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Amanda Porter gave 3-year-old Spencer a beat down

Dakota

Dakota

FORUM BITCH / Beloved Cunt
Bold Member!
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Amanda Kay Porter beat her boyfriend's 3-year-old son to death nearly 18 months ago, Story County authorities alleged Friday.

Nevada and Story County police arrested Porter, 25, on charges of first-degree murder and child endangerment causing death in the June 2008 homicide of Spencer Corson.

In 2008, Spencer Corson died at a Des Moines hospital after suffering head injuries consistent with child abuse. A medical examiner ruled the death a homicide.

At the time, Porter was living with Spencer's father, Stuart Corson, when the boy suffered the injuries that proved fatal.

Spencer was rushed to the hospital three times for head injuries and malnutrition between 2007 and his death, state records show.
[...]

Porter, who has two other children, has been the subject of multiple child abuse inquires by the Iowa Department of Human Services.

Bill and Ann Byers of Lampasas, Texas, are the legal guardians of one of Porter's daughters, Hailey. The Byers' son, Casey, fathered Hailey with Porter. He asked his parents to look after his daughter before he was killed in action in Iraq.

They fought a complex legal battle with Iowa human services authorities to retain custody of the 4-year-old girl as suspicions of child abuse mounted against Porter.

In 2007, Hailey was taken to the hospital three times for abscesses caused by wet diapers. One visit required an IV. During another visit, the Byerses discovered Hailey with a black eye.

The grandparents eventually won custody of their granddaughter and said they hope her stepbrother finds justice after Friday's arrest.
[...]
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http://www.desmoinesregister.com/ar...USINESS04/Woman-arrested-in-08-child-homicide

Amanda Porter's private MySpace (where she calls herself "Amanda Corson"): http://www.myspace.com/flip_flop23
Stuart Corson's MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/nosrocsc

Looks like they may still be together. As of November 2009, she was still posting lovey dovey crap on his page. There are still pics of her up on it (including an album titled "my beatutiful woman").

A family at war and a DHS fail.... the full text of a July 2009 (one year after Spencer's death) Des Moines Register article is in a blog here: http://standupspeakup-leesa.blogspot.com/2009/07/grandparents-sidestep-dhs-in-bid-to.html
Three-year-olds Hailey Byers and Spencer Corson lived as brother and sister in a blended family - until Spencer was killed by what authorities say was violent child abuse.
[...]

Spencer was born with genetic abnormalities, including a cleft palate that required use of a feeding tube, relatives said. He was mentally delayed and couldn't speak in sentences. He knew some sign language. He ran and played, stacked Lego bricks, did puzzles, was captivated by Elmo, and loved spaghetti and strawberries.
[...]

2003: Amanda Porter is convicted of felony kidnapping/child stealing in Woodbury County.
[...]

JAN. 16, 2005: Hailey Byers is born to Amanda Porter and Casey Byers.

MAY 2, 2005: Spencer Corson is born to Jessica Rivera and Stuart Corson.

JUNE 11, 2005: Byers is killed in Iraq.

JANUARY 2006: Porter asks Casey Byers' parents, Ann and Bill Byers of Schleswig, if they can take in Hailey. The Byerses learn she has not been to a doctor and needs all her immunizations. Porter moves in soon after.

JUNE 2006: Iowa Department of Human Services investigators document a child abuse finding against Spencer's mother, Rivera, after she fails to provide 1-year-old Spencer with adequate food. She later gives full custody to Corson.
[...]

JULY 2007: The Byerses keep in contact with Porter, who grants visits with Hailey. Three times they take the 2-year-old to the hospital for abscesses due to prolonged contact with wet, soiled diapers. The first time, Hailey requires an IV.

LATE JULY 2007: Porter meets Corson of Story City and moves in with him and his 2-year-old son, Spencer.

SEPTEMBER 2007: The Byerses initiate a welfare check with Nevada police to see if Hailey is healthy. A certified letter to Porter's address is returned undelivered. The Byerses seek emergency custody. Their lawyer presents Judge Dale Ruigh with the Byers' documentation of perceived neglect and abuse. Armed with Ruigh's court order for custody, the Byerses find Hailey, who has a black eye. Porter says she fell and hit a table, relatives say.

LATE SEPTEMBER 2007: Hailey is no longer toilet trained and shows other behavior problems, the Byerses say. A medical exam shows no physical evidence of sexual abuse, they say.

APRIL 7, 2008: A DHS report says that Porter's home is safe, and Judge William Ostlund transfers back custody of Hailey. But he gives the Byerses visitation, court records show.

APRIL 16, 2008: Spencer suffers a concussion and is flown by helicopter from Ames to Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines. DHS concludes an unknown person failed to provide Spencer with proper supervision and calls the child abuse allegation founded, a DHS report states. The Byerses are not told. Safety services through Youth and Shelter Services in Ames begin.

MAY 1, 2008: Ann and Bill Byers pick up Hailey for their first court-ordered five-day visitation and take her to their Nebraska cabin. She is unusually quiet and inactive, they write in their journal. On the trip back to Ames, they say she cried and said she didn't want to go home.

MAY 28, 2008: Spencer, 3, is hospitalized for five days for malnutrition. Another abuse investigation begins, and a child-in-need-of-assistance hearing is set. Neither Corson nor Rivera shows up for the hearing, so it is moved to June 27, 2008.

JUNE 23, 2008: Spencer, unresponsive due to a head injury, is again life-flighted. A DHS child abuse investigation begins.

JUNE 24, 2008: Spencer dies at 12:30 p.m.

