Robert Clark Jr. could quickly move from playing with his 6-year-old grandson to yelling at him, said a neighbor.
Michael Levigne, 6, and his younger brother lived with their grandparents for about four years, since guardianship was switched by a probate court.
Police say Clark shot and killed the boy in an incident that may have been triggered by the boy dropping a watermelon or cutting into it before his grandfather wanted him to. Clark also shot and wounded his wife before police shot him, according to Commerce Police Chief John Gaissert.
State Child Advocate Thomas Rawlings said Tuesday that his office is looking into the child’s death. He wants to know whether DFCS performed any assessment of the grandparents as adequate care providers.
Chief John Gaissert said there were “no flags” that suggested that Robert Lewis “Bobby” Clark was set to explode.
Full Article and Source:
Neighbor: Slain boy was yelled at often
Michael Levigne, 6, and his younger brother lived with their grandparents for about four years, since guardianship was switched by a probate court.
Police say Clark shot and killed the boy in an incident that may have been triggered by the boy dropping a watermelon or cutting into it before his grandfather wanted him to. Clark also shot and wounded his wife before police shot him, according to Commerce Police Chief John Gaissert.
State Child Advocate Thomas Rawlings said Tuesday that his office is looking into the child’s death. He wants to know whether DFCS performed any assessment of the grandparents as adequate care providers.
Chief John Gaissert said there were “no flags” that suggested that Robert Lewis “Bobby” Clark was set to explode.
Full Article and Source:
Neighbor: Slain boy was yelled at often
4 comments:
All the red flags were once again ignored by DCF. And now, looking back, the red flags are bright red.
I think it's nearly impossible to predict when someone is going to blow -- yes, there are signs like shouting, temper, etc.
But most people who shout and yell, don't blow up because they release that anger (albeit improperly) as they shout and throw tantrams.
This is such a heartbreaking story. Do I think the Child Protective
Agency should have done more. Possibly, there were multiple 911 calls. Do I think every parent, grandparent should have their children/grandkids removed by DCF because they
'yell a lot' or have 'a bad temper with no history of violence'? No, absolutely not. Do I think the Granddad should have been evaluated by his own personal doctor? Yes.
Should he have been forced to have a medical evaluation? Perhaps, as long as it was by a provider of his choosing and not a court appointed 'professional'. These professionals have no professional relationship or history with these clients and reports/evaluations are too often being generated based on bias of the court
and the reporting agency for illicit purposes: to protect themselves from scrunity/liability as in such cases as these.
We can't expect Government to take responsiblity for every potential issue/accident/or possible risk without basis of fact without giving up rights.
We as a society have to find ways of protecting our vulnerable citizens as well as the rights of the family unit and provide assistance without tearing apart the family unit which is happening on an increasing basis too often for the wrong reasons.
Tragic. Another innocent victim, I wonder if this could have been prevented.
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