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that leaving Poutre in the care of Holli
Strickland presented a serious risk of bodily harm. Strickland was convicted under this premise. Earlier in the trial, a friend of Holli Strickland's testified that she witnessed Holli push Poutre down the stairs three times in a row as a punishment, each time screaming at her to walk back up before pushing her down them again. Jurors did not believe that Jason Strickland was present for the specific assault that led to Poutre's near fatal injuries, but that he knew the abuse was ongoing. He was also convicted of other charges of assault and battery for striking Poutre himself on previous occasions; he was convicted on the assumption that although Holli was the primary abuser, he failed to stop that abuse. Strickland was sentenced to twelve to fifteen years in prison.
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signed a new law to overhaul the child welfare system in
Massachusetts. Changes include a requirement that the case undergo a special review by a state board if the Department of Social Services receives three or more reports of suspected child abuse. The results of that review will then be evaluated
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appointed a panel of specialists to evaluate the case. "Haleigh's case highlights a frightening confluence of a health care system ignorant of abuse and a child protective system ignorant of medicine," they said. The panel also said current
Department of Social Services procedures are "substantially
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of Poutre between 2001 and 2005. The department had been working with the
Strickland family since 1998. The panel recommended a number of changes, including the creation of an audit bureau to review cases, an increase of educational requirements for social workers, and a revamping of abuse reporting
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The
Department of Social Services faced harsh criticism for their role in the case. On June 14, 2006, a legislative oversight committee determined that Department of Social Services was at fault for failing to protect Poutre. Department of Social Services officials have acknowledged that they missed
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During deliberations, jurors questioned whether Jason
Strickland had to be present at the time of the assault in order for them to return a guilty verdict. Judge Carhart instructed them that he did not have to be present, but they would have to believe that an "ordinary person" would have realized
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Following criminal charges, the
Department of Social Services took custody of eleven-year-old Poutre. Eight days after she was admitted to the hospital, Harry Spence, the commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Social Services, sought to remove her from life support. Physicians involved in
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ruled in favor of the
Department of Social Services that life support could be removed. On January 18, 2006, Poutre's biological mother indicated Poutre was responding to her. As physicians were preparing to remove life support, Poutre regained consciousness. In the presence of Harry Spence,
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at the hands of her mother's boyfriend. In 2001, Holli
Strickland alone legally adopted Haleigh. When asked in court why he never legally adopted Haleigh, Jason Strickland replied, "Honestly, I didn't feel like I needed a piece of paper to say I was her father."
290:. She was adopted by the Arnetts in 2010, at the age of sixteen, and attended a special education program in the Southwick public school system. She remains substantially disabled and relies on a wheelchair, but is able to feed herself and use a
179:." On October 5, 2005, a judge approved the request. Jason Strickland, Poutre's stepfather, appealed the decision. Although Jason Strickland had never legally adopted Poutre, he asserted his right to make the decision as the
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against
Strickland. But if she lived, even in a vegetative state, the charges brought against Strickland were significantly less severe. Many perceived the actions of Strickland to be an attempt at evading homicide charges.
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regarding the Poutre case. Schiavo's father, Bob Schindler Sr., commented that there have been many similar cases and his foundation's goal is "essentially to guard against this rush to judgment."
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246:. Recommendations included a number of changes, including increased access to medical, psychiatric, and child abuse expertise, and the creation of a new system for making end-of-life decisions.
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by prosecutors and police in the area. A new child-advocate position was also created. This advocate reports directly to the governor regarding severe child abuse or
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case which had ended in her death earlier that year. Schiavo's family, who runs the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation Center for Health Care Ethics Inc., contacted
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In 2008, Jason Strickland was tried for the assault. Strickland admitted noticing Poutre's injuries, but claimed he believed Holli's story that the injuries were
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to communicate. Regarding the attack, Poutre's adoptive father reports that she knows she was hurt, but she is unable to remember any specifics about the event.
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signs of abuse before she was brought to the hospital in September. The Department of Social Services received at least twelve reports of abuse or
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asked Poutre to identify a series of items in front of her and she successfully completed the task. The order to remove life support was cancelled.
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At the age of four, Haleigh Poutre went to live with her maternal aunt, Holli Strickland, and Strickland's husband Jason, following allegations of
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in the state. The new law also involves increased penalties for failing to report child abuse. A new registry for keeping track of
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Complicating the issue was the criminal case against Jason Strickland. If Poutre died, the state could bring
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as well as their policies on end-of-life care for children in their custody.
