Newborn OK after birth in dog pen

[Tonya]

Newborn OK after birth in dog pen

By MICHAEL MELLO
BEE STAFF WRITER

Last Updated: November 19, 2003, 07:53:32 AM PST

LIVINGSTON -- Police detectives are trying to figure out what led a woman to crawl into a neighbor's dog pen to give birth, then shove toilet paper down the newborn's throat in an apparent attempt to kill her.
And the woman's father, a migrant laborer from an indigenous tribe in Mexico, wants to know how long his deaf and mute daughter will remain in Merced County Jail, away from anyone with whom she can communicate.

The child is doing well, and after a short hospital stay, was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services, police Cmdr. Dan Shambaugh said.

The mother, Juliana Martinez Dionicio, 24, is scheduled to be arraigned in Superior Court this morning on a charge of attempted murder, Shambaugh said. She has remained in jail on $500,000 bond since being booked Sunday.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Larry Morse said the difficulty communicating with the suspect could lead to a delay today.

"We are often faced with both defendants, victims and witnesses who have disabilities, and the court is primarily responsible for making certain every effort is made to accommodate them," Morse said.

"A person has to be able to assist in his or her own defense and understand the nature of the proceedings. We will not proceed until we are satisfied those requirements are met."

Investigators say they believe the woman left her father's C Street home Friday morning and walked a block west into the secluded back yard of Jose and Maria Silveira's home.

She entered the dog pen at the rear of the back yard. She settled into a corner between the wall of a shed and a tree growing in the middle of the pen, where the tree and the splayed tendrils of a grapevine camouflage the area well.

Fright for man who found her

Maria Silveira said her husband went out to feed their dog and found Martinez Dionicio in the dog pen only when he walked right up to it.

"She scared him," Silveira said in Portuguese, describing how the sight shocked her elderly husband. "She was staring ahead, and the dog was sitting next to her. She must be sick in the head to come in here."

Police found the woman sitting against the shed with her baby -- umbilical cord still attached -- propped up on a tree root, Shambaugh said.

Merced County Fire Department engineer Michael Steineke, who treated the baby at the scene, estimated that she was born about 15 minutes before they arrived just after 11 a.m.

The baby "was very critical," Steineke said. "She was very cold to the touch" and suffering from hypothermia.

One of the first police officers on the scene noticed that the infant had some tissue in her mouth and removed it, Shambaugh said. When Steineke examined the baby, he found more.

"It was stuffed to the back of the throat wadded up tightly," he said, gesturing to show a ball about an inch in diameter. But, he said, "It seemed we saved this baby's life, and that's good."

On the dirt surface of the dog pen, Martinez Dionicio sat next to a hole that was not there before, Silveira said, making her wonder whether the woman intended to bury her child there.

Communication barriers

Shambaugh said police are continuing to investigate the incident, which has been difficult because Martinez Dionicio cannot speak or hear, does not know sign language, and cannot write in English, Spanish or Trique, the language of her people.

"She could've been out there for 20 or 30 minutes waiting for this baby to die. We don't know," he said. "She's only been here for a week or two. She was visiting from out of state. (Her) father had no idea she was pregnant."

Pedro Martinez Lopez, the girl's father, said he is preoccupied with his daughter's fate.

"It's difficult to imagine what she must be going through with the language barrier, and the food," he said in Trique, explaining that the Trique people have a very basic diet of mostly corn and don't eat sugar -- very different from the food she likely eats in jail.

The short, dark-skinned man wiped away tears as he spoke of how his daughter came down from Washington where she had worked as a field laborer.

"I can't do much for my daughter," he said. "I don't speak Spanish. I don't have a car. I don't have money."

[Tonya]

This story just breaks my heart. I feel so bad for this poor girl. She should not be in jail right now.

[babolaypo65]

Indeed it's also tragic that this young woman has been given NO access to language and communication. This is our right as human beings. That she doesn't know any spoken languages or signed languages is a crime as well. How is she supposed to access the world?

[G.P.girl]

i feel bad for the baby!!!

[micki76]

Why in the world shouldn't she be in jail right now?????

