Mom accused of cuffing girl so she wouldn't 'steal food'
By Sue Lindsay, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published January 21, 2009 at 1:39 p.m.
Updated January 21, 2009 at 1:39 p.m.
A Denver woman has been charged with child abuse for using plastic zip ties to cuff her daughter's hands behind her back each night before bed so she wouldn't "steal food."
Danelle Daunchet, 52, is charged with child abuse causing serious bodily injury.
The 10-year-old girl told police that her mother has been tying her hands behind her back every night so she won't get out of bed and steal food, according to the arrest affidavit.
She said this has been going on for a year.
She told police that "when she gets home from school she feeds her dog, completes her homework and eats dinner and if not in trouble will watch TV and then go to bed," the affidavit said.
At about 9:30 each night, she said, her mother "puts the zips on like the police would put on handcuffs and it hurts."
She said she had to sleep on her side so it wouldn't hurt.
The girl said her mother uses a knife to remove the ties in the morning, and showed police marks on her arms from the knife which she said sometimes cuts and pokes her.
Daunchet is due in Denver County Court Jan. 23 for advisement.
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January 21, 2009
1:45 p.m.
Suggest removal
JluvDC writes:
I don't understand people. If a child is hungry you should offer them food. Restricting food and forcing kids into set meal times is a big part of the problem with obesity in this country I think. You are setting them up to mask real hunger signals and to binge eat.
January 21, 2009
1:50 p.m.
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Timberline writes:
Notice this story gets put below the top 2 current headlines:
Dog's owner ductapes dogs mouth, and the UFO story.
And we wonder why the RMN is going south.
This woman is sick!
January 21, 2009
1:54 p.m.
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Triumph writes:
Isn't that what Rosie O'Donnell and Oprah's mothers used to do until their wrists got to big for the ties? How much does this kid weigh? At least she didn't duct tape her mouth shut like the guy with the barking dog. Another strange case of creative parenting.
January 21, 2009
1:57 p.m.
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dwood writes:
Look at this. And then there is the guy that left his Jeep running with the kids in it and it got stolen. These people are reproducing and don't have the slightest idea how to manage their lives with children in it. They scare me and God help the kids!!
January 21, 2009
1:59 p.m.
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missmilehi writes:
Geeze! This sounds straight out of that "People Under the Stairs" movie.
So sad!
January 21, 2009
2 p.m.
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jersey writes:
I hope they prosecute her to the fullest extent of the law and then some for good measure! How about padlocking the "Fridge" instead if there was a problem idiot? I don't know what her so called justification (sic) was but there is none as far as I'm concerned to warrant such treatment. Just so sorry it took a whole year to be exposed!
January 21, 2009
2:02 p.m.
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NotUrFriend writes:
Wow. That is just evil. Pure and simple!
Send this witch away for a long time.
I.
January 21, 2009
2:04 p.m.
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Chilo writes:
steal food man this lady it's wring to be selfish with food under any circumstances
January 21, 2009
2:10 p.m.
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Steve_In_Denver writes:
Huh...what the heck...poor kid...I know people are suffering and food and money are scarce from the last 8 years of GOP rule...but to zip tie a childs hands so they won't steal/eat additional food is ridiculous!
January 21, 2009
2:12 p.m.
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the_ripper writes:
How does a little kid "steal" food from their family fridge?!?
Some people should be sterilized.
January 21, 2009
2:21 p.m.
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NeilT writes:
There has to be a lot more to this story.
I'm not justifying the zip-tying of a child's wrists (those things hurt), but there was an obvious problem.
Just a thought...
Do any of you posters know about Prader-Willi Syndrome? Many families are at war with their PWS child over food. Some of these kids take food out of the trash. Some even break locked cabinets in the middle of the night so they can eat.
My son (not Prader, but something else) does not sleep more than a couple hours every night. He roams around, getting into anything he can. It is a very dangerous situation if not properly handled. I've spent thousands of dollars on custom-built beds, larger rooms and many, many safe (we hope) items to keep him busy at night. He is safe in an over-sized bedroom (like a secure playroom/bedroom) now. I already have a closed-circuit camera system, but my next investment is considerable sound-proofing. He gets louder as he gets older. No apartment living in our future!
