline." This is what the conservative fundamentalist evangelical Christians do when they think they have a "gay" boy--the standard methodology now is to torture them every time they see a "gay" behavior and use crude behavioral therapy to "nip it in the bud."
California is working to outlaw this. I wonder why it is that people criticize them for it.
But, yes, this kind of behavior is not merely suggested in CFEC churches, it is very nearly mandated by the disapproval of the group. It is not unlikely that they pulled the kid from school under pressure from the group members who didn't want their children going to school with a fa**ot, and the only way they could keep their daughters from being mistreated was to go along with what the community wanted.
We have our own "honor killings" and "honor torture" here in the US. There are many suicided children (whose "suicides" do not get investigated), and many of the abuse and murder cases have to do with this issue. Sometimes, they even admit it--as the man who killed the 5-year-old for being "gay" did. Sometimes, it is swept under the rug. This is why GLBT youth and those "suspected" of being GLBT youth (even when they are not) need to have a few more protections and someplace to go to get away from their parents when the parents are threatening. They should have to get part-time jobs to help support themselves, but they need a place to flee to.
Poor child. It will be kind of sad/amusing if he turns out not to be gay after all.
I'm am so SICK of people taking every single article they read and turning it into a GD political argument!!!!! What the hell is the matter with some of you people??? Unable to focus on the topic at hand, no compassion, full of hate, need to argue about everything???? PLease fill in the freaking blanks here because I DO NOT understand such disturbed and twisted thinking!!!!
Some sick azz people abuse then abandon their children and all you can talk about is your political view and hate forthe opposing candidate!!!!! WAKE UP abuse happens constantlY and the perpatrators get away with it because people don't give a damn, don't weigh in on these types of issues with their law makers and try to get thing changed. They sit around making nasty remarks about politcal candidates when the discussion has nothing to do with it.
Yesterday I drove sombody to court and was sitting watching the cases while waiting to drive my friend home. A man was called up for sentencing for molestation charges on his own children. The ex-wife and mom of these kids gave a heart wrenching victims impact statement that had me in tears and the all the courtroom spectators disgusted. This man after being cuaght by the mom admitted and pled guilty to molesting his daughter for at least a year. He admitted that he ws addicted to pornography as well. When the Judge asked him what type of pornography he viewed he stated he only looked at hertro porn of women 20-25 years old. What BS!!!!! This guy had only done 4 days in jail before being bailed out on these charges. An evaluator had stated he was not a predator and reccommended probation. The defense attorney and even the DA were fine with going with that. THis ridiculous Judge could have sent this man to prison on (what we have in OR) measure 11 charges that would have automatically made him do time. The DA told the Judge he'd have to allow the charges to be busted down to "attempted sex abuse" in order to give the guy probation. The Judge did this and let another SICK, TWISTED PEDOPHILE hit the streets free to live. AND he was sent to live with his parents and a brother who is also a registered sEX OFFENDER.
NOW if you want people to call names try ASSHATS like these pedophiles that damge our children for life and the justice system officials that LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT!!!!!!!!!
His mom's role was to protect her husband, obviously. Psychologists will say the poor woman had to choose between her husband and her son - in this situation, that is NOT a choice, it's an obligation. She is every bit as guilty as the husband and deserves the same torture and punishment that I WISH her husband and she would be sentenced to - something to exceed what that poor kid went through.
Step-
dadmonster is lucky the kid didn't take the $200 and buy a gun.Retired Los Angeles police Sgt. Joe Gonzalez is a hero.
He is an example of how one person can do a small act of kindness which saves a life. I don't think this young man would have lasted very long on the streets of LA. Thanks to an "everyday Joe", another miracle has occurred.
Bean, I don't know where you get off stating that this boy is almost certainly gay!!!!! You don't have the first damn clue what went on in that family or why. You are nothing more than an armchair psychologist with no skills, education or even a real clue to make your judgements on!!!!
"it'll be kind of sad/amusing if he turns out not to be gay after all". What the hell is the matter with you????
The "stepfather" (aka child abuser) and the "mother" (egg donor) need to be brought up on charges of terrorism and crimes against humanity. This is outrageous and they need to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Of course the poor child that is now 18 is completely incapable of functioning in society because of the years of abuse and neglect as well as a lack of education and preparation for adult life. They parents should also pay for the rehabilitation of their abused children.
I hope these children do not fall through the cracks, that would turn this tragic story into an even more horrific one...
playing devils advocate:
What if the kid was sexually abusing his sisters?
(dont act like that doesnt happen)
What if he was killing the neighbors pets?
(dont act like that doesnt happen)
What if he was threatening to kills his mom, or stepdad, or both?
