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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 1983)
Page 12/The Battalion/Wednesday, December 14, 1983 Killer convicted, jury sentences him to death United Press International HOUSTON — A Vermont hitchhiker, sentenced to death for stabbing an Alabama man, licked the blood of his victim from a knife and from his hands, a prosecutor said on Tuesday. Harris County Assistant Dis trict Attorney Eric Hagstette won a conviction of Robert Drew, 23, of West Pawlett, Vt., and a jury Friday sentenced him in Texas’ a t m Walk, Cycle, or Shuttle. It’s only 8 Blocks. Eff, 1 & 2 bedrooms starting at 240.00. Ceiling fans in large 1 bedroom. 3902 COLLEGE MAIN ftp country place :ments apartments 846 0515 to die by injection death chamber. During the investigation of the case, Hagstette said a second man in the car when Jeffrey Leon Mays, 17, of Birmingham, Ala., was killed told of Drew’s actions. Evidence indicated Mays was stabbed 13 times and dumped by the side of a road in Baytown. The second victim was identi fied as runaway Bee Eugene Landrum, 18, of Alabama. Authorities said Ernest Pur- leaski, 33, of Chicago was hitch hiking with Drew across coun try, and that the two teenagers picked them up in Louisiana. “The older men began beat ing the two teenagers, and then it became a robbery. They started taking their posses sions,” Hagstette said. Offices ‘incompatible’ ip United Press International AUSTIN — The state attor ney general’s office said Tues day a Fort Worth woman re linquished her seat on the Texas College and University System Coordinating Board when she was re-elected to a junior college board. In an advisory opinion, Attorney General Jim Mattox said Dr. Gwendolyn Morrison cannot hold two civil offices which are incompatible. Morrison was appointed to the coordinating board by for mer Gov. Bill Clements in October 1979 for a term that was to expire August 1985. But, against Clements’ advice, she continued to hold her seat on the Tarrant Coun ty Junior College Board, and was re-elected to a six-year term in April 1982. Gov. Mark While, taking the position that Morrison was not qualified for the coordi nating board, appointed Dal las lawyer George Brambletl Jr. to replace her. Mattox’s opinion said itinued But the lys to th Euroj Brambletl is the ,er tel- 1 nencan der of the position. The opin ion said it would be improper for Morrison to serve on tw state boards that might come in conflict. Child often abuse problems real, overlooked too long nferenc ivsto m; Soviet estmorc ry close Europ “It’s cle ih the ! iblic opi his is ; nds and ms, am y to 11 iknesses lansen is negc by Chris Cox He said Landrum told law men “Drew was showing the other hitchhiker the knife, and as he was showing off he licked the blood from the knife blade and from his hands.” The May’s body was found 30 miles east of Houston, court re cords showed. Police in Houston stopped the car with the three men because it was spattered on the outside with blood and be cause they could see Landrum was hysterical. fWerrp JIUrrpCI)riStina£(*4lfltarrp4Wmp iflrrrp JHrrrp (tfjnstmas * JWnrp JtkrrpCfjnstmasi* l£* Wishes All Aggiesf a Merry Christmas! We have more unique & exciting CHRISTMAS GIFTS arriving daily! FREE GIFT WRAPPING!!! % Off (good till Dec 24, 83) Aggie Christmas Coupon 3601 E 29th Brookwood Square next to Dairy Queen Bryan 846-5797 cfunjf (funjf * stnutsufo* dnsftf * SPiutsuIpjB dxuuf daxujf * stmiigutjjB dxuftf dunaf * smiijsulGa Battalion Reporter Harris County welfare case on Merica Moss closed when she was pronounced dead at a hospital emergency room. Cause of death: ruptured kid ney, adrenal gland, and abdo minal injuries, or simply child abuse. Two days later her unem ployed parents were charged in connection with her death. The Harris County Child Welfare Division had been watching the family for more than two years. Merica had been placed in a foster home once be fore her death. Case workers noted that the parents were also victims of overdiscipline. A baby sitter for the girl said she was not completely sur prised by her death. Dora Matthews said when the mother would come and bring the child to her, she would always explain how the child got “another new scar.” For some in Harris County it brought home the reality of what child abuse can do. To others, the event went un noticed. Like Merica, 1 million