I've been fortunate. I have been able to afford these items and changes. I have paid for extra help, as well.
Far too many parents can't afford it. With decreased funding and expanding waiting lists for help (additional hands and parental education), expect to see more stories like this.
January 21, 2009
2:30 p.m.
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T1anda writes:
This female child abuser must have the intellect of a baked bean. And no heart, what so ever!
The Ripper is spot on!!.. IMHO..A LOT of people should be sterilized!
January 21, 2009
2:42 p.m.
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rmnreader2000 writes:
People are sick. How DO you steal food from your own house? Where was the mom that she couldn't deter her in the middle of the night from "stealing" food?
January 21, 2009
2:59 p.m.
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lourdeslane writes:
The mom is crazy how can your own kid steal food from the house, the fact that the kid can't eat when she is hungry is very sad and the fact the women could not control her own child that is sad.
January 21, 2009
3:02 p.m.
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NeilT writes:
http://www.pwsausa.org/support/refrig...
January 21, 2009
3:03 p.m.
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mytwosense writes:
jersey writes: "How about padlocking the "Fridge" instead if there was a problem idiot?"
No kidding.
While we've heard worse stories of abuse on the RMN, this one is still upsetting to read. Why do some people even have kids?
I would not be surprised if this "mother" psychologically tormented the girl in other ways. Poor kid - I hope her life changes for the better now that she's been taken away from her witch of a mother.
January 21, 2009
3:06 p.m.
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mytwosense writes:
NeilT, I hadn't heard of that syndrome, but I sympathize with parents who are dealing with it. I can't imagine that any ethical way of managing it involves tying your child's hands behind her back each night, though. As you point out yourself, of course.
January 21, 2009
3:22 p.m.
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Pathrat writes:
Poor kid, at least she was found.
In cases such as this, I don't feel unreasonable for saying the 'mother' is undeserving of the title.
January 21, 2009
3:24 p.m.
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Marshdale writes:
Maybe this woman and duct tape dog owner have a thing???
January 21, 2009
3:27 p.m.
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JluvDC writes:
Prader-Willi Syndrome is extremely rare. Most "parents" who do this type of food restriction are simply control freaks.
January 21, 2009
3:27 p.m.
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Classof80 writes:
Steve_in_denver writes "know people are suffering and food and money are scarce from the last 8 years of GOP rule" Why must a**holes make everything political he seems to forget that the last four years were a democratic congress. Quit making everything the republicans fault. And please don't breed either
January 21, 2009
3:39 p.m.
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elkman writes:
Did not see it in the article. But, did Social Services remove the child from this freak? Hopefully, SS was pro active in this case.
January 21, 2009
3:44 p.m.
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NeilT writes:
"It is estimated that one in 12,000 to 15,000 people has PWS. Although considered a "rare" disorder, Prader-Willi syndrome is one of the most common conditions seen in genetics clinics and is the most common genetic cause of obesity that has been identified. PWS is found in people of both sexes and all races."
http://www.pwsausa.org/faq.htm
Tell Clint Hurdle of the Rockies just how rare it is. His daughter has it. When your own kid has something rare (like my son-even more so than Prader), the low incidence rate doesn't help any. Just because something is rare, it doesn't make it non-existent, Jluv.
But anyway, Jluv, I was using it as an example. Not everybody lives in a perfect world with perfectly healthy and "normal" children. I didn't realize you know so many controlling parents that withhold food from their kids. Maybe you should notify somebody.
Again, Prader was just an example, but it's one where parents have a very difficult time "controlling" their child.
http://www.pwsausa.org/support/refrig...
January 21, 2009
3:49 p.m.
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NeilT writes:
"Q: What causes the appetite and obesity problems in PWS?
A: People with PWS have a flaw in the hypothalamus part of their brain, which normally registers feelings of hunger and satiety. While the problem is not yet fully understood, it is apparent that people with this flaw never feel full; they have a continuous urge to eat that they cannot learn to control. To compound this problem, people with PWS need less food than their peers without the syndrome because their bodies have less muscle and tend to burn fewer calories."
