How Could You? Hall of Shame-Mame-Neta Attocknie 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 Geronimo, Oklahoma, “a baby died in the care of foster parents. Now the biological family wants answers.

The four-month old was found dead in the backseat of a car at the Dollar General Store in Geronimo Tuesday. Police believe the baby girl had been left in the back seat in the sweltering hot car for nine hours.

The biological grandparents and great-grandmother of Mame-Neta Attocknie were too devastated by the baby girl’s death to talk on camera, but they say they loved her and wanted to care for her.

DHS removed Attocknie from her biological mother, and determined other family members were not fit to care for her.

“Relatives are always our first choice,” said DHS spokeswoman Sheree Powell. “However they do have to meet certain standards. They have to pass a background check. They have to not have a child welfare history of their own and they have to be able to care for the child.”

Investigators say Attocknies’ foster father, who works nights, left the baby in the car while he slept. He then had his son take the car to the Dollar General. That’s when investigators say the foster parents realized the baby was still in the car.

DHS says the foster parents are experienced and well-trained. [Yeah, right!]

“This family has been a foster family since 2001 and has fostered more than 60 children at this time and have adopted several,” said Powell. “This is a family that’s very committed to helping Oklahoma’s children.”

OSBI is investigating this case and DHS says it’s supporting the foster family and the biological family during this horrible time.

“I encourage people not to rush to judgment in this case. Let’s wait and see what their investigation reveals,” said Powell.”

OK Foster Baby Dies After Left In Hot Car, Biological Family Wants Answers [New 9 9/21/16 by AARON BRILBECK]

“The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has been called in after a three-month-old baby girl was found dead inside a hot vehicle in Comanche County.

The Geronimo Police Department requested assistance from the OSBI after Mame Neta Attocknie was left in the back seat of a vehicle for at least nine hours Tuesday.

According to a news release, the infant was in the custody of foster parents.  They said the foster father failed to drop off the child at daycare Tuesday morning after he took his son to school.  

The release goes on to say, the foster father, who works a night shift, went home and then to bed.  After work at approximately 4:30 p.m., the foster mother went to the daycare and discovered Attocknie was not there.

Police said she called her husband to check on the child.  Minutes before that call, the foster father had sent his teenage son to the local Dollar General in the foster father’s vehicle.  Police went to the store and found the infant still strapped in her car seat.[So the teenaged son didn’t realize that his sister was in the car?]

First responders were called and when medics arrived, they confirmed the baby was dead.

The OSBI said Wednesday morning, after interviewing foster family members, no one has been arrested in connection with the infant’s death.”

OSBI: Geronimo Infant Left In Car Nine Hours Found Dead [News on 6 9/21/16 ]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:“A foster parent is facing second degree manslaughter in connection with the death of a 4- month old  girl.

Back in September, Geronimo police said the infant’s foster father, 45 year-old Billy DeWayne Allen, worked a night shift, and then drove his son to school with the baby in the back seat.

Authorities said Allen told them he then drove back home and went to sleep.

That afternoon, his wife called him to say she was at the daycare and they told her the baby had never been dropped off that morning.

Just before she called, Allen said he had sent the son to Dollar General in the car, the two then rushed to the store and found the baby dead inside the car, still strapped into  her car seat.

Investigators believe the child was in the car for at least 9-hours.

Allen has been released on $3,000 bond. And if convicted, he faces 2 to 4 years in prison.

It’s a tragedy Geronimo parents still can’t understand.

“I know a lot of people of have a lot of hectic working lives and stuff, but to me, I just couldn’t even come up with an excuse to be in that situation,” said Ashleigh Hall, a Geronimo resident.

Hall said she has a son that’s almost two years old and never leaves him in the car alone even for a minute.

“I totally understand why he was charged,” Hall said. “I really hope that it was a genuine accident. I really hope that it was something criminal offense where it was neglect for the child.”

“It’s horrible that it’s happened,” said Geronimo Police Chief David Johnston. “Anytime a child is injured, I can’t think of anything worst. This type of call is an officer’s worst nightmare.”

Chief Johnston said this is the first time something like this has happened in Geronimo, he just urges everyone with children to take that extra minute to make sure their child is safe.

“What happened to these people, could happen to anyone.”

When the baby was taken from her biological mother who lives in Lawton, by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, the baby’s biological grandparents attempted to be her foster parents, but were not able to meet DHS requirements

The mother has several charges pending including drug possession and larceny, and had been scheduled for a plea and sentencing on Wednesday, but that was reset for February. ”

Geronimo Foster Parent Charged in Hot Car Death of Baby[Texomas home page 11/11/16]