Jan 05 2009
What’s Making Headline Family News the First Week of 2009?
1. Twenty-two-year-old, Danny Platt, of New Orleans, allegedly murdered his two-year-old son by slashing his throat. After several conflicting stories and a confession, police believe Danny did so in order to avoid paying child support. He was court-ordered to pay $446 in regular support and $4,000 in arrears. It doesn’t get any lower than this. My heart goes out to the boy’s mother.
2. John Travolta’s sixteen-year-old son, Jett, died after a series of seizures while the family was vacationing and had just celebrated the new year together in the Bahamas.
3. Dr. Dre’s son died also. Andre Young, Jr., age 20, overdosed on heroin and morphine. Although his death occurred in August of 2008, findings from the toxicology report were just released this week.
I know these families must be devastated. I hope they find comfort and peace during their period of mourning.
4. On a lighter note (didn’t mean to bring you down), Rebecca Romijn and her husband, Jerry O’Connell, welcome twin girls . The couple’s first children were born on Dec. 28th. This is technically 2008 news, but hey–close enough. Besides we needed a pick-me-up. Congratulations to one of the stars of one of my favorite movie series, “X-Men”!
5. Ten-year-old, Malia, and seven-year-old, Sasha, attended their new school , Sidwell Friends, yesterday. Their dad, President-Elect Obama, focused on our country’s economy while their mother and secret service agents accompanied the girls to school. Good luck and Godspeed to the nation’s first daughters as they acclimate to their new learning environments.
I selfishly hope I never know what it’s like to lose a child. I can’t (and won’t) imagine what these families are going through. And, as for Danny Platt, I have no words for what I feel. I have no words either for the story I read this morning of a parents that died in an apparent murder suicide of husband and wife (ONLY those two) with their nine month old baby locked in the same room and three children, eight and under elsewhere in the house. It took more than two days for the eldest of the children to go to a neighbor and ask for help. He kicked open the locked door when he heard the baby screaming. The baby was unharmed but covered in her parents’ blood.
What the hell?
I think we all echo the same sentiment regarding Danny Platt–”What the hell?!”
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to be such a downer. I have to do better tomorrow.
Thanks for the comments!
Davida
I just tagged you (on my blog) for a *completely different* kind of meme ’cause I changed it entirely to suit myself. There is NO OBLIGATION, but feel free to give it some thought. I love to learn.