Sparkling Adventures in Child Neglect - "Gayby" is Born!

[thoughtful]

Daniel looks like he's doing really, really well. I'm glad he's a happy little dude, and his dads seem really into him, which is great.

It's hard to know from one video, but it sure does look like they both seem to adore Daniel, and love responding to his "talking" and reaching.

I wish the best for that little boy.

[Trynn]

Where are these updates posted?

[LovelyLuna]

it appears the lad is doing well. good for them.

[DaffyDill]

Glad to see Daniel is doing so well, and happy; he's so gorgeous. Both his dads look as if they adore him, which is great, but interesting because when it all began, they wanted the red haired dad to be the biological dad as he was a little reluctant, or the least "into" the arrangement, compared to the American/dark haired dad.

Anyway, it's lovely to see them all so happy, and it might even pan out that Daniel has the red hair they were hoping for (the little hair he has, looks red to me). Daniel does look like Elijah though... :cry:

[lilith]

Interesting that Lauren didn't comment on the video....

[lilith]

Daniel looks happy and healthy, as do the Gold Star Gays. The whole arrangement seems to have worked out well, against all odds. Though I guess we don't know how Lauren is coping.......

[RecoveringFundie]

Can anyone tell me where I can find a recap of this family? I would love to read more! Or someone give a synopsis.

[happy atheist]

Here are all the threads: viewforum.php?f=259

The short version: Lauren was raised by Australian missionaries, attended boarding school in French West Africa while her parents did missionary stuff there. Grew up, married David, who was very religious, too. They had 4 daughters, all the while getting stranger and stranger. David raised a big enough fuss in church that they were kicked out. They started to worry a lot about "peak oil" and societal collapse, so they used the proceeds from their flooring installation company to retrofit a panel truck as a "stealth camper" so they could park it in areas where camping wasn't allowed without drawing attention. They began traveling around Australia and New Zealand with their kids loose in the back of the truck. When they were at home (a lovely house that is fully paid for) they lived in the shed/garage at the back of the property while allowing tenants to live in the house rent free (allegedly. We suspect off-the-record rent payments).

Lauren got pregnant with a son. She had no prenatal care at all. By this time they were heavily involved with the Rainbow Family, a hippie group. Their son Elijah was "free-birthed" at a Rainbow Gathering in Australia without even a midwife. The encampment was cut off from everything by flood waters. They had plenty of warning to evacuate, but chose not to.

So then things continued to fall apart. Lauren suffers pretty horrendous post-partum depression which she does not treat. The family went back to NZ. It seems that David had an affair. They eventually returned to Australia. Things got worse.

They were staying in their shed/garage. David took baby Elijah for a walk and jumped off a bridge with him. The baby died. David came back to the house and said, "Elijah's in the water." So, David was arrested and has been held in a psych facility ever since. His court dates keep getting postponed. It's been 2 or 3 years at this point.

Lauren had an "unfuneral" for the baby. She grifted enough funds to buy a proper camper van and get it painted up with a rainbow mandala, etc. She does not allow her daughters to grieve. She wants them to see the murder of their brother by their father as a neutral event.

Ever since she was given permission by authorities to hit the road, she's been driving around Australia with her four daughters, grifting and hanging out with the hippies.

She decided that the way to make herself get over the loss of her son was to become a surrogate mother, so she found an Icelandic gay couple and they spent some time flying back and forth between Iceland and Australia until she got pregnant. Eventually she took the girls to Iceland, by way of China and Europe, gave birth in Iceland, gave up her parental rights, and flew to Reunion, an island off the coast of Africa, for more vacation time. She's back in Australia now, but doesn't update the blog much anymore.

She unschools her daughters, which is code for neglecting them. She allowed one of them to wander around with a prickle in her eye for several days because the child did not want help removing it.

There's so much more, but this post is already too long.

[blessalessi]

Daniel looks happy and healthy, as do the Gold Star Gays. The whole arrangement seems to have worked out well, against all odds. Though I guess we don't know how Lauren is coping.......

Or how his half-siblings are coping... Daniel is the image of Elijah and must be around the same age that E was when he died. :(

[Oh auntie Em]

Not bad Happy Atheist but, with respect, I think less focus on the cause and effect. Nobody, not even the mother herself, knows why she did an illegal 'surrogacy'. And, with respect to the mother who was a victim of horrendous violence, we ought not to speculate on whether or not the 'lifestyle', or her part in it, contributed to the murder of her son. Women are too often blamed for the violence of their spouses. Let's not contribute.

The upcoming trial, that is if he pleads not guilty (a guilty plea will mean only sentencing), will determine the factors contributing to the murder.

Let's remember she is a victim in the case. Not however a victim in her raising of her children and putting them in potentially dangerous situations, like sleeping while they roam around in the bush, or the selling of her son. The rainbow washing of that little arrangement continues with the dopey video made by the Gold Stars. 'Look at us! We got the kid through slightly illegal means but hey!'

Don't let them off the hook. their son spent 3 months in document limbo- was he a citizen? Perhaps. Why not speculate on that as a form of violence? Just like the Iceland govt does by making it illegal.

