Girl tells police: Mom 'cooks me in oven'

[Revmitchell]

The license plate in the window of the family Cadillac reads "Best Dad." But a 4-year-old girl told police Mom wasn't nearly so kind.

"Mom cooks me like a turkey in the oven," she told police.

Hamtramck cops stumbled onto the graphic allegations of burnings, beatings and torture after the girl's mother phoned police Jan. 23 and confessed to "harming her children," Detective Ben Bielecki said Thursday.

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The allegations belied outside appearances of a happy family, shocking neighbors of the family whose front picture window is adorned with the sign "1 God."

"They were new to the neighborhood," said Deandre Martin, 28, who lives next door to the white, two-story home near Holbrook. "I didn't realize what was going on. It's horrific. I'm just happy the kids are alive."

Reyna Valentino, 40, a mother of five, faces life in prison on allegations that she burned her 4-year-old daughter in an oven, used a hot nail or screwdriver to singe her eyelids and beat her 5-year-old daughter's leg with a pry bar.

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[matt wade]

Yes..I read another article about this:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29021639/

What disgusts me even more is what the father said:

"Reyna is a fantastic mother. She's a very loving mother. She has a mental illness that she's dealt with for 20 plus years since she was a child," he said. "The things that she has done are only when she's off medication. When she's ill, those things present themselves."

 

[webdog]

What a sick story. It's things like this that make my spirit cry out for Christ's return. PLEASE come soon, Lord Jesus!

 

[LeBuick]

What disgusts me even more is what the father said:

"Reyna is a fantastic mother. She's a very loving mother. She has a mental illness that she's dealt with for 20 plus years since she was a child," he said. "The things that she has done are only when she's off medication. When she's ill, those things present themselves."

I don't blame her, I blame him. Why would he leave his child with this woman when she is off her medication? I don't fault any person whose mental capacity and off because that's how God made them. I believe it's the other adults responsibility to protect the innocent who might become a victim.

I don't know if I could be this supportive if my wife did this to my daughter. I would still love my wife but I sure wouldn't leave the two alone.

 

[windcatcher]

This is so sad: The little girl said her heart is broke because her mommy doesn't love her any more! Indeed, her precious little heart is broke.....

This woman, apparently had some kind of break with reality....but at some point was lucid enough for a moment to realize she needed help and so did her children ....from her for them to be safe. Thank goodness she called for help and turned herself in. Hopefully the children will have better care and love given to them wherever they are placed.....and hopefully, she will have no or limited contact with them until they are old enough to protect themselves, and make that decision for themselves. I can't imagine the emotional scars. This is just so awlful and sick and sad!

 

[Jon-Marc]

Yes, people are so quick to blame everything and everyone but themselves. Blame your parents who raised you for you becoming abusive. Blame society. Blame everyone, but never say, "It's all my fault. I knew it was wrong and did it anyway."

Blame your medications for not working. Blame your medications for working too well. Blame the fact that you don't take your medications. Whose fault is that? Blame your doctor for giving you the wrong medications, medications that are too strong or too weak, or medications that make you do terrible things. The medications are always to blame according to some people. The list is endless of things that people blame for the evil they do, but rarely do they blame themselves.

I know what it's like not to loved by a parent. You feel that something is missing. You envy those who have a loving relationship with that parent, because you don't.

 

[JFox1]

Her husband knew she's been having mental problems for the past 20 years and was off her meds, but he leaves her alone with the kids any way! What an idiot!

 

[donnA]

The father certainly carries blame, but to say she sin't to blame he is so sick, she did these things and she is to blame for them.

 

[windcatcher]

Yes, people are so quick to blame everything and everyone but themselves. Blame your parents who raised you for you becoming abusive. Blame society. Blame everyone, but never say, "It's all my fault. I knew it was wrong and did it anyway."

The list is endless of things that people blame for the evil they do, but rarely do they blame themselves.

I know what it's like not to loved by a parent. You feel that something is missing. You envy those who have a loving relationship with that parent, because you don't.

You're right Jon-Marc.

People blame lots of things in an attempt to justify themselves: There maybe contributing factors.... which are influencial but the decisions which people make are still their own.... and there is no correction until a person first faces their own responsibility for making their decisions... even bad ones. Only then can repentance and a remedy be found.

Also, we are limited to only that which is reported.... and we don't know to what extent is the partial piecing of a story to try and complete a news report.... and what information was lacking or incomplete: To judge the father just based upon his remarks about the meds is not just: We don't know how much or how little he knows: We don't even know if his remarks were made from observation or from a suspicious hunch he had.... or the desire to have the paper publish some kind of neutralizing remark from him for the sake of his kids or to excuse himself. We make guesses and judgements based upon our own experience.

Many in the mental health field do believe that the proper adjustment of medications can help a person, so impaired, to live a fairly normal and quality life: But non-compliance....even when meds are effective and well adjusted, is always a major and common problem and, for clinical staff and caretakers.... it is the first thing suspected when something goes wrong. Many may think this should be easy for a spouse or family member to know if another is or isn't taking their meds: But even medical staff have difficulty insuring compliance particularly with oral meds and the psychotic patient. Injections have their place particularly in stabilizing an acute episode, but always they carry risk and the treatment is often unique in individual response. Just what this husband knows of previous exercerbations regarding his wife or of injuries to the children and explanations given.... isn't clear in this story.

It is so hard to read and think about.....
I keep thinking of the little girl who wants love and believes that her mother doesn't love her: Her mother's cruelty is evil..... but is the evil possessing her totally ....or somewhere in her heart is there a tiny bit of sanity left where emotions are real and controled by rational thought? What was the spark which caused this woman to call for help though she already knew she had hurt her child? Was it love? Was it some awareness of right and wrong?

Having worked with psychotic patients.... I believe most do have momentary periods of recognition of reality although it may not be substainable. And there is great variance to the degree of disorder. This is not to excuse them or give them license to do wrong, but some really don't know what they are doing when in an episode. One 'trigger', not mentioned in the story, is that of stress.... and a mother careing for so many children must be under some stress, even in normal circumstances, and one who is already emotionally and mentally compromised?

I just hope the children are able to overcome the trauma of their experience with her, and that of removal from the only parents they knew, to a home that will keep them together where they will know love and be able to trust again.

 

[Jon-Marc]

Not being one who takes my problems out of other people, I cannot understand those who do.