How Could You? Hall of Shame-Christina Meeks case-child death UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Muskogee, Oklahoma, a 2011 missed case reveals one of the most brutal cases that we have reported on to date. Christina Meeks, 4, a severely disabled child, died on June 20, 2011 after physical abuse and rape in a kinship placement with her uncle Robert Meeks, Jr. and her grandmother Betty Hall.

“A Muskogee man has been charged after the death of his four-year-old niece last week.

Grandmother, Uncle Charged In Sexual Abuse Of 4-Year-Old Muskogee Girl
[News on 6 6/27/11]

“Both Hall and Meeks are still in the Muskogee County jail. Their next court date is July 7, 2011.”
Funeral Held For 4-Year-Old Muskogee Girl
[News on 6 6/28/11]

” Police say she had numerous health conditions since birth. She had a heart monitor, could not speak, was bedridden and wore diapers. Officers say the child showed signs of severe sexual abuse.
“Whoever did this to her needs the same thing done to them. Until they die, every day they need it. What he did to her, how could he do that?” sobs Christina’s great-grandmother Cherry Phillips.

“Hard to wrap our minds around or anything else,” says Christina’s grandmother Enola Justice. “Your whole body’s numb.”

“I’ll never see her again. God took her with him but now she’s not suffering anymore,” says Phillips.

“The way I see it when they get all their tests back and everything, it’ll tell the truth,” says Justice. “And when the truth comes out whoever the one is proven to have done it, as far as I’m concerned, God is the only one who can give them the right justice.”

Hearings for Meeks and Hall have been postponed until Monday.   ”
Muskogee Child’s Family Shocked By Abuse Allegations
[Fox 23 6/23/11]

“A man accused of sexually abusing a deceased four year-old girl, and his mother who police say never reported the abuse, didn’t appear in Muskogee county court Wednesday afternoon as planned. At the last minute a court hearing where Robert Meeks II and his mother Betty Hall would hear formal charges was postponed.

Muskogee County District Attorney Larry Moore says the hearing was cancelled because police have not given him their finished police report and forensic evidence has not been tested yet. Family and friends of the girl still came to the courthouse today desperately wanting the elusive answers to so many questions about this case.

Ella Gilbreth came to the Muskogee county courthouse to see Betty Hall, a woman she’s passed on the street dozens of times, in handcuffs.

“I knew her, and I thought she was a real good momma,” Gilbreth said.

Now police say Betty is connected to the sexual abuse and rape of her granddaughter who had special needs and severe health problems.

“I just, my God, I can’t believe it. It’s not her. I had to look twice to make sure that was her,” she said.

Police say the four year-old Christina was abused almost beyond recognition at the hands of Hall’s 22 year old son Robert Meeks.

“I cried. I just didn’t know what to think of it and I feel so sorry for her. What happened to her,” Ella Gilbreth said.

Family also came to the courthouse Wednesday and they were overcome with emotion. They are trying to wrap their heads around what police say happened.

“How I could anybody do that? I’ll never see her again,” Cherry Phillips said between tears.

Christina died Monday in Tulsa. Police have said they’re not looking at death of a homicide. They believe the young girl died because of her other health problems. Christina’s Great Aunt says that’s the biggest injustice of all.

“I hope they get a homicide conviction, because there is no way that girl’s medical problems actually cause her death,” Leann Justice said.

FOX23 asked District Attorney Larry Moore about the possibility of adding a murder charge to this case. He says it’s not likely, but if he gets new evidence or information he would not rule it out.

A new hearing date has been set for Monday at 3 p.m..Meeks will continue to be held without bond Betty Hall is jailed on a $50,000 bond.”

Girl’s Death, Abuse Allegations Rock Muskogee
[Fox 23 6/23/11 by Adam Paluka]

“Charges have been dropped against a man who was arrested in connection with a sexual assault on a disabled 4-year-old girl the day before she died at a Tulsa hospital.

Muskogee County District Attorney Larry Moore said authorities could not tie Robert Meeks Jr., 22, or anyone else in the household to the crime based on the forensic evidence that has been tested so far. Meeks was the girl’s uncle.

Meeks’ mother, Betty Hall, 42, implicated Meeks after her granddaughter Christina Meeks was taken to a hospital with a high fever and in cardiac arrest June 19.

Hospital personnel observed that the child had vaginal bleeding, a damaged hymen and deep internal tears to her vagina and anus, an affidavit states.

Moore said the charges were dropped without prejudice, meaning they can be refiled if more evidence surfaces. He added that more testing is being done.
Hall, who was the child’s caretaker, still faces a child neglect charge alleging that she was aware of sexual abuse and that she did not seek medical attention for the girl.

