I didn’t write this article, it’s a combination of 2 articles that I found a few days ago and I thought I would share it.
Bonnie Finney’s story
It had been so long since I sat by my grandsons side in the hospital. Of course, I knew
something was wrong as I sat there, I saw fear on his face, the bruises on his body, and the
healing cigarette burns on his hands. His doctor did not believe my daughters story that he
fell in slippery water in the bathtub.
After the ordeal at the hospital my grandson was placed into foster care for three weeks. He
cried when they came to take him back to his mother. I ached for this dilemma, but I was not
physically able to care for him. I never saw him again.
“My 16-month old granddaughter was hospitalized after being beaten severely. Her leg was
broken in four places and her hand was burned from the tip of her little fingers to her wrist.
It was only then that the search was on for my grandson. We learned that he had been
killed, wrapped in a sheet, stuffed in a toolbox, and dumped into the dismal swamp three
months earlier.
My grandchildren had suffered and battled so much throughout their young lives that it
sickened me. My life was turned into physical and mental chaos. My efforts to understand
became a plea to stop abusing children. I tied a Blue Ribbon on my van antenna to make
people wonder.
Why blue?
I intend never to forget the battered, bruised bodies of my grandchildren. Blue serves as a constant reminder to me to fight for protection for our children. Blue was the color of my grandchildren’s bruises.
Since Bonnie Finney first tied that ribbon to her van antenna in 1989, millions of people across the country have participated in blue ribbon campaigns. Each year, more people join the effort by wearing and displaying blue ribbons and encouraging others to do the same. These small acts have inspired individual and community involvement in activities to “make people wonder” about the significance of the blue ribbon.
The story of Bonnie Finney demonstrates the effect that just one concerned citizen can have on raising public awareness of child abuse and in promoting prevention efforts.
April is designated as our national Child Abuse Prevention Month. Please wear a blue ribbon and give one to your friends — share this story with them.
Be part of the campaign to raise awareness of child abuse prevention efforts. If you don’t think one person can make a difference, why not? She did.
Sarah Angelina Chavez lived a life of hell in her short 2 years of life. She was born on December 5, 2002. Her mother Sophia Chavez was addicted to vicodin, she began taking it for a medical problem and continued abusing them throughout her pregnancy with Sarah. She then delivered a stillborn in the toilet of her home on News Years in 2005 and called 911.
It was at this point that case workers were alerted that Sarah was staying with her great-aunt and they tracked her down in some apartments. When they finally found Sarah she had 2 black eyes and a cut to her nose. Frances Abundis, Sarah’s great-aunt said “Sarah was running and she went right into the fire engine truck,” she said. “They were playing, and I remember you know, she got up and she had a scratch.”
Sarah was taken into custody by CPS. This was not the first time Sarah had an encounter with children’s services. The first time was when she was born addicted to vicodin and a case was opened but never followed up on due to the case workers mistake.
She was given a second chance at life and love when she was placed in the home of Diane Hardy-Garcia and Corri Planck, a loving foster couple who were prepared to love and give her a happy home and stable environment. They wanted to adopt a child and had gone through all the grueling paperwork and classes to finally qualify.
Diane says when she went to pick Sarah up and saw her for the first time
“she had chocolate all over her face, and she had a candy cane in her mouth, and I brought her a little teddy bear and she jumped in my arms,” she said. “It was love at first sight, I think, for both of us.”
Corri called Sarah “so charming, and so friendly and engaging with other people.”
At Sarah’s new home she had everything she could dream of, her own bedroom, new toys, a bed and all the love and attention she could handle. Her favorite book was “Mary Poppins,” and she bonded instantly with the pet schnauzer, who would sleep outside Sarah’s door.
Diane and Corri also said that you could tell Sarah came from an “explosive environment” because at her tender age of 2 she already knew how to choke someone with both hands and she had terrible night terrors that would keep her up at night. She also knew how to use curse words.
It wasn’t long before they suspected that Sarah had been a victim of sexual abuse. They requested many times through the case worker that a medical assessment be done. No one ever set up a appointment for Sarah, the women were worried that no one ever listened to their concerns about Sarah and how she needed help and was not getting it.
The caseworker noted she got lost on the way to the clinic and never rescheduled the appointment.
During all of this Sarah was getting court-ordered weekly visits with her mother, who either didn’t bother to show up for the visits or showed up late. Sarah’s great-aunt/godmother Frances did show up though. She always said she didn’t want Sarah to grow up with someone that wasn’t family.
Diane and Corri had no idea that Sarah’s family was fighting to get her back at Children’s Court. Sophia Chavez, Sarah’s so called mother was especially mad because her daughter was living with a lesbian couple.
Sophia sure the hell wasn’t going to clean up for Sarah’s sake so she couldn’t get custody. Her daughter wasn’t that important.
