Marcus Fiesel's tragic end has
touched people throughout Greater Cincinnati and Northern
Kentucky.
Hundreds of people had turned
out to search for the boy, when he was reported missing from
Juilfs Park on Aug. 15. They were saddened to learn he was dead.
His foster parents have been charged with murder in the case.
Dozens of people have written
letters to the editor, commenting and suggesting changes. Some
have written columns.
Click the links at right for
earlier readers' reactions, and read these letters from Sept. 7:
Foster families need reform,
more support
As the mother of an 8-year old non-verbal child with autism, I
can tell you smeared feces, running off and exhaustion are often
part of a “normal” day in even the best families. I can also
tell you the federal, state and local support needed to help
these children and their families is just not there.
Marcus didn’t have a good family life. But of all the children
he lived with, he’s the only one dead.
I hope that Joe Deters, Michael Fox and other political figures
start pushing for better supports for the families of children
with autism as hard as they are for foster care reform. If
appropriate supports had been in place, maybe Marcus would have
never ended up with the Carrolls in the first place.
Carol Leach
Montgomery
Trevino should add self as lawsuit defendant
Donna Trevino is filing a lawsuit for wrongful death of that
beautiful little boy. However, I don’t think she has included
all the pertinent parties in the suit. Yes, the binding of this
little boy that led to his death is reprehensible. And the
guilty should be held accountable for their part in this crime.
Perhaps the program for foster care needs to be overhauled to
prevent this from happening again.
Missing from Trevino’s suit is the perhaps the one most guilty
party of not doing right by Marcus is the mother herself. Had
Marcus been cared for properly in her home, would he have been
placed in foster care? Trevino should name herself as a
defendant in her own suit to seek justice for Marcus.
Chris Massengale
Springfield Township
Make Trevino pay back taxpayers’ money
As expected, Donna Trevino, Marcus Fiesel’s birth mother, filed
suit for wrongful death against Butler County and others for $5
million.
I believe that Butler, Clermont and Hamilton counties should all
file accessory to murder charges against her. She had a child
she wouldn’t and couldn’t care for properly. It’s her fault the
poor child was placed into foster care in the first place.
She doesn’t belong in jail. She needs to foot the bill for the
costs these three counties have incurred due to her incompetence
as a mother. This should include the costs we taxpayers have had
to pay and will have to pay for his foster care, the search for
him in Juilfs Park, the investigation into his murder, and the
trial and incarceration of the Carrolls. Unfortunately, this
will never happen. She and her ambulance-chasing lawyer will get
rich at our expense.
James Lewis
Withamsville
Put suit winnings toward helping kids
In regard to Donna Trevino’s spot on last night’s news and her
counsel’s explanation about principle and about not wanting this
to happen to other kids, how about this: If you want something
done, have what they are suing for go to a government program to
safely place “unwanted” children into responsible
foster/adoptive homes.
Having your child, who was autistic, wandering the streets of
Middletown, only to return the child and find the house littered
with feces – is this what message you want to send? The boy
somehow knew, through his less-than-normal development that he
had to get to a better place; now he is.
Put the selfish initiatives of you and your lawyer looking at
the 30 percent plus on the chance that you win. May God have
shame upon you.
Brad Loomis
Harrison
Trevino should not be allowed to profit from death
If Donna Trevino gets even one penny from the lawsuit she is
filing, there is something very wrong with the system. She
should not get anything. She gave her child away. She should not
be allowed to profit from the death of her son. She did not care
about him when he was alive. The whole thing makes me sick.
Ann Mullins
Delhi Township
Shame all around if this suit is rewarded
The basic cause of Marcus Fiesel’s death is because his birth
mother neglected herself and Marcus. If she would have cared for
him correctly, he would not have been given up to foster care.
She deserves our prayers and help to better her life, but she
does not deserve any judgment that monetarily rewards her for
that neglect that caused Marcus to be given up to foster care.
Shame on the lawyer, and shame on the courts and judge if she is
rewarded. If it is not about the money, then give any money
awarded in court in Marcus’ name to a fund for foster children.
Ronald Larbes
Sycamore Township
Our justice system needs ‘loser pays’
It’s bad enough that we find out David and Liz Carroll are
accused of killing Marcus, and then trying to hide the evidence
by burning the body. Now Donna Trevino (so-called mother) wants
$5 million. If only we had “loser pays” in our justice system.
