Remembering Brianna Lopez

[Meier Link]

I encourage people to read the OP in its entierty and reading / watching the video clip before responding unless you are already familiar with this particular case.

As time passes it seems like people tend to forget the events that have happened in the past, call it human nuature, guilt, or what ever you want to.
Every once in a great while it is good to look back at some of the things that have happened over the years and find time to reflect on the things that have happned.

Given that not all things are good and this story is one of the worst that I have ever read. So you might ask why I am posting this. Well it is a reminder of how precious life can be, it shows the uglieness of this world and also I wanted to remind people that things like this still occure to this day world wide.

I have seen alot of terrible things in my life and to be honest none have really phased me as much as this one. Given now that I am a father it makes publishing this reminder a lot harder.

For those that don't know back in 2002 an infant by the name of Brianna was pronounced dead at the age of 5 months. She was the victem of child abuse, neglect, rape and was evenutually killed by the 3 people that should of been there to protect her, love her, and nurture her.

Her mother, father and uncle where the culprits in this hidious crime against humanity and since the laws of New Mexico are not as strict these three individuals did not even get a life sentance.

I am going to go ahead and post a link to the story which I found to be accurate and pretty detailed. I will give warning that this link is pretty graphic but I encourage people to click it and read the story in full. It is a good reminder of the horrors of this world and that even in our "advance society" that terrible people still exsist.

Baby Brianna...warning this is horrific

Also I will include a youtube link to the news coverage so that pictures can be seen.

YouTube - The Brianna Lopez story


I realize that people tend to over look these kinds of stories but I feel that things like this should not be forgoten, they should not be tucked away and people should wake up and realize that things like this still happen day to day.

Sorry if you are offended by me posting this but honestly I don't care if it does.

There is plenty to discduss so I am not going to limit this topic down like I normally do when something is higly contovercial.

[Tiffany]

God, this made me cry so hard when I first saw it. I don't know how people can get away with treating their daughter like that. I'm on a pregnancy/mom forum and I posted about this in there too. I also urged people on my Facebook to sign the petition to remove the cage from her gravesite.

It is sick, sick, sick.

They treated her like she was their property, not a human being. How she survived as long as she did with that abuse going on is crazy to me. I can't click on the links that you posted, if I do I'll start to cry and get upset and angry all over again. It affects me so much more now that I have a child myself.

What I don't understand, is how the Mom tried to claim that she "didn't know" that abuse was going on. How do you not notice all those bruises? It would seem (as they didn't care enough to give the child affection) that they didn't even want her in the first place, so why keep her? There are thousands of families out there just waiting to adopt a baby, and she would've been loved and cared for, hugged instead of hit... I'm getting upset just typing about it. Sick ****ing monsters.

I think what bothers me the most is the fact that they put the cage around her grave so people can't put flowers and memoriams for her. How freaking brutal is that? Its like they continue to abuse her, from beyond the grave. I would so love to have done to them the abuse they did to her.

Physical abuse is one thing, but to sexually abuse your own ****ing neice???? The last I read about this, the Governor of New Mexico was trying to push for stricter laws in regards to child abuse. Did anything come of it?

[Meier Link]

It is sick, sick, sick.

Agreed.

What I don't understand, is how the Mom tried to claim that she "didn't know" that abuse was going on. How do you not notice all those bruises? It would seem (as they didn't care enough to give the child affection) that they didn't even want her in the first place, so why keep her? There are thousands of families out there just waiting to adopt a baby, and she would've been loved and cared for, hugged instead of hit... I'm getting upset just typing about it. Sick ****ing monsters.

Yeah I found this odd too. Even in court she admited to biting, pinching and even throwing the child and yet she still held to the claim that she "didn't know" that the child was being abused.

Honestly I think she is one of the more deranged sick ones of the group because she knew it was going on and still didn't do anything about it. If anything with her being the mother he maternal instincts should of been to protect her child fron the abuse not act like it wasn't happening and contribute to the abuse.

I would post the trial transcripts but I can't seem to find them again. I will look tonight when I get home to see if I can't find them.

[Tiffany]

That is so true, I don't understand how you can give birth to something and not want to protect it. God, even perceived slights against my daughter brings out the "Momma Bear" in me and I want to protect her with everything I can muster.

Although, I think there has to be some sort of PPD (Post Partum Depression) going on... its my only rationalization. I had PPD, its really awful. I loved Claire, but I got so overwhelmed with everything to do with her that I'd become someone else. I hate even admitting it, because we all like to think that we're infallible as parents but there were times where she was crying and crying and I had NO idea why, and I'd get upset and lose my cool and yell back at her.

I hate that I did it, I mean really... what good does yelling do when you are yelling at an adult who understands frustrations, let alone a 7 month old baby? Yeah, stellar Mom moment there. /sarcasm.

I had help though, through the District Health Unit who sent support workers to my home weekly to help me deal with everything and give some great support. I don't know how I would've made it through without them. It was their routine screening that caught my PPD (I had no idea I had it) and sent them to help me.