Sarah's foster parents
God forbid, 2 women could love, spoil and cherish this child unconditionally, Sophia would rather her daughter be beat and raped than be with a couple lesbians. Yes, instead it was better to send her back to Frances and Armando Abundis.
Frances proudly told others,
“I was the godmother and when the mother’s not able to take that to be the mother, then the godmother steps in to take care of that child. And that’s why I fought to get Sarah,”
During the Children’s Court hearings Diane and Corri never got to speak and their complaints were never told to the judge by the caseworkers. Their earlier complaints of suspected sexual abuse proved to fall on deaf ears, no one listened, no one cared even though it was documented by case workers.
There was an error and the foster parents were never notified how to contact Josephanie Ackman, the attorney that represented Sarah. Josephanie also represented 165 other children at the same time, the lawyer never even met Sarah or her foster parents. Sarah was a case number not a child.
“Sarah’s lawyer was her only advocate in court. It was her only voice. And she was virtually silent,” Corri said. It was said that Josephanie barely ever spoke in court.
When the foster parents posed the question to Josephanie’s supervisor, Lisa Mandel, and asked why there was no contact about who the attorney was and why there was no contact they were told “I don’t know”. Lisa Mandel did say that “This case shakes us to the core,” and “It’s devastating.”
Despite the proof of abuse, the 2 black eyes when Sarah lived with her Aunt Frances and Uncle Armando the court placed her back into their care. The court was never told about the allegations of sexual abuse.
A criminal background was never bothered with nor was there ever a home inspection done before Sarah went back to her family. They could have been sending this child into a crack den for all they knew.
What changed in the 5 months to suddenly make the caseworkers and the judge believe this child was going to be taken care of now? NOTHING!
Who ordered this child back to her tormentors? Joan Marie Carney, a part-time, once suspended attorney who referee’s at the Children’s Courthouse. Joan made up her mind that Sarah was going back to her family before she ever knew anything about her. She told the court she was “tired of excuses for why this child hasn’t been released.” When anyone did try to explain the case she said the “and the mother can see her to” she also told Frances “OK, you’re going to pick the baby up,” and when the attorney’s told Joan that the paperwork was not done nor was the home inspection done she said “because I said so.”
For the first time, Diane and Corri heard from Sarah’s lawyer, it was to tell them that they were being ordered to put the little girl back into the “explosive home” she came from, the very home she was having night terrors about.
“I answered the phone, and I immediately started to cry, and I was, like, ‘How is that possible?'” Dianne said. “That is the person accused of abusing her.”
They were given 1 hour to pack Sarah up and send her to hell that morning on April 25th. Even a year later both women break down and cry when talking about Sarah and the day she left.
“We had an hour to start packing up. She started putting her things back in the drawer, saying, ‘No!'” Corri said. “She cried and we were trying not to cry so much in front of her. It was the most helpless, terrible feeling. We had no confidence that she was going to a safe place. It was like she … she knew. We were crazy about this kid, and she was amazing, amazing child. It was heartbreaking.”
“Corri was really clear,” Dianne said. “She always said, ‘We’re going to read that Sarah was killed one day.’ And I just couldn’t even allow myself to think that.”
When Sarah arrived at her Aunt Frances’ home she was welcomed by her 5-year-old cousin Armando Jr, nicknamed AJ. The court also allowed Sophia to visit her daughter as much as she wanted but she hardly ever showed up to see her.
“It was hard the withdrawals and everything,” said Sophia, who admits it affected her daughter. “She always told me, ‘Mommy, don’t lie. You’re going to come right?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I’m going to come.”
The caseworker never documented anything regarding Sophia not showing up for visits or how Sarah was being treated in her new home.
Jontuluanne Butler, Sarah’s caseworker noted that on her September 28th visit she looked “so tired” and wanted to know where her mommy was. She had by that time quit talking in complete sentences and could barely put two words together. Her world was falling apart and her mom has stopped coming to see her.
Frances would later tell “Primetime” in an interview that Armando quit working and began to act very differently. She says she never reported his behavior to the case worker or to the courts though.
She also admitted to selling drugs and neighbors said Armando sat outside drinking beer like it was kool-aid. One neighbor said that Armando treated Sarah badly and said “Sarah did not listen” and wondered “if it was really worth all the trouble of taking her into their home.”
Frances said she didn’t know how bad Armando’s behavior was towards the kids until much later. “My son was afraid of his father. There was hitting going on when I wasn’t home. My son said that I used to protect him,” she said.
Frances later told police that little AJ heard Armando behind a closed door with Sarah and she was screaming her lungs out.
On October 10th Frances came home and said “Sarah was in the room, um, standing there, just standing there. And I remember seeing her arm was twisted in,” when she asked her husband what happened he told her that she fell down.