(dont act like that doesnt happen)
i doubt that is the case, but if it were - would you have a little more sympathy for why they locked him in his room (and explain to me how it's vastly different than being locked in a jail)
I think someone needs to check your house for locked and abused children. You seem to think up all kinds of reasons you would do the same thing. Thats not normal! Most NORMAL people don't have kids that do this kind of thing. Only kids that are being treated badly would do the things you describe. People that have done this are going to come to his defense. Your scary! There is NO excuse to starve and torture a child for many years no matter what. If they had mental issues you would take them to a health professional. This kid had to have been STARVED for many years to stunt his growth and weight to this extreme! You KNOW this was just another case of a jealous step parent! They both need to suffer the same fate. Lock them up and starve them!
jessica, you are sick, plain and simple
HOLY SH!T......what a bunch of boobs! I ask for someone to explain NICELY why politics has to be brought into every article post and instead of politely responding you collapse my post. GROW UP PEOPLE there was nothing rude or foul in my post. I guess freedom of speech or thought process only applies when I agree with you. You are what is wrong with OUR country! Now you may collapse me again! Close minded people!
trust2112 that was to the heart!
@Jessica-if your kid is sexually abusing their siblings, killing neigborhood pets, threatening you ,their step parent etc.. you have them arrested and get the help. YOU don't lock them in a room, starve them, beat them etc... NOT even any reason to play Devils advocate here at all. IF you don'tsee that welll says something about you I guess....
Put the young man in the Marine Corp? He will be well fed, educated, have a big family, and be trained to survive and then send him to a war to let out his supressed anger. I have seen lots of boys who just turned 18 be declared a man and literally kicked out of the family house to go be on their own, or courts gave the 18 yrs olds the option of prison or military service back in the mid 60's. They went to Vietnam and died there still pretty much a innocent kid... Where the H does any law say when you turn 18 you are on your own? And the so-called parents both need to be sent to a Joe Aprios jail in AZ for life. Maybe not he would more and likely make them his top corrections officers.
It's a shame that they won't release the names to protect the kids. This stepfather is one guy who needs to be frog-marched in front of the public in the "perp walk." After the article the other day about Jerry McConnell and his horse abuse, without a picture of him, and now yet another article about the abuse of human children, again without a showing in public, I've got to say that we should always have a public shaming of these people. Why do these abusers always get to hide, like that judge in Texas who beat his disabled daughter with a belt?
They won't be able to hide. What they have done will be shouted from the roof tops and their faces plastered in the newspapers and on the Internet.Terrible as it may seems, sometimes both adults are abusive. Yet that is actually not normally the case. From the perspective of one who has worked in law enforcement, with huge numbers of abused women and children over the years I can offer some information on why mothers might not try to stop such abuse from their companions.
Many times women won't come forward because they have been abused into submission or are fearful of what will happen to their other children, if they protest against the one child selected for abuse. In other cases the mother fears losing her major financial provider supporting her and the children. This kind of mother typically hasn't been on her own much in life, with poor skills. Other times a mother is blinded by the passive aggressive relationship she is in, and believes the abuser's apologies and promises to change.Who then tells her she is a failure and will lose the children. Last a mother can believe an abuser who tells her, he will kill her or her children if she ever tries to leave him.So she feels trapped. That is why being aware of our neighbors, how others are treating their children is important. We can literally be a lifeline for kids who may need help. Abuse is a community problem we can help curb.
How tragic! ... A eighteen year old cast into society without anything .... can you even imagine?
Sounds like someone should check moonbeamracer's basement for children.... apparently he see's nothing wrong with this kind of abuse.
moonbeam did you read the entire article?? geez
It happens daily with foster children when they age out of the system.
Moonbeamracer ... if that 18 year old had been properly raised and taught how to survive on his own, that would be one thing. I'd be saying, "Yeah, an independent kid working to take care of himself!" HOWEVER, this 18 year old has not finished school past 8th grade, has not been taught how to do anything other than be punished. He has not had any life skills taught to him and is 87 lbs!! First, he needs to be fed and cared for. Shown that the world isn't as bad as his #$#@@ stepfather. Then he needs to be taught how to do things as basic as wash his own clothes and maybe find a job and how to drive a car. Not the least of all he needs is an education. He can't get a job without having graduated high school. So before you make such idiotic comments about an 18 year old being "cast into society" with such sarchasm, you might want to think about having been locked in a room for years, given very little food and taught to do nothing but be punished for existing. Perhaps you are the stepfather ... or perhaps you treat your children badly as well ... maybe you should be investigated as well!