"Q: Do diet medications work for the appetite problem in PWS?
A: Unfortunately, no appetite suppressant has worked consistently for people with PWS. Most require an extremely low-calorie diet all their lives and must have their environment designed so that they have very limited access to food. For example, many families have to lock the kitchen or the cabinets and refrigerator. As adults, most affected individuals can control their weight best in a group home designed specifically for people with PWS, where food access can be restricted without interfering with the rights of those who don't need such restriction."
January 21, 2009
3:52 p.m.
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mytwosense writes:
NeilT, I think you misunderstood Jluv's post. I didn't get the impression he/she was discounting such a syndrome, and also, this mother does sound like a control freak. Based on the girl's comments to the police, it appears she had a very regimented existence.
Remember the recent case of poor Chandler Grafner? That's still fresh on a lot of folks' minds, how his guardians withheld food from him until he starved to death.
So many cases of abuse are all about the adults in charge having a pathological need to control. Sadly, kids are an easy mark.
January 21, 2009
3:52 p.m.
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NeilT writes:
I'm not saying that this kid has Prader. And the mother is absolutely in the wrong.
I just don't appreciate the simplistic statements from posters wondering why a parent can't control their kid. Or why a parent wouldn't feed their kid if hungry.
January 21, 2009
4:01 p.m.
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NeilT writes:
I don't think Jluv was discounting anything...
I do, however, think he was defending his position from the first post.
Jluv-"If a child is hungry you should offer them food."
I'm pointing out that life is complicated. It's not always black and white. So don't jump to ignorant conclusions.
January 21, 2009
4:06 p.m.
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JluvDC writes:
NeilT, I am sorry I didn't mean to upset you. My impression from the article was that the woman was a control freak. The conditions she was kept in seemed similar to other child abuse articles. I realize there are kids out there with legitimate problems, but I try to give SS the benefit of the doubt when they press charges that those legitimate issues were ruled out.
January 21, 2009
4:19 p.m.
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Willy writes:
Neil - I was just reading in Discover Magazine (January edition, I think) about PW and a companion condition caused by the same genetic condition. It indicated they had isolated the cause and were making progress in detection and possible prevention. Hope you child is doing well and has a great future.
January 21, 2009
4:36 p.m.
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Aurain writes:
I was just reading through the posts and was thinking everyone is wondering if this child has a disorder of some kind... well i don't know whether or not she does but I do know placing zip ties on her wrist is not any way to treat someone, whether or not they have a eating problem, lets focus on the person. Not getting our own agendas out like "my son has this or that disease and so does this guy or that lady"... IF everyone put ppl first the world would be a much better place.
January 21, 2009
4:55 p.m.
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davies writes:
Lots of posters here like to bash the RMN's reporting, but one would think that if the child had an eating or behavioral disorder, the mother would have made that very well known to the authorities, in which case I would also hope the RMN would have included that part of the story.
But I also do like the statement: "...I'm pointing out that life is complicated. It's not always black and white. So don't jump to... conclusions."
Hopefully we'll see as this story develops, whether it's complicated or not.
January 21, 2009
7:02 p.m.
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darkman writes:
Steve_In_Denver writes:
"Huh...what the heck...poor kid...I know people are suffering and food and money are scarce from the last 8 years of GOP rule...but to zip tie a childs hands so they won't steal/eat additional food is ridiculous!"
Steve, you are truly a moron. I don't understand how people like you can take a sad story like this about a depraved woman and try and make another lame political statement. You really need to get a life.
January 21, 2009
8:08 p.m.
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LS writes:
Whether the child has a disorder or not, the affect of the mother's actions will definitely have an impact on the girl as she grows into an adult. Don't people think ahead with their kids? Or do they just live impulsively in the heat of moment? This has been going on for about a year. Awful!
January 22, 2009
7:13 a.m.
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Knude writes:
This woman is a child abuser. The food stealing is just her way of justifying the abuse. It is equally amazing how many responders don't see this. Forget the food. Pull off the mask.