(WIDK By AnnaMarie Houlis) -Is society talking about death too casually?
Just hours before her mother, Rachelle Grimmer, shot her and her 10-year-old brother, Ramie Marie Grimmer posted “may die 2day” as her Facebook status.
Rachelle, who was angry she could not receive food stamps, shot her children and herself after a seven-hour standoff with police.
According to MSNBC, Ramie updated her facebook regularly during that time—”May die 2day” was posted at 7:50 PM, and she even tagged her location as Laredo, Texas.
Although authorities understood the conditions of the situation, and even despite Ramie’s reach out on Facebook, no one stepped in to retrieve the children; shots were fired around 11:45 PM and Ramie was killed anyway.
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instead of saying “if she can afford cell phones why cant she afford food?” how about if she can afford a gun, why cant she afford food?
Fug, your statements about how long a drug will stay in your system are incorrect. To Christina, there are rights people have in this country. I am sorry that you feel since people have to be dropped for a job that welfare people should have to do the same. I feel sad for most of you posting on here. Please get a life and stay out of others until you know the facts and only judge yourselves…bottom line
Seriously, to most of you. Pity is not what this family needed. Shame is probably what the mother felt. The sad part is the children didn’t feel safe enough to reach out to another adult. Politics, race,blaming the “welfare” people or their guidelines is ridiculous. Sadly, no one close enough to this family saw it coming except the daughter and that is the blame here. People need to be aware and knowledgeable of mental health and seeing the signs. This is just a horrible situation. Do we know all the facts? No. Please, those of you who are judging are the ones keeping our society sick.
Since when is asking for assistance for food to feed your family an “outlandish claim”? I pray for the mother’s soul although I know the children are embraced in the arms of God.
Officer Baeza credited the supervisor with remaining calm and allowing officers to evacuate the other employees and members of the public who were in the building.
He said: ‘This is the kind of thing you hear of happening in other places, but not in our quiet home town.’
THIS TOWN IS FAR FAR FAR FROM QUIET. MAYBE OFFICER BAEZA FORGOT OF THE LITTLE GIRL THAT THE PARENTS IN THE PARK KILLED BY LOOP 20. OR THE BODY FOUND IN THE DUMPSTER BY LOOP 20 AT A GAS STATION. OR HOW ABOUT ALL THE KIDNAPPING THAT IS GOING ON BY THE MEXICAN CARTEL WHEN YOU CROSS OVER THE BRIDGE. OH AND LETS NOT FORGET THAT THE GANGS AND SUCH RUN RAMPANT THRUOUT THE TOWN . ESPECIALLY BY LCC SOUTH CAMPUS. THESE TO NAME A FEW MUST OF SLIPPED HIS MIND. HA QUIET MY ARSE. ITS UNFORTUNATE WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS WOMAN BUT THE SYSTEM THERE IS NOT GOOD. AND WHEN YOU TRY TO GET HELP YOU GET AN ANGRY WOMAN THAT THINKS HER SHIT DONT STINK AND TREATS YOU LIKE TRASH. AND THEY DONT GIVE YOU A REASON WHEN YOU GET DENIED. THEY JUST DO IT AND WELL FIGURE IT OUT ON YOUR OWN. THIS IS THE SAD TRUTH OF THIS ‘QUIET LITTLE TOWN”
Check this out: To get a job you go to an interview. If the interview goes well, you are hired as long as you can pass a drug screen. You go to work faithfully and work hard. You receive your paycheck and see that money has been taken from you. Some of this money goes into the system to help fund welfare and food stamps. NOW HERE’S THE PART THAT REALLY MESSES WITH MY HEAD….I MEAN IN A SERIOUS WAY MESSES WITH MY HEAD: To gain the help of welfare and food stamps you have to do an interview…….WHERE THE HELL IS THEIR DRUG SCREEN????
Our parole and probationary offices use “Color-Code” for drug screen for criminals already. You call monday through saturday and if your color is called you go and take a drug screen. Take the money that will be saved by filtering out these crack fiends popping out babies just for the welfare money and spend it to expand those probationary offices. IF the person applying for government assistance truly requires it, then there should be absolutely no problem AT ALL with compliance to this. ANYBODY WHO OBJECTS……………well, you can do the math right? I can.
Every single person who goes to work and pays their taxes supports these bums every day which means that each one of these people also have a say in this issue…..it’s just a matter of speaking up and DOING something about it rather than just pointing fingers and laying blame.
My idea may not be the best one, but at least it’s an idea….which is a hell of a lot more than I can say for the majority of the people in the US.
I understand where you are coming from however- lets take a look at what drug tests REALLY screen for shall we? Ok- so crack will stay in your system about 1-2 days- no matter how much you smoke. Coke – about the same. Meth- the same. Marijuana- AHA! This is the ONE and ONLY drug that stays in your system for a LONG time with NO predetermined time to vacate. With that said- drug tests are used to find out who smokes pot. That is all. So Christina- your precious test you would like for people to take will only reveal a weed head with the munchies.
Sad story, I would have stopped paying for the 12 year olds smart phone and bought her some food instead.
What the heck?? All these poor pitiful her stories. Who gives a crap how the little girl got the phone or why they had been denied. Hardships are part of life. Nobody said its going to be a breeze??? So many dramatic people. Do what you have to do to make it thru the day and then if you are blessed enough to wake up to a new day, be thankful!