JUNE 27, 2008: Bill Byers learns of Spencer's death from Corson's MySpace page.

JULY 1, 2008: The Byerses pick up Hailey for their five-day visitation. Porter isn't there, but Corson hands over the girl.

JULY 3, 2008: Judge William Pattinson rules "there is some legitimate concern" Hailey would be in danger if she's returned to her mother's home, and orders Hailey to temporarily remain with the Byerses.

JULY 12, 2008: Porter gives birth to Erika Corson. Two days later, DHS decides there's no basis to request that a judge remove the baby at that time, a DHS report states.

JULY 22, 2008: DHS worker Jennifer Welton can't confirm abuse in connection with Spencer's death and "no person is named responsible," according to her report, signed by her supervisor, Kathy Doyle of the Ames office.

AUG. 11, 2008: Judge Gary McMinimee orders that Hailey be returned to Porter, but postpones the effective date.

SEPT. 26, 2008: Judge Dale Ruigh orders that Ann and Bill Byers keep custody of Hailey until a guardianship trial takes place, court records show. The trial has been postponed indefinitely.

OCTOBER 2008: An autopsy by Polk County Medical Examiner Greg Schmunk concludes Spencer's death was caused by "abusive head injury" during an "assault by another."
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This is UNREAL. I know the system wants to strike a balance between parental rights and the child's safety, but could we maybe lean toward the safety of the child a LITTLE bit? Those poor kids. :argh:
 
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It does not look like the 18 months of stress were kind to her.
 
A woman accused of murder in the killing of her boyfriend’s 3-year-old child has asked for a review of her bond in hopes she will be released from jail pending trial.
[...]

At a hearing Thursday, Porter’s attorney, Greta Anne Truman, asked District Court Judge Timothy Finn to reduce Porter’s bond to $10,000 plus the deed to a trailer she co-owns with the victim’s father, Stuart Corson, against her appearance at trial.

“This is an old case,” Truman said. “Ms. Porter has waived her right to a speedy trial, and, given the nature of this case and the number of expert witnesses that need to be called, it will not be resolved quickly.”

Truman called four witnesses in defense of her motion to reduce the bond, among them Porter’s mother, Deb Smith, of Nevada, at whose home Spencer Corson was staying when the alleged homicide occurred, and Stuart Corson, who testified Porter and the victim were “inseparable.”

However, Assistant Attorney General Douglas Hammerand took aim at both Truman’s witnesses. He noted Stuart Corson’s criminal history and questioned Porter’s ties to the community.

Hammerand finished by noting the bond in the case was not just to secure Porter’s appearance at trial, but for the safety of other persons. He told the court that, if released, Porter would have unrestricted access to the 1-year-old child she had with Stuart Corson, and cited a previous felony conviction on Porter’s record.

“It’s not just a felony conviction, your honor,” Hammerand said. “It’s a felony conviction for child stealing.”

He noted that in all three instances in which Spencer Corson was hospitalized, he was in Porter’s care. Deb Smith said Porter and Spencer Corson had been alone in her home just prior to his hospitalization June 23.
[...]

Spencer Corson suffered from several illnesses from birth, including a cleft pallet, a heart murmur, a horseshoe-shaped kidney and other issues. He was developmentally slower than other children his age and took feeding primarily through a G-tube, but family members told DHS agents he had been making progress.
[...]
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http://www.amestrib.com/articles/2010/03/26/ames_tribune/news/doc4bacd4c01c571151382649.txt

I can not believe that he is sticking with her. I hope they keep her ass in jail now and for a long time.
 
Dakota Valkyrie said:
I can not believe that he is sticking with her. I hope they keep her ass in jail now and for a long time.
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And I cannot believe the amount of FAIL in this whole case!

How often does a child have to be admitted with head injuries or malnutrition before the red flags pop up and action is taken? Especially when others are voicing their concerns over injuries to another child in the same family!

Why was Hailey given back to her (at the very least) neglectful mother time after time?

Poor Spencer died 3 days before the re-scheduled child in need hearing. Why the long gap between the hearings? If the parents failed to attend, then the child should have been removed immediately, and then re-schedule! If they had nothing to hide, and had the childs best interests at heart then they would show up. The fact that they didn't should have been a HUGE red flag.

And if she is released, she will have unrestricted access to her 1yr old??? :jaw:
 
Trial in Iowa child killing delayed until November

AMES, Iowa— A trial set for next week in the killing of a 3-year-old Iowa boy has been put off until November.

Twenty-five-year-old Amanda Porter, of Story City, faces charges of first-degree murder and child endangerment in the 2008 death of Spencer Corson. The Ames Tribune reports a district judge granted the delay in her case Friday to ensure expert witnesses could testify at trial.

The Nevada boy was pronounced dead June 24, 2008, a day after he was found unresponsive. The boy's death certificate indicated he died as a result of abusive head trauma inflicted by another person.

Porter was the girlfriend of the boy's father and was caring for him when police say he suffered the fatal injuries.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-childkilling,0,7411440.story

Another article...

Spencer Corson murder trial delayed - amestrib.com

Amanda's cooter must be made of gold because the bitch even made it on his obituary, this one really disgusts me, November can't come quick enough!

obituary -
http://iagenweb.org/boards/story/obituaries/index.cgi?read=196261
 
Is it just me or does that picture of her all smiley and happy remind me of the children under the stairs? Shes too blond in that pic....

I hope she gets life and gets placed in G.POP
 
The trial of Amanda Porter, accused of murder in the death of her fiancé’s son, resumed this morning with opening statements from both the state and the defense.