Sarah’s arm was so horrendously broken above her elbow there was boneS sticking out causing her upper arm to be disconnected from the rest and just falling at her side because she wasn’t able to move it.
Frances lived close enough for her to pick that baby up and walk to the ER but instead she chose to drive to her own mothers house and then go to a Mexican healer called a sobadora. She wanted the “healer” that had no medical training to “heal” Sarah.
“I told the lady, the sobadora, I was scared that I didn’t have an answer what happened to Sarah and that they were going to take Sarah away from me,” Frances said.
Frances finally took her niece to the hospital and after waiting for 4 hours, doctor’s looked her over and recommended various tests. She then decided she was going to leave. Frances signed that child out of the hospital against doctor’s orders and they wrote on her paperwork that Sarah could have “other injuries” or might “lose limb or life.”
The paperwork from the hospital also showed Frances refused a CT scan, blood tests and urine tests. She tried to say the hospital never told her that the tests were important. The hospital failed to call CPS when they left.
Frances said the next morning when she went to wake little Sarah up,
“She was just kind of like stiff. And I kept on pushing her and I started shaking her and I slapped her,” Frances said. “And I got her and I told her, ‘Sarah, wake up, please wake up. Sarah, wake up, please wake up.’ And she wouldn’t wake up.”
When 911 was called and the baby was taken to the hospital she was pronounces dead. Her injuries were caused by the hands of an adult, not by a fall like Armando stated earlier the previous day.
Armando and Frances Abundis were arrested and charged with murder, child abuse and related charges of neglect on October 11, 2005. Both have pleaded not guilty. According to court records, Frances was also charged for two pounds of marijuana found in their home.
Their son AJ is now in the same broken system that Sarah was in. AJ told police that his “dad hit Sarah and she hit him back” and “Sarah cried because of her arm, because the bone was pointing out.” He also said his dad would punch Sarah with his fist.
Dianne and Corri, Sarah’s former foster parents believe “She removed her against medical advice from the hospital the night before,” Corri said. “She had another chance to try to, not protect her, but to let her be protected. And she didn’t do it.”
Dianne added,
“Even if Francis didn’t deliver the blow, she certainly contributed to her death.” “Sarah was let down by the medical system, by the legal system, and by the child welfare system. And her family. Everybody that should have protected this child let her down,” she said.
At the preliminary hearing in December 2005 Frances said she never told the hospital she was Sarah’s mom but nurses disagree saying she did. Why does this matter? Because if Frances would have said that she was not the mother it would have been a huge risk and staff would have likely gotten CPS involved.
Frances’ lawyer Alex Kessel said that they would prove that Frances is innocent because the video tape at the hospital showed Sarah moving around, this would mean that Frances had no idea that Sarah was in danger of losing her life. He also said the doctor’s had not found any internal injuries at that point.
Several witnesses testified that Frances was concerned for the baby’s safety at the ER. When the doctor put a splint on her arm but couldn’t find a vein to take blood Sarah started getting tired and fussy so Frances left against doctors orders.
Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. David Whiteman testified that Sarah’s “manner of death was homicide at the hands of another person. The cause was multiple traumatic injuries. There were a number of external bruises on the skin, on the legs, and evidence of a healing of the right humorus and one joint of her left fourth finger. And there was injury to her abdomen, a portion of her small intestine had been completely severed.”
He also said other injuries included retroperitoneal hemorrhaging; and hemorrhaging around the pancreas or injury to the pancreas, hemorrhaging around both kidneys and both adrenal glands, hemorrhaging to the liver, some lacerations to the liver, lacerations to the diaphragm, bruising to her lungs and spleen and torn ligaments.
The coroner also determined that there was a strong possibility that she was sexually abused.
He said the sepsis from peritonitis was the main reason Sarah died. This infection causes your body to go into shock and then die.
“The infection can cause fever. But she could be so much in shock, she may not have the energy to have a fever.” Additionally, the pain could be so severe, “deep breaths may aggravate the pain so the child may not cry.”
During testimony it was said that if someone would have hit Sarah in the stomach with a baseball bat it still wouldn’t have cause the type of injuries she suffered. Her injuries were caused from a upper-cut punch.
All of the medical staff that was called to the stand plead the 5th for fear they would be sued because they knew they were mandatory reporters and failed Sarah as did everyone else.
State regulators sanctioned the hospital for several errors, one of them being failure to find the internal injuries that caused Sarah’s death. They also said staff should have recognized the “signs of child abuse”.
There were also 9 caseworkers that were blamed for failing Sarah.
Armando went through 5 attorney’s and held the trial up for as long as possible. One attorney had a health problem delaying proceedings for a month.
Armando Abundis Sr. was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, assault on a child causing death, and child abuse likely to produce great bodily harm.
