How does this happen: Erica Parsons

[Coy Koi]

That poor little sweetheart . And it sounds like this family was clearly screwed up up enough that appropriate oversight could likely have prevented whatever horrible thing happened to her.

[Lurky]

I can't understand why the Home School Defense League is so rabidly against authorities just checking to see if children are even alive, when we all know these are the worst case scenarios.

[garciarodrigez]

My jaw just hit the floor seeing Erica's name.  I followed her case on web sleuths and I still think of what happened to her.  

I think the parents did it too and dumped her somewhere.

I haven't been on here much because I've been following the Rhoden family murders in Ohio.  Learning very quickly it's a scary old world out there.

[Grimalkin]

    I feel stabby when I read stories like this and the photos of the abusers look so mournful. Your upset you were not caught, not worried for your child.

[apandaaries]

What a horrific story.  

[Palimpsest]

I think Erica is dead.  I don't think her body will ever be found.  So tragic.

14 hours ago, Coy Koi said:

And it sounds like this family was clearly screwed up up enough that appropriate oversight could likely have prevented whatever horrible thing happened to her.

Appropriate oversight is fought against so hard by people who wear rose colored glasses.  And funding is disastrously inadequate.  Adoption reform faces barriers at every turn.  I'm not sure we will ever see legislation passed for half-way decent oversight - let alone appropriate.

It enrages me. Yeah, I follow this stuff.

 

[hoipolloi]

Despite their lip service to protecting children from abuse, itʻs obvious that the HSLDA cares nothing for them:

Quote

 

If I think a family might be abusing or neglecting their children, can I call HSLDA for advice? 

We are always happy to help our members. If you have suspicions of child abuse or neglect, we may be able to assist you as you consider how best to proceed, although the final decision will be left to you. We may be unable to answer questions that are specific in nature, especially if they involve another member family. Because HSLDA is a law firm, when our attorneys speak with our members about legal issues it can create an attorney-client relationship. If a member is calling regarding suspicions about another member family, this potentially causes a conflict of interest for HSLDA.

 

 The HSLDA probably consider cases like Ericaʻs to be collateral damage -- too bad but hey, at least there arenʻt many of them.

 

 

[Palimpsest]

52 minutes ago, hoipolloi said:

The HSLDA probably consider cases like Ericaʻs to be collateral damage -- too bad but hey, at least there arenʻt many of them.

I wonder when they will realize that even one is too many?  The role call is dismaying.

I hate HSLDA.  With a deadly passion.

[klynn]

I remember reading about this when it first came to light.  In my opinion, she was likely murdered.  I mean, didn't her adoptive family admit to hating her?  Or am I thinking of another poor child?  I get them mixed up at times.  Either way, I feel so terrible for Erica, and I hope she gets justice.

[iheartchacos]

I remember seeing them on Dr Phil. Guilty as hell. Can't believe they agreed to go on TV with those lies.

[Nikedagain?]

13 hours ago, garciarodrigez said:

My jaw just hit the floor seeing Erica's name.  I followed her case on web sleuths and I still think of what happened to her.  

I think the parents did it too and dumped her somewhere.

I haven't been on here much because I've been following the Rhoden family murders in Ohio.  Learning very quickly it's a scary old world out there.

The Erica Parson's case happened near my hometown. It came on the tails of the Zahra Baker case, also in the same region and a huge CPS fail. Evil adults and terribly marginalized children. 

What's the most plausible, working theory in the Rhoden case? 

[garciarodrigez]

On 8/20/2016 at 10:59 PM, Nikedagain? said:

The Erica Parson's case happened near my hometown. It came on the tails of the Zahra Baker case, also in the same region and a huge CPS fail. Evil adults and terribly marginalized children. 

What's the most plausible, working theory in the Rhoden case? 

Theory on Rhoden case?  My opinion is that the general consensus is it's family.  There has been so little released by officials that it's all speculation right now though.  

I do feel that during the investigation of the murders, they've uncovered numerous other illegal activities within that county and surrounding ones that almost anything can be expected to be revealed as motive in the murders.

Poor Erica went through so much and I think almost everyone failed her.  I thought the people, I won't call them parents, that raised her were some of the most ignorant people I'd seen.  But smart enough to work the system to do what they did.

The entire Parsons family had to be stupid too to not know that kid was abused.  Makes me ill and furious.

[formergothardite]

On 8/20/2016 at 8:39 AM, Lurky said:

 

I can't understand why the Home School Defense League is so rabidly against authorities just checking to see if children are even alive, when we all know these are the worst case scenarios.

 

Because HSLDA is not about defending the safety of children. They are there to defend homeschooling parents, not homeschooled children. 

HSLDA is evil. 

[polecat]

4'5" at 13? My God. Beaten, starved, neglected and who knows what else.

 

Why are the parents free? It sounds like the state certainly has a case for neglect if nothing else and certainly fraud since they were obviously collecting her checks without having her -- maybe some time in jail will loosen their evil tongues. 

[Cleopatra7]

31 minutes ago, polecat said:

4'5" at 13? My God. Beaten, starved, neglected and who knows what else.

