By Ruth Manuel-Logan on Jul 30th 2010 11:19AM
Just as investigators had suspected, the Port Richmond, Staten Island, Mom apparently did
slash the throats of two of her three children, set their home on fire and then died of smoke inhalation along with her toddler. Autopsy and police reports confirmed the suspicions of police authorities Thursday and labeled the case a murder-suicide.
In the beginning, the case had law enforcement scratching their heads. The July 22nd fire was initially labeled accidental but then it quickly turned into a homicide investigation.
The eldest child, C.J. Jones, 14, who was discovered with his throat slit and a straight razor found under his charred body, was suspected of killing his siblings (Brittany, 10; Melody, 7; and Jermaine, 2), setting the blaze, then taking his own life. Since the teen had a history of setting fires, he was a likely suspect.
Police soon realized that perhaps C.J. was not the social deviant whom they originally perceived him to be. New evidence prompted them to cast their attention toward the Mother, 33-year-old Leisha, a Macy's security guard: A note was found among the charred remains of the home with the scribbled words "am sorry." Then police discovered a diary among the rubble. The handwriting on the note matched the writings in the diary.
Evidence hardened, when the children's father, Earlston Raymond, 39, who lives in Kingston, Jamaica, told investigators, Leisha was quite capable of killing the children and setting the fire. He also mentioned that she had anger issues.
Leisha also had allegedly told a pal several months ago that she thought about killing the kids and torching the house. Toxicology reports revealed the presence of undigested pills in C.J.'s and Leisha's systems. According to a spokesperson for the city medical examiner's office, the slashed throat, and not the pills, contributed to the teen's death.
After putting together all of the evidence, investigators have concluded that Leisha is their prime suspect and she had, in fact, taken her children's lives, then died at her own hands.
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Comments: (14)
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By: lincolnmanor on 7/30/2010 3:38PM
I just knew all along it wasn't the 14 teen yr old, Those kind of murder isn't typical of a Black kid, If the PAL KNOW THE Mom had those feeling Why didn't he/she go tell someone? And the Father should be SHAME knowing she had those issue an doing nothing about it? GOOD GRIEF? RIP only God can judge YOU.
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By: john on 8/01/2010 8:19AM
And the Father should be SHAME knowing she had those issue an doing nothing about it? GOOD GRIEF?
...Let's not be so stupid not to understand the American laws regarding who owns the children-the mother. Nothing this father could have done or said would have mattered to the court system here, the mother actually has the right to kill her children, and most times get away with it--using created syndromes that benefit mothers. There are no syndromes for fathers. The father did what the legal system wanted; mind his own business and pay child support. He had no absolute right to his children; the mother did. She was their god with the power to abuse without punishment or kill without punishment. She didn't have to kill herself; she would have gottened away with it. As a father, I am glad she no longer exist for what she did. This is at least one way she is equal to a father had he done such an act.
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By: cyperdiamond on 7/30/2010 3:58PM
I'm not totally convinced it was the mother. Yes, the police found what appears to be a suicide note and a journal. Yes, the father claims the mother had angry management problems, but most black men say that about black women. We use our anger to protect our love ones not destroy them. I still think the police has it wrong. The medical examimer may not have it completely right. They have been known to get it wrong. I don't know, the facts don't add up. I hope the grandmother can shed light on the mom and children relationship that supports my suspicions.
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By: john on 8/01/2010 8:29AM
I'm not totally convinced it was the mother. ...Note: of course you are not, as long as they blamed the son you had no doubt he did it, but as soon as the evidence pointed at the mother you went into denial mode. This is normal for women who know that many abusive and dangerous mothers exist, but you don't want it acknowledged as a fact. It is much easier to blame a male than accept the truth many mothers are violence. To prove my point about how women accept the violence on men and children go to youtube.com and look at the video entitled, "reactions to a woman abusing a man in public." You will discover nearly 100 percent of the participates supported or accepted the violence of the woman. This shows you your own values about what is violence and what is not violence, meaning if a man did this to a woman-it is violence, but when the situation is reverse and the woman is doing the abusing-it is not violence, but deserved, needed, accepted.