His charges were lowered to a lesser penalty because the jury did not believe that he “intended” to murder Sarah although they did agree that he did intend to harm her. They agreed “his awareness was lacking.”
Up until July of 2008 Armando was walking around as a free man awaiting sentencing.
Superior Court Judge Teri Schwartz sentenced Armando to 25 years to life in prison. She said his “viciousness, cruelty and lack of caring” is why she was denying probation for him. YES, this is what his attorney was suggesting for this scumbag.
When his guilty charges were read his family were shaking their heads in disgust. Perhaps they are all alike. The family refused to make any comments.
Frances pleaded no contest and was released in November 2006, after being held for 14 months.
“It’s closure for us,” said a weeping Paulina Ortiz, Frances Abundis’ sister. “We’ve been through so much. We don’t have Sarah, but Sarah spoke through 12 people today.”
Frances Abundis told reporters during a jail house interview “I’m sitting here, for something I did not do. And he’s sitting over there not saying what happened,” also “The only thing I understand that if it was my mistake for leaving the hospital, I accept that,” she said. “But if I would have known that she had internal injuries. I wouldn’t have left.”
I wonder what Sarah thinks about her enabling Aunt Frances? Sarah probably loved her regardless of what she allowed to happen.
If you know anything about Calista Springer then you should also know she was in a home that she should have never been placed in. Calista was born May 22, 1991.
In 1997 Norma Swegles, Calista’s mother tried to get custody of her and she had always taken an active role in her life up until the age of 9 months when her father refused to let her see her mom. Norma told the court Calista was malnourished and was being abused. Anthony Springer denied these actions and the court believed him. He filed to have her parental rights permanently denied and the court ruled in his favor in May of 1997. Calista was given to her father and Marsha as an adopter at 6 years old. It was never said why Norma was not a fit parent. Anthony and Marsha had 2 more daughters a couple years later.
In 1999 Marsha, Calista’s step-mom who was legally blind from diabetes went to court and filed for a personal protection order against Anthony. She told the judge that he was threatening them and treated the girls badly. In Marsha’s own words she said;
“Tony never has a kind word to say to the girls and has never told them that he loves them. It’s just constant yelling to shut up, get out of my way and get out of my sight” “He doesn’t see any need for counseling for himself or our marriage” “My children and I need help getting out of this vicious cycle. It is only a matter of time before the children and myself become the physical targets in these rages. The fact that I am blind, having very limited sight in one eye I feel without a protection order in place Tony will do great bodily harm to me or my children”
Calista Springer with her sisters
In the 4 page letter that she wrote she described a life of misery for herself and the children, she said Anthony was always angry and full of rage. She states he went from job to job never staying very long. She also said he was more interested in spending his money on his hobby rather than his children. He also suffered Bipolar disorder, ADD and depression and he never took his medication.
Marsha also said that Anthony had been violent on many different occasions, she said one time he ripped the phone out of the wall during an argument and another time he put his fist through the window. He would also force her to have sex when she didn’t want to. He collected road-kill, boiled the meat off their bones and then put their skeletons back together. She said he became obsessed with this and it was all he would talk about.
The order of protection was granted on June 28th 1999 but was dropped 2 months later.
Calista began telling her friends, teachers and anyone else that would listen to her that she was being beat and chained to her bed. She told them horrors of being forced to use a bucket to use the restroom in and eating glue. Calista would go days without bathing and was made to wear dirty clothes.
People tried for years to help her, they would feed, bath and even gave her clothes. There were 15 reports of abuse. Sue Gest wrote a letter to U.S. Rep. Fred Upton of St. Joseph in 2004 saying “Someone needs to help her. Does she need to die before anyone listens.”
Mr. Upton contacted MI. DHS and was told that she was being cared for.
Calista was eventually pulled out of school and began homeschooling. It was said that she had a eating disorder called PICA that caused her to eat non-food items.
Calista Springer
CPS was involved with the family and had warned the family not to tie her to the bed. CPS even said it would be a tragedy if there were ever a fire and Calista couldn’t save herself. Anthony and Marsha chose to not listen though and put a dog’s choke collar around Calista’s wast and zip ties on her to tie her down. They said they had “no choice” and it was for her and their “safety”.
Anthony Springer’s own mother, Suzanne Langdon, who had been estranged from him for some tome called and reported her son to CPS and was told;
“During her first three years, we had a lot because Tony was going to Western Michigan University. It was about 10 years ago that we saw marks on and we reported it to CPS. We were told to stay out of it, that it was none of our business”
The woman who wrote that letter was the parent to one of Calista’s friends. Her daughter showed her letters FROM Calista where she described herself being tied up, chained and forced to use the bathroom in a bucket. The letter the mom received back from DHS stated:
“This notice is being sent to you to inform you that your complaint of child abuse or neglect has not been accepted for investigation. The reason is: The allegation was essentially the same instance as an allegation previously reported and investigated”Children’s Protective Services Supervisor Cindy Bare
Springer home
On February 27, 2008 everyone’s nightmare came to life. According to Marsha she was vacuuming in the living room that morning when she smelled smoke, she says she turned the vacuum cleaner off but then resumed cleaning a moment later. She smelled smoke again and turned if off and went to the kitchen, upon returning she saw smoke so she grabbed the fire extinguisher but couldn’t get the pin out. By then the fire was out of control and all she could do was get out and save her self. The dog made it to. Calista was still in her upstairs bedroom and did not make it out.