Really!! “You don’t know what this poor woman was going through!!??” What’s wrong with you people. The second this woman turned her frustrations towards her children she failed to be a victom by any standards.
FIRST OFF OUR SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE FIXED!!! tHIS STORY IS SO SAD, HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT THIS LADY WAS GOING THROUGH..WAS SHE SO DESPERATE,TERRIFIED AND ANGRY THAT HER CHILDREN WERE NOT GOING TO HAVE FOOD TO EAT, A PLACE TO REST, AND ECT. HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO KEEP YOUR CHILD FROM STARVING? NOW, WHAT I AM GOING TO SAY MIGHT COME ACROSS RACIST, BUT IT IS NOT ACTUALLY MY HUSBAND IS HISPANIC..HE IS LEGAL AND YES WE PAY OUR TAXES. BUT, HIS SISTER LIVES IN TEXAS AND SHE IS NOT LEGAL, SHE NOW HAS 3 KIDS AND PREGNANT WITH HER 4TH.SHE BABYSITS AND CLEANS AND GETS PAID UNDER THE TABLE AND HER BOYFRIEND AND HIS BROTHERS ALSO ILLEGALS LIVE WITH HER..THEY DO NOT WORK THEY EAT AND DRINK BEER. SHE GETS FOOD STAMPS,MEDICAL CARDS, WIC, HUD, AND SOME SORT OF CHECK. I AM SORRY BUT THIS PISSES ME OFF. AND SHE IS NOT THE ONLY ILLEGAL THAT I KNOW OR HAVE HEARD OF THAT DOES THIS. THEY LAUGH AT OUR GOVERNMENT AND JUST KEEP TAKING. THEN I HEAR ABOUT THIS LADY AND HER CHILDREN. I AM IN NO WAY TAKING UP FOR HER, CAUSE PERSONALLY I WOULD NEVER HURT MY CHILDREN. BUT IF YOU WERE AT YOUR WITTS END, YOU COULD SNAP TO THE POINT IN GETTING SOMEONE ATTENTION LIKE I SAID I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THAT DESPERATE OF A SITUATION AND NEVER WANT TO BE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO. ESPECIALLY IF YOU KNOW THAT ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE ARE ABUING THE SYSTEM????? HMMM???? THINGS NEED TO CHANGE!!!
This story is either to make people think that if we don’t allow for everybody to have foodstamps they will kill themselves or its just a crazy lady who can’t handle life. I was denied foodstamps before and I didn’t kill myself over it. Maybe she wasn’t eligible. Maybe she spent her money on drugs. Maybe she was a hard working lady and she got denied while other people sat on their butts and collected foodstamps to sell for drugs. We don’t know the whole story. Its a tragedy but we can’t say any more than that.
I pity them.
Many are starving and are pushed to their limit like this.
1. The problems on both sides of the public welfare system do need to be called into question. Deserving people have fallen through the cracks while undeserving have been given more than enough. The system has a horrendous sense of what is ‘deserving’ and what is not.
2. Republican and Democrats both are to be commended and to blame for where and how the social systems we have in place takes care or does not take care of all of our legal, authorized citizens and non-citizens.
3. This is a sad story. The girl knew her mother was in distress. It’s a shame she couldn’t tell someone, and that someone could have helped the mother. It’s just sad, all the way around.
You dont kno til you walk a mile in her shoes
I don’t know all of this lady’s circumstances, but I do know that SS is not an entitlement. I have worked all of my life(I’m now 56yo), have paid in SS taxes since I was 15, and now can’t work. I have been denied what is rightfully mine, my SS that I paid in, twice. I don’t want anything given to me. I just want what is rightfully mine.
goddamn white people.. doin crazy shit for no reason. like a friend of mine said, “black people do dumb shit, but there will always be a reason; it may be a dumb-ass reason, but there is a reason; white folks just do crazy shit, like a mu’fukka.”
having to fight for food for half a year and being still denied?….. this is america people, what does the president have to say now?
Ok first off I feel badly for the children..bless their little hearts. To the mother I would have went door to door for food BEFORE ever killing my child but SHE may have had mental problems for all we know..we are normally fed what the media decides to feed us that will get a reaction they want…we all have fed and turned on each other..sadly..Secondly I myself am on disability so Im sure I should be hung for it!!! I have a phone and and computer access. Im sorry that I was born with epilepsy Im sorry I have uncontrolled seizures.Even though I shouldnt explain myself I will. I have a cell phone I need to have access to call an ambulance. I have a computer because my children have to have access for school and I am unable to drive to library.Until you are a disabled person you have no right to judge. What hatefull people have to say doesnt affect me BUT you have NO idea how a comment CAN and WILL affect another disabled person. YOU are NO better than a mom who did what she did to her children because these terrible comments could cause suicidal people on disability to end their lives and yet you feel like you have the right to stand in judgement on others..who made you judge and jury??? I hope you know things people write affect others and be careful that you never have blood on your hands for your thoughtless words..
maybe if they had been as quick and happy to help this family as they are to help people who are illigal and shouldn’t even GET foodstamps these kids would be alive… I can’t imagine being so hungry and so beat down my this system that I truely believed “better for us to just die then” welfare and the way undeserving get what deserving American citizens can’t get makes me sick.. and this supervisor did JACK but what that lady allowed.. please.