Assistant Iowa Attorney General Denise Timmins opened with a step-by-step recounting of the events leading to the death of 3-year-old Spencer Corson, noting previous incidents in which the child was left in Porter’s care prior to being hospitalized.

Timmins previewed testimony from state’s witnesses who she said would testify that, despite Porter’s claims that Spencer suffered from seizures, no evidence of seizures was found and no one but Porter ever said they witnessed him suffering seizures.

Timmins also said she would call Polk County Medical Examiner Gregory Schmunk, who performed the autopsy on Spencer. Schmunk is expected to testify that Spencer’s injuries could only have been caused a few hours prior to his last hospitalization. At points during that time frame, Porter was alone with Spencer.

Porter’s attorney, Mike Adams, previewed the defense’s case, which centers around Spencer’s suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome, the result of which was the seizures reported by Porter.

“You will not see evidence that there was trauma inflicted on this child," Adams said. . . .

The prosecution’s first witness in the case against Porter was Dr. John Paschen, a pediatrician at the McFarland Center in Ames and Spencer Corson’s physician since his birth.

Paschen testified about Spencer’s numerous congenital ailments, but said he didn’t believe any of them were the result of fetal alcohol syndrome because Spencer didn’t meet one of the main criteria of the disease.

Paschen said children with fetal alcohol syndrome tend not to grow either in the womb or after birth. However, he said, Spencer could be seen to be putting on weight when he was kept at the hospital for several days and fed by staff members.

He also testified about injuries Spencer sustained, including a subdural hematoma and a skull fracture which defendant Amanda Porter said he got when he fell off of a couch at their home.

Paschen said he didn’t believe those injuries could have resulted from the incident described by Porter.

Next called was Jessica Rivera, Spencer Corson’s mother. . . .

Jessica Rivera testified that she’d never seen Spencer have a seizure. She described the last day she’d spent with him in April, when she took him to her niece’s birthday party. Later, Spencer would be hospitalized for reportedly suffering a seizure and falling off the back of a couch while in Amanda Porter’s care.

Jessica Rivera also said that she hadn’t consumed alcohol while pregnant and in fact has never consumed alcohol. However, she did note on cross-examination that she herself suffered from seizures while she was pregnant with Spencer.

The state next called Dianna Rivera, Jessica Rivera’s mother, who talked about the bruises Spencer had on him when he was sent to Blank Children’s Hospital on June 24, 2008. She described a large lump on the child’s head with a bruise, marks around his throat that she said looked to her like a handprint, bruises under both arms and on his legs.

She also described the April 16 hospitalization, during which she heard Porter making statements that Spencer fell off a couch while she was in the restroom, resulting in a subdural hematoma.

“While she was explaining what happened, she stopped and pointed at Jessica and myself and said, ‘Well, actually, it all started when he came back from their house,’” Dianna Rivera said. “At the time I was extremely confused. Then she stated that when (Spencer) came back from their house he had a seizure. She was also asked if she rushed him to the hospital. She said no, she hadn’t.”

On cross examination, Adams questioned Dianna Rivera about Spencer’s problems with gaining weight while in her care, and the color of the marks on Spencer’s throat.

The last witness called before the noon break was Sgt. Ricardo Martinez of the Nevada Police Department, who verified accounts of bruises on Spencer’s body when he was hospitalized shortly before his death.

He also said he’d spoken to Porter at the scene, and that she’d told him that the bruise on his forehead came from running into a computer desk a few days earlier. Porter told Martinez that the bruise on one side of Spencer’s neck came from him being accidentally struck by a door that her daughter, Hailey, had opened. Martinez testified that when he questioned her about the mark on the other side of Spencer’s neck, as well as those on Spencer’s armpits and the inside of his right knee, she had no explanation.

The state next called Tracy Gibson, an EMS worker with the Nevada Fire Department who responded to the 911 call about Spencer Corson.

Gibson again confirmed the bruises on Spencer’s body on his forehead, the sides of his throat, and, near his armpits, what she called “thumb bruises.”

She also told the jury that when first responders arrived at the scene and began performing CPR on Spencer, Amanda Porter and her mother, Deb Smith, didn’t seem particularly distraught that the child wasn’t breathing. . . .

On cross-examination, Gibson described the coloring of the bruises and said it was her estimation that they’d been there a day or two. . . .

The last witness called before the break was Deb Smith, Porter’s mother and the woman who made the 911 call when Spencer was found unresponsive. She testified that she’d left Amanda and Spencer alone in her home alone twice on June 23 as she went for walks with Porter’s daughter. . . .

The prosecution played the 911 tape from the incident. . . On the tape, the dispatcher asks Smith if she or Porter wants to try CPR. Smith doesn’t respond for several long moments before finally asking, “Amanda, do you want to try CPR?”
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http://www.amestrib.com/articles/2011/11/09/ames_tribune/news/doc4ebaa4bed3f18122236783.txt

Paschen testified about the medical conditions that Spencer dealt with since his birth, including a cleft palate that made it difficult for Spencer to eat.Might explain his difficulty gaining weight.

"Children have abnormal brains but that doesn't mean they're more prone to bleed," said Paschen. . . . [No idea what this is supposed to mean. Is the attorney looking to explain the subdural hematoma?

Prosecutors said Spencer was hospitalized twice in the months leading up to his death. During one of those hospital visits, Amanda Porter told doctors that Spencer had seizures and had fallen from a couch, but Paschen said the injuries were not consistent with such claims.

"I mean was he on the top of the couch and he fell onto a brick or something? But if he was just sitting on the couch and fell off, I don't buy that," said Paschen. . . .
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http://www.kcci.com/news/29723708/detail.html
 
This woman is full of shit. She killed that baby as sure as if she'd put a gun to his head. Her mother took her daughter for a walk, and she decides to dispose of the problem child, Spencer.
 