Anthony stood outside his home that evening in shock and told reporters “She liked to draw, paint, color…” said Springer, his voice trailing off. They were already in the process of moving out of that home because they had lost it to the bank. He also said the family would now most likely move out of town because of the bad memories.
Of course this was before investigators found out that Calista was chained to her bed upstairs and helpless.
The police did not find a fire extinguisher and a neighbor said Marsha told them that she went in the kitchen for a pitcher of water to put the fire out and the vacuum exploded in her face. Marsha also was suffering from burns to her hands and face.
Trooper Trever Slater found the girl in bed with a dog collar around her waist and tied to the bed with plastic ties. “She wasn’t even given sheets, blanket or a pillow.” He said. Reports would later show she died of smoke inhalation. The fire never made it to her.
Anthony and Marsha’s other 2 girl’s were removed from the home and placed with family members as fosters.
A hearing was held and the Michigan Department of Human Services decided it was in the best interest of the girls, then 12 and 14, to put them back into the custody of their parents. The judge did not agree and left them as a ward of the state but did allow the Springer to have visits with them.
In August 2008, Marsha Springer pleaded no contest to charges of abuse and child neglect. The charge was separate from the charges she was facing from Calista’s death.
Anthony denied all charges that he abused or neglected his daughter at all. Police said that he was not home at the time of the fire. Police aren’t sure if he knew that Calista was tied to the bed upstairs or how long she had been there. He told the court that Calista was a special needs child and she would take off in the middle of the night. She was only tied up for a short time for her own safety and because an alarm that had been used to monitor Calista, was broken.
In September of 2008, Anthony submitted papers to the court that stated there was no abuse or neglect when his daughter died in the fire. He said that in 1997 it had been determine that his daughter would never have impulse control or be able to use good judgment. He also used a report to show that CPS approved of him restraining Calista in her room so she could not hurt herself or others. That report allegedly claimed she would destroy everything in her room and put nails and razor blades in her mouth.
He also said he never expected Calista to do anything with her life and the best he hoped for was for her to live in an adult facility.
In December of 2008, Anthony and Marsha Springer were charged with manslaughter and first-degree child abuse.
In January of 2009, Prosecutor John McDonough, who took office in January 1, 2008 said that he reviewed the the case and was changing the charges to felony murder and torture. If they are found guilty, they could both face life in prison. The original charges were filed by Prosecutor Doug Fisher and the original charge of first degree child abuse will stand. He reported;
“I think we just had different opinions on some of the evidence. Myself and the three assistant prosecutors, as well as Detective Scott agree on the charges that we brought yesterday afternoon”
Calista Springer Memorial
A letter sent from Chris Kadulski, director of DHS, in response to U.S Rep. Fred Upton, said that the department had been involved with the family since 1995 and that Calista suffered from a disease known as Pica, which caused it’s victims to crave and eat things other than normal foods;
“Most of the complaints we receive center around Calista’s behavior caused by her disease and her parents’ efforts to control her. It is our belief that Calista is cared for adequately by her parents; however, if we receive any new allegations of abuse and/or neglect, we will conduct an investigation”
These were just some of the complaints from people who tried to help Calista;
Calista was forced to stand or sit in a square marked by tape in the living room; if she didn’t, she was forced to place her nose on a piece of tape on a wall, sometimes having to stand on her tiptoes to reach it.
She ate dinner sitting on the floor and, when fed, was given small portions. One friend said she was treated “lower than the animals.”
Calista was rarely allowed outside of her home. When she was outdoors, she was often required to sit on her front porch with her head between her knees — sometimes for more than an hour — while her sisters and other children played nearby.
There were over 80 witnesses that would testify in Marsha and Anthony’s trial.
Prosecutor holding the chain used to chain up Calista, it still had the twist tie on it.
Defense Attorney Victor Bland told jurors that Calista’s parents loved her but she was troubled and wandered the streets at night, had been known to eat razor blades and pens. He said they were only trying to keep her safe. He also said she was violent towards others.
Teachers testified that Calista was a pretty normal girl, who could read and write and had very minor problems.
A former DHS supervisor testified that the 2004 investigation was closed and no action was taken regarding the complaints of Calista being chained up. The supervisor now says they regret that decision and it was a failure on her part.