I agree completely…. I wrote in another section from a newspaper that the woman claimed the office was purposefully denyi g her because the dad had been in the KKK (no excuse to punish the kids).
Nathan
Maybe the idiot DHS people should have listened to her. If they were anything like they are here, I know just what that poor lady was going through. God Bless this little family.
Stupid uneducated DHS workers.
This is the most pathetically-disgusting comments page I’ve ever seen on an article. You people make me sick. Three people dead and you’re arguing over cellphones, race and political parties. You want to know what’s really wrong with the country?…look at your own opinions.
Go back to watching some baseball game with your cap on backwards. It’s precisely these matters (race and political parties) that are the cause of our countries mess.
Since on the topic, I pose a question. At what point should a middle-class person struggling to make ends meet stop giving to others? I don’t have children and because I was smart & didn’t have kids, I was denied food stamps when I was in my 30s and really needed food. Luckily my church helped me thru this tuff time. But I’m now in my 40s, unemployed, not collecting unemployment and relying on my husband’s part-time job to help us pay for our under-water mortgage. So… am I allowed to have the opinion that people on welfare should prioritize their income, not buying designer clothing, the best cable package, smart-phone or would I be callous in doing so? In my hard times both in my 30s and now in my late 40s, I don’t ask anyone else to pay my bills. I don’t ask the government, nor the hard working people out there struggling to get by. I don’t even ask those wealthier than me. Why? Because it is THEIR money. Not mine. When we expect handouts simply because other people have more, then we ease into a lull to sit on our own buttocks and do nothing while those WITH a better paying job take all my lazy-ass couch potatoing onto themselves. THAT would be just as criminal as what you accuse rich people of. There are many charitable organizations around. Thrift-stores, food-outlet stores that sell damaged can/boxed foods, 2nd hand stores for cloting, churches and other non-profit organizations, and most people I have come across to help, don’t want to BOTHER with filling out forms to prove they are in need. I have housed a homeless man for 4 months, helping him with a bank account, get food-stamps going, get into a alcohol program, find housing and a gas-station job, as well as apply for social security, and 2 months after getting him into his own place, I checked on him and he went back to the streets to live. Some people you can’t help. Some people don’t want help. Some people who DO want help, don’t want to work for it. THAT is so ashame. I’m so sorry these children went thru such a horrendous ordeal. Unfortunately the entire nation is at dire straits & it’s only going to get much worse. I suspect we haven’t heard the last of these sorts of incidents, unfortunately. I cannot give even $1 as I don’t have $1 to give because there are no jobs in an economy where the unemployment rate is over 9 percent and nobody is holding dems accountable for holding up the jobs bills with their demonstrative demands in their uncomprimising earmarked proposals! No, instead we hear how responsible proposals by the repubs are the ones holding america hostage. Wake up everyone. You’re being lied to for a reason! Watch Cspan for Petesake!
Ridiculous. The republicans are just as much to blame for the situation we’re in. They drag their feet and absolutely refuse to do anything that might tax the super rich while continually cutting programs that assist the poor.
This woman had mental problems per family members LEFT OHIO where family was and moved to a texas hell hole knowing no one. her kids were home schooled so they got no free breakfast or lunch. WHY WAS SHE ALLOWED TO TAKE KIDS , WHERE WAS FATHER OF KIDS!!!!!
she ran away.. wow great way to help a lady out huh.. but yea.. why TX land of the ‘not if you speak english and are born in America’ ugh
What a bunch of cry babies. Oh my heart goes …………….on and on and on and on. STFU. I’m tired of everyone thinking they have all the answers all the time. Yes, the woman was struggling to get the help she needed. Was she going about the process in the proper manner. Apparently not. So let’s take the kids with us to the welfare office and create a hostage situation with my children and another human being to show them I mean business and my kids need food now. Yeah your kid was definitely worried about eating as she likes Evanesence on FB from her smart phone. Guess what now no one likes anything. I’m sorry for the lives of the children. But it’s obvious from all you bleeding heart bastards out there that you don’t live in reality. You live in some fantastical world where everyone will be saved and always have enough food to make their tummies full 3x a day. Both my wife and I work ourselves to death to pay for a mortgage and cars and insurance and food and yes cell phones. We don’t expect anyone to provide those things for us. If you want someone to give you everything go live in communist china. Here, in America where real Americans are concerned we like to know that we worked for what’s ours and that’s makes it ours and that’s the American Dream. To bad so many pansies out there are destroying that aspect of American life. Get a Job !! and if that don’t cut it. Get 2 or 3. Lazy MF
My prayers go out for the family.
This is very sad. Think of all the time she asked for help and was denied…why was it not clearly explained to her what she needed to do in order to be qualified. If someone keeps being denied then keeps reapplying…WHY did they not call her to come to the office so they can review the application with her directly. Think of all the other people who are in her situation, on the borderline of loosing their minds because they are faced with never ending struggles due to the economy… hunger homelessness anger & frustration…they commit crimes, murder suicides, because they don’t have money, they keep getting denied and cannot provide for their families…smh.
They make you go through HELL when trying to review the case. Right before my husband changed jobs, we applied while he was a server at a local restaurant… Somehow, they came up with that my husband made over $4,000 dollars a month!! as a SERVER!!?!?!? we kept being denied and we couldn’t understand why?! nonetheless… it was like i said earlier, H E L L. In the end we just gave up and lived with barely making it while i was pregnant and had a toddler. ridic.
