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| Rest in Peace |
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| Little Sisters |
March 13, 2007, 8:00:00 PM
 "I am going to the deep ends of hell" Jennifer Kukla told one of her sisters as the sister called 911 to report
that Jennifer had stabbed her children to death. Not an easy call to make, especially when you could have
been a victim yourself, as Jennifer wanted her to stay when she was there the day before. The 911 call is heartbreaking.
Kukla, who had been drinking and possibly doing drugs before the horrific rampage early Sunday, also stabbed her Pomeranian
and its two puppies and stacked them neatly in their cage. Even the pet mouse was found dead from a knife wound, according
to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office.
Apparently the family knew she was struggling, not just financially, but emotionally and mentally as well. Jennifer had
been having an extremely rough time financially, not able to pay her bills, her car had broken down, and she may have lost
her job.
Unable to pay the bills, she lived without electricity and water. She took a taxi to the McDonald's restaurant on 23
Mile where she worked because her car broke down two weeks ago. It was unclear whether she had lost her job recently. A manager
at the restaurant declined to comment but said everyone there was trying to cope with the tragedy.
Police have said that they do not have a motive yet, but believe that alcohol may have been a factor. Also, there may be
some mental health issues that led to these horrific murders.
Police have said that Kukla's sister made a tearful call to 911 Sunday, reporting to police that her sister said she
was under hypnosis, and that "a man's voice was in her head" while she committed the murders.
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Shaneka Washington Kills 10-Month-Old Daughter, Janiya
by Anne-Marie Nichols on March 4th, 2007
 Shaneka Washington, 21, of Benton Harbor, Mich. is charged with felony murder following the death of her 10-month-old child, Janiya. After two days in the hospital following emergency surgery, Janiya died of a brain hemorrage.
Washington called 911 to report that Janiya was having trouble breathing. She told officers that her daughter
had been sick for several days. There were no obvious wounds or marks on the child, but doctors later diagnosed blunt force
trauma to the head.
Janiya’s twin, and her two and three-year-old brother and sister may been abused by their mother as well. The kids
are with protective services.
I know there are women out there who are single, very young, and have had several kids in quick succession,
and do a terrific job parenting. However, time and time again, I see these “babies having babies”
who are abusing and killing their little ones. Maybe it’s time that clinics, hospitals, schools, social
workers, and child protection agencies start identifying, tracking, and checking in on ”at risk” parents
before they hurt their kids. I can’t see anyway else to prevent it.
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| Rest with the Angels |
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| Navaeh |
Christopher Ryan Richardson of Lincoln Park is being held on a $1 million cash bond after being arraigned before 25th District
Judge David Bajorek on charges of felony murder, first-degree criminal sexual conduct and first-degree child abuse. If convicted
of the murder charge, Richardson faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. The maximum penalties for the
other charges are life in prison and 15 years, respectively.
In announcing the charges, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Nevaeh Ann Richardson, who was born Nov. 15, died Nov.
24 as a result of "anal intrusion." It is alleged that Richardson used his finger to sexually assault his daughter. When the
child's mother discovered the infant bleeding from the mouth and neck, she and Richardson took Nevaeh from their home to Henry
Ford Wyandotte Hospital. Employees there noticed additional trauma to the infant's rectum and called police before transferring
Nevaeh to Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. The baby died the next day. An autopsy ruled her death a homicide. Worthy
said the infant died from massive internal bleeding and sepsis, a blood disorder.
Before she died, the infant also suffered bruising to her arms and head, as well as injuries to her genital area, Worthy
said. "The facts of this case are very disturbing," the prosecutor said while standing alongside other law enforcement officers
in announcing the charges. "We've all been involved in law enforcement for a long time. We have seen many, many cases of child
abuse, and this case disturbs us all, that you can't even live in this world for eight days without being severely abused."
Richardson faces a separate charge of domestic violence-third offense for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend as they took
the infant to the hospital Nov. 23.
He was in court on that charge yesterday, but agreed to postpone the hearing for a week so that a preliminary examination
of the evidence against him can be held at the same time on both cases.
The domestic violence charge carries a maximum penalty of two years in jail and a $2,500 fine.
Besides the two other domestic violence convictions on his record, Richardson also has arrest warrants out for him for
an assault and battery charge in Southgate and for a probation violation in Roscommon, where he was arrested recently on a
drug charge.
His mother, Adie Green, has been outspoken against her son. She said he has been in boot camp and drug rehabilitation since
dropping out of high school.
She said Richardson has a longstanding alcohol and drug problem, and that he was drunk on the day the alleged sexual assault
occurred.
When Green learned the details of how her granddaughter died, she just shook her head.
"That's beyond sick," she said, sitting in front of the family's Christmas tree in view of wrapped presents that had been
bought for Nevaeh before she was killed.
Contact Staff Writer Jason Alley at jalley@heritage.com or at 1-734-246-0867.
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