New Orleans Teen arrested in rape and murder of 8 month old infant

[cali]

West Bank teen arrested in rape and murder of 8-month-old
by C.J. Lin, The Times-Picayune Sunday June 07, 2009, 9:50 AM

Arnold RossA 17-year-old Terrytown man was arrested on charges of aggravated rape and first-degree murder of an 8-month-old child Saturday afternoon, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said.

Arnold T. Ross, of 136 Friedrichs Road in Terrytown, was booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Facility. No bond is available on the first-degree murder charge.

Ross was arrested after officers responded to a call of an unresponsive infant at 1656 Gary Court, Apt. B, near Gretna.

The infant, Da-Von Lonzo, was taken to Ochsner Westbank where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, according to a release issued by Col. John Fortunato, a spokesman for the sheriff's office.

The death was initially unclassified, but the Jefferson Parish coroner's office later reported it as a homicide after an autopsy of the child's body revealed multiple fractures consistent with a beating and tears in the anus.


<snip>

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/gretna_man_arrested_in_rape_an.html

Yes, I know the accused's brain isn't fully developed. Yes, in this case, I think he should be tried as an adult and if found guilty sentenced to life, no parole.

[pnwmom]

1. This was a 17 year old, not a 7 year old. I agree he needs to be tried as an adult

for this horrendous crime.

[cali]

2. There was a discussion yesterday about a toddler who died drinking

poisonous chemicals his teen parents had left out that they were using for manufacturing meth. The parents were charged with murder. The girl is 14 and I agree that she should not be charged as an adult, but the father is 19 and I think charging him for murder, as an adult, is appropriate. Some on the thread believe that no teen should be charged as an adult- that no one under 25 should be.

[pnwmom]

7. I understand that brains don't finish developing till the 20's -- however

to say that no one under that age should be charged for murder as an adult is an extreme position with which I don't agree.

The 17 year old is well old enough to understand the consequences of his actions and his brain is well-developed enough that he should have been able to restrain himself from raping and murdering a baby. To argue anything else would be absurd.

Thanks for cluing me in.

[slackmaster]

12. The more important point is that this young man has proved beyond any doubt that he is dangerous

He needs to be kept locked up SOMEWHERE for the protection of everyone.

[ima_sinnic]

3. something tells me this young man has been sexually abused himself

until children are no longer abused, there will never be an end to violence and abuse toward future generations and we will not be truly civilized.

[cali]

4. you're probably right, but let's be clear: The vast majority of those

who are sexually abused do not go on to abuse. Furthermore, it's impossible to completely eradicate the sexual abuse of children- in our culture or just about any other.

[ima_sinnic]

5. I'm not excusing his behavior in the slightest, but some get damaged

beyond repair. Everyone's response to the abuses of childhood is different. Some are able to transcend it, others are distorted and maddened. Add poor role models and lack of modeling in empathy and compassion, and you can have damaged, sociopathic adults. (Of course, I have no idea of this rapist's background).

The fact that sexual abuse is "impossible to completely eradicate" is evidence that humans are a low form of animal that should go extinct. Does sexual abuse of children occur in other species? I sincerely do not know.

[BoneDaddy]

11. And like a rabid dog

he should be put down with compassion so that he never EVER has an opportunity to do this to another again.

[ima_sinnic]

17. yes, sadly, a person like this just cannot be allowed in society (nt)

[BoneDaddy]

19. Whereas I do not support the death penalty in so many cases

in areas such as this and serial killers, I do. I do not support it with glee, but with profound sadness.

It is like an animal that goes "bad" and must be put down.

[dipsydoodle]

6. Defies belief

and words also defy me.

[reggie the dog]

8. life with no possibility of parole.

[Berry Cool]

9. I don't think I can take these stories anymore.

Seventeen or not, it's yet another tale of a no-damn-good boyfriend who didn't know what to do when his girlfriend's baby (his or not) wouldn't stop crying...

Most of them leave it at shaking or beating the kid to death. For this one, apparently that wasn't quite enough.

Dear God.

[BoneDaddy]

10. Death Penalty

is appropriate in this situation. He has abdicated his humanity.

[KamaAina]

13. Misleading headline: Terrytown is just across the river from NOLA proper

just as horrifying, of course, but NOLA has more than enough senseless violence of its own to deal with without having the neighboring parish (county)'s pinned on it in the press. </rant>

[Cresent City Kid]

16. I'm not sure what you're getting at here

Terrytown is in Jefferson Parish, adjacent to Orleans Parish on the West Bank of the Missisippi, across the river from downtown New Orleans. How exactly does that matter? Are you talking about the national press characterizing this as a "New Orleans crime"?

This was human on human crime, the national press' ignorance of the geopolitical details of the New Orleans area is really not the story here. Please correct me if I don't understand what you're saying. Is someone blaming the city and not just the suspect?

(edit) Are you referring to the DU headline of the original post? This is still splitting hairs. If this happened in Yonkers, "New York teen arrested" would not be misleading.

[KamaAina]

22. That is pretty much it

Are you talking about the national press characterizing this as a "New Orleans crime"?

"Yeah you rite!"

If this happened in Yonkers, "New York teen arrested" would not be misleading.

If it happened in Utica, or even Niagara Falls, "New York teen arrested" wouldn't be misleading. :-)

[Cresent City Kid]

24. Your outrage is misplaced

I have lived in both Terrytown and New Orleans. This crime affected my humanity, not my civic pride. It doesn't get worse than baby rape and murder. The comparison to bad reporting is not worth making. People outside Louisisana don't know where Terrytown is, so mentioning New Orleans gives them a better idea of location. While technically incorrect, it's not even bad reporting.

Your focus on this part of the story is mystifying to me. You are under-reacting to the horror of the act and over-reacting to the coverage. I can't make it any more clear than that.

[Odin2005]

14. OMG, how could somebody be evil and sick enough to RAPE a BABY?!?

:cry:

[aikoaiko]

15. I agree with you. try as an adult, and if found guilty then life w/o parole

...at the least.

[ecstatic]

18. He can never be cured. Put him in a mental facility

and throw away the key. You can't reform a baby rapist.

[dionysus]

20. b-b-but, this poor manchild is a victim of society. he deserves a chance to turn his life around...

:sarcasm:

wonder if that guy will step into this thread with that garbage...

[proteus_lives]

21. Good God....

No chance for this one. DP or life without the possibility of parole.

[seabeyond]

23. a poster the other day insists males will boink anything with a pulse

promoting evolutionary psycho babble.

there were even some chucklin in agreement.

i know i have heard this from males in the past.

i would hope males would rethink that "cute" little saying so they feel more like a man and not use it anymore. after reading this post, that is about all i could think about. the man saying being males means wanting to boink anything with a pulse.

i tend to NOT believe it. so sad there are men that not only believe but promote it.

[carlyhippy]

25. The more stories I hear like this one, the more I change my mind about the death penalty

He needs to be put in general with all the rest of the prisoners being fully aware of what his animal has done.

This man needs to be sent to death row. That poor baby.

[carlyhippy]

26. !