THIS IS AWFUL! SO SAD FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES! TEARFUL!
I don’t agree with what the mother did, but I believe she felt her children had no one but her and she couldn’t do it no more. So in her state of mind she felt that she would take her children with her so they don’t have to suffer. I pray for her soul and for the children left behind, that they will find someone to take care of them so that don’t have to go without food or anything else. Welfare is designed to keep you down. If you are able to get service they only give it to you for a few months. Once you get a job or your money increases they take it away. So basically as long as you aren’t progressing they are willing to help. Meanwhile the cost of living go’s up; food prices go up; jobs are being taken away; public schools get worse; etc. The entire system is set up for failure.
I’m not saying how this woman went about this situation is right, but Texas is RIDICULOUS when it comes to helping people! The hoops they want you to jump to get even a little help. SMH
You are exactly right. I live in Texas, so yes, you are right. Even churches look at you like your stupid when you ask for help. And that was when I was in Lake Jackson. No one helps. No one walking the streets and stores, no one. No one. She had to have felt desperation.
Can you imagine what its like to watch your kids starve in front of you?
Wow its amazing as I read these comments. I do this job and bottom line we determine eligibility with the information that we have. We do not make the rules the government does. We can only help you if you give us what we need to help you. It has nothing to do with skin color. As tragic as this is and believe me my heart go out to the children and the worker of that office but bottom line as the story reads she did not do what she was suppose to do. She had an appointment the next day that she did not show for and did not even contact the office until several months later. We are in this position to help people and I do agree that there are some worker that just should not be doing the job but as a worker myself we still have our rules and regulations that are set by the government that we have to follow and bottom line is that someone who is requesting help has to give us what is need to determine eligibility. Too many times in my 12 years of experience that the customer does not do what it is that they are suppose to and when they decide that now they want to do it they expect us to just jump but we have rules and step and procedures that we have to follow. I love my job because I love helping people but as much as I love it there is no way possible that I can help you if you dont do what it is that you need to do. And as far as who said we as workers have perfect lives you are so far from the truth we have just as many problems and issues as the people we serve. It burns my nerves when people just think cause we hand out the benefits that we sit above the rest. I have been behind in my rent, car note, cable shut off ect. so we are not very far for the people that we serve. It is very sad and tragic that it had to get to that point but on this one I wont say you cant blame the system but you can blame the worker he/she was just doing their job. Prayer out to all that was involved
God bless Leticia-from one worker who strives every single day to help as many people as possible even as I struggle to pay my own bills. It is not the blame of the workers following laws, it is horrible that this happened, but there is no grounds to cast blame anywhere else.
Full of shit
To all of you who are claiming to work for Social Services depts …
Can you tell me WHY a pair of white twins, both in So. Cal., both divorced, each with 2 kids, each single, each unemployed (from the same company), living 2 doors apart in similarly furnished rented apartments … ONE got the benefits of food stamps and TANF for her fsamily and the other was denied under supposedly “equal and fair rules for all applicants”. The ONLY difference in thier situations was one had kept her former husbands name … A HISPANIC SURNAME – she was approved right away. The oher who had returned to her birth name was denied.
But it is all fair and NOT based on race or culture … right? BS!
It’s unfortunate that 3 lives were taken…settled man..you need help…I am black and I have children..I just lost my job of 15yrs and only found a part time job currently..thank goodness I have money saved to assist me with My bills for a while until I find a full time job…I would love to know what area you live in that gives only black people help…there are many people that cause the system..they come from every nationality..every background..either abusing the system with taxes, welfare, taking money from those who have saved and trusted people to invest. It’s still the system!!!! …the woman moved several times within 8 months of being in that state and that could have made it harder to confirm her residency and verify her info. The application was incomplete and that’s why she was denied. But its people like you settled man that will definitely make me want to work that much harder to stay OFF welfare because of the way you look down at black people as though we aren’t worth anything. So that comment you made is just because you aren’t informed and you should think before you speak.
How do you know it was incomplete?
Smdh some people are so ignorant why does it always have to be a black or white thing the lady oviously had several different issues going on its just sad that she wasnt strong enough to overcome this obstacle without harming herself and her children now three people dead….so sad tears
So True!!! Remember, yes there always has been and always will be people who take advantage of the system… there are also people out there who are just down on their luck and need a little bump to help them get back on their feet…. don’t judge everyone!!!!
black welfare workers would have bent over backwards to help her if she was black. they never helped her and then make up the stories about her ranting against the government. this woman and her children were “at risk” but only if you are black do you get help.
did the cops kill the kids or did the woman? if they knew pepper spray would give her time to kill her kids why is they bomb the offices with pepper spray.
Once again race is brought up….they have white welfare workers too. Which still has nothing to do with anything, grow the heck up. It isn’t a white or black issue it is a humanity issue. Everyone black, white, orange, yellow, or purple should have food to eat. YOU ARE SO IGNORANT I WISH I WAS BLACK SOMETIMES WHEN I REALIZE PEOPLE LIKE YOU STILL EXISTENCE.
Hmmm,so the cops should be to blame for this maniac killing her kids because they tried a less than lethal way to save her kids????? People like you are the reason this stuff happens, I hope to god you don’t have kids, you’re out of your mind
No, and she wasn’t a maniac, you idiot. She was a depserate mother in a helpless situation. I live in Texas and I know how these people are. Youve gotta be from here to survive here, or be well off.