[Oh auntie Em]

Ps- Hope I don't sound preachy. I find FJ a good place for intelligent discussions so just wanting to contribute.

[lipstickgoalie]

Not bad Happy Atheist but, with respect, I think less focus on the cause and effect. Nobody, not even the mother herself, knows why she did an illegal 'surrogacy'. And, with respect to the mother who was a victim of horrendous violence, we ought not to speculate on whether or not the 'lifestyle', or her part in it, contributed to the murder of her son. Women are too often blamed for the violence of their spouses. Let's not contribute.

The upcoming trial, that is if he pleads not guilty (a guilty plea will mean only sentencing), will determine the factors contributing to the murder.

Let's remember she is a victim in the case. Not however a victim in her raising of her children and putting them in potentially dangerous situations, like sleeping while they roam around in the bush, or the selling of her son. The rainbow washing of that little arrangement continues with the dopey video made by the Gold Stars. 'Look at us! We got the kid through slightly illegal means but hey!'

Don't let them off the hook. their son spent 3 months in document limbo- was he a citizen? Perhaps. Why not speculate on that as a form of violence? Just like the Iceland govt does by making it illegal.

Have you read any of the other threads on this topic? We have done a LOT of speculating since this happened. Speculating about Lauren is a sport.

[blessalessi]

The rainbow washing of that little arrangement continues with the dopey video made by the Gold Stars. 'Look at us! We got the kid through slightly illegal means but hey!'

Don't let them off the hook. their son spent 3 months in document limbo- was he a citizen? Perhaps. Why not speculate on that as a form of violence? Just like the Iceland govt does by making it illegal.

I was also very uncomfortable that they described how they got around the legal aspect by having no doctor involvement, except for a midwife at the birth. The birth was still a gazillion times safer than Elijah's birth, but what if Lauren had needed medical intervention during her time in Iceland, prior to the birth? They all put their own desires to create a baby a long way ahead of the baby's needs and rights to have a safe entry into the world.

[Oh auntie Em]

I know speculating on Lauren is a sport. I just get icky when women are blamed, even speculatively, for the crimes of their spouses. Just my 2 cents is all.

I'm all for speculating on the crappy 'surrogacy' and all the other stuff. Not that you need my permission of course :)

[happy atheist]

I know speculating on Lauren is a sport. I just get icky when women are blamed, even speculatively, for the crimes of their spouses. Just my 2 cents is all.

I'm all for speculating on the crappy 'surrogacy' and all the other stuff. Not that you need my permission of course :)

Where did I blame Lauren for David's actions?

[lipstickgoalie]

I know speculating on Lauren is a sport. I just get icky when women are blamed, even speculatively, for the crimes of their spouses. Just my 2 cents is all.

I'm all for speculating on the crappy 'surrogacy' and all the other stuff. Not that you need my permission of course :)

David threw the baby off the bridge but Lauren seemed to ignore all evidence of his growing mental illness. Do I think she is at fault for Elijah's death? No. Do I think Lauren is entirely blameless? Not by a long shot.

[DaffyDill]

I know speculating on Lauren is a sport. I just get icky when women are blamed, even speculatively, for the crimes of their spouses. Just my 2 cents is all.

I'm all for speculating on the crappy 'surrogacy' and all the other stuff. Not that you need my permission of course :)

No one has blamed Lauren for David's actions that evening when he chose to climb a railing with Elijah in his arms, plunging both of them into the water below. That particular action is entirely on David. However, before this happened, David was losing touch with reality/his sanity evidenced in videos he posted on YouTube where he ranted and raved. People on this board were expressing concern for him, Lauren and the children, and thought perhaps he should have sought help, and sure, maybe Lauren as someone close to him could have supported him and encouraged him to seek help, but no one expected something of the magnitude of Elijah's horrendous death at the hands of his father.

Maybe you should read the old threads before judging things we may have said and done on here, because victim blaming/shaming certainly isn't the way we roll. And there is SO much WFT'ery with Lauren to snark on, you'll probably enjoy the reading :D If you get lost down the Sparkling Adventures rabbit hole, we can send rescue ferrets down to you with wine and chocolate (name your poison) to sustain you while you read :lol:

Oh, and welcome!!

[Oh auntie Em]

The implication that the 'lifestyle' somehow contributed to the murder is what I think is trying to find a cause. And thus implicating Lauren. Also when it is said that she saw his descent and should have known/done something. She did leave him, possibly due to the descent as we now see it. It may have been possible because Johhny left and offered her a way out - not explicitly but she had somewhere to go. She went back- soon after the child was killed. This is the usual pattern for such violence- women and kids are more likely to be harmed/killed after leaving.

Also, I'm not convinced she saw the descent. Why should she? She was too close. Others around saw it- especially when they were warned about the 'blasphemous' path he was taking. But he completely isolated her- again, the usual pattern. remember the comment when she went off to NZ the first time 'like a bride to an arranged marriage'? He was her normal. He was her God.