I can't believe that Spencer's dad din't know that this bitch was abusing him and not feeding him properly. Just because a child has a feeding tube doesn't mean that they can't gain weight. The whole reason that he was placed with his father to begin with was because his bio mom wasn't or couldn't feed him properly. Then it happens AGAIN under the care of step-mom and he is hospitalized for malnutrition where he gained weight when he was fed properly by hospital staff.

And THREE head injuries? No one thought anything about that including his dad?? Really? And bruises on his throat but dad didn't see that either? No one thought it was weird? WTF??? No one thinks it's strange that his father supposedly lived in that home but never noticed anything?

He needs to be hung up by his fucking balls and she needs nailed to a tree by her cooter and they both need to be left for the winter. See how well they fare next spring.

This has got to be one of the biggest clusterfucks I have ever read about. Where was ANYONE to protect this child?? Where was his actual MOM? WTF?? I'm just flabbergasted. The father needs charged too!
 
“Is Amanda very emotional?” defense attorney Michael Adams asked Smith during his cross examination.

“No,” she said.

It’s an assessment that was borne out throughout Wednesday’s testimony; according to witnesses called by the state, Porter, 26, maintained her composure throughout the incident that resulted in Spencer’s death, and even previous to that. . . .

In a much-noted event in April 2008, shortly after Spencer returned from a visitation with his mother, Porter apparently left him alone in their living room while she went to the bathroom. When she returned, Spencer had apparently fallen off the couch and was having a seizure.

Witnesses said Porter didn’t call 911, didn’t rush Spencer to the emergency room. What she did was send a text message to her boyfriend, the child’s father, telling him about the situation.

“I was in Ames at the time,” Stuart Corson testified. “Amanda sent me a message saying that I needed to get home, something was wrong with Spencer.”

Stuart went home and found his son screaming.

“His whole body was stiff, like he couldn’t move,” Stuart said. “His eyelids were fluttering like he was having a seizure.”

Stuart took Spencer to the emergency room, where he was found to have a subdural hematoma, blood on his brain. Later, a small skull fracture was found on a follow-up skeletal survey, possibly from the same incident. Witnesses said that doctors who examined the boy couldn’t find any physiological reason for his seizure, or that would have explained his injuries. . . .

Tracy Gibson, who does EMS work for the Nevada Fire Department, took the stand Wednesday as well and said that when she arrived at the scene, both Porter and Smith seemed unperturbed by the young boy who was dying in front of them.

“They were very calm, collected,” she testified. “They were standing at Spencer’s feet a little ways away just carrying on a normal conversation, it appeared to me. There was no upset, no tears.” . . .

Stuart Corson, Spencer’s father, gave jurors an overview of Spencer’s short life, outlining his developmental disabilities and the disintegration of his relationship with Jessica Rivera shortly after Spencer’s birth. He said that he’d seen Rivera be abusive to Spencer on a few occasions, including incidents in which she allegedly struck Spencer or threw the child into his car seat.

Answering questions about the day before Spencer died, Corson said he knew Porter had been up late the night before, dealing with Spencer and Porter’s own daughter, neither of whom had wanted to go to sleep. He said he had been out with a friend until late the night before. Around 5 p.m. June 23, Amanda decided it was too hot in their trailer without air conditioning and took Spencer and her daughter to Smith’s home in Nevada. Corson stayed behind to catch up on some sleep, he said. He said he ended up texting Amanda much of the time and didn’t get any rest as planned.
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http://www.amestrib.com/articles/2011/11/10/ames_tribune/news/doc4ebbe75162bba403892358.txt

Dr. Kathleen Foster-Wendell, staff pediatrician at McFarland Clinic, who testified in depth about Spencer’s April trip to the hospital, describing the bleeding found on both sides of his brain and saying it would almost certainly not have been caused by a fall from a couch, as Porter claimed.

“The amount of force that is needed to cause that extent of damage to the brain would involve some form of acceleration, more than just gravity,” she said.

Foster-Wendell testified that Spencer’s brain essentially hit the side of his skull and bounced off, causing the two hematomas. The results of her examination were that the child had suffered non-accidental injuries.

On cross examination, defense attorney Michael Adams pushed Foster-Wendell to admit that she couldn’t conclusively establish a time frame for the formation of the injuries, or completely rule out the alleged fall from the couch. He also reintroduced the idea that Spencer was injured in his mother’s care the weekend before, noting reports that Spencer had come home with an unexplained bruise and had not been acting like himself since.
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http://www.amestrib.com/articles/2011/11/10/ames_tribune/news/doc4ebbfe5f73c3b467423909.txt

Absentee dad, leaving it all up to the new woman. Not taking any time to look at his child, play with him. He just didn't count, huh? And, of course, stepford wive Amanda could never get ruffled enough to hurt him. No, it's all his FAS, right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W77A0B5FsJM
 
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In the interview, which took place at a family waiting room at Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines after Spencer was admitted, Porter told the agent about the April incident, in which Spencer fell off a couch, resulting in the brain bleeding, and she described the events leading up to Spencer’s hospitalization on June 23 and death on June 24.

Porter said following the April injury Spencer would sometimes seize up and remain tense, and that the night before his hospitalization he hadn’t wanted to go to sleep until Stuart Corson came home from hanging out with friends at around 4 a.m.