I don't think the baby shoved toilet paper down it's own throat.

People are disgusting to do such a sick thing to an innocent baby.

[babolaypo65]

Yes, I feel for the baby. However, I place a large percentage of the blame on the young woman's parents. How does a grown woman not have language? You all saw Genie in your Psychology class in high school or college. It's called language deprivation. Without language one can (and does) become brain damaged. A thorough cognitive and psychiatric eval needs to be done on this woman. Then, if she is shown to understand what she has done, punish her. Regardless, her parents are guilty of child abuse and neglect in my book.

Just last week we all expressed outrage at the family who denied their children food. This family denied their child language, and interaction with humans on a meaningful level. They denied her an education. Before you argue, think for a moment how much you would learn about... well, everything if you were not given linguistic access to it. I taught deaf kids for many years (and teach deaf adults now). It happens all the time. Sadly.
Its a fully preventable form of child abuse. Deaf kids can learn anything. If they have access to it.

Is it tragic for the baby? Absolutely. But let's see what the young woman's cognitive capabilities are before we decide prison is best for her.

[micki76]

Originally posted by babolaypo65
If they have access to it.

Is it tragic for the baby? Absolutely. But let's see what the young woman's cognitive capabilities are before we decide prison is best for her.

I understand that she's from a poor family from Mexico. Which encompasses the majority of the nation. I work with poor people from Mexico all day. Most of them aren't hearing impaired and can't read or write Spanish or English. Mexico is a whole other world where many of the people can't even comprehend sign language or even education. For many Mexicans eating is more important, and it's a struggle just to do that every day. :(

Her family could obviously communicate with her, possibly in their own version of sign language. Obviously if she was working in Washington as a laborer, she has some capability of communication with someone.

I feel bad for her, but what she did (or attempted to do) is heinous.

[CathyBogart]

*Twitch* Something is very VERY wrong here...How did someone like that get pregnant? If she was nine months pregnant and mentally damaged, why was she unsupervised? This whole things seems very suspicious.

I feel sorry for both parties, and I hope the baby is able to live a normal life. HOWEVER: Attempted murder is attempted murder, NO MATTER WHAT, imo. Brain-damaged or not, she tried to end another life and may do it again. I have no qualms about her being in prison, and staying there.

[babolaypo65]

The ability to point to food, to point to work does not equate to language and communication. In psycholinguistics terms the time when a child CAN acquire a first language is called critical period. She missed the critical period for language. Her parents could likely point, gesture, and I BET could indicate when it was time to work. This is not language. A home sign system is not a language.

It's simple: a child who does not have adequate brain stimulation from birth to five suffers irreversible brain damage. The synapses in the brain atrophy. period.

It happens quite often. Again. this is what i do for a LIVING. 5 days a week for 15 years.

I've never taken quite this stubborn of a stand on something on the dog house before have I? I know what the consequences of language deprivation are. I worked with SEVERAL kids who had been deprived of language (not gestures, not pointing not home sign systems... LANGUAGE) during the critical period for linguistic development. Some had no sense of morality (like some kids with fetal alcohol syndrome). All were illiterate. Even after being exposed to formal (intensive) language training, ALL were severely cognitively and linguistically delayed. IT'S ABUSE.

Yes. what happened to the baby is heinous. It's terrible. Its horrible. If she is found to be mentally competent she should be punished in a prison. She should face the consequences of her actions. If she is not found mentally competent, she should be treated in a facility.

What happened to this young girl and THOUSANDS of other deaf kids is also heinous.

severely mentally retarded adults work across this country. They were farm workers. Being exploited does not indicate one has access to language and communication. without that one can NOT develop cognitively. It doesn't happen.

If she were hearing, and profoundly mentally retarded what would your reaction be?

PS. her parents didnt even know she was pregnant for God's sake.


Originally posted by micki76
I understand that she's from a poor family from Mexico. Which encompasses the majority of the nation. I work with poor people from Mexico all day. Most of them aren't hearing impaired and can't read or write Spanish or English. Mexico is a whole other world where many of the people can't even comprehend sign language or even education. For many Mexicans eating is more important, and it's a struggle just to do that every day. :(

Her family could obviously communicate with her, possibly in their own version of sign language. Obviously if she was working in Washington as a laborer, she has some capability of communication with someone.

