Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Nov. 28, 1991, edition 1 / Page 28
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Who killed eight-year old Adam Mann? On March 5, 1990, in New York City, five-year-old Adam Mann was beaten tc death for eating a piece of cake. His mother and father were both indicted for mur der in his death. The autopsy revealed Adam had been battered for years. Over 100 injuries were observed on the child's body; at one time, the doctor said, every bone in his body had been broken. In "Who Killed Adam Mann?" airing Tuesday, December 3, at 9 p.m. (check local listings), Frontline investigates the long history of child abuse in Adam Mann s family and reveals a documented record ? stretching back seven years ? of how New York City's child welfare system failed to protect Adam and his three brothers. ?This unique ^rec ord exists because the Mann children and their parents were filmed earlier for a 1985 Frontline documentary on child abuse produced by Carole Langer. "When we first began filming the family back in 1983," says Langer, "there were physical signs of the children having been beaten. Emergency child abuse reports had also been filed; a caseworker had already been assigned. At the time the program was broadcast in 1985, the children were removed and placed in foster homes. We didn't learn when the children were returned to their parents of why. Now we know." This Frontline investigation, produced by Langer, draws on her earlier access to the family and their relatives and on interviews with social workers and psychiatrists who tried to help. This report tracks the numerous child abuse reports filed by doctors and social workers, the decisions of the family's case workers, the treatment provided the mother, and the growing record of injuries to Adam and his three brothers, Keith, Peter, and Larry. Among Frontline's findings: (1) eight-year-old Keith Mann, in one fourteen-month period, suffered a ruptured spleen, a perforated intes tine, liver damage, and fractures of the face, ribs, arms, and skull; (2) seven-year-old Larry Mann had been hospitalized several times. He had suffered a broken leg, a broken wrist, and his body was covered with multiple fractures; and (3) tTen-year-old Peter Mann attempted suicide and has said he wants to go to heaven like his brother Adam. But despite numerous child abuse reports and a growing file documenting hospitalized injuries, the caseworkers, with few excep tions, decided there was no danger and allowed the children to remain with their mother. "I remember the doctors in the hospital. They were angry with us and would say 'You have to do something about it,'" says Helen Henighan, a social worker who worked for a private child-care agency. HWe kept filing reports and trying to do something to have the kids removed. But it just didn't seem to get anywhere." Following one episode of sen- . ous abuse, the caseworker failed to visit the family for six months. He only returned when another emer gency child abuse report was filed. Ttvrs^ Frontline report also examines the expensive, one-year rehabilitation program ordered by the court for the mother, Michelle Mann, which failed to solve her problems with her children. "There was no staff psychiatrist . . . the amount of psychiatric time was extremely limited," says Dr. Mark Nessel, who was the senior consult ing psychiatrist for the program. Judge rules-police used excessive force in killing of blacks at protest By BARRY RENFREW Associate Press Writer JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) ? Police who killed 12 blacks while breaking up an African National Congress protest used excessive force by firing hundreds of bullets, a judge ruled. Justice B. O'Donovan said a police claim of self-defense when the officers fired on ihe^crowd March 24, was not plausible because more than 250 rounds of ammunition were used. O'Donovan, ruling at an inquest in the Rand Supreme Court, said the "slaughter exceeded the limits of self-defense." A police officer also was killed in the incident The inquest's finding was referred to the Attorney General for possible investigation and prosecu tion. The inquest into the deaths in the black township of Daveyton, east of Johannesburg, is part of gov ernment efforts to curb what critics consider ta be-cxcessive use qL force by police. The ANC, the main black polit ical organization, has charged repeatedly that police use force to break up peaceful political meetings to suppress the opposition. Police commanders deny the charge. Police opened fire on the crowd of ANC supporters in Daveyton after ordering the crowd to disperse. Members of the crowd claimed they were trying to protect themselves from the rival Inkatha Freedom Party. Violence erupted when two shots were fired as police hegaiL searching protesters for weapons, the court said. Sgt. Jan Petrus van Wyk was then stabbed to death by six protesters. Another part-time psychiatrist. Dr. Barbara Munk, says Michelle Mann frequently hit her children while in the program. "The staff was frustrated and I think nobody could get hold of her to help her," says Munk.HWho Killed Adam Mann?" also investigates why the family was left completely unmoni tored for long periods of time by New York's Child Welfare Adminis tration. At one point, there was a two-' year gap in which no one checked on the children. During that time, the abuse continued. "Adam's body was so messed up," says Vema Chisholm, Adam's aunt. "She [Michelle] didn't take him to the clinic. She would take the other kids to the clinic and make believe what was wrong with Adam was wrong with the others who did n't have too many marks." When the caseworker was asked why there was a two-year gap in which she had filed no reports, she said she had transferred the case to another agency. But after learn ing the case hadn't been transferred, she became disgusted and put it in the file without any further action. No disciplinary action