SHUT the FUCK UP!! Why would you make this about race shit! LAZY ass people come in a shapes and colors.. STOP being and IDIOT!!!
Both children have died.
I can’t believe everyone is having a debate over this… Has anyone stop and wondered how those kids are and what can we all as parents do to help. I just cant see why everyone is bashing the mother.. Yes she did the worst thing by hurting her babies and taking her own life but sometimes things happen, Maybe she lost her job, or something there are so many reasons to feel like the world you live in isn’t fair and thats because its not.. i work hard for what i have and im a damn good mom but i will admit i have had to ask for help one time or another… and YES i have a cell phone and all my kids do as well.. i buy them what they ask for but when i needed help i asked And what i read that is what that woman did and for months she was told NO over and over. I know lot of people who are now getting help from the welfare since the problems with the cut backs and they now live in poverty. So before judging someone look at the whole problem that lead them to where they are now… My PRAYS are with the poor little kids who are suffering from the out come of the Goverment policy.
Kudos, Karry!
What possible things could have happened to kill yourlsef and your kids?? what circumstances do you think could happen in your life to make that OK???? I guess it’s ok that you buy your kids “everything they want” even if you cant afford it??? No problem, I’ll continue working my ass off and supporting your kids too, welfare trash breeding welfare trash
Something is wrong with picture. I have a friend in Texas that went & applied. They have an emergency system that will give you three months worth of food stamps until you have been approved. She had 2 hungry children. What more do you need? Feed them then work out the derails of the paperwork. I would have fed her & gave her a place to stay until she got back on her feet.
I agree April. As I understand there are thousands of illegal aliens getting food stamps for example.
Why would they deny her with hungry citizen kids.
The possible answer is foreboding. Another article I read ( newspaper) said the father was a member of the KKK and the governmental office denied her for that reason.
In my opinion this makes sense. Probably some politically correct zealot office minion taking her anger out on this family.
I don’t care if the dad was a klansman or a communist, her kids shouldn’t starve for the actions of one parent.
“I love my country, it’s the government I fear”
Look I don’t want to be supporting others besides my own kids.. The way this is going Im going to work for the rest of my FN life to support lazy ass people and their FN kids.. I guess I better get my fat ass to work because sooooo many of you FN people on welfare depend on me !!! SMMFH
THIS IS BS WE BAIL OUT BANKS BUT WE MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO HELP PEOPLE IN NEED. AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO SEES A PROBLEM HERE. A LIFE IS LOST CHILDREN ARE LEFT WITH NO MOTHER OVER FOOD STAMPS. SOMETHINGS GOT TO CHANGE
I so AGREE Theresa you are not the only one, we bail out banks and the government in is debt and we suffer!!!
I agree Theresa but if someone is ignorant they will never understand someone in need. They are too full of themselves to step down off their selfrightious pedistal to know what its like to suffer. Shame on them and the system that is trained to turn people away on a whim. Ignorant people wake up she was not robbing a bank to by a car she wanted food you fools. how stupid do you have to be to not understand desperation. Educate yourself how the poor live and then come back and tell me how they are ripping the system off. Its people like you that make this world a cold calous rotting decaying place to exsist.
WORK,WORK and work!!! I work my ass off!! I never depended on anyone for a hand out I have 5 kids and I manage to support them and give them everything they need and want, With out expecting taxpayer to support me or to give me a hand out.. And If you are poor then don’t have kids period!!! BIRTH CONTROL!!
I think that we have all missed the point of this story its not about the cell phone, its not about what they did have or what they dont have its about a little girl and a little boy who lost the only thing that meant something in their lives. They lost a parent so close to the hoildays when its suppose to be about being with the ones you love. Its not always about passing judgement on someone its about looking outside the box that we live in on a daily bases, its bout helping when you can and trying to understand when you can’t do anything. I feel bad for the kids and hope that in the future they can get pass all the he said she said “bull” and start there lives over. I hope that peace and happiness is brought to them during these coming weeks and that they find joy and some part of there lives back. Put urself in the kids shoes instead of sitting there and judging them or their mother!! I am by no meanssaying what the mother did was right, but the kids had no control over it!!
Thank you, Donna…we must educate the ignorant!!!
Donna and Cynthia you are bang on… and if people can’t afford to “give to the poor” don’t do it! What a silly comment Beth – spending hundreds on a disadvantaged child but unable to buy for your family – does that make you feel good or just stupid??
No Cynthia it makes me a person who has compassion toward a child even if their parents have made bad choices, no kid should wake up on christmas without gifts. And yes, i will buy for my family as soon as I”m able to, but i won’t be spending as much on each family member, as they are all well taken care of and don’t need or want for much. I also think it’s horrendous what happened to these children in this post, but sorry, I dont feel a whole lot of compassion for someone who killed herself and almost killed her kids over food stamps. I’m sure she had a lot of other problems going on, but it does’nt excuse what she did, and I don’t believe for a second that the workers who are only following the laws they are required to should harbor one iota of blame
beth you are a liar or else an idiot whose should not have any contact with children if you spent all your money on someone else’s kids while your kids suffered because you hated them and their father.
you should be in prison for child molestation
who said my children went without??? I spent what I had at the time to make a special christmas for someone with POS parents like you??? I have 2 paychecks before christmas, and my kids who need nohting will get most of what they want???? Get off the welfare line and take care of your kids so I can stop having to
and being a REPSONSIBLE parent who takes care of their family is a person who hates their kids and father, and is a child molester???? God I hope idiots liek you can’t reproduce
Bravo once again Beth, well said. Seattle man you are an embarassment to the human race.