I feel bad for her, but what she did (or attempted to do) is heinous.

[micki76]

Originally posted by babolaypo65
If she were hearing, and profoundly mentally retarded what would your reaction be?

My reaction would be the same no matter her mental condition. I believe that murder is murder. Attempted murder is attempted murder. Period. Jail time whether you are mentally disabled, mentally disturbed or insane. Jail time.

I do understand that she was deprived of something necessary normal development, but many people are deprived of love, attention, nutrition, and communication, but that doesn't give anyone the right to kill or try to kill.

Her parents most likely didn't have ANY resources available to offer her. They probably didn't even know there was a sign language or that she could even learn. Mexico is a beautiful country on the surface and VERY ugly underneath. I never understood how far behind us they truly are until I worked with Mexican people every day. The stories they tell are disgusting about what life is like there. There is no way to better oneself in Mexico, except to get out. I hope that had her parents known that she could be taught and live a normal life, they would have done anything they could've for her.

I'm really not arguing with you and I see your point totally, but it's still an attempt to kill. And it's still scary, sick and against the law.

[babolaypo65]

As you know, I'm in New Mexico. Most of the kids who were language deprived that I've worked with were from Mexico. Education for deaf kids is not what it should be yet. No. This family was in California, by the way. Perhaps not when she was a baby, when they were neglecting her, no. She may have been in Mexico then, though the story keeps referring to Portuguese....
Regardless, It's still neglect. Many poor folks raise their kids right (including their deaf kids).

Good night. My blood pressure has risen quite enough for one night I think. :)

[babolaypo65]

Here's another article, fyi, from a deaf online newspaper.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/USA-L_News/message/12473

[Corinna]

Ok I amm going to piss off someone now, but here goes.
1st off I have several friends who are mentally retarded(yes I am politacally incorrect) The parents who adopted them were not told of the disabilty (they would have adopted them anyway). They matured in body not mind, parents were afraed of a pregnancy tried to have them have tubes tied. But our laws don't allow for a parent of these children make the choice. Well the most sever is in a group home and is supervised on birth control. Her sister who doesn't seem as bad has had 8 children The first one was given to her half brother to raise (by the State) all others are in state care foster homes one of them is in a mental hospital as both parents were on drugs and at age 5 he treid to kill another foster child.
2nd how was she allowed in to the country on a work visa without provisions on it that she was to be with a family member. If she was where was the member though all of the easiler months (babies are not like Hampster 19days)
Where was the fathers concren about her then.?
I have grown up with these type of people in my home area granted they want to make a living,but they should stay home and change there own country. We shouldn't have to be the worlds savior.
I hope and pray the baby ids ok and is adopted by someone who can care for it.
Ok so I got on my soap box I'm just tried of paying for the rest of the world out of my pocket when I have a hard time paying my own bills. My kids when without a lot . But they always had food and shelter. I missed a lot of meals so they could eat.
Sorry Hate me if you want finally had enough of this kind of stuff getting so much sympathy I say be responsable for your self and children If they are disablited you choose to keep them.My parents adopted a challanged child so I know people wanting kids will adopt them. My own son has peoplems and I could have him the rest of my life but we chose to accet the reposabilty.

[micki76]