So makes me wonder if The State isn't partly to blame with this either, in not having follow up workers or home visitors to help? Or to not have programs in place to outreach? Maybe they do and it was denied, I dunno... but IMHO, you canNOT be right in the head to do something like that to your own child... there HAS to be some sort of illness.

Or they're just freaks... but I always believe that there are underlying reasons/causes for people to be like this.

Either way, the real tragedy is that a beautiful little girl fell through the cracks of the system and paid the ultimate price for it.

[Dodie16]

I couldn't watch the whole video... I started to cry when the picture of her was shown.

I had never heard this story and quite honestly I don't know what to say. It just seemed like I was reading a nightmare, and it actually happened to such a beautiful and innocent baby girl.

No one should have had to have gone through what she experienced, and those people are horrible for having done those things to her.

I'm glad that the other children are in protective care and away from these people. I'm just sad that it took the death of little Brianna for something to be done.

EDIT:: I was checking out that first link, and many posters on that site talk about similar stories of children dying because of neglect and abuse. It's sad that so many young ones are subjected to that sort of treatment. Something needs to be done about it.

[Pete]

I don't think the death penalty is harsh enough for these people. I want to see them completely an utterly destroyed.

The family is also a bunch of scumbags for trying to hush the entire incident up, hiding the fact that those animals did what they did. After everything that happened to this poor child, they can't even give her the dignity of a proper burial with a grave marker. It's bullshit that they think people would tear it down. They're only trying to pretend it never happened, and hide their family's shame. Well, **** that. The city should erect a monument to her and they should just garnish the family's wages. Hell, call in eminent domain and tear down their house for the land.

I'm really just too pissed off to even continue writing in this, especially after seeing the autopsy pictures. It's a ****ing baby for Christ sakes! How can you even fathom abusing it?!

[shinra_32]

This is awful! I don't understand a parent doing something so horrific to their child. Pete you are right the death penalty isn't harsh enough for these kind of crimes. I don't understand? If they didn't want her they should have put her up for adoption. This whole story makes me sick. How someone could live with themselves after this?

[Musashiden]

Personally, thankfully, up until this point I hadn't heard about this. Now that I have, I quite frankly feel nauseous. How anyone could do this to a child, let alone how the parents and close family could do this... Pete's right. Death is too good for them. Those folks better hope I never run into them, or they would pray for death.

EDIT: I actually changed my avatar over this... damn...

[Unknown Entity]

I took a look at both the links yesterday, but didn't post (I was to and from the PC loads because of some argument that was going on at home). Watching that video brought me close to tears. I thought the way that little girl was treated was absolutely revolting, and I don't understand why (because there is no need for it,) they did the things they did to her.

I went downstairs after watching it, and the news was on and they were discussing the Baby P case and child abuse and neglect in general. I heard that the 'parents' of Baby P rubbed chocolate on his face to hide the bruises.

I hope all child abusers rot in hell. Death is just an easy option.

[Dr_Flea]

I am speechless!!!!!

Im no parent but i am an uncle and i know that i would fight to the death to protect my niece!!

The thought of abusing any child does not cross my mind and i am shaking in anger and disgust after reading about this!!!

They should all have gotten life sentences and left in a prison cell to rot!!!

I don't know what else to say!!!

~Dr_Flea~

[Tiffany]

I was going to say, for those of you who are as sicked by this as I was when I first saw it (and Meier Link as well) that you could always maybe help a bit by signing the petition to have the County remove the cage around her gravesite?

I don't know if it'll work or not. Its been awhile since I posted about this on my other forum but I did have the link that you can use to sign it. If anyone wants it, PM me. Be a voice for someone who had their voice viciously ripped away from them.

[Azuteor]

One thing's for sure, I'm going to be a better parent than these murderers. What the hell were they thinking? It's horrible that they caged Brianna from those who really care about her and tried to have everyone keep their silence about what happened. Unfortunately, child abuse is everywhere and ongoing. I wish I had the power to stop the evils of the world!

Edit: This one right? Brianna Lopez petition

[Tiffany]

That's the one! I wasn't sure if I could advertise for it, but please sign if you get a chance!

[Dodie16]

That's the one! I wasn't sure if I could advertise for it, but please sign if you get a chance!

I signed it. I was number 8869. I thought there would be more signatures than that, at least in the 10,000 range, but I suppose that sort of thing takes time and awareness.

[Unknown Entity]

I signed it. I was number 8869. I thought there would be more signatures than that, at least in the 10,000 range, but I suppose that sort of thing takes time and awareness.

I signed it too. I'm right after you at 8870.

I'll tell my friends about this story, and see if they're willing to sign too.

[Yesha]

I didn't know about this untiL I saw this thread, seeing it happened Last 2002 I was stiLL in The PhiLippines, and I don't watched much news that time..

weLL, when I saw the articLes about Brianna's case.. I was shocked.. and suddenLy I feLt that I'am Lucky to have my kind parents with me, and they deserved my Love.

so, I just can't imagine how crueL they did to Brianna and why did they do that? I saw many parents that are very protective with their chiLd especiaLLy to babies..

I just wish that they get what they deserve!