 

Why are the parents free? It sounds like the state certainly has a case for neglect if nothing else and certainly fraud since they were obviously collecting her checks without having her -- maybe some time in jail will loosen their evil tongues. 

The parents are in prison for fraud:

http://www.salisburypost.com/2016/06/29/u-s-supreme-court-rejects-sandy-parsons-appeal-reduced-sentence/

They don't seem eager to reveal what happened to poor Erica, though.

[December]

Beyond just the unfathomable idea that the family member took over a year and a half to report this little girl as missing... it's insane that there was nobody else outside the family who would've had cause to report her as missing in that time period. It's sick that people can legally isolate their kid so much from society that nobody notices they're gone for 20 months. That must mean even without school attendance there were no regular doctor visits, no regular play dates with friends, no group activities or sports teams, etc. They note on the website that she also didn't have online profiles that might've tipped people off either, so it seems like she was very much cut off from the world. 

It all sounds eerily similar to many other families discussed on here that home school, home church and curtail any outside-the-home activities. Too many abusive, evil people use the guise of home schooling as a legal excuse to avoid any outside supervision and intervention... I feel like we need to revisit the laws around home schooling in this country in light of the many cases like this one and create better regulations. Surely there has to be a way to protect the rights of families who legitimately home school, as well as protect other children from abuse or worse. 

[PennySycamore]

9 hours ago, Cleopatra7 said:

The parents are in prison for fraud:

http://www.salisburypost.com/2016/06/29/u-s-supreme-court-rejects-sandy-parsons-appeal-reduced-sentence/

They don't seem eager to reveal what happened to poor Erica, though.

Do you know how many years they got?  If they admitted that they murdered Erica, they could face the death penalty since NC has capital punishment.  If they got long sentences, maybe prosecutors would have more success getting a confession if they took the death penalty off the table.

[Palimpsest]

2 minutes ago, PennySycamore said:

Do you know how many years they got?

The adoptive father got 8 years and the mother got 10 - pleading out to counts of fraud.  They both appealed.  He lost.  I don't think the second appeal has been decided yet.  

Taking the DP off the table might help but, given the isolation of Erica, I suspect they are not pressing murder charges yet because the case is largely hearsay (brother's evidence charging abuse, that he later retracted, and a few others saying she was abused.)  Also they don't have a body.  If they do find a body, I hope they go ahead with murder charges.

[bea]

Wow, what a couple of sociopaths - adoptive mother agreed to act as a surrogate, told the bio parents she'd had a miscarriage, then tried to SELL THE BABY? Holy crow. How did they manage to adopt Erica? They sound like a couple of grifters . Poor girl.

[Mercer]

What a terrible story! Unfortunately, I agree that Erica is probably dead.

There really needs to be some oversight of homeschooling. Surely any decent parent wouldn't find it too odious to demonstrate that their child is 1.) still alive, and 2.) learning at least basic literacy, arithmetic, etc. That bare minimum really doesn't seem like it should be too much to expect.

[BabyBottlePop]

They've found Erica.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/officials-remains-nc-teen-disappeared-2011-found-42464875?cid=abcn_fb

[quiversR4hunting]

In my area a bio mom just got convicted of torture and homicide of her 4 year old daughter. The little girl died on her 4th birthday. I had to stop reading the paper of the trial because the injuries were so horrible.

The local media did a piece of what to do if you are not a mandatory reporter and you suspect abuse or are witness abuse. (Others that knew this little girl may be charged with lying to policy or hindering an investigation since they can't charge a non-mandatory reporter for not reporting abuse- hence the story.) The head of the child advocacy agency stated call the local police (not 911) to report suspected abuse (like seeing odd bruises, burns, etc) but if you are witnessing abuse in real time call 911. Go figure, @hoipolloi, Not once did she say that if the kid being abused is being homeschooled to call HSLDA!  I don't even understand why that is a FAQ on HSLDA's website. And since it is a FAQ, I really, really don't understand why HSLDA didn't say, contact your local police department and file a report. These people enrage me.

 

[BobTheWalrus]

42 minutes ago, BabyBottlePop said:

They've found Erica.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/officials-remains-nc-teen-disappeared-2011-found-42464875?cid=abcn_fb

So sad And yet I also feel that, now they've actually found her body, there's a better chance of her getting justice. What was done to her is awful, despicable.

[ChairmanMeow]

We recently had a similar case in Australia - a foster child killed and her foster family arrested.

 

How can people do this? I would give anything to be able to have a child or even foster one. 

[Howl]

2 hours ago, BabyBottlePop said:

They've found Erica.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/officials-remains-nc-teen-disappeared-2011-found-42464875?cid=abcn_fb

This is what caught my attention from this link: 

Quote

The remains of Erica Parsons were discovered in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, according to Chesterfield Sheriff Jay Brooks. He said information from a person close to the case helped investigators find the body.

This likely means someone knew she was dead and where she was buried.  One of the kids?  I truly hope those evil parents did not force one of the kids to kill her or dispose of her body.  

May those parents rot in prison forever.

Considering their history of lying, fraud and theft and the mom trying to sell a surrogate baby after telling the bio mom she miscarried?  Sociopaths?  Psychopaths?  

Edited September 30, 2016 by Howl