Pregnant and not having slept much the night before, Porter said she decided to take Spencer and her daughter to her mother’s home. Once there, she put him to bed. She said she fed him once at around 6:30 p.m. Then, at around 7 p.m., she heard Spencer crying and went to check on him and found he was “having one of his tightening up things.” She said she rubbed his legs to get him to loosen them up, and he stopped crying afterwards.

At around 9 a.m., she called Stuart Corson to wake him up for work, and checked on Spencer again. Shortly after, as she was about to go to sleep, she checked on the child one last time.

“I tried to sit him up and see if he would just like respond … and he didn’t so I went to my mom’s bedroom and woke her up and asked her to look at him and see if he looked right to her,” Porter said. “And that’s when we called the ambulance because I asked her if she could tell if he was breathing or not, because it didn’t look like it to me, but he’s real small so it’s hard to tell anyways.”

More medical testimony followed, including that of Riswan Shah, a pediatrician at Blank Children’s Hospital who diagnosed Spencer as having fetal alcohol syndrome. She also testified that neither the syndrome nor falling off the couch explained injuries that Spencer suffered could have caused the brain damage.

On cross-examination, Adams focused on brain swelling as a possible reason for the hematomas. Shah said brain swelling damages blood vessels differently than trauma.

The state’s last witness was Gregory Schmunk, the Polk County Medical Examiner, who performed the autopsy on Spencer and ruled his death to be a homicide by abusive head trauma.

Schmunk testified that Spencer’s brain damage could only have been caused by an injury to the head.

“You don’t see this with kids on respirators, or from seizures,” he said. “Only in trauma.”
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http://www.amestrib.com/articles/2011/11/11/ames_tribune/news/doc4ebd3c455d1d2203145321.txt
 
The first of the defense’s two witnesses was Dr. John Plunkett, a forensic pathologist specializing in infant injury who has gained notoriety as a critic of so-called “shaken baby syndrome.” . . .

“It could be a seizure disorder related to whatever the structural abnormality of his brain was,” Plunkett said. “It could be the expansion of an existing subdural hematoma. It could have been trauma. Someone may have done something to Spencer Corson two minutes before he was dead. I can’t disprove that. So it could be a number of possibilities.”

The defense has focused on identifying something or someone other than Porter as the cause of Spencer’s death. Defense Attorney Michael Adams contended that Spencer suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome and, in the months prior to his death, developed a seizure disorder, possibly after falling off the couch at his father’s home or because of something that happened while he was in his mother’s care.

Adams has also advanced the idea that the subdural hematomas, retinal detachment and retinal hemorrhages reported by Polk County Medical Examiner Gregory Schmunk following Spencer’s autopsy were the result of natural causes – accidental injuries or medical issues such as swelling of the brain – rather than an assault.

On cross examination, Plunkett said his findings couldn’t rule out that injuries were inflicted on Spencer either in April 2008, when he reportedly fell off the couch and started having seizures, or in June 2008, when he was hospitalized with bruises to his neck, armpits, leg and forehead. Plunkett also noted that he had no special training in neuropathology, as do the specialists who examined Spencer’s brain following the autopsy, or ocular pathology, as do those who described the hemorrhages in Spencer’s eyes as being the product of trauma. . . .

Following Plunkett was Dr. Peter Stephens, a forensic pathologist who said he’s been involved in 3,000 autopsies. Stephens, like Plunkett, said he couldn’t find any evidence that Spencer was intentionally abused or injured.

Stephens said that if he were filing a cause and manner in Spencer’s death, he would list the cause as chronic subdural hematoma due to an unwitnessed fall, with fetal alcohol syndrome as a contributing factor, and the manner as natural causes. He said Schmunk’s findings of homicide by abusive head trauma were “crazy.”

“That’s almost as crazy as calling it suicide,” Stephens said. “I wouldn’t do it. I require some evidence of inflicted injury to call it a homicide.”
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http://www.amestrib.com/articles/2011/11/15/ames_tribune/news/doc4ec27f9cae26d440551788.txt

Shaking my head. I wonder if these two's testimony got any traction at all?
 
Hammerand’s closing argument recounted the sequence of events as argued by the state: that on June 23, 2008, a pregnant, exhausted and frustrated Porter assaulted Spencer while she was alone at her mother’s home, finishing an attack that she’d previously attempted in April when Spencer was hospitalized for allegedly falling off a couch.

“What makes sense in this case is that the defendant intentionally inflicted injuries on this young boy,” Hammerand said. “And it’s time for her to be held accountable for what she did.” . . .

“We know it’s inflicted trauma,” Hammerand said. “The only question left is, who inflicted it?”

Defense attorney Michael Adams used his closing to point out apparent inconsistencies in the story put forward by the prosecution.

“Does it make sense that Amanda disliked Spencer so much that she inflicted this trauma on him?” he said. “Did she have an actual ill will, or hatred, or malice that caused her to intentionally do something to him to hurt him? Does that make sense?”

Adams said one hole in the prosecution’s theory was that Porter lived with Spencer and his father for months before the April incident. Adams said the state’s idea that Porter suddenly became angry at Spencer and injured him in April, and then went back to normal again before hurting him again in June, made no sense.

“You heard from Stuart Corson,” Adams said. “He thought Amanda was a good mother to his child. He never had any problems with her. He never saw any abuse or anything that was concerning. They lived with Stuart’s mother, she never saw any abuse, or anything concerning. How did Amanda discipline the children? She used time outs. So why all of a sudden did she develop this malice, did she snap? I assert that that has not been explained to you.”

Adams also brought up the defense theory that Spencer was actually injured while in his mother’s care in April 2008. He spent the weekend with his mother, Jessica Rivera, just before his injury and first seizure, and allegedly came home with an unexplained bruise on his nose. . . .