A police detective described the home schooling as a possible “ruse” to keep Calista “out of the public eye.”
The Medical Examiner said Calista had 6-8 Benadryl’s in her system, Anthony admitted to giving them to her to “make her sleep”.
Norma Swegles and daughter Jaclyn
Malinda Stauffer, Calista’s friend who attended school with her testified “She would tell me about her stepmother tying her to her bed and not feeding her and abusing her,” She also read 2 letters written by Calista;
“I gave my stepmother a good long complaint on how she treats me differently,” Stauffer said as she read from one of Calista’s letters, which was written in red crayon. “… I get hooked up to my bed with plastic-tie twister. I have to put the chain under my blanket. … She is putting me deeper into my grave, and when she puts me to bed I feel blue and start crying.”
“I remember that at school she was usually happy, but she would tell stuff,” said Katy Meyer, who went to 5th and 6th grade with Calista. “She said that she was chained to her bed.”
There were 8 of Calista’s friends in all that took the stand in her defense that told stories of her torture.
Marsha and Antony Springer murder trial
Deb Stauffer and Beth Ganger, Calista’s friends mothers also called CPS when they were told about the abuse by Calista. “She said that her parents chain her up at night,” Beth Ganger testified.
She said she filed 2 reports over the abuse of Calista.
Beth said her daughter brought her home one day and Calista told her about the abuse, the school principle was coming to pick her up and take her back to her house;
“She was frantically trying to express what was happening in the home, and she was in a full panic when she knew (the principal) was coming to pick her up.”
Norma Swegle holding twistie tie
She was showing the mother all of her bruises and telling her that she wasn’t being fed. Beth offered to put a banana in her backpack but Calista said no because she couldn’t hide the peel. She said she could take the apple because she could eat the core and her parents wouldn’t know she had it.
Deb Stauffer said she had letters from Calista and she called CPS and spoke to the counselor at the school. “I reported it to the school,” Stauffer said. “Nobody seemed to care so I kept (the letters).”
Anthony denied that the letters for help were written by his daughter saying “She couldn’t spell a word like ‘complain,” “She couldn’t write in cursive and the word ‘stepmother’ never came up in our family.”
John McDonough holding up the dog chain that was found around calista's waist
Ms. Kamphues, the counselor at the school said she was shown a psychiatric report by the Springer’s that showed Calista was a liar and a thief. She said while she worked for the school Calista would steal small items and would return them when asked. She just wanted attention and when she got it she would “smile from ear to ear.”
Other school employees testified that Calista told them during the 2004-05 school year that she was being chained to her bed at night.
Special Ed teacher Diane Balyeat told the jury she made a report with CPS after talking with Calista, she also said the school counselor told her “social services was already involved”.
Paraprofessional Marilyn Lafler testified “They had their hair brushed, and their clothes were clean,” Lafler said of Calista’s siblings. “If you put them side by side, I would have thought they were from different families.”
Everyone that testified including state child welfare employees said Calista had some behavioral issues, like stealing small items, but otherwise tried hard in school and had friends. She once told her counselor and friends she just wished she had a new family and more friends.
Calista’s younger sister Courtney testified saying, She would rip apart the pillows and make holes in the mattress and chewed on the wood,” She also said Calista was only chained to the bed twice before the fire.
How can this be when there were so many witnesses stating otherwise?
Babara Sawyer, Marsha Springer’s sister, said Calista’s issues began at the young age of 13 months.
“At thirteen months, she couldn’t smile, she couldn’t play,” said Sawyer. “To me she was deadly,” said Sawyer. “I was afraid of Calista.”
REALLY? I just finished watching a memorial video of a happy Calista that had pictures of her SMILING. She doesn’t look scary to me……How could that be?
Marsha said on the morning of the fire, the 2 girls and Anthony left for the day, and she was left in the house alone with Calista and she wanted to vacuum the floors. She put Calista in her bed, chained her in, and told her she would be back in 15 minutes.
Calista’s step-mom admitted to chaining her at night and during the day when she was cleaning the house.
Anthony accused prosecutors for tearing his family apart and saying that the agencies were only using his family as a “scapegoat” for a broken system. Some of his last words were;
“What we did may have been wrong and I still question that every day, We were at fault for her dying in the fire … but it was not all just on our own. This community is afraid to look itself in the mirror because it’s afraid to see that it failed to help our family,” he added. “In return, it’s more than happy to evict us so that it can sleep with a clear conscience at night. Society and the system that we have now are perhaps at fault as much as we are.” “I didn’t know you disliked me so much,” “I didn’t know I was so far down on your scale.” Those words were directed to his mother and all agencies in Michigan.