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after suffering from "flu-like symptoms". Physicians determined that her
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the case asserted that Poutre was in a vegetative state, and "virtually
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On September 20, 2005, the Stricklands were arrested and charged with
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Helman, Scott (Apr 25, 2006). "SCHIAVO'S KIN JOIN POUTRE DEBATE".
394:"Jason Strickland denies hitting his stepdaughter, Haleigh Poutre"
158:. Holli Strickland was shot to death two days later while out on
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500:"Comatose girl can be removed from life support, court rules"
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Court records: Haleigh Poutre 'making statements' about abuse
594:"Romney panel blasts system familure in haleigh poutre case"
651:"Haleigh Poutre's babysitter testifies she saw child abuse"
162:. Police believe her death on September 22, 2005, to be a
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Greenberg v. Miami Children's Hospital Research Institute
519:"SJC: State can remove 11 year old from life support"
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719:"Video shows Haleigh Poutre writing, feeding self"
670:"Mass. man gets 12-15 years for stepchild beating"
613:"Video shows Haleigh Poutre writing, feeding self"
375:"Haleigh Poutre's mother seeks documents from DSS"
166:at the hands of her grandmother, Constance Young.
1170:Moore v. Regents of the University of California
556:"Lawmakers criticize DSS care of Haleigh Poutre"
356:"Gov. Patrick signs child welfare law overhaul"
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498:Fahrenthold, David (January 18, 2006).
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740:MassLive.com Haleigh Poutre index page
689:"Timeline: The case of Haleigh Poutre"
668:Reitz, Stephanie (December 18, 2008).
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224:Policy changes in response to the case
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1309:People from Southwick, Massachusetts
1304:People with traumatic brain injuries
1269:People from Westfield, Massachusetts
745:DSS sought early end to life support
649:Spencer, Buffy (November 17, 2008).
573:Spencer, Buffy (November 18, 2008).
437:Spencer, Buffy (December 19, 2008).
392:Spencer, Buffy (November 21, 2008).
198:Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
717:Wen, Patricia (November 18, 2008).
630:Spencer, Buffy (December 8, 2008).
611:Wen, Patricia (November 18, 2008).
554:Levenson, Michael (June 14, 2006).
517:Wen, Patricia (January 17, 2006).
479:Wen, Patricia (January 27, 2006).
457:"Chronology of alleged abuse case"
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704:"Haleigh Poutre, 10 years later"
702:Goslee, Kaitlin (May 11, 2015).
687:Wen, Patricia (August 3, 2014).
592:Wen, Patricia (March 21, 2006).
1284:Euthanasia in the United States
1274:Child abuse incidents and cases
1264:People with severe brain damage
952:Betancourt v. Trinitas Hospital
143:on Haleigh's body, and several
1196:Radioactive iodine experiments
750:Judge mulls dismissing charges
373:Wen, Patricia (May 15, 2008).
147:in various stages of healing.
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92:Department of Social Services
81:persistent vegetative states
66:Subject of legal controversy
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304:Persistent vegetative state
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354:Ring, Dan (July 8, 2008).
249:On July 8, 2008, Governor
1108:Abdullahi v. Pfizer, Inc.
959:Commonwealth v. Twitchell
816:Betty and George Coumbias
196:On January 17, 2006, the
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288:Southwick, Massachusetts
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237:In March 2006, Governor
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1279:Child abuse legislation
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463:. January 18, 2006.
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1186:Milgram experiment
1129:Deep sleep therapy
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170:End of life debate
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292:letterboard
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131:was partly
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53:Nationality
1248:Categories
997:Rom Houben
881:Carol Carr
871:Tony Bland
821:Dax Cowart
325:References
177:brain dead
137:contusions
129:brain stem
102:Background
35:1994-02-24
1211:Study 329
859:treatment
806:Assisted
234:systems.
1100:Research
758:Archived
674:Fox News
298:See also
185:parent.
182:de facto
57:American
808:suicide
256:neglect
244:custody
231:neglect
156:battery
152:assault
133:sheared
1007:Baby K
911:Baby M
115:Injury
145:burns
424:2008
160:bond
154:and
139:and
29:Born
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