A FEW CHOICE WORDS FROM PROFESSIONALS:
“In thirty-five years [of studying/reviewing child abuse cases] I have never seen a pushback like this….I’ve seen the disfavor professional mothers are held in, but never this….The disrespect shown Elsa and her children must be seen to be believed.”
Source: Pediatrician; Head of Child Abuse Unit at his hospital; Professor, Harvard Medical School; served on Presidential Commission on Child Safety.
“Elsa’s children are well cared for by mother….Their father must be delusional…I had no choice but to report the father’s abuse.”
Source: Treating psychiatrist. Treated both children for about a year.
“In 400 emails to me[over a period of 3 years while I helped Elsa pro bono preceding the Landry crime] you’d think I’d have seen something from Elsa that she planned a crime. Nothing. She never even had a bad word to say about [her then-husband].”
Source: Robert Juceam is resident in Fried Frank's New York office. He joined the Firm in 1966, became a partner in 1974 and of counsel to the Firm on March 1, 2006. From 1995 to 2001, he chaired the litigation department in the Washington, DC office.
“In the hours and hours of time spent with Elsa, she never had a bad word about [her ex-husband]. I think I would know who’s a criminal. I was a correctional officer for years.”
Source: Stephanie Peebles, Maryland Department of Corrections
LETTER FROM AN ACQUAINTANCE:
RECEIVED: Friday, June 13, 2008
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing this letter in regard to Elsa Newman. I met Elsa several years back during her trial in Frederick, Maryland. I am amazed at her strength, faith in God and devotion to her children with everything that she is going through.
I am totally disappointed with the justice system in the United States. Only in the United States can a person be convicted as guilty of a crime that another person is guilty of committing and serving time for. The system states that the reason finding is due to the fact that Elsa stated in a moment of anger like most human beings whether it is females or males wishing or saying that I could or would kill my spouse or ex-spouse. I need a tally sheet to keep count of how many of my friends (male and female) have stated that they wish their spouse dead or that they could kill their spouse. I myself have stated that I would not be able to retire with my spouse because one of us would either drive each other crazy or kill each other. Does that mean that yes we would actually do it? NO! Does that mean that Elsa actually planned this with her friend? NO! Just because Elsa was a friend to this woman does not mean that Elsa planned bodily harm to her ex-spouse.
I wonder why the system is not concerned with the fact that the father had one of the boys in his bed. How the father was dressed or undressed. The facts should have been gathered up on that and investigated. Was it? NO! Again, children are falling through the cracks of the system.
A special panel needs to be put together and investigate the Social Services for physically and sexually abused children. I know for a fact that there are people that physically and sexually abuse children and are getting away with it. And then again there are people that have been falsely accused and due to the fact that the investigator handled the situation wrong--and even the police officer would close the case and say there was nothing there--the investigator would still label the person, who really did not commit the crime, an offender. Please tell me what is wrong with this picture? The offenders who really need to be in jail paying the price are out on the street doing the same thing to children over and over again. The ones that are innocent are labeled for life for a crime that they did not do. The sad part of Elsa’s case is that they also had witnesses in the room the whole time, but the investigators called them liars! I really would like to know what Social Services is really for because they really do not perform the job that they are paid to accomplish.
Here are Elsa's children, along with hundreds of other children in the United States, fallingl through the cracks of the system. Being scarred for life. Here is a mother that has begged for the system to do something, to investigate and what has the system done? Turned a blind eye and deaf ear.
I called Social Service one time on a set of divorced parents; the child had belt bruise marks across his butt and legs. Social Service so called investigated and guess what they informed me; "there was no finding of child abuse." When I saw the bruises I made the mother take the child to the doctor and the doctor marked in his records that it was indeed child abuse. Again, Social Service stated "therewas no finding of child abuse." I called Social Service on the matter I reported to them the doctor's finding due to the fact that I had a copy in my hand. I asked them what was it going to take? The child to be beaten within an inch of his life before they realize they made a mistake? or for him to be beaten to death? How many children have to suffer? How much longer do Elsa's children have to suffer?
Do you know what happens to children when they grow up that are sexually abuse? If they survive and do not kill themselves? I know, because I was not only physically abused but also sexually abused by my father. You grow up having no self worth of yourself, believing that no one should love you because you are not good enough. You think that you are the ugliest person in the world and cannot do anything right. You pray to God that he will take you to heaven to be with him because you cannot take the abuse anymore. When your mother's father dies and your mother is crying you comfort her by saying, "Don't cry, Mom, just think he is at peace and he is the luckiest person in the world. I wish that it was me. I wish that I was in Heaven." All my mother said was, "Don't ever say anything like that again." You have nightmares and cringe when [the abuser] comes near you. Nine months after turning 18, I moved away from home. A month before I moved out, I told my parents that I was moving. My mother yelled at me and my father beat me. I had a full time job, paid a $100 a month to live at home, cleaned my mother's house, washed, dried and put up clothes and cooked. The only way that I survived is that I believe very strongly in God and he guided me through everything. I met my husband and we have been married for 29 years with 3 children. I had to let my two sons stay with my parents for a week when our daughter had brain surgery back in 1999. I begged my oldest son who was in high school at the time to always keep his youngest brother with him, for them to always stay together no matter what! It was a nightmare for me; I had no choice. When I got my boys back I questioned them very firmly. My youngest did not tell me till three years ago that my father had slapped him in the face while he was in their care. I cannot begin to tell you what that did to me.
When my parents and I moved out of state away from each other I never took my children or myself to visit them nor did I allow my children to go stay with my parents for visits. Yes, my mother got upset and voiced it, and I never said a word to protect her as she never protected me. Things came to a head in 2003 and enough was enough; I finally asked my father why did he do it. I was just a little girl when he started. Of course, he denied it. My mother yelled, cussed me, etc. Funny, because when I was carrying my youngest child she called me and told me about watching this show where this father had sexually abused his daughter. She told me that she had looked at my father and asked him if he had ever touched me. She asked me if he had touched me? I asked her what was his answer to her and she told me that he would never do anything like that; he is not sick. I said, "Well, what do you believe?" She said, "his answer." I did not give her an answer, but you see she always knew but turned a blind eye and never protected me.
I was one of the lucky ones because of my faith. But no matter what it still hurts, I still have nightmares. A child needs their mother. I beg you to put yourself in Elsa shoes and wear them. We all say things without thinking, things that should never come out of our mouths. Who is suffering more? I say the children? I beg you, give them back their mother, they need their mother!