Marsha on the other hand did not blame anyone as she spoke to the judge;
“Calista was my daughter and it was an accident,” she said. “My other two girls (and) my husband have been going through hell since my daughter has been dead … I will carry this with me for the rest of my life and I am very sorry, your honor.”
The Springer’s attorney’s last statement to the judge was;
“I think they made mistakes maybe in how they tried to deal with this situation but the situation with Calista was real and it had to be dealt with in some way, We can argue if there were better ways … There probably was. I think the overwhelming issue is, the community knew about this, (the Michigan Department of Human Services) knew about this and certainly the schools knew about this. Do they have to take some responsibility for what has been a very unfortunate result? Yes.”
Suzanne Langdon, Calista's grandma
Mrs. Langdon read the following victim impact statement, she believes it’s what Calista would say;
“My soul is free, I will never have chains put on me again. Whenever someone stops at my memorial site, I am there. I am here today, I helped seat the jury in Kalamazoo and brought them back here for the verdict. I wanted you two to be near where such hideous things were done to me. I do not hate you. I love you and forgive you, but I deplore what you did to me. I am free and I am loved and I want all of you to know I am happy, I even chase balloons across the heavens. Do not cry for me but do all you can to help children that are in need.”
Ms. Langdon signed Calista’s name to the hand-written letter.
On February 22, 2010 Marsha and Anthony Springer were found guilty of child abuse and torture but not of murder.
On April 16, 2010 St. Joseph County Circuit Judge Paul Stutesman told the Springers;
“There’s plenty of blame to go around for everybody,” “I think it’s fair to say the state of Michigan failed you and your family, clearly. Those charged to protect her did not do their jobs.”
“We’re here today not because of something they did though, but because they didn’t protect her from you.”
He then sentenced Anthony to 10 years for child abuse and 25-50 years for torture.
Marsha was sentenced to 8-15 years for child abuse and 19 years for torture.
Judge Paul Stutesman said he gave Anthony more time because it was his idea to tie Calista up and he was the one that actually implemented it. He felt that Marsha was just doing what she was told. Unfortunately their sentences will run concurrently.
I think what it boils down to is, Anthony and Marsha Springer either did not know how to deal with Calista’s disability, if there was one, nor did they care to find a credible solution to help with caring for her. They took the easy way out, chaining her down so she was immobile so they didn’t have to “bother” with her.
What I did find very surprising is that in Michigan (and maybe other states to) there is NO law that prohibits chaining a child or confining them according to the Office of The Children’s Ombudsmen.
“If you’re using physical restraints, such as locks on a child’s bedroom door, or certainly any type of wrapping of a child, or confining of a child, or bolting down a child, that does need to be only on the advice of the child’s doctor, pediatrician, therapist, somebody that is saying that is an appropriate response,” Bladen said.
The above does not apply to foster parents, it is only for regular parents they say.
I’ve seen no proof that Calista had a disability, I have seen many articles where her parents said she had PDD, PICA, behavioral problems and mild mental retardation. Well, which one is it? Or are they claiming she has ALL of these disabilities? Why does every witness testify and say there was nothing wrong with Calista?
Obviously there was no “intent” to murder Calista, therefore murder charges wouldn’t be applicable in this case. I do think they should have been charged with at least involuntary manslaughter though. The Springer’s both knew they were risking Calista’s life by keeping her chained up, even the CPS worker warned them 2 years earlier to not chain her up “in case of a fire”.
A plaque is now at the location where Calista used to live.
I am adding the last few pictures of angels and survivors to the memorial video for April (child abuse awareness month). If anyone would like to see anyone specific in it please let me know. If you want to be added as a survivor please let me know also, everyone is welcome. You can email me at unforgottenangels1@yahoo.com
This is who I have for our angels:
Faheem Williams
Sarah Haley Foxwell
