Posted on 11/23/2004 11:57:32 AM PST by Jersey Republican Biker Chick
PLANO, Texas (AP) — With a calm and dispassionate voice and a hymn playing in the background, Dena Schlosser confessed to the unthinkable, telling a 911 operator she'd cut off the arms of her baby girl.
The woman was sitting in her living room covered with blood when police arrived Monday. Her nearly 11-month-old daughter lay fatally injured in a crib in a bedroom of the family's apartment in Plano. The child died shortly afterward at a nearby hospital.
Police have charged the 35-year-old mother with capital murder, but declined to reveal where she is being held.
Schlosser, who had a history of postpartum depression, had been investigated on child neglect allegations earlier this year, but Texas Child Protective Services had recently closed a seven-month investigation, concluding that Schlosser did not pose a risk to her children. Neighbors said she seemed to be a loving, attentive mother.
"There were never any indications of violence with this family," agency spokeswoman Marissa Gonzales said. "The children had always been healthy, happy and cared for."
But, on Monday, authorities discovered a grisly scene at the family's apartment after the child's father called a day-care center, and asked them to check on his wife and daughter.
Day-care workers called 911 after talking to the mother; an operator then called Schlosser.
Asked if there was an emergency, Schlosser calmly responded "Yes," according to 911 tapes released by police.
"Exactly what happened?" the 911 operator asked.
"I cut her arms off," Schlosser replied, as the hymn "He Touched Me" played in the background.
"You cut her arms off?" he repeated.
"Uh huh," she answered.
It was not immediately clear what instrument was used to sever the baby's arms or why the child's father called a day-care center to check on his family.
Schlosser lived at the apartment with other family members, including her two older daughters. Authorities said the girls, ages 6 and 9, were at school when police arrived, and that their father was at work.
No one answered the door Monday night at the family's apartment in suburban Dallas. Children's bicycles rested near the entrance along with angel garden statues.
Neighbors said Schlosser took her children swimming in the summer, had picnics in the courtyard and walked her baby around the complex the same time each afternoon.
Dena Livingston, 43, said she saw Schlosser making her rounds with the stroller on Sunday. Two days earlier, she saw Schlosser waiting with the baby outside the elementary school where her two other daughters attend.
"She didn't give off like she was in a distant world or didn't care about the baby," Livingston said.
Livingston's husband, Brad, added: "To see her with the girls, you would just think she was a great mother."
Child-protective officials were interviewing Schlosser's daughters and would talk to the father before deciding whether to remove the girls from the home.
In January, the agency was called to the home after Schlosser was seen running down the street, with one of her daughters bicycling after her, authorities said. When officials arrived, the child told them her mother had left her 6-day-old sister alone in the apartment.
Schlosser appeared at the time to be suffering from postpartum depression and having a psychotic episode, Gonzales said.
Schlosser was hospitalized, and later agreed to seek counseling and saw a psychiatrist, Gonzales said.
"At the time we closed the case, we had been assured that Mom was stabilized and that she was not a risk to herself or her children," Geoff Wool, spokesman for the Family and Protective Services Department, said.
Speaking of Texas killer moms.
Has anyone heard anything about Darlie Routier lately?
Been awhile and would think her time to ride the magic needle is close
Two words... Darlee Routier.
Too bad Texas doesn't still use Old Sparky to execute prisoners rather than lethal injection.
LOL
Guess I'm more old fashioned than you.
A gallows on the courthouse square would be even better.
I'm speechless....no I'm not: What the heck has the father done? Where were you busybodies before the baby died? The father hasn't done a thing that we know of!
As far as we know the father hasn't done anything. But, he must have been suspicious of something because he called the day care to check on the baby. Maybe he was checking if the mother had taken the baby there. He was unfortunately negligent for leaving a depressed and delusional woman alone with the baby. I do not think that he meant any harm to any of the children. But, if he knew his wife was a threat to the children, he should have done something.
Good point! Baby killers all of 'em. Maybe this won't be the right case for the liberals to rally 'round.
Unbelievable how absolutely incompetent Social Services are - in every state, not just Texas. This caseworker should be charged and go to jail along with mama.""
I am convinced that this is an area of career that totally incompetant people seek out. JMO.
In this case draw and quarter would be the perfect punishment.
I have to agree. I am a Parent. It really sickens me to death. It would be better if she was shot. Sometimes I think people who do stuff like that need to have the same treatment as the people they hurt,especially children.
Why should the dad be to blame? Dad was at work and I kind of got the impression he was not living with her.
This story has sort of put me in shock. I keep thinking it can't be real - it's nightmarish.
God hold close the little one who suffered through this.
she should be locked in a cell with Kathy Yates...who can give her a bath
It's so weird how this happens all the time on FR. Nearly identical back to back posts by different people.
Anyway, there was a FReeper a while back who had worked in her and her husbands company and was following the case closely. I can't seem to remember the FReepers name, but a search on Darlee Routier might bring it up.
That's what I thought...thanks for the confirmation.
Yeah, this is what I posted when I first heard of this atrocity:
Hey I'm just anticipating the inevitable on a domestic violence thread.
hahahaaaa!! That would get the Libs out and cranky!I have no sympathy for these scum, either.
I'm sure when the "lifetime network" re-creates this into one of their brainwashing movies,the father will be held at fault!The way women have degenerated i'm surprised they are not eating their young!Thanks to NOW,abortion and the government interfering in families,this will be the way of the future.
Well, actually it is. Abortionists are sane and prefer to crush the baby's skull first before chopping up the entire body.
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