Mother Murders Her Three Young Daughters In Horrific Murder-Suicide At Campsite

March 17, 2012 (Saturday)

Christine Adewunmi, 37, and her daughters 8-year-old Lauren, 6-year-old Samantha and 3-year-old Kate were discovered at the Blue Springs Ranch & Resort near Bourbon, Mo., about 80 miles southwest of St. Louis, after Adewunmi's husband Mr. Leonard Adewunmi had reported them missing on Firday. The mother killed her daughters and then turned the gun on herself.

Leonard Adewunmi told law enforcement that his wife had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, was depressed and unexpectedly left the home with their children on two prior occasions. He said Christine Adewunmi and their three children were home when Leonard left for work at 5:30 a.m. Friday but were not there when he returned at 6 p.m.

A report filed by Leonard Adewunmi also stated that he believed his wife potentially was suicidal due to her depression, and that she had been researching ways to commit suicide online.

The Crawford County Sheriff's Department reported that a box believed to be used to store the handgun was found in the vehicle. The weapon which police believe was used for the shootings was found at the scene along with four empty cartridges. A background check with the registry maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives revealed that the weapon was purchased from a St. Louis area business on February 21.

2 CHILDREN FOUND LIVING INSIDE ABANDONED SCHOOL BUS AFTER PARENTS WENT TO JAIL

The abandoned school bus had no engine and no front wheels. But there were crude curtains in the windows, an air conditioner and even bunk beds. So when a postal worker peered inside, it became clear that two children had been living for more than two months in the dilapidated vehicle at the end of a muddy, one-lane road.

Now child welfare agents are trying to unravel the story of the siblings, ages 5 and 11, who apparently began staying in the bus with an aunt after their parents went to prison.

The postal carrier discovered the children Wednesday near Houston, and the two were swiftly placed in foster care while authorities investigate. Their parents were convicted of embezzling money from Hurricane Ike victims in 2008, and the kids are not enrolled in school.

Randal McCann, a Louisiana attorney who represented the children’s mother prior to her sentencing, said the aunt had been taking care of the kids since the case against the parents was launched more than a year ago.

“It was believed by everybody involved in this case that (the aunt) was properly tending to those children. What I saw in the newspaper this morning was shocking,” McCann said, referring to a report in the Houston Chronicle. McCann said the aunt would often contact him but only to discuss the criminal case and not the well-being of the children. “But there was no indication that the living conditions were as bad as those photographs,” McCann said.

The children’s mother, Sherrie Shorten, is scheduled to be freed in April after serving time for her role in the scam involving federal loans offered to hurricane victims.

An Associated Press reporter visited the site Thursday. The bus appeared to have electricity, and outside there was a small propane tank and homemade grill.

A woman who was in the bus declined to identify herself and told the reporter to leave.

Neighbors told the Chronicle that the children typically looked unkempt and could often be spotted running around at night. “They always had dirty clothes on (and) no shoes, even in the winter,” said Gayla Payne.

Lindy Sanitz, who also lives nearby, said the bus had been on the lot for a long time, but she didn’t suspect anything was seriously wrong. “I’ve seen the one woman there off and on,” Sanitz said, adding that she occasionally saw one of the kids riding a bike. “They stayed pretty much over there.”

The children told welfare workers that they were home-schooled. A woman on the property told the agency she worked 12-hour shifts Monday through Friday but that she stayed with the children at night. “The aunt said that she does provide meals for them during the day,” Montgomery County Constable Rowdy Hayden told the TV station. Looking around the bus, “we didn’t see a lot of food readily available,” Hayden said. “One of the neighbors had told us earlier that from time to time she will bring food over for the children.” Splendora is 35 miles northeast of Houston.

Original Source : widk

MOTHER OF TEN NEGLECTED HER DAUGHTER, 5 – GIRL FOUND DEATH WITH INJURIES ‘FROM HER HEAD TO HER FEET

The mother of a five-year-old girl could be facing murder charges after the child was found dead in her home with cuts and bruises from her head to her feet.

Candy Flores was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived at her tiny southwest Houston apartment complex, where she lived with 14 others.

Her mother, Rosa Gonzalez, 41, told police she sustained the injuries while falling off the toilet.

Someone in the home called 911 and officers found the five-year-old on the floor of the only bedroom in the house. She had a contusion on her face and a cut on her nose. Paramedics tried to revive her but to no avail. A medical examiner said that Candy's injuries did not match up with what her mother told detectives as he found many injuries, some of which were fresh and some in different processes of healing.

During questioning, Houston Police say Rosa later admitted her daughter was being abused for some time. HPD homicide investigator Kevin Carr told the Houston Chronicle that Candy had bruises and scratches from her head to the bottom of her feet and injuries on her face, arms, chest and legs. 'The way the initial injury was described was not consistent with the other injuries observed,' he said. 'This one child in within this large family was targeted.'

Candy was also severely malnourished and had the body of a three-year-old rather than a five-year-old. Her rib cage was visible, her face shallow and she had dark circles around her eyes. Gonzalez had nine other children - two adult daughters and seven minors, who range in age from 21 to two months old.

Gonzalez's 21-year-old daughter was also living in the apartment with her four children, ranging in age from ten months to five years old, Carr said. CPS took the nine children into custody. They are interviewing them about their home life and trying to determine if they will stay with relatives for the time being.

It did not appear as if any other children had been abused but the family are known to have a history with Child protective services.

Original Source : dailymail.co.uk