Trevino should be ashamed!
Dallas Vanselow
Fairfield
Where was Trevino’s concern when boy was alive?
I feel sick when I think about Marcus Fiesel’s brief life and
tragic death, but I feel even sicker, disgusted actually, that
his birth mother is attempting to make a financial profit from
his death. Where was this care and concern when Marcus was
alive? Just because of some biological connection to Marcus that
does not give her the right to exploit his death. If some agency
is found negligent, the punitive damages should go into a fund
to help prevent this kind of tragedy from happening again. No
one should become richer because of it; in fact, as a community
we are poorer for it.
Mary Lowstuter
Green Township
Scapegoat-hunting should start with Trevino
I read with much stupefaction that Marcus Fiesel’s biological
mother is being permitted to sue the Butler County
commissioners, Butler County Children Services, Lifeway For
Youth foster care agency and the Carrolls.
What kind of world do we live in that this could happen? Wasn’t
the ultimate reason Marcus Fiesel was with a foster family was
because the child had been living in horrendous conditions and
had been removed from the home?
Donna Trevino appears to be the forsaken, heartbroken mother of
the year. Where was she when Marcus was found out wandering in
the road? Where was she when the children were living in “very
bad living conditions”? Where was she when Marcus fell out of a
window? She seems to care an awful lot now. Why did she wait
until Marcus died a horribly gruesome death?
I believe it would be a great injustice to Marcus and every
other child that is fostered if this woman gets one penny from
something that she herself ultimately caused. Everyone is
frantically searching for someone or some agency to blame.
This scapegoat-hunting should immediately start with Trevino and
end with Liz and David Carroll. If she had been a better mother
to start with, Marcus would still be with us.
Carma Downs
Middletown
Deal with Baker was a necessary evil
I have real rage for what happened to Marcus. I can’t even read
detailed descriptions of what it was like for him because it’s
simply too much and makes me seethe with anger, then have
feelings of sadness.
It is not pleasant that Amy Baker will go free, but it is a
necessary evil. I have a hard time reading people say she was
necessary for the case but shouldn’t go free. You, I, the
prosecution would never have known what happened to Marcus if
some type of deal wasn’t made with Baker. It’s the nature of
evil; sometimes you have to make a deal with a devil to get a
measure of justice.
I am not a fan of Joe Deters, but I don’t think he’s been clear
about why Marcus should have not been placed with the Carrolls
to begin with. It’s easy to say they should have never placed
Marcus with them; he’s a politician and looks good saying it.
I’m interested in solutions. I want concrete reasons that can be
built upon for the future to prevent this from re-occurring.
I regret to say that if drastic changes aren’t made in the
foster care system – be it more stringent and creative ways of
placing children and more resources if needed – the outrage we
feel for Marcus will have been in the end only for our own
benefit.
Doug Stenger
Lebanon
Not charging Baker is travesty of justice
Now that indictments have been handed down against David and Liz
Carroll, I am surprised that the press has not investigated the
role of Amy Baker, the reported “girlfriend of both David and
Liz Carroll.” Baker reportedly knew of little Marcus’ treatment.
Yet, with all the investigations into how this terrible event
happened, no one has raised the issue of why this woman walks
free.
I understand that she assisted Joe Deters in order to save her
own skin, but there surely can be some type of indictment for
her role in this terrible crime, even if it is a reduced charge.
There can be no justice for this poor child until the third
party to this crime, Baker, is charged and held accountable for
her actions. Anything less is a travesty of justice.
Fred Ross
Batavia
Cooler heads know most in system do their best
The sad and sordid story of the young life of Marcus Fiesel –
and its tragic end – has resulted in an outpouring of community
response from all quarters; nothing touches more people than the
senseless death of an innocent child, and nothing is closer to
home to most parents.
But unfortunately, not to all parents – in this 21st century
reality that includes all too many unhealthy, neglected, and
abused innocents facing horrible obstacles from birth. Some
29,000 Ohio children are involved in child welfare cases, with
19,000 currently in the foster care program. More than 4,000 of
these are in Butler County, one of Ohio’s fastest growing areas.