I’m sure that you are all these wonderful things you say you are…. “I spend all my money buying for other children I don’t know..” “I spend my time working with needy people…” “I don’t agree with the rules, I am involved in trying to change the local and national regulations…” Give me a break………
We were able to get help for a little while and we are not black or from the hood, my husband just lost his job and what we were able to get really did help. The process was exhausting, enough to drive a person mad, especially if your back is completely up against a wall the way some people have it. I’ve heard so many people with the argument that people on welfare shouldn’t have tv’s or cellphones or whatever else we think they should be denied to be worthy of assistance in this country. Sometimes the things you have were already yours when the well dried up. You can’t sell it because the people who can afford to buy them already have one, pawn shops will give you next to nothing for those items since they have so many already and the other woman made a good point that the phone the girl is using might be borrowed or a gift or she might be getting access to her FB account by using a computer in the office or she might have an old laptop and got lucky with a wi-fi hot spot for free. I do agree that you are missing the point if all you can think of is that the girl might be accessing FB with a smart phone and that if she can afford a smart phone she doesn’t need help. It makes me sad to hear how heartless we’ve become to one another for the sake of the almighty dollar.
What does being black or from the hood have to do with anything?
very well said Donna! It doesn’t matter what somene situation is, that is not for US to decide. Two children have lost a mother and will be scared because of the incident that they witnessed. I pray for the mother’s soul and the children’s future and healing.
Donna thanks for your comment, I feel you 100%.
Well said, Donna!
I would also like to add that, these days, phone service and internet access are absolutely *crucial* to job-hunting. Many companies have switched to online applications exclusively, and quite a few also conduct phone interviews before meeting potential employees in person. While it is true that a landline phone and public library terminals will do in a pinch, having cell service and home internet means one can respond immediately to job offers and listings.
This does not surprise me at all. If you are not a sister or from the hood the department denies you any benefits. The program itself is so corrupt and only blacks that work there will approve the sister. So if your note a sister forget it. BENEFITS DENIED
Jannie, you are 100% correct! I know because it happened to me and my 3 children!! Thank you for having the fortitude to write the truth!!
Patti, both you and Jannie are out of your flippin minds. I’m not sure what world you live in, but here where I live that is definitely not the case. I’m sure you got a letter stating, “We’re sorry, but since you are not black, we choose not to grant you benefits you otherwise would deserve.”
Jannie you sound like a damn fool. Do you know how many sister(s) as you say go into Social Service in need and are denied. There are just as many sister(s) black and white that have made receiving benefits their occupation! FYI: Social Service was first put in place for whites long ago, and there are just as many whites as blacks who receive assistance and don’t need it. Yet, when someone comes along who truly needs it, they can’t get it for one dumb reason, or some lazy worker, or they made $1 too much. Times are rough and this are going to get rougher. If anything I hope it woke them in the office up to STOP playing with peoples emotions.
I agree with Cynthia-except that it was tramatizing as well to the people who work there. The rules and regulations are made by the state and government, not people in the office “playing with peoples emotions”. I work in a field of helping people and violence against staff unfortunately is rampant, but I have no control over and am not able to go around the laws in place (I do support and am involved in trying to change local and national regulations, but I can’t make my own rules)
Well said Cynthia, I’m just saying. The door swing both ways! There are people of all races on the system. There are people of all races that abuse the system, in some form or another. I hope someone will help these kids that lost their mother, give them the real support they are going to need. Some of the people working in these office, have a job because of people that are in need. Some of them are nasty and mean, with their perfect lives. I have worked all my life and retired after many years of work, everybody deserves respect, and some of these workers in the welfare office are have really attitudes.
and whose sister, or what hood should you be from? How many Black people, “or as you refer to them “sisters” do you know that work for the state. I can guarantee there are probably a lot more white “sisters” that work for the state than blacks, so I’m going ask that you do away with stereotypical racist attitude, this has nothing to do with black or white, brothers, or sisters. This has to do with a woman who was denied assistance, then decided she couldn’t bare to live any more, and wanted to take her children out with her. Race does not have a damn thing to do with it. People of all colors, and nationalities are being denied left and right. So you “My sista” could have kept that to yourself!
bull sisters get denied too don’t even try to racial profile !
Jannie, thanks for demonstrating that you’re a racist idiot…& a liar on top of that (along w/Ms. Patti Haynes). You may want to check the statistics on who the majority of welfare recipients are, then get back at me!!! You either qualify, or you don’t…
I agree Ms Niecie!! Kudos to you. What the hell does race have to do with a mother and her child needing assistance?
I disagree I am black mother of 2 and have been denied. The system is corrupt I agree, but rest assured BLACK PEOPLE get DENIED TOO!!
How horrible for the kids. Yeah I know this will sound callous but irrriates me to so many people on facebook and news who cant afford to buy food for their kids, but miraculously are able to afford cellphones with internet access for their whole family. Bet that 100-200 dollar a month would go a long way with food
YES, Beth! You do sound callous!! The phone was probably their only source of joy and communication with the outside world!! It was the daughter on FB, not the mother!! It was probably even a gift! Did you think of that? Are poor people not allowed to have a phone in case of emergency? I guess not, in your twisted world!!!!! You and your ilk really make me ill, like the rest of the Republicans that talk just like you, “LET THEM DIE”! I only wish that someday you are put in this woman’s shoes with starving children and no one who will help you. Then people on FB and other sites can sit in holy judgement of you!!!!!