But in his rebuttal, Hammerand noted that, while the defense’s experts had studied the reports and photos from Spencer’s medical history, his experts had actually examined Spencer.

He also noted that, despite Adams’ questioning, the state isn’t required to prove that Porter had a motive to hurt Spencer.

“She was frustrated with Spencer, and she had a fixed purpose and design to do him harm,” Hammerand said. “And that’s what she did.”
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http://www.amestrib.com/articles/2011/11/17/ames_tribune/news/doc4ec3d32e97742683327002.txt

Amanda Kaye Porter, 26, of Story City, was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death for killing 3-year-old Spencer Corson in June 2008.

The 12-member jury delivered the verdict at 10:30 a.m., less than 24 hours after the case was sent into deliberations.

District Court Judge Timothy Finn set a sentencing date for Jan. 13. . . .

“She ripped my heart out, and I’ll never get it back,” said Jessica Rivera. “It’s still gone … All I can ever do is think about him, think about the happy thoughts and make sure my daughter knows her brother.”

Jessica Rivera said that even though the case of her son’s death has finally been closed, she doesn’t really know why Porter killed him.

“She’s just an evil, evil person,” she said, “and I don’t think I’ll ever get the answers that I need.”

Dianna said she would have few words for Porter if they spoke.

“All I would want to say is that you got what you deserved,” she said.
Click to expand...
http://www.amestrib.com/articles/2011/11/17/ames_tribune/news/doc4ec3e6ae56c32599535507.txt

Yesssss!
 
This is Bill Byers. My wife Ann and I are the grandparents of Hailey Byers, who is the daughter of Amanda Porter and our son Casey. Up to this point we have kept somewhat quiet on this case but now that it has been resolved and the future of our granddaughter is now secured it is time for us to express our views on the whole thing. Our son never dated Amanda Porter and met her when he was attending Iowa State University and answered an add in the newspaper for a luxury Apt in which he happened to move in with three female roommates, one of whom being Amanda. In January of 2005 Casey being a member of the Iowa National Guard was sent to Iraq in early January 2005 and Hailey was born on January 16th. After Hailey was born a promise was made to Casey that we would always keep his daughter safe, because Casey found out too late what Amanda was capable of. We would now like to say to our beloved son Casey who gave his life in defense of his county on June 11th, 2005, "Casey, the promise has been kept and Hailey's future is now secured."

We also had a second son, Justin, who at the time of Casey's death was a member of the Iowa Reserves and was home on leave and scheculed to also go to Iraq in a week. It took over a week to get our son Casey back from Iraq and after 8 days on the following Sunday he finally came home. On Monday night the day after we got Casey back our second son Justin was killed in an accident. On Tuesday we had Casey's wake, on Wednesday we had Casey's funeral. On Thursday we had the day off. On Friday we had Justin's wake, and on Saturday we had Justin's funeral. During Casey's funeral it came out in the newpapers that we were going to to take him to Arlington National Cemetary for his final resting place. The Article continued by saying that it was "Too Bad" that Justin would never make it there. Well I always told by children,"Never let anyone tell you that you can't do something." During the two funerals I had many high ranking military officers, Senators, Congressman say to me "If there is anything that I can ever do for you just let know,"
So we contacted Congressman Stever King in Iowa and he helped us get through all the red tape to get them put together. In Arlington there is room for the souldier and his spouse, so we just went on the pretense that if you don't let us put his brother with him you will never use it for anyone. We were alittle unsure if we were actually doing the right thing, but then we got a call from Arlington giving us the date when we bring Justin out. That date was Aug 3rd, which would have been Casey's 23rd birthday. What better present could we give him then his brother.

In Sept 2006 Amanda brought Hailey to us asking us to take care of her for awhile which we did. In January 2006 Amanda didn't have anywhere to go as her mother had kicked her out so she also came to live with us. In Oct of that year we decided to sell our acreage and house, because it just wasn't the same without the boys. So we bought a truck and 5th wheel camper and headed for Texas with Amanda and Hailey. After the winter we went to a Cabin which we owned on the Missouri River on the Nebraska side and stayed there. After having Amanda with us for a year and a half we got to know her very well. Ann tried really hard to guide her and attempt to teach her how to be a good mother to Hailey, but Amanda just didn't seem to care about anyone or anything except Amanda. She would have been perfectly satisfied with sitting on our couch until Hailey was 18 yrs old. So we finally sat her down one day and told her that we were going back to texas in Oct but she was not comming with us. We told her that we would buy her a house, would pay the taxes on it, but she would have to get a part time job to enable her to pay utilities and such. She stated to us at this time, "I'm not working." She called her mother whom she had not spoken to in a year and a half and had her come and get her and Hailey the next day. This was June 11th 2007, the second aniversery of Casey's death.

We got to see Hailey a couple of times after that, but then Amanda decided to cut us off. In Sept 2007 we decided to try to find them being concerned about how Amanda was taking care of her. Hailey had some medical conditions and there were previous situations when they lived with us of Amanda not taking care of them. So we sought an attorney to help us. During Casey's funeral we met a young women named Angela Campbell out of Des Moines who had once dated Casey. So we sought her out for her help. Given the history that we had given her concerning Amanda she was able to go before a judge and achieve an exparte order givng us tempory custody of Hailey.

