Pa0 e
THE BATTALION
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 1979
^ Woman gets 10 years
in child abuse case
KTO? FAE? KOFAA?
RUSSIAN CLUB ORGANIZATIONAL
MEETING APRIL 18 RUDDER 701
EVERYONE INVITED
7:00 P.M.
KALEIDOSCOPE
OF
DANCE
8=00 PM APRIL 19
RUDDER THEATRE
th
United Press International
HOUSTON — A middle class homemaker and mother of two girls
Tuesday was sentenced to 10 years in prison for child abuse in a case
described by a prosecutor as “among the most vile recorded in his
tory.”
Alice McKnight, 28, put her head on the defense table and sobbed
after the announcement of the verdict. Her husband rushed to her
side, put his head to her’s and cried.
McKnight did not speak to reporters after the verdict. Her attor
ney said he had 10 days to decide whether to appeal.
McKnight testified Tuesday for the first time and asked for proba
tion after admitting she withheld intravenous injections of antibiotics
to keep daughter Kimberly, 6, from suffering hearing and kidney
problems.
“Are you asking the jury for mercy or justice?” asked prosecutor
Charles Rosenthal Jr.
“Justice,” McKnight replied.
“For probation, right?” Rosenthal asked.
“Yes,” she said.
The jury Monday found her guilty of criminal negligence in with
holding medication from Kimberly during the child’s 19 hospitaliza
tions from 1974 to 1976. Doctors testified McKnight, a woman who
often briefed doctors on the technical aspects of the case, sought
attention from medical personnel.
The woman also was charged with injecting fecal bacteria and saliva
into her daughter’s blood to produce and prolong infections. In a last
minute ruling Monday Judge Joseph M. Guarino did not allow the
jury to deliberate that charge.
Rosenthal summed up his two-year involvement in the case in his
final arguments.
“The acts perpetrated by the defendant, the mother in this case,
are among the most vile ever recorded in history,” he said.
Seven doctors testified during the two-week trial that the most
sophisticated medical technology in four hospitals could not keep
severe infections from recurring in Kimberly. Finally, they said, they
determined that Kimberly’s problems coincided with the child’s iso
lation with the mother. They devised tests to determine whether the
mother was tampering with medication and that evidence was intro
duced.
Court judge
cult membel
mentally sai
> couple'i
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DEE WALLACE GRANT GOODEVE
Produced and Directed by DOMALD W. THOMPSON
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Playing with the hig kids
Sul Ross third graders took time out from the classroom to visit
Texas A&M University last week. Here Angle Flores and
Francisco Tello compete in a wheel barrel race.
Battalion photo by Lynn Blanco
m
s ® i » is
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I have walked,
where kings desire to walk
in the valley of forgiveness
where peace is not an echo
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United Press Intemationil
DENVER —A
refused a New Jersey’s
quest they be named pen
guardians of their 20-yeti,
daughter to prevent her froi
turning to the Hare Krishna
gious sect.
Judge James Wade saidFi
Agliata and her parents, Loi
and Dolores Agliata, hadsij
agreement under which
agreed not to pursue the
ianship. In return, the gir
meet with her parents
court hearing.
“Therefore, the court
(Miss Agliata) isn’t incapai
and the court dispenses with
ing of written medical
Wade said in a ruling h
Hare Krishna spokesemjn
landmark decision for
freedom.
The Agliatas, of Westfield,
had asked for guardianship o[|
daughter, claiming her mentil|
cesses were diminished
joined the sect. Miss Agliata
amined by several psychial
Wade said their reports,
duced in open court, would
the girl was not mentally in«
tent.
A district judge had
Thursday the young woman
mentally incapacited and on
her to leave the Iskicon Temph|
Krishnas’ local headquarters,
girl obeyed after a four-hoar'
frontation with police
herself in the protective cm
the district attorney’s
Tuesday’s hearing.
Miss Agliata had joined*
Krishna movement in Denvrf
year, hut left the sect afterj
“deprogrammed.”
During a hearing last Frida
fore District Judge Joseph
who was acting probate jud|
witness testified he and Miss
stopped at Stapleton Intenul
Airport April 5 on a flight toll
The witness, Steven C. Te«
said Miss Agliata saw four meal
of the Krishna sect whom shel
and began arguing religion
them. Teumer said he wentt
plane boarding area and Mis
liata never showed up.
Miss Agliata’s parents, fearii
might have been kidnapped,!
Denver two days later. HeiS
found her at the Kpishna Te(
but said she did not recognizej
'“They were chanting, ‘Frani
this and do that, ’ and this
was yellow in the face
violent,” Agliata testified./
never seen my daughter in
state. She didn’t know who I
stru<
; office pel
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