was taken against the caseworkers or their supervisors. In February 1991, Adam Man n's father pled guilty to manslaugh ter in his son's death. Adam's moth er pled guilty to a separate charge of assault. Both are now in prison in New York. Officials of the Child Welfare Administration declined to be inter viewed for this report, citing state laws of confidentiality governing child abuse cases. "In the U.S., some twelve-hun dred children will die this year of neglect and abuse," says Frontline Executive Producer David Fanning, "and New York City's problems are a microcosm of the nation's. This report raises serious questions about whose interests really are being protected by the laws of confidentiality." oes Dr. Blair is still Ms. McLean'spastorffSM spelled in the article City ^ofcstcis. We apologize to Ms. McLean, Dr. Blair and risters for any inconvenience our mistakes may ha Adam Mann LEGAL NOTICES ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS R.N. Rouse & Co., Inc., General Contractors, is presently soliciting subcontract bids and material quotations from Women/Minority Businoss Enterprises for construction of the Public Health Facility for Forsyth County in Winston-Salem. This project will be bid on December 3, 1991 at 3:00 p.m. Plans are available for review in the office of the archi tect or in the Greensboro, Raleigh, and Charlotte offices of F.W. Dodge Corp., in the Triad and Charlotte offices of the AGC, office of Construction Market Data in Charlotte and in our office. Interested parties are asked to call Mr. James Edwards at 919-778-8800 for more information. NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor for the Estate of ROBERT LEE KIRKLAND, also known as ROBERT L KIRKLAND, deceased of Forsyth County, North Carolina, this is to notify all per sons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of the deceased, to present said claims and/or bills to me, the under signed, at the address below, on or before the 29th day of May, 1992, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. ALL PERSONS INDEBTED TO SAID ESTATE, PLEASE MAKE IMMEDIATE PAY MENT This the 28th day of November, 1991 TAMMY L. KIRKLAND, Executor for the Estate of ROBERT LEE KIRKLAND + 5144 Britt Drive Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27105 Billy D. Friende, Jr. FRIENDE AND BURKE Attorneys at Law 548 North Main Street Post Office Drawer 995 Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27102 (919)722-4140 NORTH CAROUNA FORSTYTH COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of David E. Matthews also known as David Eugene Matthews, deceased, late of Forsyth County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having Claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned at 2501 Kingsgate Drive, Winston-Salem, North Carolina on or before May 29, 1992 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment. r * This 28th day of November, 1991. Marie A. Matthews* Executrix of the Estate of David E. ^Matthews KENNEDY, KENNEDY, KENNEDY AND KENNEDY, Attorneys ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS ATTENTION: Minority and Woman Owned Business Enterprises Fowler-Jones Construction Company P.O. Box 4062,10 West 32nd Strsst Winston-Salem NC 27115-4062 Will be bidding as General Contractor for the construction of the PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY ? FORSYTH COUNTY WINSTON-SALEM, NC Bid date: Bids to Fowler-Jones by 3:00 P.M., Tuesday, December 3, 1991. Project docu ments are available for review at Fowler Jones' main office (919-759-7800), Dodge and AGC plan rooms in Greensboro, Raleigh, Charlotte and from the architect. Fowler-Jones Construction Company recog nizes the need to take affirmative action to ensure that MBE/WBE companies shall have an equal opportunity to participate in the performance of contracts financed in whole or in part with city funds. MBE/WBE bids relating to this construction project are hereby solicited. EOE NORTH CAROUNA FORSYTH COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of Lillie P. Sartor, also known as Lillie Pear son Sartor and Lillie Sartor, deceased, late of Forsyth County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned at 2507 Gilmer Avenue, Winston-Salem, North Carolina on or before May 29, 1992 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment. This.28th day of November, 1991. Hazel Bailey, Executrix of the Estate of Lillie P. Sartor KENNEDY, KENNEDY, KENNEDY AND KENNEDY, Attorneys 710 First Union Building Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101 (NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as the Administrator of the Estate of Larry Darnell Lindsay, also known as Larry D. Lindsay, deceased, of Forsyth County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned at the address below, on or before the 29th of May, 1992, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. ALL PERSONS INDEBTED TO SAID ESTATE, PLEASE MAKE IMMEDIATE PAYMENT This the 28th day of November, 1991 Sarah E. Linday,. Administrator for the Estate of Larry Darnell Lindsay 1439 Oak Street Winston-Salem, N.C. 27105 DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS? Fair housing is the law. It is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race. color, religion; sex, national origin, disability, or family status. Vou can fight housing discrimination and win if you learn to recognize the subtle signs. When you suspect housing discrimination, call HUD toll-free at 1-800-669-9777, TDD 1-800-927-9275. Fair Housing Opens Doors U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Not all signs of discrimination are this obvious. What you may hear is: "I rented that apartment right after you called." "I'll show you the apartment after I see your green card." "I don't really want all the changes...ramp, grab bar ...that's too much."
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Nov. 28, 1991, edition 1
28
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