U.S. children will be victims of abuse this year. Out of these, about 2,000 children die. 2,000 per year... that’s Five a day — or one child every Five hours. In 1980 alone, Texas reported 110 deaths from child abuse. Closer to home in Brazos County, 389 families received protective services in 1981 to prevent the reoccurence of child abuse. That same year, 729 chil dren received protective ser vices to prevent the reoccurr ence of child abuse. Also in Homes with a built-in computer for under $70,000. Tomorrow’s homes are being built today in EastMark by Bill Tap Construction. Homes with a built-in computer. Energy efficient homes. Homes that offer 1200 square feet of modem living for under $70,000. Each of these custom homes includes a Victor 9000 computer center. The Victor 9000 is a 16-bit processor with two floppy disks providing 1.2 megabytes of storage, CRT and detached keyboard. With a modem, the Victor can be linked to computer networks such as Dow Jones, the Bryan-College Station Board of Realtors or the Amdahl computer at A&M. Financial, accounting, educational and word processing programs can be added to make the computer center the most important room in your home. These homes are certified by the National Energy Watch and carry a HOW 10-year war ranty! High efficiency heat pumps and insulated air conditioning ducts will heat and cool your home using considerably less energy. Double insulated windows, R-26 ceiling and R-13 wall insulation, polycell caulking and insulated steel entry doors will keep energy inside, where it belongs. The homes of the future also include the amen ities of today. Two and three bedrooms, 2 baths, double garages, french doors, ceiling fans, fenced courtyards and fireplaces are some of the extras you get from Bill Tap Construction. You will also become a member of EastMark Homeowners’ Association with access to the swimming and recreational facilities. Call or come by EastMark today and explore the computerized homes of the future. Once you’ve seen them, you won’t settle for a 20th century home. Bill Tap Construction KALANCHOE ■CAMELIA S'- AZALEA H SOU THWEST PARKWAY Contact Veva Burt at The Real Estate Mart 846-8788 1981, 50 children were in the custody of the Department of Human Resources in Bryan be cause of child abuse and/or child neglect. The Texas DHR reported last year at least 76 child deaths were caused by abuse or neglect. Of the 39,476 reports of suspected child mistreatment, 13,885 were found to be valid. In the reports found valid, at least 1,510 chil dren had been victims of sexual abuse. These Figures reflect only re ported cases. Studies have indi cated that each year in Texas at least 8.5 percent of the state’s children are in danger of being abused or neglected. Relatively few abused children from this state are being brought DHR’s attention. to Several forms of child abuse exist, including physical abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse and neglect. Often a child is the victim of more than one form of abuse. Parents who abuse or neglect children can be found at every social and economic level and in all ethnic and religious groups. Their victims range in age from infants to adolescents, and almost half are 6-years- old or younger. They are most often their own children, or those of a close friend or relative. Not until the late 1960s and the 1970s did most states adopt laws requiring the reporting of child abuse cases and providing immunity to those who file the reports. There are now laws de fining a physicians legal respon sibility in reporting child abuse. A Texas law that went into effect January 1, 1974, requires everyone who suspects child abuse or neglect to report it to the proper authorities and asses ses a penalty for not reporting a suspect. In 1976, the Supreme Court of California ruled that any physician who fails to iden tify and report a child with his torical, physical and radiologic findings that indicate abuse is guilty of professional negli gence. Several forms of child abuse exist, including physical abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse and neglect. Often a child is the victim of more than one form of abuse. Susan Leuking, child protec tive services specialist at the DHR in Bryan, is one person who investigates allegations of abuse and neglect. Leuking, who is also responsi ble for placing children in foster homes, says