Woman Killed After 27 Emergency Room Visits

http://www.wlox.com/global/story.asp?s=11290323

HARRISON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) - Days after Jennifer McKeon's violent death, questions linger on the minds of the staff at the Gulf Coast Women's Center for Non-Violence.

"What could we have done as an agency to intervene? Could we have done more? How did she fall through the gaps?" asked Sandra Morrison on Friday. "We really don't want to see that happen. We are here to help women and protect them. So that in a sense, we do mourn it."

Sandra Morrison is the center's Executive Director. Because of confidentially rules, she is not allowed to talk about the McKeon case. Morrison said she is surprised to hear the victim endured so much abuse.

Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd said McKeon ended up in the emergency room 27 times in just eight months. The 32-year-old woman died early Monday morning, after she was allegedly beaten, choked, and slammed against a wall. Her boyfriend, 44-year-old Mark Anthony Fountain, is charged with her murder.

:cry:

edited for candle. :hug:



your sigline is appropriate to this story
There are questions to be answered and answers to be questioned.

The hospital should've had adequate records of this woman and her injuries and should have reported them to the police, regardless of whether she admitted to the abuse. 27 times in 8 months should have raised the reddest of flags. If she had overdosed that many times, I'm sure it would have been reported.

I wonder what the story was

If she went to different hospitals and lied about what caused her injuries then they might not have picked it up. Of course they could also be overworked and not been paying attention. Hard to say in this case. Very tragic. You figure that family and friends were also aware of what was going on, if she had any that her prick of a boyfriend hadn't run off. May she rest in peace.

the last time I went to the emergency room it was about ten years ago for an ear infection. The staff made my boyfriend leave a few times so they could ask me if I was being abused. I may have laughed about them pushing the issue but sometimes it's better to go overboard. In many places it is required for them to ask and report suspected abuse.

No amount of $ could get me to live in the South. No offense to the good people in the South, but the nasty shithead/good people ratio in the Southern states is just not to my liking.

Women can be intimidated into not preferring charges or so mentally abused they will not. If the choice of charges are up to law enforcement and the officers are properly trained, it takes the decision out of the woman's hands.

Not to day that would necessarily save a woman's life, but it might.

Edited to add: From the OP linked article:


No it does NOT have to be up to the victim!

A woman who is a repeat victim of violence who refuses to press charges should be considered mentally incompetent to act in her own defense?

My understanding of what the poster wrote is this: 1) victims can be so intimidated (fearful) of their abusers they choose not (unwilling) to pursue legal action on their own volition, and/or 2) so mentally (emotionally) abused they can not (unable) pursue legal action on their own.

The poster wrote: "If the choice of charges are up to law enforcement and the officers are properly trained, it takes the decision out of the woman's hands."

Victims of domestic violence are often so emotionally (mentally) battered they are unwilling and/or unable to pursue legal action, period. Therefore, many legal jurisdictions (such as California) are mandated to press charges with or without the victims cooperation. I believe this is what the poster was saying, which has nothing to do with a victim participating in their own 'defense'.

*edited subject line

**edited again to add that my heart breaks for this poor woman. May her tragic death not be the motivation - the rally cry - to bring about needed change for others in similar circumstances.

For instance, in Canada:



Of course, nothing is simple - without counseling and support programs there can be continued problems. And right now, when states have closed their women's shelters (California), there are few options for abused women.

And the decision whether to charge the abuser is up to the police, NOT up to the woman. Sort of like the requirement in most areas that gun shot wounds or suspected child molestation must be reported so the police can investigate.

Think about it - if the decision whether or not to prosecute child molestation were left up to parents, sometimes the parents may not want to follow through if the perpetrator were a relative or one of the parents or a close friend. But we do not allow that to be left to the family - that is taken away from them and left to law enforcement so that they can better protect society.

So why should this difficult decision be left to the victim who is least able to make that choice? No other assault case prosecution is left up to the victim to make that choice - why should assault that is part of a dysfunctional relationship be left up to the victim to choose to prosecute?

... but prosecution is really difficult if she refuses to testify.

I know it could not be easy for the woman, but she would at least get help.

Damn

:cry:
Would you THINK someone would have recognized the pattern? WTF!

When I went in for the FIRST time to the doc because my ex had thrown me across the room while I was 7 mos pregnant and I went into premature labor and was dilated 1+cm..the WAY the Dr. just LOOKED at me told me he knew what was going on, I had scratches on my arm and was a basket case...

but the dumbasses went ahead and asked me the standard afdmoission question "have you been abused in the last 24 hours?"

and my husband was standing RIGHT NEXT to te bed

I had no choice but to say "no"

...and this is how this shit continues...
How do the abused save themselves, if everyone is against them and will just hand you or your kids right back to the abuser...

it is such a fucked up system, I can't even go there...
thank god/dess we got free 5 years ago, and that the kids have no memory of him..

After one of my horse related injuries, the doctor that treated me was concerned about the possibility of abuse. The only other time he had seen me was after another injury when he treated me in the ER. The second time, he made hubby stay in the waiting room and asked me about my injuries - my file was thick with them and it certainly looked like an abuse situation.

Fortunately for me, my injuries were all inflicted by my horses, not my husband, but the doctor had no way to know. If he had been an abuser, though, the way the doctor handled it would have let me talk to him about it. I found out at my next visit with my regular doctor that his partner had still put a note in my file warning of the possibility of abuse. My regular doctor who knew both my husband and me very well knew that it was not likely but he still asked me about it.

I felt very lucky to have such care - but it did not take that much of an effort on the part of the doctors who were paying attention. With the unacceptable level of abuse to women in this country, every medical care person, including the admissions clerks, should be trained to ask the women in privacy about this and never in front of any male that might have been an abuser.

At least in Florida, they do. I would hope it would be nationwide.

I hate bullies. Especially those who have their victims trapped.

God grant me the strength to be merciful, but this kind of thing makes me lean towards the death penalty.

But could not find a reference. I also hate bullies, but most of them are not worth the death penalty. I hope the children in this case get counseling to break the cycle.

:wtf:

Really, there are no words.

that a red flag would be triggered after multiple ER episodes?

27 is just way too many not to merit suspicion.

That is inexcusable!

have forseen this tragic outcome.

:sarcasm:

http://www.sunherald.com/201/story/1662009.html?storylink=omni_popular

unbelievably tragic story

I forgot to check the Sun Herald before I posted. The newspaper has more background info.

they get out on bail. Recent case in Minnesota -- cops called to the house 48 times in 14 years. Wife has him arrested once again after he beats on kids and her, he's bailed out, comes back and finally shoots her and himself.

Clearly, some men cannot hear the words "I'm out of here." How it took 14 years for her to work up the courage to get rid of him . . . then, no doubt, he's at the point of not understanding: "Why now? How is it different? I've been doing this for years?"

Jail time, immediately. With each recurring incident time in jail increases exponentially. Restraining orders are worthless to these thugs.

It's time to take this onus off women.