Originally posted by Corinna
Ok I amm going to piss off someone now, but here goes.
1st off I have several friends who are mentally retarded(yes I am politacally incorrect) The parents who adopted them were not told of the disabilty (they would have adopted them anyway). They matured in body not mind, parents were afraed of a pregnancy tried to have them have tubes tied. But our laws don't allow for a parent of these children make the choice. Well the most sever is in a group home and is supervised on birth control. Her sister who doesn't seem as bad has had 8 children The first one was given to her half brother to raise (by the State) all others are in state care foster homes one of them is in a mental hospital as both parents were on drugs and at age 5 he treid to kill another foster child.
2nd how was she allowed in to the country on a work visa without provisions on it that she was to be with a family member. If she was where was the member though all of the easiler months (babies are not like Hampster 19days)
Where was the fathers concren about her then.?
I have grown up with these type of people in my home area granted they want to make a living,but they should stay home and change there own country. We shouldn't have to be the worlds savior.
I hope and pray the baby ids ok and is adopted by someone who can care for it.
Ok so I got on my soap box I'm just tried of paying for the rest of the world out of my pocket when I have a hard time paying my own bills. My kids when without a lot . But they always had food and shelter. I missed a lot of meals so they could eat.
Sorry Hate me if you want finally had enough of this kind of stuff getting so much sympathy I say be responsable for your self and children If they are disablited you choose to keep them.My parents adopted a challanged child so I know people wanting kids will adopt them. My own son has peoplems and I could have him the rest of my life but we chose to accet the reposabilty.

Not sure of your point here, but every Mexican I know works extremely hard for their $ doing jobs that Americans are too "good" to do. Most of us, myself included don't want to do the jobs that they are doing. I don't want to clean toilets. I don't want to work outside in 110 (F) weather for 14 hours a day and make a crap check to take home to try feed my family.

Are you a Native American? If not, then be glad your family wasn't told to stay in their country and make it better.

My only point was that Soooo many Mexicans haven't ever heard of school, much less college or sign language. They don't even know when they get here that their kids must attend school. Not all of Mexico is like that, but so much of it is. They don’t go to Doctors. They don’t go to the dentist. There’s NO SUCH THING AVAILABLE in most of the country.

I'm not excusing anyone here, just pointing out that if you don't know that there is even such a thing as sign language, how are you supposed to "be a good parent" and educate them? If you lived in the mountains, never came down to the big city ever and didn’t know that penicillin could save your child’s life, how are you supposed to heal them with it?

People don't adopt healthy children in Mexico, much less the disabled ones.

[Twisterdog]

You know, this whole things just sounds like one of those tragic "she slipped through the cracks" stories.

The circumstances that lead to this woman giving birth in a dog pen, and then trying to kill her newborn are, I'm sure, tragic indeed. They probably involve all of the following: poverty, ignorance, mental retardation, deafness, language barriers, racial barriers, etc. However, I highly doubt any one thing caused the problem. Lots of deaf, mentally diabled people live fairly normal lives. Lots of poor people are good parents. Lots of immigrants do well in our society. Lots of neglected children grow up to be normal, productive adults. It's probably a combination of all these things, and any one individual thing is not worth arguing about.

Obviously, though, the situation this woman lives in now isn't working for her. If she is so mentally disabled that she can't comprehend murder, then she needs to be institutionalized for life. Obviously, her family isn't doing a real swell job of watching out for her, whatever the reasons may be. If she is judged to be mentally astute enough to understand her own actions, then, yes, she is an attempted murderer and deserves prison time - deaf or not.

[Tonya]

There are alot of Portuguese here. They may be referring to them because we have just as many Portuguese as Mexican farm laborers in this area. They make the story a bit confusing with that. But perhaps they weren't sure what she was.

For one, she obviously isn't in her right mind to give birth in a dog pen. If she was a cold blooded murderer she would have done a better job hiding it.

Also, I think it is so horrible that she doesn't have a decent form of communication. That is neglet right there.

And who in the heck got her pregnant? It wouldn't suprise me if she was raped. Someone probably thought she'd be an easy target since she cannot speak and isn't completly there in the mind.

I think that the poor thing was just really scared and didn't know what to do. I feel really bad for her.

[micki76]

Originally posted by Twisterdog
Obviously, though, the situation this woman lives in now isn't working for her. If she is so mentally disabled that she can't comprehend murder, then she needs to be institutionalized for life. Obviously, her family isn't doing a real swell job of watching out for her, whatever the reasons may be. If she is judged to be mentally astute enough to understand her own actions, then, yes, she is an attempted murderer and deserves prison time - deaf or not.

Thank you for saying that so much better than I did Twister. Either way she needs to be in an institution.

[Tonya]

Well said, Twisterdog. She needs help of some kind.