I have read the blogs, FB etc etc. down the rabbit hole a loooong way. My interest began when I ran into her at a local park, was bemused by the way her daughter was acting, clinging to her to avoid the pricklies but not putting on shoes, and then remembered I'd read about her in an abandoned Women's Weekly. I just don't comment here.

Don't want to offend anyone, just have read quite often here about the cause and effect of the murder and the belief that Lauren should have known.

[So Many Lies]

That women's weekly article was a piece of shit. Truly garbage of the highest order. It was a sickening puff piece.

Lauren is rarely oblivious to anything. She's as sharp as a tack.

[Oh auntie Em]

Yes, it was a piece of crap. I expect nothing less from the Women''s Weekly. Just mentioned it as, when I saw her IRL, I remembered the story and it lead me to reading the blog etc.

[blessalessi]

The implication that the 'lifestyle' somehow contributed to the murder is what I think is trying to find a cause. And thus implicating Lauren. Also when it is said that she saw his descent and should have known/done something. She did leave him, possibly due to the descent as we now see it. It may have been possible because Johhny left and offered her a way out - not explicitly but she had somewhere to go. She went back- soon after the child was killed. This is the usual pattern for such violence- women and kids are more likely to be harmed/killed after leaving.

Also, I'm not convinced she saw the descent. Why should she? She was too close. Others around saw it- especially when they were warned about the 'blasphemous' path he was taking. But he completely isolated her- again, the usual pattern. remember the comment when she went off to NZ the first time 'like a bride to an arranged marriage'? He was her normal. He was her God.

I have read the blogs, FB etc etc. down the rabbit hole a loooong way. My interest began when I ran into her at a local park, was bemused by the way her daughter was acting, clinging to her to avoid the pricklies but not putting on shoes, and then remembered I'd read about her in an abandoned Women's Weekly. I just don't comment here.

Don't want to offend anyone, just have read quite often here about the cause and effect of the murder and the belief that Lauren should have known.

Someone asked for a Lauren summary and HA responded. Are you sure you are not just posting a response to things that have previously irked you, because I dont see where your comments relate to what HA actually posted in that summary?

[blessalessi]

The implication that the 'lifestyle' somehow contributed to the murder is what I think is trying to find a cause. And thus implicating Lauren. Also when it is said that she saw his descent and should have known/done something. She did leave him, possibly due to the descent as we now see it. It may have been possible because Johhny left and offered her a way out - not explicitly but she had somewhere to go. She went back- soon after the child was killed. This is the usual pattern for such violence- women and kids are more likely to be harmed/killed after leaving.

Also, I'm not convinced she saw the descent. Why should she? She was too close. Others around saw it- especially when they were warned about the 'blasphemous' path he was taking. But he completely isolated her- again, the usual pattern. remember the comment when she went off to NZ the first time 'like a bride to an arranged marriage'? He was her normal. He was her God.

I have read the blogs, FB etc etc. down the rabbit hole a loooong way. My interest began when I ran into her at a local park, was bemused by the way her daughter was acting, clinging to her to avoid the pricklies but not putting on shoes, and then remembered I'd read about her in an abandoned Women's Weekly. I just don't comment here.

Don't want to offend anyone, just have read quite often here about the cause and effect of the murder and the belief that Lauren should have known.

Someone asked for a Lauren summary and HA responded. Are you sure you are not just posting a response to things that have previously irked you, because I dont see where your comments relate to what HA actually posted in the summary above?

[Oh auntie Em]

Good call Blessalessi. Quite possibly. Thanks for pointing it out.

[August]

I'd love to hear more about the IRL sighting of Lauren.

Daniel looks happy and healthy, as do the Gold Star Gays. The whole arrangement seems to have worked out well, against all odds. Though I guess we don't know how Lauren is coping.......

A happy baby gives no indication of how that person will feel as an adult, or how his mother and siblings feel now and in the future. It could be fine, but given the fact she shouldn't have been participating in this a year after her baby's murder I don't think anyone involved gives a shit about feelings and the taking care of them.

[Oh auntie Em]

Well August because you asked (I may have upset some here so feel a bit shy).

It was in this lovely big park we go to, in the inner-city- maybe a year and a half to 2 years ago. We saw this strange gathering of people. About 40 of them holding hands in a big circle. So, of course we walked over to check it out. 'Is it a wedding?' As we got closer we saw it was a hippy circle. We figured it was a rainbow/Confest/New Age Love in. Boring, so we stopped paying attention.

We then walked to the kid's playground. I noticed a woman in red with dreds, obviously part of the love in walking away from the circled folk and towards the playground. She had a few daughters with her including one who clung to her and whinged about the prickles. She had no shoes on and I thought it weird that they didn't just get shoes. I also thought the clinging was kinda weird. Not usual to see such clingyness at a playground. it has really stuck with me.

I didn't pay any more attention cos I wasn't reading about her then. As we left the park and went to our car, I saw the Grifted Gypsy. Took a photo in fact and then it dawned on me that she was the one in that WW article.

Hubby has also seen her on one of her other visits to my city.