Why is everybody jumping on moonbeamracer? I don't see sarcasm.
this is everywhere. i am glad that the retired police officer stepped up. we all should be aware of the children around us. this is our war in america.
Undereducated, abandoned and pushed out into our society. Severed Head has it right. Foster kids face the same future. This 47% is abandoned by the TP/GOP. Republicans eat their own.
REALITY has a LIBERAL BIAS.
@severed head in a jar - no it doesnt apparently youre not a foster parent! There are programs to help them get apartments and jobs and school!!!! Theres also assistance that they get. No foster kid is put on a bus and givena list of homeless shelters! Get your facts !!
Like or not, it's reality and nothing new.
30 years ago one of my high school classmates had an academic scholarship to the local college and her biological father still kicked her out of the house after graduation. She was 18.
I don't even have kids and the gutting of public schools and siphoning off of the brightestkids with vouchers scares me for the future of this country but we could spend a Trillion dollars in Iraq and never find a single WMD.
These types of stories make me wonder why do straight people have children and why do some in society think that only straight folks can raise kids? Why don't the folks who think that only straight people are loving parents answer why this and other things happen when a man and a woman is in the household. Yes, it could happen in any home, but please explain why it happned in his case.
I Did Read the Article .... and can comprehend ... many of you can't and your responses show how easily the English language is misunderstood & how individuals assume fact that are not written!
There was no "Sarcasm" implied or posted ...
The point of the short statement was that this young man was throw into society like a person released from jail ... with nothing .. no education, no family to turn to ... NOTHING ...
What hope does he have in a society with the limited abilities provided him and from a background where abuse is the norm?
I didn't add my second thought because I have learned of the limited comprehension skills among some of you ... and that short, post, with simple words, are more easily digested here.
But I will now ... This young man was fortunate ... Because he escaped this horrendous situation when he did ... as horrible as what happened to him was ... had he remained, his life could have been worse.
Now he is free .... perhaps this experience of the past will provide him with a impetus that will provide him with the motivation for a better life. Hopefully people will come into his life that show him what love, compassion, is about ..... we don't get to choose our family, they are happenstance; but we do get to choose who we associate with to a degree.
My heart goes out to the abused .... and the comments of the ignorant & illiterate to the contrary, are simply unfounded .
Moonbeamracer, post #2.2 did read sarcastically. Maybe it was the emboldened caps, or just the brevity..? Maybe it's an "eyes of the beholder" thing; that would explain why I saw sarcasm. I thought you were saying, "Buck up/grow up."
After reading #2.13, I feel like a meanie for thinking you were so mean.
moonbeamracer--if you don't know how to write your posts so that they read the way you want them read, the problem is your writing ability and not the ability of the readers.
Bold facing does mean sarcasm. Sentence fragments do mean sarcasm. Rhetorical questions often mean sarcasm.
Dismissing others as ignorant and illiterate is a further sign that, frankly, I think you were being sarcastic originally and are now just trolling. If not, again, you have a serious issue with an inability to communicate with others--others do not have any sort of inability to read.
Try writing what you meant in a way that will convey your thoughts rather than blaming your reader for your own inability to communicate.
Bean who the hell appointed you the official Czar of reading, writing and comprehension skills??? You are inept at your (self appointed position) job and you can certainly consider yourself FIRED!!!! ANd that definetly is NOT sarcasm!!!! You have a nice day now bean, Ya hear!!!!
It could have gone so wrong for that boy at that location - downtown LA. That used to be one of the roughest parts - at night he wouldn't have stood a chance. Just plain skid row. At night it comes alive with every goul immaginable. I hope it's still not that way.
My respect to the officer who used his eyes and didn't just pass him by. Much thanks to those who followed through. So not what I think of in law enforcement but should be. Now it has been followed through and the young man has a future. He will respond to the love and at least violence free home - he should be receiving a check up now and again and help with adjusting and catching up. He should not ever have to face those people again. His mom ... where was her head?
The kindest thing his step father did was to send him to LA, out of that house of horrors, into the world where he has a chance-and found it!
What really bothers me is this type of abuse is so widespread and right now, wherever you live, there is some kid not too far from you whose life seems as horrible and hopeless as it probably did to this young man.
The real monsters, sadly, know most of their victims very intimately and they're usually helpless to stop the abuse.
I know exactly where his mom's head was, but it wouldn't be polite to say.
I am reading too many of these stories. Yes I am happy this type of crap is being reported on more and investigated but it keeps happening and just further wears me down.
"It's a shame", "It's sad" ? Are you flipping kidding me? These are your best adjectives???
It's an ATROCITY!! I hope they send both of these backwoods freaks to some horrible, horrible prison for a long time.