[babolaypo65]

I'm glad to see this conversation has continued (and equally glad I got a good night's sleep). I'll keep following it in the deaf newspapers, and will post anything that is pertinent. Tonya, I hope you'll do the same for the local papers.
It's sad, you know, because if she WAS a normal deaf kid, then all of this may have been completely avoidable.
A deaf kid who has access to language and communication (who doesn't have other disabilities) is just a kid who uses a different form of language.
A deaf (or hearing) child who is denied language is sentenced to a very different life.

I hope the Modesto police take a good look at the entire situation, and make sure that if this woman *should* go to prison that she does, and if she truly didn't understand, then I hope she is removed from that home and placed somewhere that she can at least develop some communication skills.

[Tonya]

FYI:

Our newspaper site is www.modbee.com It'll more then likely stay under local news on the left hand side.

[Tonya]

Child endangerment case pushed back

Martinez Dionicio
By MICHAEL MELLO
BEE STAFF WRITER


Last Updated: November 20, 2003, 08:58:22 AM PST


MERCED -- A judge Wednesday delayed the arraignment of a woman accused of stuffing toilet tissue down her newborn child's throat.
The delay is until Friday while authorities try to figure out how to communicate with the defendant, who is deaf and mute, and can't read or write.

The Merced County district attorney's office filed charges of felony child endangerment against Juliana Martinez Dionicio, 24, on Wednesday afternoon.

According to Livingston police, Martinez Dionicio crawled into a dog pen near her father's home and gave birth to a girl, then shoved toilet paper down the newborn's throat in an attempt to kill her. Family members say Martinez Dionicio, a native of Oaxaca, Mexico, can't speak, read or write in Spanish or Trique, the language of her indigenous tribe.

At a court appearance Wednesday, Public Defender Wayne Eisenhart told Superior Court Judge Robert Quall that only the woman's family members are able to communicate with her, and the arraignment should be continued so the woman's father could attend.

Livingston police arrested Martinez Dionicio on Sunday on suspicion of attempted murder. Deputy District Attorney Bruce Gilbert, who filed the child endangerment complaint, said an attempted murder charge may be added after medical reports on the baby's injuries become available.

"After the (preliminary hearing), we can either file more serious charges or less serious charges," Gilbert said. But now, "we're definitely going with the felony child endangerment. Even if the child doesn't have any permanent (injuries), it's still child endangerment."

The nonprofit Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center in Merced is trying to bring in a deaf interpreter to help with the proceedings, advocate Terri Welch said. A deaf interpreter uses gestures, rather than sign language, to try to communicate with someone who doesn't know sign language, she said.

"We're trying to make sure that (Martinez Dionicio) has communication of some sort" and can understand the court process, Welch said.

Martinez Dionicio will remain in Merced County's Sandy Mush Adult Correctional Facility in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Family members said the Trique have a simple diet based mostly on corn, and don't regularly eat sugar.

Jail Cmdr. Bill Atkinson said Martinez Dionicio hasn't turned away the jail's food, which is "heavily starch." She seems to be doing well, he said, and is being held in a cell near one of the jail's command centers.

"We are having a difficult time communicating with her," Atkinson admitted, adding that correctional officers will work with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center to ease those difficulties. In addition, a cellmate placed with Martinez Dionicio has been able to communicate with her in a limited fashion with gestures, Atkinson said.

Here is a picture of her:

http://www.modbee.com/ips_rich_content/794-20b2dionicio.jpg

[babolaypo65]

Thanks for this. I'm going to pass it along to others. I hope the deaf relay interpreter will be able to communicate with her.

[Twisterdog]

Family members said the Trique have a simple diet based mostly on corn, and don't regularly eat sugar.

Am I missing something? Did this line seem rather out of place? Does it have anything to do with this case? Hmmmmm.....

[Tonya]

The father was worried about how she would cope with jail food. I read it in another article that I can't seem to find.

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by Tonya
The father was worried about how she would cope with jail food. I read it in another article that I can't seem to find.

Oh, ok, I see now. Thanks.