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By: Sue on 8/01/2010 10:08AM
Hi John:
You replied to my comment on a previous topic a few days ago. The topic was in reference to "A woman who was killed by her boyfriend." I wanted to reply to you. In your message you asked me "What my reaction would be to a woman abusing a man." My reaction would be the same. Why? because I am a Domestic Violence Counselor and I have ZERO tolerance for any person Man, Woman or Child who purposely abuses another being. For the past 14 years I've counseled Women, Children and Men who have been abused. In my eyes abuse can strike at anyone it has no reasoning or gender. Be it Man, Woman or Child most times abusers strike at people and or animals that are defensless. I will say this again I have ZERO tolerance for Abusers. As a Domestic Violence Counselor my priority is to promote abuse awareness and prevention and to counsel, comfort and help Men, Women and Children who are being abused by Husband, Wife, Partner, Lover, Friend, Parent. In my world abuse is NOT gender, race, bias it can and does affect the lives of both Men and Women including the most defensless, Elderly, People with mental and physical disabilities, Children and Animals.
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By: Do like Rosa Parks did. on 8/01/2010 6:22PM
John, you are correct in saying that violence by women is oftentimes overlooked and accepted. This is wrong and that is why female aggression has become so pervasive in this society. I hear alot of anger and pain from you but don't blame women, and particularly this dead woman, for the way the judicial system operates. One of the reasons why the courts favor women is because alot of men have simply given up on their financial responsibilities as fathers. The courts operate in the best interests of the children. Yes, it is quite unfortunate that many of the good fathers such as yourself have to suffer more but what you should do is do like Rosa Parks did. If you're tired of the way men get treated in the legal system then do something about it. Peace.
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By: sheshe on 8/01/2010 11:13PM
John, you need to go to the nearest mental health facility. You sound like you have many issues and they may have started with you not liking your Mother, all the way to you not liking women at all. You sound like a serial killer in the making. Men and women are not created equally in our world and if you don't know that by now, then when will you. Step away from the computer and go see a doctor asap.
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By: John on 8/02/2010 10:36PM
By: sheshe on 8/01/2010 11:13PMNeutral John, you need to go to the nearest mental health facility. You sound like you have many issues and they may have started with you not liking your Mother,
....Wow, you really hate men who tell the truth. I can't say I wasn't looking for you to rear your evil head. I know we don't know one another, but when good talks about the monster called VIOLENCE, the followers of VIOLENCE who enjoy being evil and mean to innocent people come in for the attack. I'm not interested in you at this time, be gone, be gone and tell your master-VIOLENCE, I will continue coming after it. I don't have to raise a cross to you since you have already acknowledged me as a followers of GOD. You should be careful with the love one you are violent to, he may become a man and protect himself, and then call the police.
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By: john on 8/02/2010 10:56PM
By: Sue on 8/01/2010 10:08AMNeutral Hi John:
You replied to my comment on a previous topic a few days ago. The topic was in reference to "A woman who was killed by her boyfriend." I wanted to reply to you. In your message you asked me "What my reaction would be to a woman abusing a man." My reaction would be the same. Why? because I am a Domestic Violence Counselor and I have ZERO tolerance for any person Man, Woman or Child who purposely abuses another being.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hello Sue, if you are a domestic violence counselor, why do you allow domestic violence power wheels to target only men rather than supporting wheels that are gender neutral, because the monster/evil is the violence and anyone harmed by that violence should be considered a victim. There are many men being abused based on those power wheels that are extremely bias against males. Most people are like sheep and their acceptance of any word/s or messages from a professional organization is fact and true to them. In this country, the majority have lose their ability to think for themselves and use "cause and effect, and the probabilities of laws and policies that may negatively effect people over time. On reviewing the violence and abuse wheels, only the "abuse of children" wheel is the best and non-gender bias. This is the model for all violence, not the politically and female gender bias power wheels which ignore neutrality, but target only males. Let's talk about the domestic violence power wheel's parts on the black voices board, and go over each, because the power wheels only talks about fears of women, but men have the same fears of losing their children, being told who can and can't come over to their homes by their g/fs and wives, etc. So, you see the wheels harm not only men but children, who are left with abusive and dangerous mothers.
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By: john on 8/02/2010 11:08PM
By: Sue on 8/01/2010 10:08AMNeutral Hi John:
hello Sue, would you go to youtube.com and view the video, "reaction to woman abusing a man in public."
These are the same people who make laws and policies dealing with domestic violence and they show no concern to stopping violence let along preventing the re-cycling of violence in the home. To stop violence, you must stop all violence the same way without exceptions.
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