The government is providing free phones with 250 minutes to those who qualify, so that cell phone doesn’t have to be an issue of cost. I have been in that situation when all I go was ‘no’ everywhere I turned and it isn’t easy to find answers when facing that kind of situation. So Beth please don’t judge them, pray for them. The next time you hear of someone else needing help, be the first there to offer a helping hand. A blessing isn’t a blessing if you don’t share it.
Amen …you took the words right out of my mouth !
Beth I’m a single mother of three teenagers and unfortunately internet and phones are a necessity. My Senior needs internet for her school work and oh, my Middle School child does as well. It is very unfortunate that no one reached out. Dear God bless their soles and bless the people to become less self serving so they can treat people like they want to be treated.
So, Patti, you think it’s okay to forcefully take money from people who earned it, to feed families who decide that cell phones are a necessity over food? “Joy and communication with the outside world” are a privilege one earns, not a right.
you obviously have never had to want for anything!! and internet access is almost a must nowdays for children’s school things! it goes farther than just not getting food stamps, it is the fucked up way of the social services and how they deal with people that was the real cause here. until YOU have had to deal with this agency, you should shut up because you have no clue!!
Amen.
Shawn, they’re not “forcefully taking money from people who earned it, to feed families who decide that cell phones are a necessity over food”. You pay the gov’t taxes to help them run the country, and part of running the country is helping those people who aren’t so fortunate in this economy. You’re ignorant to consider every person on welfare to be lazy, and to believe children who have welfare parents (which is NOT the child’s fault) don’t have the same right to have cell phones. This is the perfect scenario which proves the necessity of cell phones, even for less fortunate children. If she hadn’t had that cell phone, it would appear that the Laredo PD would have had no reason to believe the girl’s life was in danger, but as it was, and they didn’t save her, the blame can rightfully be placed on their negligence.
Hmm, and yet you’re sitting in judgement of me? I grew up in a bad area, in a crappy apartement where i did frequently go hungry and slept on the couch because i had no bedroom, lived without cable, and frequently had the phone shut off, and yet we survived without public assistance. I just spent hundreds of dollars buying christmas gifts for a disadvantaged child I do not know and will never meet and don’t have the money to buy for my own family. Absolutlely I believe that children should be helped and assistance should be available to people who really need it AND will use it wisely. I work with dozens and dozens of families every single day who come in with designer clothes on them and their children, nice cars, nice homes, flat screen TV’s, every gaming system known to man, Iphones, hair and nails done, and are on welfare, food stamps, and wic. Just saying-you can’t place all the blame and responsibility on assistance programs and people who are working hard and saving wherever they can to take care of their family
Very well put Beth. Thank you for the best description of abuse that continually goes on.
Bravo Beth and well said. I too had risen out of the muck and mire of sheer poverty & have seen far too many cases where people don’t sacrifice the luxuries for their own good. We all don’t know the specifics, Patti so I have to say your hate speech to Beth was pretty uncalled for. I hate that this story focused on the Social Workers instead of the reason this particular case fell thru the cracks or ended in fatally wounded children and a suicide mom. I cannot stand that. Poverty is not the fault of Republicans tho, it is the fault of ill-informed people constantly being lied to by a corrupt media bought by the left. Dems founded the KKK, repeatedly fought against human rights and have hijacked minds in order to sno-job people like you into thinking republicans are evil and rich when they are not. I’d suggest before you lash out again, know your history and the truth on matters or risk looking like a fool.
ummmmm I rather believe it’s the fault of those who sit around pointing fingers rather than focusing on what they themselves can do to help make it just a little better each day.
Beth, why would you spend hundreds on a strange child when you haven’t provided for your own family first? That’s neglect. Second, just because you made it out without assistance does not make it wrong for anyone who chooses to take the help the gov’t offers. I’m in school full time, with two daughters under the age of 3, I don’t pay for any form of entertainment, and I still get gov’t assistance. That’s what it’s there for. If you want people who don’t deserve it to stop hogging all the tax money, don’t put down people who really need it and want to take advantage of resources available for them to support their families until they can get on their feet again.
I agree Beth. I’ve been there. If you can’t/won’t work, then you go without cable and cell phones and internet and beer and cigarettes and dish t.v. and the things that so many welfare, disabled, etc. people have. Things I certainly can’t afford and I work full-time.
Well said, Beth. I pray for all who are affected by this… Its not time to judge, it is time to fix the system….
How can you say that someone who is disabled and can’t work shouldn’t be allowed to have anything? it’s not their fault that they are disabled and can’t work. Sure if you are able to work and decide not to then you should do without some things.
