Here is
a story of a father, if he even has the privilege of being called that, who deliberately
killed his two sons (Charles-7 and Braden-5) before committing suicide seconds
later. Before committing the homicides and suicide, Josh Powell (the father)
called and left a voicemail to some relatives stating, "I am
not able to live without my sons, and I'm not able to go on anymore. I'm sorry
to everyone I've hurt. Goodbye." The real catcher is the way Powell went
about the murdering of his two boys. During his visit with his boys, (who were
under the custody of their grandparents, Powell’s wife’s parents, due to Powell
being caught with child pornography in the home) Powell locked them in the
house to hide them from the social worker and took a hatchet to both boys,
leaving them in agonizing pain on the floor before setting the house to fire,
which ended both their lives, due to inhalation of smoke, which also caused his own
death. As for Powell’s wife, Susan Powell, she had gone missing years ago, yet
to be found; Powell being one of the main suspects in her disappearance.
The part of this story that really dumbfounds me is the
fact that just because the police and detectives did not have enough evidence
against Powell being the main culprit in his wife’s disappearance, they could
not arrest Powell, knowing he was more than likely the main reason due to her
absence. Powell was also caught with child pornography in his home. The fact
that they could not arrest him led to his capability of murdering his two
innocent young children. Where should the judge cross the line here? Why was
Powell even given supervised visits after all that was against him? Who is to
blame? Critics and reviewers of this story are blaming our system for allowing
such a man the right to be around his children. Of course, in the end, it is no
one’s fault but Powell’s, but with all the suspicions held against him, what
could our system do about this? Even though there was not enough evidence
against him, would it be ethical for the judge to totally and completely cut
all ties with the father and his children, especially when the judge knew about
this man and the way he was? I know there are many sick people out there, many
people who do wicked things, but where do we draw the line in blaming our
system for being responsible for these individual’s actions?
This whole situation is the reason parts of the system is flawed. When a father of young children is caught with child pornography how the judge had did allowed him to have unsupervised visits with his boys is beyond me. Their lives could have been saved had the judge made sure that the man be required to have a police officer watching over him while the father visited with his children. The man mentally sick not only to leave voicemails to relatives but also allowing your own children to suffer in a house that you caught on fire.
ReplyDeleteYou ask who is to blame in this situation it would have to be the judge that allowed Powell the unsupervised visitation rights. Any father especially one of young boys like his 5 and 7 year old should not be allowed unsupervised visitation rights in any respect. He was caught with child pornography can you imagine if he was a sex offender what could have happened to those boys in the time their father had with them. In addition I understand that they didn’t have enough evidence in putting the wife’s disappearance on him but again he was the leading suspect is the case. Allowing this man visitation rights is not only morally wrong but ethically wrong. You are putting innocent children under supervision of a man they may or may not have killed his own wife, but could also have been a man that was a child molester. As bad as this might sound I am not surprised at all at the way things ended. This man had mental issues and he wasn’t going to die without taking his family with him. This whole situation is disturbing but the worst part of all of this is the way in which the father hurt/ killed his children. He could of have the decency to kill the children before setting the house on fire, but instead he allowed them to suffer. I put the blame on the judge that allowed this man supervision of his children.
I think this story deserve a "damn" this is truly sad and crazy to even think that a person is capable of. Of course you can't blame the system completely, but I do think that he shouldn't have even been allowed access to his kids without supervision. The child pornography, i think would indicate that he may be a risk to his kids, which were not even in his custody. I think fact that the wife was missing is just fuel to the fire. Even though they couldn’t prove or arrest him, i think he should have been watched and supervised way more closely.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree he should had no right to visit his children if he was caught with child pornography, what a disgusting and sick man. Then his wife is missing and he is the main suspect and he still gets visitation rights? The grandparents should of spoken up and said something, and that judge should of been fired! I do not understand why people do what they do. Its crazy and mind-blowing to think a person let alone a father to kill innocent little children who have not hurt a soul. Some people are cruel and should definitely not have kids, they should be in jail or in mental institutions.
ReplyDeleteI have heard a lot about this story in the news and from teachers and it is extremely upsetting. The way he went about killing his own children has to be one of the most horrific things a child could go through. I definitely think that he has something to do with the ex-wife's disappearance but why wouldn't he admit to it in the voice mail he left before killing himself? When he was leaving those messages he knew that he was going to kill his two sons and himself so why not let them know where she was so they could properly put her to rest. I also was a little confused how he was able to lock the social worker out of the house when his visits were supervised and why no one made it to the scene to attempt to stop what was going on. Regardless this is a tragic event that could have possibly been avoided. This man seriously had some issues and two innocent children died as a result.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time hearing about this story and it is very disturbing to read. At the time im sure everyone figured he was responsible for the dissapearance of his wife, however, without evidence the judge couldnt legally make something up to keep him from his kids. After this tragidy happened im sure the judge regretted his decision, however the judge isnt responsible for his decision because he was following the law. The system should work in the way that it can cross the line if believed the person if really not innocent and is a future threat, however, whos job is it to decide that?
ReplyDeleteThis story blows my mind. First I could never imagine in my whole life killing children specially if they belonged to me. Second if someone is going to take their own life why are you going to take others down with you?! And third why on earth did the social worker leave children unsupervised specially when the father is being looked at for the disappearing of their mother!!! My parents take foster children in and the children that we get have supervised visits. Our social workers are not allowed to leave the children in the hands of the parents. Not even to go to the bathroom. You never know how crazy a parents without their children or a parents in general can be. I believe that the social worker had to have left or walked out of the room if the dad could lock the boys in a room! Some people need to learn some common sense and do their jobs right!! These little boys had to much more of their lives to live!
ReplyDeleteThis man should have had no legal right to visit his children. The evidence of child pornography in his possession should be enough evidence that this man is a predator. Yes, in this case the system did not serve these victims justice. You asked where the judge should have drawn the line? I strongly believe the line should have been drawn once the explicit material was discovered. No rational person, let alone rational parent would possess such awful material.This would be where I would have denied any visitation privileges to this father, and completely avoided any further danger to these innocent lives.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that this is a sad story. The father of these boys did not deserve to have visitation of his children however, it would not be fair to the children to not get to see their father. A more secured area for visitation would have been a better solution. All the could have, should have, and would haves don't change the out come of this terrible tragedy.
ReplyDeleteThis truly is very sad, that the justice system does fail, and that this is a prime example. I have not hear of this case and would like to know more. I can only see here that the father was badly in need of some mental help. If the father was the prime suspect in the disapearence of his wife, and denied full custody of his children then why was he given the right to see his children without supervision. Hinsight is always 20/20 and easy to see, but think about the grandparents and what they are now going through.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to wrap my mind around stories like this. Those kids were so young and innocent, and how were they to know that their own father was going to kill them? I don't know how a father can take a hatchet to his own children. If I knew that he had been caught with child pornography, I wouldn't have let him near those kids, even if he was their father. I have a friend that jokes about having a special place in hell reserved for himself. I can only hope that there actually was a special place in hell reserved for this pathetic excuse for a father.
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