You're an atrocity - a freak. Go back to bed...
Ah! An adjectivophile!
"Shame" is a noun, not an adjective, and it is being used as a predicate noun--a noun used with a copulative verb or a factitive verb which has the same referent as the subject of the sentence. The word "atrocity" is similarly a noun.
In your case, "atrocity" is hyperbole. The poor child was abused for years, but many of us are. The system did not much care, but that is often the case. What makes this a "shame" and "sad" is that the little boy lived and is now getting to see justice first hand, and the sisters are getting away from their abusers (though, being in foster care now, they are actually pretty likely to suffer abuse there).
This would be an "atrocity" if the parents were able to plead to the community that the boy was gay and that they were trying to protect the community--and if they were believed, given a slap on the wrist by the court and a slap on the back by their neighbors. Yes, that would be an atrocity.
Try not using the most extreme nouns to describe things--otherwise, what noun will you use when you come up against something that actually is atrocious?
PS Don't correct someone else using grammatical terms when you don't know what the terms mean.
Let's just put this simply Bean. Get over yourself and your holier-than-thou, better than you oughta' be attitude. And again, have a nice day!!!! ANd yes I am purposely NOT writing perfectly just to annoy you!!!!
I bet I can guess who the parents would have voted for in November. It's just extremely sad the way people treat their own family members, let alone other people, in this country today. We really need an uninhabited island, far from any land mass to ship all of these scumbags to. There are just way too many of these monsters wrecking and destroying the social fabric of our country, and we really can't afford to keep paying for them whether they are in prison or living among us.
I know who they would have voted for as well. They live in the red state of GA.
England did this in the 1800's, with Australia, and they still have their problems today.
And there it is. The first idiot to bring politics into a story about abuse of a child. Congrats. You the get dumba$$ award of the day.
So really your first thought is who did they vote for? Really?
You still don't know how they voted Sam, red states have non-taxpayers and welfare recipients as well.
I doubt they vote at all. At least the mom. The world of abuser and abused can narrow down to being very, very small.
Gee, myopinion13 - how do you know it wasn't his third thought? Typical mindless TeaComment...
The hard work is ahead for the children I hope the GOOD folks in Georgia can get them the help they need.
It really is deplorable treatment of these children. It happens to a lot of kids but is hidden by ignorance. Hell, it happened to me. Back then, it was called discipline and punishment. What was really bad is that I had to watch my sister being abused but I was way to small to do anything about it. I still think about it today and it bothers me a lot. The abuse screws up the person for life. No one cared then but, the whole world does now. I'm glad we have come this far to at least recognize that there is a problem with abuse in this country. Don't make me a juror because I would vote to Lock up the parents and throw away the keys.
Marvin;
Maybe that's why we would want you on the jury !
Well, although I agree, I have to add that while they're locked up, that they be -- fed only small amounts of food and forced to hold a grueling disciplinary position for eight hours a day with the top of the head against a wall, fingers interlaced behind the head, and feet raised off the ground.
Sorry you had to go through such things Marvin. there are people out there that care and do try to help. Sadly, not enough. Many are just to busy arguing about political candidates to give a crap about anything but their own nastiness.
Awe man, I feel the same way about my older brother. No matter how bad I got it I could just leave my body but when my brother would cry and beg for mercy I couldn't handle it and I eventually started calling him a sissy and weak for crying to absolve myself of guilt. I don't know if it helps but when it starts to bother me now I try to realize the fact that I at least felt some amount of empathy or guilt means that I'm not the psychopath my old man was. It seems to help me stop thinking about it when it creeps up.
I believe that as part of any sentence they may recieve, they should be made to go through what the young man did. Stand in a corner just as he did....then figure out an appropirate judgement...take the two remaining girls and give them to a good family....help the young man get an education and get him on his feet...
That's always my first kneejerk reaction too. But then I think....the parents may very well have been treated this way and worse, and that's why the do it to others. Which is why I worry about those kids in the future. Not all abused become abusers. Why? And why hasn't the medical community figured it out? Too busy making sure everyone has a great sex life I think.
Break the chain.
We don't treat monsters like the monsters they are because as a society we condemn that. That's always the knee-jerk reaction - to give the perp the same treatment he dished out. But that makes society no better than the perp. These parents should not see the light of day for as long as they live. They'll be in jail, and will not find any friends or comfort there, for sure. And, being despised by the rest of humanity is part of the punishment.
