I hate stories like these :(

[redguru]

Girl, 5, Survives Days With Mom's Body

Feb 13, 4:10 PM (ET)

WHITEHALL, Mich. (AP) - A 5-year-old girl fended for herself for days while home alone with the body of her mother, who apparently succumbed to bacterial meningitis, authorities said.

Police forced their way into the rural home 30 miles northwest of Grand Rapids on Sunday and found the cupboards open, rice and cereal spilled all over and the bathroom sink overflowing.

The body of Tina Tietz, 39, was on the couch in the living room. Her daughter Marissa had rummaged the house for food for an unknown number of days. The family dog was tied up inside.

Michelle Schnotala, 39, drove to Tietz's home Sunday to check on her friend after not hearing from her for several days. They last spoke Feb. 3, when Tietz complained of a headache and ear pain, Schnotala said.

The house was locked, Schnotala said. "I heard the dog barking and Marissa crying," she said.

"She just kept saying 'Mama's sleeping, Mama's sleeping,'" Schnotala said. Mother and child lived alone.

Marissa was examined at a hospital and is with her maternal grandparents, Muskegon County Undersheriff Dean Roesler said.

A preliminary autopsy found that Tietz likely died of bacterial meningitis, an infection of the fluid that is in the spinal cord and that surrounds the brain, Roesler said.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070213/D8N92IO00.html

 

[hotzie]

damn man

 

[redguru]

FRUITLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- A 5-year-old girl fended for herself for days while she was left home alone with the body of her mother, who was found dead on her couch after apparently succumbing to bacterial meningitis, authorities said.

The body of Tina Tietz, 39, was discovered Sunday afternoon after a concerned longtime friend called 911.

Police had to force their way into her rural home in Muskegon County's Fruitland Township, about 45 miles northwest of Grand Rapids. There they also found the woman's daughter, Marissa, who had rummaged the house for food for an unknown number of days, and the family dog, which had been tied up inside.

Police found the cupboards open, rice and cereal spilled all over and the bathroom sink overflowing.

Mother and child lived alone at the address. Tietz's teenage daughter stays with the woman's ex-husband, police said.

Marissa was examined at a hospital and now is in the temporary custody of the Michigan Department of Human Services, agency spokeswoman Karen Stock said Tuesday. The Tietz's mixed-breed dog was taken to a nearby animal-rescue organization.

A preliminary autopsy finding indicates that Tietz likely died of bacterial meningitis, although laboratory tests will be conducted to confirm the cause of death, Muskegon County Undersheriff Dean Roesler told The Muskegon Chronicle for a story published Tuesday.

Bacterial meningitis is a serious infection of the fluid in the spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain, and can cause brain damage and death. Symptoms include fever, headache and a stiff neck.

Michelle Schnotala, 39, of Montague, drove to Tietz's home on Sunday to check on her friend. They last spoke to each other on Feb. 3, at which time Tietz complained of a headache and ear pain, Schnotala said.

When messages left on Tietz's cell phone during the ensuing week went unanswered, Schnotala became concerned and drove to her house, and found "everything was all locked up. I heard the dog barking and Marissa crying."

Schnotala peeked through a front door slot, saw her friend on the couch and called for help. She could not persuade Marissa to unlock the door.

"She just kept saying `Mama's sleeping, Mama's sleeping,"' Schnotala said.

In March 2000, authorities in Kent County discovered that a 7-year-old boy dressed himself and got his own meals for up to three weeks while his 29-year-old mother lay dead on the floor of their Grand Rapids-area apartment.

Medical officials never determined the cause of her death but relatives said the woman had diabetes.

 

[redguru]

Don't you think the teenage daughter would have started to worry after not talking to her mother for 9 days?

 

[EnderJE]

That is sad for the child. Very sad. I hope it works out well for her. I'm going to go hug my kids now.

 

[redguru]

That is sad for the child. Very sad. I hope it works out well for her. I'm going to go hug my kids now.

One of the articles I read brought up a good point, teach small children to call a friend or relative when their caregiver becomes unresponsive. Program the numbers into a phone.

 

[samoth]

Meningitis can be a bitch. I had a friend get it a few years back, and it caused some brain damage altering his ability to speak.

From what I've heard, it starts off with flu-like symptoms and progresses pretty rapidly.

With many parts of society the way they are in today's age, I'm not surprised about that teenage daughter thing.