In what requires far more skills than one can imagine, the
delicate process of determining whether a child needs to be
removed from a home temporarily or permanently, has special
needs and is properly placed in a new foster home where the
child can thrive goes on quietly every day.
In a world where budget constraints limit compensation, some of
the real heroes of our society are the dedicated caseworkers
whose passion to make our community a better place that really
try to make a difference plug away every day as advocates for
our children.
And in Butler County, we are truly well-served by the Butler
County Children Services Board, chaired by Johnny Wade Sloan,
and the executive director of Children Services, Jann Heffner.
The improvement in services, in practices, and in delivery of
quality support for our children – and yes, they are our
children – is truly remarkable since the beginning of Heffner’s
tenure three years ago.
But Marcus Fiesel represents a catastrophic failure – one that
any thinking, committed person would want examined for what went
wrong. No one would be more eager to address this tragedy than
Sloan and Heffner – who already have demonstrated their
community commitment, and have for years, far beyond the call of
duty. They, more than anyone, would welcome constructive
participation in a review of systems, practices, procedures and
people to improve. It’s what they do every day – and have done
so admirably over the past three years.
It should come as no surprise, in an election year, that among
the voices being heard commenting on this tragic event are those
running for office, or simply seeking news coverage for their
opinions. Much of this is constructive – and welcome. However,
there are those who would “politicize” this tragedy for personal
gain, and would attempt to divert attention to the “blame game”
to engage in finger-pointing, without a balanced review of
consequences.
One child’s death is more important than any words. But the
welfare of 4,000 others in Butler County cannot be thrown into a
more risky environment simply to satisfy someone who may
promise, mightily, that “heads will roll.” The bluster and the
flame-throwers make things worse; political “Monday morning
quarterbacking” has no place here. Real answers are needed, and
people committed to the welfare of our children – not to
self-aggrandize – are who should participate. Political
grandstanding only slows the process of improvement.
People who really want to improve things will quietly volunteer
their time, and they are always the people who make us all
better. Bombastic political “gotcha” has no place here.
It is a serious problem – not a political football.
David Noonan
West Chester
Birth mother, foster parents deserve same as Marcus
I think it is terrible that the biological mother to little
Marcus Fiesel be allowed to sue for the wrongful death of her
son. She is no mother. If anything she should be brought up on
charges for child neglect. I agree with what Joe Deters said,
that if the foster parents or the biological mother had cared
enough about the little boy, he would not be dead. None of them
deserve to get any money from his death. They deserve the same
punishment as they gave to Marcus.
Linda Mueller
Burlington
Taxpayers should be suing biological mom
Marcus Fiesel’s biological mother wants to blame Butler County
for his tragic death. As taxpayers, how do we sue her for gross
incompetence for having the county raise her son and thus
costing taxpayers money? This is the type of lawsuit that gives
lawyers a bad name; in this case justly so.
Robert Young
Milford
Money from suit should go to foster children
I am saddened to hear about Marcus Fiesel’s birth mother filing
a lawsuit. I don’t understand why she should be awarded any
money for abusing her children. She couldn’t take care of them
in the first place, poor Marcus is dead, and now she wants
money. I couldn’t agree more with Joe Deters – if Donna Trevino
had taken care of Marcus from the get-go, Marcus would still be
alive.
How about this idea? If Trevino is awarded even just a penny,
let Trevino prove to us that it’s not about money; and if there
is a judgment in her favor, the judge could order that the money
must be used to set up a fund in Marcus’ memory to help the good
foster parents financially, and the actual kids, to help put
them through school, college, etc.
For a lot of these foster kids, once they reach age 18, they’re
usually “on their own,” so let’s really help the ones who need
it, the kids.
Patricia Rexford
Maineville
All who helped look for Marcus should sue Trevino
I, along with everyone else in the community, have watched and
listened to the details in Marcus’ sad and short life. As he
plays with the angels now, he is a happy little boy. Now the
person who gave birth to him (I refuse to use the term mother)
has decided to sue. She is suing the community that searched for
him and mourned his death.
We should accept her suit, and anyone who spent their time
searching and praying for Marcus should sue her. Anyone who
missed a soccer practice or a family dinner should sue her. She
is not this child’s mother; we are all his mothers and fathers.
Without knowing him, we cared more for him than she ever did.
Mary Mueller
Hebron