We can treat these monsters in the same way they treated the children. It is a reflection of what we think of the victims. I think they deserve the harshest, most extreme punishment allowed by law. To do otherwise demeans the life of the victims and suggests that we care more about the abusers. They simply do not deserve humane treatment. If you are too squeamish to support severe consequences for such cruel behavior, don't worry, many of us are up to it.
our judicial system isn't what it should be. They will put these people in prison for a few years and they will get out early for good behavior. The punishment no longer fits the crime.
IF they go to prison at all. See my post about a pedohile being put on probabtion in a Polk Co. Oregon circuit court yesterday!!!!! (#1.27) Didn't discuss the other cases I observed but let me say this. People who were in court for failing to pay fines got worse punishment than this so called FATHER who molested his children.
Only drawback to a free country: Just anybody can make babies, and they do.
I also had a single mother that was abusive. I found it striking some of the similarities in this story. We were made to stand in the bathroom for hours, in the dark, hands behind your back and on one foot. We were terrified if we put one foot down or even moved. I wonder if that was not a common practice in the 50s. I watched as my mother beat my yonuger brothers with anything handy, burned their hands etc. until I was old enough to try and step in between her and them and take the blows.
I also agree with Jamor that some people should not have kids, and our government wants to abolish abortion rights. Let's force these kinds of women to have children and create more monsters. Not all abused kids become abusers and I often wondered why I did not. I think it may have to do with a playmate whose mother knew something was wrong. I remember one day her washing my hair in her kitchen sink and it felt so gentle and so good. She never said anything to anyone but actually with one single act opened my eyes to what the touch of a mother should be. I knew when my kids were born I would never touch them in an unloving ungentle way. As adults they are some of the kindest caring people I have ever met. I feel like I stopped the generational abuse that is typical.
I think anyone having a child should not just go through birthing classes but mandatory child rearing classes as part of their care. So much abuse is never seen and the children never learn that what is happening to them is NOT normal. For those out there that wonder about their neighbors, reporting suspected abuse can be a hard choice. Maybe a simple gesture to those kids would at least show them something is wrong and help them in ways you could not imagine.
Well thought out comment, genocide has its advantages
dinsmo:
"genocide has its advantages"
You might want to look up the meaning of genocide and why your use of it is just plain ridiculous.
This is a terrible story and abuse of children goes on every day. They luckily saved this youngster, but many more who are being abused.
But genocide? How did you come up with that as a response is puzzling.
I'm guessing sarcasm is lost on you. I was replying to Jamor's comment of the drawback of freedom being that anyone can reproduce and with a properly run genocide selective breeding is utilized. Again, I'm not condoning this I'm just pointing out what his comment was encouraging.
Sarcasm has no place here. This is not funny. I have been abused. Reading what people have had to say is wrenching. This is far more widespread than we imagine. It is not funny and no humor should be attributed to it or from it in any way!
Unfortunately, we learn how to treat our children from our parents. Unless somehow broken, the pattern goes on and on for generations.
I'm sorry you feel that way Jim. Humor is the best tool we have to survive life in these United States.
Abuse and sarcasm does not go together. My wife was abused as a child. The stories would scare anyone. No, this is not a laughing matter.
dinsmo--it would help your "humor" if you understood the meaning of the words you use.
"Genocide" is the murder of an entire "race" of people. "Eugenics" is selective breeding.
In any case, "sarcasm" is not "humor"--it is harsh or bitter irony that is cutting. It is not meant to make a person laugh. It is an ironical taunt meant to silence (or, at best, to make people think about what they have said). It implies that you are so far above another that you can pass judgment on what that person has said. Hardly a great way to live.
Seriously--there is such a thing as a dictionary. The dictionary is your friend.
@Nanette-I admire you greatly for sharing your story. Good luck in everything you do in life. You do indeed sound like you have broken the cycle of abuse in your family. I believe you'll help others where ever you can. We all need to!!!!!!!
Jamor was right, some people shouldn't breed.
The rest of story might read like this: Teen won't go to school - won't do his work - misbehaving - thinking he's all that - provoking authority - and taunting dad with "wait until I'm 18." Abuse is never right, but the boy is not likely a model citizen either. There is a part of this story that is not being told, yet...
Yes because a "pale" and "gaunt" 18 year old that was, at first, mistaken for a 12 or 13 year old boy isn't -at all- indicative of severe malnourishment throughout his entire life. Malnourishment that extreme is always child abuse.
"Monica Moore, an investigator with the Paulding County district attorney's office, accompanied the 18-year-old home from California and described him to WSB-TV as small and very timid, but exceedingly polite."
Exceedingly polite. Also, his father removed him from school when he was in the eighth grade. You goddamn moron.