[CathyBogart]

The more I think about this, the more I agree that the mother should be taken somewhere where she can learn some communication skills. Prison is going to do nothing for her if she doesn't understand what she's done. :(

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by WolfChan
The more I think about this, the more I agree that the mother should be taken somewhere where she can learn some communication skills. Prison is going to do nothing for her if she doesn't understand what she's done. :(

I think the problem will lie however, in determining the difference between her not understanding how to communicate, and not understanding right from wrong.

If she is mentally capable of understanding right vs. wrong, nurturing vs. murdering ... then she attempted to murder an innocent newborn in cold blood. Whether or not she has the power of speech or sign language does not change this.

However, if she is completely incapable of understanding what she did (which, frankly, takes someone VERY far gone, IMO) then sure, she needs help and a place to go to live out her life with supervision.

Disabled people understand death and killing. Handicapped people understand murder. She was certainly mentally astute enough to understand that shoving toilet paper down the throat of someone not capable of removing it will cut off the airflow and kill that person, right?

I just don't want to see the facts confused. Just because she can't speak or communicate does not automatically mean she does not comprehend killing. She may not ... but it needs to be determined.

[babolaypo65]

All unvavoidable had the family spent some time giving this young woman a language. Even without schooling she would have done much, much better.
It's going to be a long hard ordeal trying to figure out what she knows and what she doesn't. when EVERYTHING you know about the world comes from just watching, you make some funny connections. I had a student once, who DID have language, but not at home (his family never learned to sign, and he didn't read lips). ANYWAY, we were working in class and he pointed out (high shool) that a teacher had just bought a black car. He said that was stupid. I asked why. He said it's because black cars have more engine problems than other cars. His family had had a black car and it always broke down. Their other didnt. They bought a second black car. It broke down a lot. He said the blackness caused it. I asked, what would happen if I painted my light blue car black. His answer was that it would break down.

PS, I don't want to leave anyone with the impression that being deaf is in any way a mental disability. A deaf child who has adequate access to language and communication can do anything we do, can go to college if they'd like, can do and be anything.
A deaf child without adequate access to language in the first five years, who gets their first access to language in school is usually going to struggle with language, but will otherwise be okay. (This is the most common scenario. a kid arrives at school at 3-5 with not much and the school spends a lot of time playing catch up).

A deaf child who goes their whole LIFE (this woman is 24) without language is not going to understand much of how the world works.

It's a child abuse I see much too often.

[Tonya]

I'm not saying that she couldn't comprehend murder. She probably knew what she was doing to a point. I just feel really bad for her because she probably panicked. She was probably so terrified that she didn't know what to do.

If she'd had access to the assistance that alot of us do, and had been communicating all along about the baby, she would have been more prepared mentally to birth a child.

For all we know, she probably though aliens were coming out of her.

My mom had a horrible mother who never talked to her about anything. When my mom started her period in gym class at 15 years old, she went hysterical. She thought she was dying because of all the blood.

[babolaypo65]

I'll be curious to learn if she knew she was pregnant.
And if she knows sex caused it.
And who had sex with her.
SAD

Of course everyone in my field is on pins and needles now, waiting to see if she'll be found competent.

[Tonya]

Judge sets woman free in baby case

By MIKE CONWAY
BEE STAFF WRITER


Last Updated: November 25, 2003, 08:00:36 AM PST


MERCED -- A judge Monday evening ordered the release of a deaf-mute woman accused of endangering her newborn daughter, born in a neighbor's back yard in Livingston.
Juliana Martinez Dionicio, 24, had been in Merced County Jail since the Nov. 14 birth. Authorities said they found the baby girl with toilet tissue stuffed in her mouth.

At Dionicio's continued arraignment Monday, the district attorney's office indicated that it will drop the case against Dionicio if continuing investigation reveals that her intended use of the tissue was to clean blood from her baby's mouth.

"This is a complicated situation," retired Superior Court Judge William T. Ivey said.

He continued Dionicio's arraignment until Wednesday morning. That same day, the judge said, he will hold a hearing on what will happen with her baby. The infant remained hospitalized Monday, reported to be in improved condition.