B Ives, K Knauer wrote IF you can’t or WON’T work, you should basically get rid of the most financially draining amenity. Some disabled/unemployed have legit circumstances but need to prioritize in order to survive off of welfare. However a lot of disabled/unemployed people have taken unfair advantage of the system getting used to entitlements that they take from others who may need the assistance more. See the article about the welfare recipients who recently were discovered rec’g food stamps in their million dollar home by the water. IF you are disabled & cannot work (tho most can), you should prioritize in order to plan for the bumpy road ahead & not expect the “good” life from the government & taxpayers while you’re on welfare/disability. However, assistance should be available to help one get by temporarily. I believe that is all that is being said. I remember dumpster diving to survive before I even considered applying for food-stamps. That was years ago & that experience for me made me empathetic for others I’ve helped out along the way but also taught me that if anyone tries hard enuf they can get by & make it out of totall abject poverty. However, today, more & more the gov’t WANTs to enslave people to keep them poor. They do this by grooming people to become totally dependant on them. If you give a man a fish, he can eat for a night, if you TEACH the man to fish he’ll eat every night. Except that our current system wants you to come to them for a specific sized fish to keep you needing more instead of giving you a way to become independant again. This is why welfare reform is important. The less people rely on welfare the more people there are living more rewarding and productive lives. Welfare reform provides training, jobs, counseling, and medical supervision incase you’re addicted to something, & has been proven to lower teenage suicide rates as well as poverty rates. Dems don’t want welfare reform, they want you to be under their thumb in order to bring about socialism, because socialism means they can oppress people, keep our revenues while living high off the hog on our money. This country is veyr sick & the disease is a democratic system that has been hijacked by the leftists who want communism &socialism to be the governing entity. If it gets to that, we are ALL going to be dumpster diving and dying of starvation & suicide. We all need to wise up & see the nicely gift-wrapped present for what it truly is, a package of lies under the guise of democracy in order to enslave us all. The push to change to global world gov’t is a push that is happening right now & for all the wrong reasons. Greed. We are the victims of evil leaders, evil media, & a hopeless end result no matter how pretty they try to paint the utopian fantasy. I’m sorry your disabled but I’m even more sorry you found a simple statement about prioritizing if you’re on welfare, defensive.
Just for the record those PEOPLE on DISABILITY are drawing THEIR money paid into the system while able to work!! I am disabled, I worked my ass off for over 30 years…. I am entitled to each and every dime I receive… it was cut from my check every week!! Thank YOU!!
would you rather work a full time job and or be disabled? would you rather be employable or someone nobody will hire? i can tell you now a person who is disabled is not making more money than a person that works!! if they are making more then it is because they worked their butt off for years and paid in to disability, so it is their money!! and people on welfare, yes there are some who take advantage but many that don’t. it pisses me off to see people group them all together like that!! and for the record i am a business owner of a successful restaurant but i still see people as people, not a group nor would i ever think that i am above anyone!
I’m with you on this one Patti…kudos
I second that statement
Yeah but if it was able to go onto the internet then it must have been a smartphone (ranging in the 100s +) I agree with beth, sometimes people don’t know how to budget themselves and buy things that are name brand and expensive while having nothing in their refrigerators. people don’t know how to prioritize.
Not necessarily, my phone is a prepaid which can go as low as $35/mo and I have internet access. Also, you can use a free government supplied phone (Safelink or Assurance) and send a text message to update your Facebook status.
A “free” government supplied phone IS NOT FREE!!! Taxpayers pay for it…
@Melody…not necessarily, I am on disability and was lucky enough to have a phone given to me as a gift for my birthday, it is not a smartphone, but a prepaid cell from straight talk, for 50$ a month it allows me unlimited talk, text, and internet. and yes I can get on facebook easily. One thing I have learned is that it is highly necessary for a person of low income status to have a phone. Especially if they are attempting to find a job, have school aged children, or are in need of other resources.
Come down off your high horse Patti. Beth made a legitimate point. No need to get all self-righteous about it.
Here in TX they have Metro PCS. The phone is 30 bucks and the service is the same. She might have had one of those. I recently got something in the mail also that stated if my income was below a certain level I would qualify for a program that would give me a phone with so many minutes on it per month for free. I passed that on to a friend I knew needed it more than I. There are programs out there for phones.
Ooh YOU took the words right out of my Mouth!
Leave it up to a stupid assed liberal to make this a Republicans fault!
First off, how do you know that someone other than her mother didn’t buy her the phone & wasn’t paying the bill?! What’s horrible is that people fail to THINK BEFORE SPEAKING…you don’t know the family, & who are YOU to judge?! smdh
It doesnt cost me 100 or 200$ to get on the internet, dork. Its only about $10.
If you think $100 to $200 a month goes a long way – with out the kind help of others – you are horridly mistaken. For myself alone, groceries (which include inedible necessities) cost a bit over $200 for a month! If you can make it for less, please – I’d love to know your tips!
A cellphone is almost a necessity in this day and age. You have to be online and wired, it’s part of the touted ‘progress’ in the world.
Also, I’m sorry you went without in your life. No child – no one period – should go without food at all! But, some do. It’s not right. That in itself is an abuse. Your guardians/parents could have tried to get on some sort of welfare. If they did, and didn’t get on – I’m so sorry – the system failed your family. If they did not, then they hurt you – not helped.
Sometimes it’s best to swallow ‘pride’ and accept help.
Also, I would like to make this to all: Everyone needs to have some sort of outlet from the stress of everyday life. Movies, books, games – you just have to break the monotony. Really. I know for a fact that it’s not healthy to have no fun at all. I don’t blame anyone for having some fun.
Someone should have helped her. Shame.
I agree with you debra…it’s sad this woman had to lose a darn mind to get someone’s attention
This is a tragedy