So we had the court order in hand and only had to find them. We knew what town they live in (Nevada Iowa) but did not know where. So Ann and I went searching. We drove around the town for hours hoping to just spot her taking out the garbage or something. No luck, Ann became discouraged so I took her back to the motel and I decided to drive around some more. After a couple more hours I too became discouraged and also went back to the motel, told Ann that I was going to take a nap. Now if you wish to believe this or not doesn't really matter but duing my nap my son Casey came to me in a dream and said "Dad go to the Sherriffs office". We had known that Amanda was currenlty living with a guy named Stuart Corson and that the Nevada Police Dept along with us was supposably looking for them. So I got up, told Ann that I would be back and headed for the sheriff's office When I arrived at the sheriffs office I informed the lady clerk who I was and what I was doing and trying to accomplish. She said to me. "just a minute" and soon came back and informed me that the Nevada police dept had arrested Stuart Corson the previously night and the neighboring county had come and picked him up early in the morning because they also had a warrent on him for theft. She said, "here is his address". So I want back to the Nevada Police Dept and told them "ok, here is my court order, here is his address, so lets go get my granddaughter."
All this time I thought that the Police Dept and the Sherriffs office were coordinating there search together, but learned otherwise So the Police chief took me in his office and informed me that even though I had a court order if Amanda refused to give me Hailey that there was nothing I could do. But he informed the officer that was going with me to look around in the house to make sure there was not any animal fecess and the place was liveable.So I looked at the Officer who was to go with me, who looked like he just graduated 8th grade and off we went. Arrived at Amanda and Stuart's house knoced on the door and Amanda answered. Emmediately Hailey stepped out from behind her, with a big black eye. I asked her what happed to Hailey and her reply was, "She ran into a table". I looked at the officer, he shook his head so I picked up Hailey and off we went.

After we got Hailey we had learned that Amanda had actually allowed Hailey to go to lunch unsupervised with a guy who was listed on the Iowa Sex offenders list. We emmediately contact our attorney Angela Campbell and she informed us that we should get a sex exam on Hailey. The only way to do this was to get a referral from good old DHS.

We were not greeted with alot of hospitality there. We informed them of the reason for the exam request and they told us that unless Amanda let him stay overnight that they could not do anything to her. After getting the referal and prior to leaving we said to the Supervisor Kathy Doyle and Worker, Jennifer Welton that there was another child in that home by the name of Spencer Corson and they should be concerned about him. The reply we received from this was, "We are not a preventative agency".

Then we took Hailey back to Texas with us. (to be continued)
 
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We heard nothing from Amanda untill March 2008 when we were informed that we had to go back to Iowa for a custody hearing. We Went to the hearing and because the Iowa DHS said that Amanda's home was safe and the judge informed us that if we agreed to give her back that we could at least get visitation of the first five days every month but that if we didnt' agree he was going to return her anyway we were forced to agree with this. So we reluctantly returned Hailey on the 7th of April 2008. On the 13th of April Spencer was admitted to the hospital the first time when Amanda injured him. We were never informed of this. DHS did their half ass investigation and the case was founded for abuse and neglect. Amanda had admitted that she was the sole caretaker at the time, but they list the responsible party as perpatrator unknown. Learned during the trial that this is where Amanda came up with the seizure defense. When Spencer was in the hospital in April with bleeding on the brain he did have a seizure in the emergency room. But like the Dr who testified for the state of Iowa in her trial said, "Well you hit me on the head hard enough I would have a seizure too."
Then in May Spencer is again hospitalized for malnutrition. Could someone please tell me how a child who is fed through a tube gets malnutrition. The Defense tried to blame this on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, but again the experts for the defense explained that fetal alcohol syndrome is the failure to thrive in the womb and out the womb. But when placed in the hosp for the malnutrition Spencer gained 4 1/2 lbs. So that is twice that she tries to kill him. What does DHS do.....they initiate a CHINA which is Child in need of Assistance. What happens neither Stuart Corson or Jessica Revera bothered to even show up. Ann Has over 30 yrs experience of Social Work in the state of Iowa and has never seen a case where if neither party bothered to even show up for the hearing that they didn't remove the child emediately. But what happens, Spencer and Hailey are left in the home, and the trial is posponed for two weeks. Spencer is then murdered by Amanda three days before the next hearing. DHS could have saved this child and if there is any program that deserves to be abolished in Iowa it is the DHS. Of course they get off scott free. All there records were not even let into the trial because state protects state I guess. When Spencer dies we are never even notified of it I found out looking at Stuart Corson
's myspace page on June 29 which read "My Little guy is gone forever." Since we had visitation we go to Iowa to pick up Hailey on July 1st 2008 for our scheduled visit. Amanda isn't there but Stuart is. Never mentions anything about his son dying and just hands over Hailey to us. So we go back to our Cabin In Nebraska and again contact our attorney who again goes before a judge and gave up custody of Hailey once again. So we return to Texas where we now live with Hailey and again in September 2008 we have to go to court again. Hailey if given an Attorney ad litem by the name of Gerald Moothart from Ames, Iowa who is suppose to be acting in Hailey's best interest. What does he do? Since Amanda has not been charged with any crime yet he reccomends that Hailey be returned to Amanda. So we are ordered to return Hailey to Amanda but are given two weeks to do this because Hailey was in Texas with Ann and had to return and get her. Luckly during this time the autopsy comes back in early Oct and states, Homicide, assault by another and, tramatic brain injury. So our attorney again goes before a judge and we are granted custody again until our final custody hearing. Thirteen months go by from the time of Spencer's death and still no arrest by the Story County Attorney's office. So in July 2009 Ann and I contacted the Desmoines register and a reporter by the name of Jennifer Jacobs who wrote the story that you can view above. This story had such an outcry from the public and comments that the govenor of Iowa should get involved that it was only a matter of a couple of weeks before the case was taken away from the Story County Attorneys office and given to the Iowa Attorney Generals office. But because Spencer's file was so thick with medical records and previous DHS reports it took until Jan 2010 before Amanda was finally arrested. The rest concering the trial you can also read about above.