Did you even read the story - he was pulled out of school in the 8th grade and two younger sisters were being abused in the house also...you think the 8th grader and then 2 younger sisters all provoked someone to do that? I'm sure at 17 years old, all 5' and 87 pounds of him wasn't provoking anyone at home...yes, I know he's 18 now, but he got kicked out on his 18th b'day.
The part of the story not being told is that BearBart has no reading comprehension skills.
There is more to the story, not that you would bother to read it. Just use your search engine and you'll get the names, mug shots and more.
Bart - You call things like "Don't want to go to school" or "Talking back to parents' PART OF BEING A TEENAGER! If you think there's ANY - ANY - ANY!!! action that would justify this you need to never have kids. If you have kids now you need to give them up immediately. Better they should grow up with foster parents than someone like you. In either case, get help. NOW!
Whats the matter Bearbart? Does this hit home a little to closely for you? Did your step daddy lock you in a room too and beat you regularly?
Its always the troll that wants to illicit a response. I'm sorry your life has been a complete failure, maybe someday you can find peace in the fact your parents didnt love you or want you around. I hope that you wont continue the trend by getting yourself neutered right away. We dont want you to be able to dilute the gene pool anymore.
model citizen? hell he didnt have enough to eat? what is he supposed to do when he has no education and is malnourished - apply to medical school. you are an idiot. i hope someone starves you for a day and makes u stand at attention - you would be crying like an orphan.
Yep Bear, your pyschic!!! Know all, see all Bear!!!! Why the hell are you on the net instead of out there making a fortune with your skills???? Have your super special abilites shown you what I'm really thinking about your post yet??????
I'm so glad these cops intervened. What if he had looked more his age? Police have to make these small decisions with huge consequences every day all day, when to approach, when to get involved, when is stepping on someones rights.
Glad this kid got some help and hope it doesn't scar him for life.
Get rid of the poor georgia boy,but we will take 20 dream actors from Mexico.Another Bull@!$%# Story!
I pray that these children can find some sort of normal life. They deserve that, and much, much more. The parents deserve to never see daylight again.
Where was the mother? Why didn't she do anything?
If you think about it, this is basically the same as behavior in the animal kingdom. When a female gets a new mate the offspring of the previous mate are sometimes killed outright by the new male to eliminate the female from needing to nurse and then becomming fertile again. While obviously different issues here, these woman with new "boyfriends" sometimes ignore the obvious needs of the children of their previous relationship as in this case.
Where was the boy's father. Also, if a different man than the stepfather, where was the father(s) of the girls?
Very true.
The real father is also at fault for not taking proper care of his son.
He should have kicked the guys ass long ago...
And you know the real father is alive? Maybe the mother was widowed.
Or maybe he wasn't allowed to see his children because the mother wouldn't let him.
Also possible that the mother did not know who the father was or that the father did not know he even had a son.
Not knowing he had a son would be a lousy excuse. Ignorance is not an excuse. I'm sorry. It is time men take more responsibility for their part in this aspect of our society. The father, whoever he may be, of this child and all other fatherless children (barring very unusual circumstances) actively participated in the creation of the child. It is abhorrent to me that we then shrug that off as if it is not important or the "woman's" responsibility after that. Casual sex is all well and good, but children are so often the result. Sex = the possibility of children. Period. And if a man doesn't do his due diligence (wear a condom), then he has no one to blame but himself. And don't give me the "she said she was on the pill" line. Men, if you don't want a child to result, wear a #$^@# condom. Even that is not 100%, so still be aware a child could result. The only way to be 100% sure you haven't left a string of fatherless children in your wake is to not have random sex with strangers and casual aquaintences. Every man who fathers a child is responsible for that action, he is responsible for his choices, he is responsible for that child -- whether he "knows" about it or not. So, no, I do not give the father a free pass if, in fact, he did not know he had a son.
So let me see if I understand you correctly...IF a woman has a child as a result of unprotected mutual consenting sex between 2 adults and if the woman never tells them man she is pregnant or if she has multiple partners and even she does not know who the father is then the man is still responsible even if he never sees her again and never knows of the child.
Some men do not get told they are fathers so they really aren't responsible if they don't know a child exists. However, no matter what age the child is when or if they find out then they need to step up and take responsibility from that point on and help fix whatever problems occurred before they were aware.
I think all the children should stay together and not be split up for now. These kids lived their whole lives with each other and they lost their parents and each other all in one day. Even though we all can sit back and think the kids are much better off now (which is true and they are) they must be devastated.
The boy will end up growing up real fast and he will get on his feet and do what we all do, survive. I am more concerned about the 11 and 13 year old sisters. Hopefully, they can be put with a good family member and not be thrown into the system.