“We are proceeding against the grandmother and will prosecute her to the fullest of our ability,” Moore said. “The evidence shows that she (the child) was sexually abused.”

The state Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that the girl died of natural causes and not from sexual abuse.

Moore said the child had severe medical problems and also had been hospitalized in the week leading up to her death.

Hall told investigators that she woke up to the girl’s heart monitor alarm going off about 12:30 a.m. June 18 and saw Meeks “quickly exit the bathroom, stop and look around suspiciously, then walk into his bedroom and shut the door,” according to the affidavit.

Hall said she went to the bathroom and discovered a napkin soaked with “fresh semen” in the trash can, the affidavit states.

She told investigators that she noticed that the girl’s diaper was only partially on when she went in to change her about 5:30 a.m. and that she found blood in the child’s vaginal area.

Moore said all members of the household, which also includes Hall’s husband, Robert Meeks Sr., are persons of interest in the case.”

Charges dropped in rape of girl, 4
[Tulsa World 8/25/11 by Sue Hylton]

“The grandmother of a 4-year-old Muskogee girl who died after being sexually abused has been ordered to stand trial on child neglect charges.

Betty Hall, 42, was arrested and charged in June 2011 after Muskogee Police investigated the case. Hall had pointed the finger at her son, Robert, claiming he was responsible for hurting Christina Meeks.

Betty Hall cried at the start of her hearing, listening to testimony that prosecutors say will prove she’s guilty of child neglect.

“She noticed the bleeding, the damage and everything and she still didn’t do nothing? She deserves exactly what she let happen to Christina,” said Cherry Phillips, Victim’s Great Grandmother.

Great-grandmother Cherry Phillips showed up to court in a T-shirt featuring photos of the disabled 4-year-old gil who died in June.

“I still have people coming up to me, giving me hugs, reminding me that I don’t have her anymore,” she said.

Christina was on a heart monitor, needed a machine to breathe and a feeding tube to eat. A nurse testified Friday that Christina was in cardiac arrest when she arrived at the hospital June 19th.

The nurse says she saw extensive bruising on Christina’s thighs and bottom, blood coming from the child’s privates and bottom and half of the girl’s hair had been pulled from her head.

A police sergeant testified Hall told him she knew the girl was bloody and injured at the family home more than 24 hours before she took the child to the hospital.

Hall explained how Christina, who couldn’t speak, was pulling out her hair, grinding her teeth, biting and scratching her arms, “like she was in a lot of pain.”

“How she thought those wounds could heal, why she didn’t even try,” Phillips said.

Betty Hall’s stepson, Robert Meeks, was originally facing child sexual abuse in the case, but the DA dropped those charges for lack of evidence.

“We are currently seeking information and evidence on who did this to this child,” said Muskogee County DA Larry Moore.

Moore says a case could be refiled against Robert Meeks, or charges could be filed against someone else.

Betty Hall will be arraigned in district court on October 13th. She’s facing up to life in prison for felony child neglect.

The medical examiner hasn’t ruled on Christina’s cause of death yet.”

Muskogee Woman Ordered To Stand Trial On Child Neglect Charge
[News on 6 9/16/11 by Lacie Lowry]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: “The trial of a woman charged with a count of child neglect, originally scheduled for Thursday, has been delayed to June 15.[2012]
Authorities allege that Betty Hall, 42, failed to seek medical attention for Christina Meeks, her 4-year-old granddaughter.
Meeks died June 20, 2011, after Muskogee police were sent to Muskogee Regional Medical Center to investigate a report of a child who had injuries consistent with sexual abuse.
The medical examiner’s report said Meeks died of natural causes, not from sexual abuse.”

Trial of woman in neglect case delayed

[Muskogee Phoenix 3/9/12]

Update 2: “The Muskogee County District Attorney’s Office has dismissed a charge of child neglect against a grandmother of a 4-year-old girl who died in 2011.

Betty Hall, 43, was arrested and charged in June 2011 after Muskogee Police investigated the case.

According to court records, Hall’s trial was set to begin Monday, but the DA’s office asked to dismiss the charge without prejudice and the judge agreed.

Following her arrest, Hall had pointed the finger at her stepson, Robert Meeks II. A charge of child sexual abuse was dismissed without prejudice against Meeks in August 2011.

Dismissed without prejudice means the charge can be refiled at a later date.”

Child Neglect Charge Dismissed In Muskogee Girl’s 2011 Death

[News on 6 3/12/13]