I went and sat through the trial which was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. It is a tragedy that this young child had to suffer at the hands of such a monster for so long when there were many people who could have saved him. Who could have saved him?

1. The Iowa Dept of Human Services could have definitely saved him had they done their job. And it is too bad that there was such a massive effort to cover up their involvement and keep their mistakes hush, hush. But the individuals involved should feel ashamed because of what they did, and didn't do and I hope that it haunts them for the rest of their lives.

2. Stuart Corson could have saved him had he not been such an idiot and believed everything that Amanda told him. But not once during the whole trial did I see him or any member of his family shed a tear. I cried during the autopsy photes and evern prior to the verdict. But Stuart stood by her never believed the evidence until he heard it in court but had been previously told of the autopsy and evern spoke with the doctors. What a complete idiot. He was more interested in partying with his friends. When the autopsy came back as homicide, death by another and tramtic brain injury who did he think did it if he didn't. Have always thought that he should also be charged with something in this case and maybe now that she is convicted he should be. Stuart's mother Tina Meldrom always thought it was us making everything up just to keep Hailey and as she said when interviewed, "They just wanted to live their lives through their sons daughter" Amanda's mother also is to blame. She knew that something was not right when Amanda Arrived there that night. That is why she accounted for all of her time, taking Hailey for a walk, going to get pizza and actually lying for her on the stand. When she gave her interview to DHS after the death she said that when Amanda got there Spencer was covered up with a blanket, which seems odd because she supposably went there because it was so hot in her trailer. But of course this never came out in trial because DHS files were not allowed. And the 911 call, where Amanda and her mother are trying to decide if they want to do CPR on the poor child who was not breathing.
Listen to the 911 call placed by Deb Smith and Amanda Porter the day before Spencer Corson died.

http://www.amestrib.com/articles/2011/11/10/ames_tribune/news/doc4ebbe75162bba403892358.txt

In conclusion we would just like to say that there are no winners in this whole episode.Although our granddaughters future is now secured and we dont have to worry about her ever going back to her mother, she has lost a father who she can be very proud of, and a mother that she will be ashamed of for the rest of her life. Hailey knows little of what has happened to her mother. It took us thousands of dollars and Hailey herself had to go through 2 1/2 yrs of thearpy for what she saw her mother do, and what she herself had to go through with the abuse she received. But she is a normal little girl now and loves life and is assured no matter what she does that she is loved and will not be beaten or abused anymore. Amanda herself never really had a chance in life. She was brought up in an extremly disfunctional environment where she was abused both physically and mentally and its true what they say, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree". We wish to thank the few individuals who actually helped us in this battle for justice. Judge Dale Ruigh who had the wisdom to go with his heart, not once but twice to protect an innocent child. Jennifer Jacobs, Des Moines Register, who took the initiative to hear our story and bring it to light which led to the Iowa Attorney Generals office getting involved. (We are hoping that she did not loose her job for that because we have attempted to contact her but no reply. And it is very funny that the Des Moines resister did not cover one moment of the trial and only printed a minor notation when she was convicted. We also wish to thank our attorney Angela Campbell who fought for Hailey every step of the way and too bad that Casey died. Would have been proud to have you as a daughter-in-law.
And we would also like to thank Doug Hammerand , Denise Timmins and Candis Lockart of the Iowa Attorney Generals office for the great job that they did on such a complicated case.

And we thank God who listened to our prayers and kept us strong to enable us to get through all this and still have alittle sanity left.

And for the indivuduals who either refused or were too ignorant to think that sweet little Amanda could have done something like this, including members of our own family we have little to say. We have no regrets and would do the exact same thing over again because we promissed Casey and have kept that promise. There are many that should feel ashamed here but we are not one of them......Can you say the Same?

The Byers Email: abbyers_103[MENTION=749]Yahoo[/MENTION].com

Casey Byers, Hailey Byers, Justin Byers

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I think it's more backstory on Amanda Porter, er...Val:p (That's gonna be a tough nick to break). They have insight on what was going on, although they are only related to Hailey.
 
I am sorry Spencer lost his life. DHS did fail, but ultimately Amanda chose to do what she did because she is evil. Plenty of people have grown up hard and not done what she did. That your wife tried to help her become a better mother is to her credit. Amanda couldn't become better because she just didn't have it. I am so thankful that your son was Haileys's dad, and that you were her Grandfather. Some would never have tried as long and as hard as you did to ensure her safety, and for that you are a true hero in this messed up situation. Rest assured that your sons, both of them, are extremely proud of you and their mother.
 
In all of this, until you wrote, Mr. Byers, no mention has been made of what exactly was going on with Spencer's father. I believe he should be charged as well. Whether out partying or working long hours, he was neglecting his son and blindly trusting his welfare to a woman who didn't deserve that trust. When he should have been made aware -- when Spencer was hospitalized and there was no excuse anymore for lack of awareness -- he continued to do nothing. That is not a father. His son needed him to be in his corner, to be aware of his treatment and his injuries, to make the pain stop.

You've now filled us in on Amanda's background, but I still have to ask, "What in the living hell was Stuart's problem?"
 
*applause* A big hug and thanks to Bill Byers and his wife for ultimately getting the ugly bitch Amanda Porter arrested which lead to a much deserved conviction!
Best wishes to your life with your sweet grand daughter you fought (fighting) so hard for.
 
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