As for the parents? Sell tickets to a puplic lashing for every day they abused their kids and give all proceeds to the children. I'd pay $100 for that ticket!!
Way to go Boys in Blue !
yes, good thing that police man was there and paying attention.. but how long will they stay attentive when the governments want to strip them of the union that protects thier pay?
He gave you $200. That's more than I got. He may have done the best thing that's ever happened to you.
He locked the kid up for years, doesn't that bother you? You think $200 makes up for it? Don't have kids. If you have them, give them up for adoption.
Weirdscience you are absolutely correct..this is the best thing that has ever happened for this kid and his siblings..with that measly $ 200.00 he was able to shed light onto this situation without even knowing about it..Huh?-1550743, I think your missing the point that weirdscience is making..
Huh??? THe point is that this abusive scumbag inadvertantly did a good thing by realeasing this kid from his torture chamber. It ended with the kid and his siblings getting help much to the dismay of the sic, twisted criminal who had the audacity to pretend he was human much less a parent!!!! Get it now HUH?????
Another aspect of this is the ridiculous notion that 18 year olds are somehow magically transformed into "men" or "women" upon reaching that magical date.
The first thing that comes to mind that shows the falsehood of this is the fact that there are many rights and responsibilities of "adulthood" that are not bestowed until age 21. This fact alone demonstrates that people this age don't have the reasoning skills to make it alone in the adult world. Not only that, but given the state of our economy how in the hell is someone that age going to work enough to pay all his/her bills plus have enough energy and free time to get a college education. I'm sure I'll here about someone out there that did it while lifting weights over the heads the entire day and night, but for most mere mortals it would be nearly impossible.
I doubt there is a good family member. Else, where were/are they all along. I do agree, however, that the children should be kept together.
Voice of Wisdom ____— I'm with you. I have always disapproved of the lowering the age from 21 to 18. I don't doubt that in some individual cases, the 18 year old is mature enough to handle it, but in general that age is just too soon to hack it.
Unless you are like that one guys who has kids at 8 and 5 and are writing letters to congress and the president on how to win elections or run government.
So does that mean that 18 year olds should not have the right to vote, To drive, To purchase their own car, To get married, To buy a home or rent an apartment. We already limit their right to smoke or comsume alcohol so should we further reduce their rights.
Maybe when people reach age 70 or 80 we should arbitrarilly start restricting their rights too.
It seems the more we progress the further behind we fall.
What happened to this young man is a crime and yes i am sure it has restricted his growth both physical and mental but this is not the norm and it does not represent that all 18 year olds are not capable of independent thought progress consistent with being an adult.
I think that you absolutely shoud have all the rights at 18 that are currently given. However, I think the point is that 18 years olds are still NOT totally developed into adults merely by the change in number, 17 to 18, that they are not fully prepared mentally, emotionally or finanacially to fend for themselves completely at 18, (at least most are not.) I think that many of us would believe that there should be help and assistance for those between 18 and 21 that need it, In particular foster kids and kids like the young man of this story!! Mostly this assistance should be parental or family but that can't always happen or is not always a good thing.
I do worry about what happens to foster childern when they turn 18, they go from state support to no support. You have to feel for them, they have no back up, no where to turn to if they have problems.
I know. Even a well-adjusted, well-parented child would have difficulty leaving home at 18 and making it on his own. Pretty hard to get a job at that age that would pay for an apartment, especially if they want to go to college too.
For my kids, 18 is the age where adult responsibilities are transferred to them, in the safety of their home. You go to college, you get to live here rent free, or I'll help with housing at college. You don't go to college, you pay rent to live at home. You pay for your car and car expenses. You pay a portion of your health insurance. You pay for your own cell phone, etc. You have to have a job and pay for your funzies. At 18, my kids start supporting themselves at home, in preparation for living on their own.
You kick a kid out the door at 18, the odds are very much against them that they'll become productive members of society - even if they had a good home life. This kid didn't stand a chance.
Square Dude - I am a foster parent - you would be amazed what programs are out there for foster kids (former ward benefits) they can basically get colleged and dorms paid for (free), classes they can take (financial stuff) so they can get 'matched' money for card - if my foster child saves $2,000 - they will give her another $8,000 so she will have $10K to buy/license and insure a car. She doesn't have to claim any parental income on her FASFA form for college - guarantees a Pell Grant - (on top of the money she will get as a former ward for college). SHe can be in this program until she turns 24 - this program also has resources to help the kids find jobs, affordable or subsidized housing, etc. She may also qualify for food stamps and medicaid due to her low income status (grants for college do not count as income for her) In all reality - she comes out pretty well off for someone 18 and on her own. All you have to do is know where the programs are and what is out there - and if your case worker is worth anything (and most are) they know where to refer you.
yep.. and Romney wants to take that away from them.. to him they are a financial burden. They are a part of the 47% he doesn't care about.