reports usually come in through the phone and others walk in to give a com plaint. Once a person calls and DHR determines it is valid, the situation will be investigated if it falls under abuse or neglect, she said. It is often hard to deter mine if the call is real, she said. Leuking said the DHR inves tigates by going out and meeting with the family. She said the DHR is specific on telling the pa rents what the visit is for. “The DHR gets many diffe rent reactions from parents,” she said. “Some of the reactions are hostile, some are just kind of in shock, and some say thank God you’re here. The majority, however, are upset.” Leuking said if there is resist ance, DHR always has the option to come back with the police since the department has a court order. By that time the parents usually let us in, she said. “If the DHR feels a child’s life is in danger, a court order will be given and the child will be re moved,” she said. “If one is granted that order, the child comes into the custody of the DHR. After this, there is a 10- day hearing to determine what happens to that child. If it is an emergency removal, the district judge then decides, based upon a court report and parent’s testi mony, if the child should return or not. If the child doesn’t, the DHR will place the child in a fos ter home or institution.” Leuking said the removal of child is very rare since the re moval can be as dramatic for the child as the abuse itself. The DHR removes the child only when the child’s life is in danger, she said. “Much of child abuse is situa tional,” she said. “There is no thing actually wrong with the parent mentally. The action just culminates through one direct abuse because of unemploy ment of one of the parents or ue bef economic stress, 't hese kind d|es an d people appreciate any kindo hel telp offered.” lough tn. He Patricia Bush, head of tl» ktalks child protective service at ti DHR, said 99.99 percentoftl But, he s time it is not the parent buttlt child who thinks there is somt thing wrong personally, child feels “that Mommy Daddy abuse me because In bad,” she said. She saysparei ikii u United 1 have unrealistic expectationso their children. Bush also commentedon» ual abuse. Children now kno. that it is not socially acceptable ^NOV! Moreover, children arecominj fojvie into contact through televisw mer wa explaining that sexual abuset jdiung wrong. Bush said one in fourit', twc dividuals has been sexualli | abused sometime in theirf And, she added, men arej s jg ones who really ignore theirp sexual abuse because they ten to think it was the way (lit I’m still ) 0 learned about sex. Anthony Arden, who to Ph.D. in psychology, gets niM of his child abuse referalsftts the DHR. The Bryan psycho^ h ist provides services not only If , children but abusive and nt| k. lectful families as well “Working with child abuse an extremely difficult job,"ft ” he s; Arden said. “The commum kleina would be amazed at someoffc UPI fr horrible abuse workers have account for on a daily basis.It very emotional and drainii job.” Arden said it is noteasytoj up to someone’s door andi that there has been a reporttl , someone is abusing a clii 1 e They feel someone is wanting take their child away, he But, he said, the goalofDHlj to keep families together apart. “One of the importantthn is to find strengths in theft ly,” Dr. Arden said. "Wetty build on their strengths by ing realistic goals. The fai often need support structui™ put in place, especially pares ?” zesto with a retarded child becau( support will be needed them P ollce , of their lives.” sfonde Dr. Arden says abused effl l e . tr 'P dren come from a “Variety^ r 0 z In the families ft lut the t was s fy’s jo rom M at Nc ay bee :e haras spectrum. ... , , involved with most are low | ,. middle, lower class. Most of th U s 1S< abusers are caucasion beat* I, . . Hp 531(1 most of the population is ana sion. However, DHR hashed with abuse from every incoS Fj bracket and profession." |ankows mile dr d for MSC Cafeteria Now Better Than Ever. You Will Be Pleased These Carefully Prepared and Taste Tempting I Each Daily Special Only $2.39 Plus Taxi “Open Paiiy” Dining: 11 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. — 4:00 P.M. to 7:( MONDAY EVENING SPECIAL Salisoury Steak with Mushroom Gravy Whipped Potatoes Your Choice of One Vegetable Roll or. 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