[ Surviving TEOTWAWKI ] [ Main Menu ]
3702
From: Alan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: California children lived in desert box 'for four years'
  A California couple has been arrested for keeping their children in a plywood box in a desert community. The three children of Mona Kirk, 51, and Daniel Panico, 73, were found living among their own faeces and mounds of rubbish. The victims, ages 11, 13 and 14, were malnourished and had been living in the box for four years, according to the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department. The couple were arrested for wilful cruelty to a child and await bail. While checking the Joshua Tree area, police stumbled upon "a travel trailer, which appeared to be abandoned, and a large rectangular box made of plywood on the property", according to a press release. The box was about 20ft long, 4ft high and 10ft wide, according to police. "The property had no electricity or running water. Several large holes and mounds of trash and human faeces were located throughout the property," officials said. A San Bernardino Sheriff spokeswoman said Ms Kirk was living in the box with the children, while Mr Panico was living in the trailer, CNN reports. Captain Trevis Newport said on Twitter the children were not being held captive but were living in unsafe conditions without running water, electricity or heat. Authorities also found 30 to 40 cats running around the property. The parents are being held on $100,000 bail. |
3706
From: kemokae, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: California children lived in desert box 'for four years'
|
In so many of these cases, just an little organization and straightening things up and the place would not look so badly. It's what we use to call the depression era living style, cause what you had was the only thing you had back then, but doesn't make sense for today's living. Well, hope the kids get something to eat and maybe better living conditions. |
Responses:
[3726]
3726
From: _ , [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: California children lived in desert box 'for four years'
|
I tend to agree with this. Not knowing the full situation, I'm not YET going to take sides on anything but the malnutrition issue, and probably the running water issue, though in many areas it's VERY possible to deal with that in a safe manner. Don't know about San Bernadino, if my geography is correct that's mostly desert region (so yes, the lack of water is most likely a problem here), though whoever it is that lives in Twentynine Palms can correct me if I'm wrong. A lot of today's living isn't really sustainable. In southern regions, electricity isn't anywhere near a necessity unless you have a medical condition. Indeed in much of the world it's very much a luxury. Of course, I sit typing at night on my computer in my well lit and heated home...so my above commentary IS purely academic and potentially talking from my hypocritical ass. :-) Even if materially everything were fine though, the big problem is that unless the kids were especially savvy, they would not be able to mainstream as adults even if they wanted to (It's doable, and some people have done it, but it DOES take a certain mindset and perseverance and belief in self to adapt and change--in EITHER direction, either to mainstream OR to leave mainstream society). I don't know which way the world is going to swing in the next 5-20 years...could be that their current life and learning under those conditions gives them the means to survive if everything goes to hell. If society retains its precarious stability though, they'd have a hell of a time finding a comfortable place in it if their circumstances hadn't changed. I wish them luck. |
Responses:
None
3703
From: Redhart, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: California children lived in desert box 'for four years'
|
saw this story--I question the age of mom(51) and dad (70). It seems biologically more likely these kids are not theirs. Which begs the question: who's are they? She would have been 49 when the last one was born. Remotely possible...but not likely as menopause is likely to have set in by then. Some years ago, it made big news when a 50 yr old had a baby. I think there is much more to this story. |
3704
From: Eve, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: California children lived in desert box 'for four years'
|
The article reads she is 51 and the youngest child is 11, so she would have been aprox. 40 yrs. old not 49, making it more plausible. |
Responses:
[3705]
3705
From: Redhart, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: California children lived in desert box 'for four years'
|
pfft...need more coffee. I stand corrected. |
Responses:
None
[ Surviving TEOTWAWKI ] [ Main Menu ]