Jlynn--I don't know what state you live in, but trust me, what you are telling us is the best case scenario and not at all what most foster children face.
This is the problem with anecdotal evidence--it is compelling, but often dead wrong.
Foster systems are run by states, not nationally, and while one might get a Pell Grant (pretty much the only national program you mention), if one doesn't have the proper background to do well in school or is working to pay other bills, one can lose it just as quickly due to a low GPA. Pell Grants are not as generous as once they were.
"I know who they would have voted for as well. They live in the red state of GA"
Then sending this kid to BLUE L.A. should solve all his problems. Villaraigosa will take care of him and turn him into an upstanding citizen . LOL
Poor kid making him go to Caifornication with all those fruits and nut job liberal progressive Dumbocrats! That is child abuse, time for this kid to join the military for a couple of years. Get some good skills, earn some cash get an education, and get the hell out of Ca.!
Unfortunately, part of the problem is that he's in dire need of getting his educational level up to par before he can even consider joining the military.
At least a G.E.D. and then more, depending on his abilities and funding.
I guess we will have idiots and bigots with us forever.
To Army 1971 (#23)
I'm guessing you are one of those "Compassionate Conservatives" I keep hearing about. Shame on you! Try walking in someone else's shoes before you judge them. Having the parents he did, this kid started out disadvantaged to begin with. There are many out there like him. Two hundred dollars is a joke to get started on now a days but I guess he just falls into the 47% Romney keeps blathering about lately. According to you he should just magically "pull himself up by the bootstraps" instead of expecting help from anyone, right? Try opening your eyes to what is going on in this country instead of judging everyone by your obviously low standards. There are many people out there who, through no fault of their own, have fallen on hard times. Try to remember that not everyone was born with a silver spoon in their mouth.
And to answer the question you must be thinking, no I am not on government assistance (never have been in my life), have a job, am part of the 53% Romney considers worthy of his attention, own my own house - completely paid off, have savings in the bank, and pay off all of my bills on time. I am lucky and blessed to be able to do and have all of these things. I also realize that people sometimes need help and do not begrudge my tax dollars going toward those who really need it instead of going toward tax breaks for the top 1% who don't. I am proud to be a Democrat (those who you disparaged above) because I actually believe it is better to help one's fellow man when they need it than judge them. Please grow a heart!
This is not a political issue. It is a moral one. Political ax grinding here is disgusting. It is abusive. Stop it!
Screw the GD election rhetoric. This young man has been ruined. Who in the name of Christ deserves this. I have read posters suggest that this kid is gay as if that makes it better. Are the sisters gay as well? I am not a huge proponant of the death penalty but some people need to turned off . You can't remove this kind of cruelity from someones heart so stop it from beating.
Mr Lucas, you are a prime exemplar at #23.3.
Dear Grampa -
I doubt you have seen any posters on the streets about this young victrim being homosexual.
"This young man" is redeemable with effort by people who care and with humanity. Who can help him? Stand up now!
[You, Grampa?]
I know how he feels. Ony in my case it was a step-mother, but I joined the service at 171/2 and got away from her.
If you had been malnourished to the extent this kid is, they wouldn't have taken you. (He weighs 87 pounds.) This kid isn't in a position to help himself yet. I'm glad you were able to escape your situation, and I thank you for your service. Boot camp alone would've killed me.
Sorry Mary to hear you are a Dumbocrat. They have preety much destroyed this once great country. But you know what if the Dumbos are so good at helping people. Could you name one city or state run by the Dumbocrats for the last 50-75 years that is in sound financial condition? Cause what could be more heartless than taking all of our tax money and throwing it away on programs that never work? I'll grow a heart when you and the rest of the Dumbocrats grow a brain. I wouldn't hold my breath.
ARMY1971--yes, virtually all states in the Northeast are better off economically than the states in the Southeast. Texas manages to "balance" its budget by taking money from the federal government that is intended for other things (like women's healthcare) and using it to "balance" the budget.
I'll ask you--go and look up the economic condition of "red" states versus "blue" states (bearing in mind that California is split--that's why they have Prop 8 as well as being one of the few states to totally ban affirmative action). Facts will surprise you.
It astounds me that the people who refer to "dumbocrats" are the ones who are so badly informed.
I am glad someone took the time to reach ou to this young man. Prayful some one takes the children all together and shows them what FAMILY can be like. Blessings to them....Send them to Iowa I will help!!!