Isabella Hurley – Justice For Isabella Hurley
Jonathan Paul Foster
Juliani Cardenas
Juliette Geurts – Justice For Juliette
Kelsey Briggs – The Kelsey Briggs Foundation
Peter Connelly – The Peter Connelly Story
Riley Fox
Rowan James Bracci
Samantha Martin – Samantha’s Law
Savon Edwards
Tessa Ann Leadford
Trenay Cheire Duchane
Aaron O’Brien – Our Angel Aaron
Lauren McConniel
Tyler and Ariana Payne
Tyruss “Ty” Toribio
Abigail Rose Boran
Allison Graham-Hawthorne
Brianna Riley Bright – In memory of Brianna Bright
Jezaih King
Darcey Iris Freeman
Kyle Joseph Holland – Justice For Kyle Holland
Landon Payne
Miguel Fernandes
Dominick Calhoun – Dominick’s Law
Aveion Lewis
Beau and Calyx Schenecker
Jazzmine Davis
Caitlyn Smith
Carmen Lucci
Cecelia Harris – Justice for Cecilia Harris
Danieal Kelly
Austin James Watkins
Blake Rupe
Breanna Marie Courtney Loveless
Calista Springer
Tristan Robinson
Camryn Jakeb Wilson
Addison R. Weast – In Loving Memory of Addison R. Weast
Nixmary Brown – Nixmary’s Law
Ja-Veon Brushan
Chris and Cru Kahui
Cyrus Belt
Izayah Arlen Wayne Denison
Jaidyn Raymond Leskie
Javon Thompson
Jonathan Boundonck
London Marie Sherwood
Ngatikaura Ngati
Nia Grassie
Nicki Colma Sprigg
Sean Michael Sowards – Seans Voice
Sirita Jimmina Sotelo
Summer Phelps
Tricia and Victor Reyes
Trycia Balhous
Tyler Gene McMillan
Braeden Gardner
Andrea R. Gonzalez
Tesslyn Elizabeth O’Cull
Jo-Jade Hernandez
Mya Lyons
Alexia Lopez – Justice For Alexia Lopez
Anna Celeste Lowe
Audrina Claire Hepburn – Justice For Audrina Claire Hepburn
Avee Marie Hunter – Prayers For Avee Marie
Aiyden Davis
Jaydon James Hoberg
Carly Elizabeth Sawyer
Ella Stafford and Johnathan Sanderlin
Lily Lynette Furneaux – Justice For Lily
Mikara Ranui Jarius Reti
Savannah Rose Pioch
Demitri Robledo
Kristyanna Rose Cowan
Alexis Nikohl Emily Phillips
Alexis Board
Cameron Jay Leslie
Augustino, Gianluca and Cecilia Riggi
Austin Pettersson Pierce
Charlie Hunt
Edward John Stecker – Edward John Stecker (Little Eddie)
Lily and Tori Ball
Vanessa Skye Hart
Rayna Gagne
Sammy Charles Hagans
Brianna Lopez
Darisabel Leanna Baez
Devon, Ian and Neal Williams
Nicholas Miller – Nicholas Miller Rest In Peace Baby Angel
Riley Ann Sawyers
Alijah James Mullis
Automn Franks
Callie Robinson
Emily Amy Annamunthodo
Jacob Allen Miller
Jezebel Cricket Donnell
Joshua Minton
Letha Slate
Marissa Burnette Davis
Skyla Brooks
Demond Keith Reed
Eddie Salazar Jr
Elizabeth Guenther
Haydon Gage West
James Tony Hack
Jude Michael Mirra
Lavion Gamble
Malakai Dean
Prhaze Rosemary Galvan
Skyler Seils
Truly Lo
Vaniessa Baylor
Xiah Greene
Zara Malani Lin Abdur
Aiden Caro
Alexis Marie Pounder
Alexandria Hamilton
Caden Rodgers
Cameron Russel
Charleeni Ferreira
Christian Reed Stevens
Clare Louise Shelswell
Collin Parker William Holdgrafer
Tyler Richard and Savannah Irene Yates – Murder is Murder
Nevaeh Maree – In Loving Memory of Nevaeh Maree
Sarah Angelina Chavez
Zahra Baker
This is who I have for survivors; if you do not have a group, I will put “survivor” under your name on the video.
James Michael Nolan Hutchinson – Baby James Foundation
Amanda Runyon – Survivor
Charles J. Steckler – In Memory of “Edward John Stecker” A.K.A. Li’l Eddie
Ashley Petrini – Survivor
Brittany Bergeron Himel – Survivor
Bonnie Martin Sipe
Whisper Harper
Zoey Harper
Jaelyn Rae Geurts
Kaylynn McConniel
Brooklyn Elizabeth Leahey – For the Love of Brooklyn
UPDATE: 3/6/2011 While the focus in Colorado City and Mitchell County this past week may have been more on recovering from the wildfires that destroyed several homes, the search for missing 13-year-old Hailey Dunn resumed Friday and Saturday.Soldiers from Fort Hood joined the search teams that were trained by KlaasKids and Laura Recovery Center, two organizations formed by family members and friends of missing teenagers. Billie Jean Dunn said Fri … Read More
If you have not joined our global event yet, we invite everyone to take part and make a difference. Our goal is to break the silence on all types of ABUSE, gain as many supporters as possible and take our cause to every news paper and media source we can reach out to.
PLEASE HELP US TO HELP GIVE OUR CHILDREN VOICES AND BRING AS MUCH AWARENESS AS POSSIBLE TO CHILD ABUSE! NO ACTION IS NOT AN OPTION!
We are not asking you to leave the comfort of your home and spend any of your hard earned money. We only ask for support in numbers by joining and agreeing that you are tired and sick of the abuse that is happening to our children everyday.
We must take action, we must NOT turn our heads and look the other way any longer. The time is NOW to stand up and be counted!
unforgottenangels 