Dionicio does not know sign language, nor does she read or write in English, Spanish or Trique, the language of her people in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Monday, a Spanish translator relayed questions to a Trique translator who then spoke with Dionicio's sister, Rosa Martinez, who used gestures to communicate with Dionicio. A sign language translator also helped.

Before the court appearance, attorneys on both sides huddled with Dionicio and her family and translators, trying to figure out the circumstances of the birth. Dionicio smiled when shown her baby's photo and appeared able to lip-read Spanish to a degree.

Authorities said they found Dionicio in the neighbor's dog pen, where they said Dionicio had given birth. The baby was propped up nearby; firefighters said the infant was in critical condition, suffering from hypothermia.

Through translators, Dionicio conveyed that she had used tissue to try to clean blood from her baby's mouth.

"Based on what we have learned at this point, it would appear very unlikely that we would be able to obtain a conviction," Chief Deputy District Attorney Larry Morse II said.

He said the case could be dropped if Dionicio does not understand what is happening to her in the legal system.

"Her contention is she was raped, and I think it is very likely true," Morse said. Family members have said they did not know that Dionicio was pregnant.

Morse said he would contact prosecutors in a neighboring county with information on a suspect identified by Dionicio and her family.

Public Defender Wayne Eisenhart said: "It would appear Juliana is a victim of a crime, and the district attorney's office recognizes that fact. We're appreciative of them allowing her release today.

"My guess is the criminal charges will be dismissed."

Dionicio, somber most of the afternoon, waved and smiled at Morse as sheriff's deputies led her away -- and toward the processing that would gain her release.

[micki76]

I continue to be disgusted by this.

Just let her free? Completely free? No help, no punishment, no nothing? Sick. I'll bet she gets her baby back eventually, too. :mad:

[Tonya]

I hope she gets help. It sounds to me like they are still investigating.

[babolaypo65]

With much trepidation, I decided to post this. I've deleted it several times.
I spoke with a certified DEAF interpreter, a deaf friend/colleague who interprets in situations where the deaf person does not have any formal language. (FYI we often use relay interpreters in these situations. Ie the "defendant" signs to the deaf relay interpreter, who signs to the hearing interpreter who then speaks English to the judge (or whoever). My colleague thought that considering the situation the deaf woman's reaction was not surprising.

The likely lives in a world where all her information comes to her visually. She is then left to connect the dots. No one explains things to her. No one says where people go when they leave. They leave. they reappear. Period. Things happen, no one says to her how or why. Light happens, dark happens, she likely has no concept of night, day, sun, rotation....
you see where I'm going. I have MET people whose lives are like this.

My colleague's contention is this: she is a farm worker. She has likely SEEN birth before. Birth of animals. She MAY have known she was going to give birth and MAY have gone to the place she had seen birth happen before. The animal pen. If she hasnt seen folks to to the hospital (we dont know if she's seen movies, tv...)... she may have thought she was doing what was done. Oh, this conversation with my colleage was three days ago, she also thought cleaning the mouth out with tissue was logical...

I apologize if I've offended.

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by micki76
I continue to be disgusted by this.

Just let her free? Completely free? No help, no punishment, no nothing? Sick. I'll bet she gets her baby back eventually, too. :mad:

I agree. Obviously "free" did not work for this woman in any sense of the word - she cannot communicate, was raped, and gave birth in a dog pen, where her newborn almost died.

Whatever the clinical diagnosis, this woman obviously needs some help, serious help. Releasing her into the same mess she came out of is stupid, and cruel.

[babolaypo65]

Originally posted by Twisterdog

Whatever the clinical diagnosis, this woman obviously needs some help, serious help. Releasing her into the same mess she came out of is stupid, and cruel.

I agree wholeheartedly.

[Tonya]

My colleague's contention is this: she is a farm worker. She has likely SEEN birth before. Birth of animals. She MAY have known she was going to give birth and MAY have gone to the place she had seen birth happen before. The animal pen. If she hasnt seen folks to to the hospital (we dont know if she's seen movies, tv...)... she may have thought she was doing what was done. Oh, this conversation with my colleage was three days ago, she also thought cleaning the mouth out with tissue was logical...

That sounds very possible. That poor thing, and poor baby. I feel so bad for them.