INCREDIBLE CRIMES OF 2009

By Michelle Simonsen, True Crime Writer and Victim's Rights Advocate

ENTER HERE, NO EXIT

Annie Le

In 2003, Annie Le was voted by her high school classmates as "most likely to be the next Einstein". She was currently in the doctorate phase of her education at Yale University in the Department of Pharmacology. She was planning her wedding to her fiancee, Jonathan Widawsky, a Columbia University graduate student.

At 24, Annie Le had her entire life in front of her.

But in September, 2009, it was taken away...five days before her wedding.

Le went missing after entering a Yale University school building. Surveillance cameras capture her walking into the building, but never exiting. Her body was found on her wedding day, five days later, inside a wall of the laboratory in the school basement. Connecticut's medical examiner who performed Le's autopsy found that she had died as a result of "traumatic asphyxia due to neck compression."

After a thorough investigation, lab technician Raymond Clark, was arrested and charged in Le's murder. Clark has yet to enter a plea and will not have another court hearing until January 26, 2010. The motive is currently unclear, as well as the significance of Clark and Le's relationship, if any.

In a sad irony, Le wrote an article for Yale Medical School's B Magazine in February 2009 entitled, "Crime and Safety in New Haven".

A LAST LOOK--PRETTY IN PINK

Sandra Cantu

She was wearing a pink Hello Kitty t-shirt when she died. She was later stuffed inside a small cheap suitcase and dumped into an irrigation pond in Tracy, California, 70 miles south of Sacramento.

8-year old Sandra Cantu was last seen skipping along surveillance footage in her mobile park neighborhood with the intent of playing with a 5-year old girl who lived nearby.

She was never shown coming home.

Ten days later, farmers located the suitcase of horrors. It led them directly to the mother of Sandra's playmate. 28-year old Melissa Huckaby, mother and Sunday school teacher, has been indicted and charged with kidnapping, rape by instrument, and the murder of Sandra Cantu.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Her trial is set to begin on October 18, 2010.

A RARE OCCURRENCE

Only 5 percent of pedophiles in America who abuse girls are female, said David Finkelhor, director of the University of New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Research Center, and the victims are almost always older than Sandra was. "There are cases of a woman acting alone, but more frequently you get a situation where it's a woman working in cahoots with a guy," he said. "What's being described here is very rare." (source)

HELL'S PLAYGROUND

Michael Brewer

While most 15-year olds were unwrapping their Christmas gifts this year, Michael Brewer was having skin graft bandages unwrapped. In a cruel and deliberate assault against the Deerfield Beach, Florida teen, Brewer was burned alive by five of his fellow peers in October, 2009.

The reason? $40, a video game and a stolen bike.

It was determined by five Florida bullies that Michael Brewer should pay for "snitching" on defendant, Matthew Bent, 15, after he was fingered and arrested for stealing Michael's father's bicycle.

The day following the arrest of Bent, he and four others allegedly stalked and confronted Michael in order to assault him. Alcohol was poured over his body while another snapped a lighter setting him ablaze that left him with severe burns over 65% of his body.

Three of the boys have been charged as adults while the other two as juveniles. The three that will stand trial in the attempted murder of Michael Brewer, Denver Jarvis, 15, Matthew Bent, 15, and Jesus Mendez, 16, have pled not guilty and face up to 30 years in prison.

Listen to the 911 call HERE. (Warning: disturbing audio.)

HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN

Shaniya Nicole Davis

The most innate part of human nature is our natural urge to protect our children. What level of atrocity is it when a mother sells her own 5-year old daughter into prostitution?

Antoinette Nicole Davis, 25, stated that she put her daughter, Shaniya, on the couch at 5:30 a.m., and left the room. When she checked back an hour later Shaniya was gone.

According to Fayetteville, North Carolina authorities, Shaniya did not "go missing", as her mother charged.

Antoinette Davis, sold her daughter into sex slavery, where she was later murdered and dumped on the side of a dirty highway like a piece of trash. Shaniya was last seen with Mario Andrette McNeill, 29, as shown in this hotel surveillance footage. He has been charged with the rape and murder of Shaniya. Mommy Dearest has been charged with multiple felonies including human trafficking and child abuse involving prostitution.

Shaniya's father, Bradley Lockhart, has stated that Antoinette Davis sold their daughter into prostitution in order to pay off a drug debt. Preliminary autopsy results show that the 5-year old died from asphyxiation.

Mark Logan, executive and director of the Polaris Project and the former U.S. ambassador to combat human trafficking stated while there are no numbers on how many young children are trafficked by their own parents, there are about 100,000 minors trafficked in the United States each year.

Lois Lee, the founder and president of the non-profit Children of the Night, said drugs are often involved when mothers are found to have sold or traded their children. (Source)

The scariest thing about this case? Antoinette Davis is currently pregnant again!

LOST & FOUND

Jaycee Lee Dugard

In June, 1991, Jaycee Lee Dugard, then 11 years old, was forcibly abducted by two unknown adults at her South Lake Tahoe, California bus stop within eye shot of her stepfather and several classmates. After massive searches, tips and fruitless leads, Jaycee was thought to be gone forever.

18 years later...it is 2009. Investigators are following up on a parolee and while making a house visit, he meets his "daughter" Alyssa. Alyssa is 29 years old and claims the two girls with her, ages 11 and 15, are her little sisters. Something about "Alyssa's" story didn't jive with police.

After further investigation, it was revealed that her name was not Alyssa, but missing Jaycee Lee Dugard. Her two "sisters" are her daughters, Angel and Starlit, born as a result of the relentless rapes she endured over the past 18 years at the hands of Phillip Craig Garrido and assisted by his wife, Nancy.

After Jaycee was abducted in 1991, the Antioch, California couple had kept her captive in their home and in tents and make-shift sheds in their backyard.

Phillip Craig Garrido had already served a not-so-lengthy sentence for the vicious kidnap and rape of a woman back in 1976. The court's physicians had diagnosed him as "a sexual deviant and chronic drug abuser." During his trial in 1977 he testified that he would masturbate in his car by the side of schools while watching young girls.

Both have pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, rape, and false imprisonment and are awaiting trial. Jaycee has shown a great amount of what is called "The Stockholm Syndrome", where a victim has been mentally broken down by their captor, has formed a bond with them, or is sympathetic to them.

When Jaycee was originally asked by police about her relationship with Garrido, she stated "he was a changed man and a great person who was good to her kids. Alyssa subsequently stated that she didn't want to provide any additional information and that she might need a lawyer." (Source)

Jaycee and her daughters are back with her family and learning to remember who she really is and to cope with what happened to her. Carl Probyn, Jaycee's stepfather, confirmed that Jaycee and her daughters are in good health and intelligent, their reunion is going well, and they are proceeding slowly. Jaycee Dugard's aunt, Tina Dugard, about the two girls: "They are clever, articulate, curious girls who have a bright future ahead of them." (Source)

Michelle Simonsen is a victim's rights advocate, crime analyst and blogger for "Michelle Says So", founder of the grassroots consumer boycott, "Boycott Aruba--Justice for Natalee Holloway", an advisory board member of "Survivors in Action", and is a contributing writer for "Now Public", and "True Crime Talk".

What Is Personal Safety and Why Do "I" Need It?

By Anny Jacoby





In the recent past there have been numerous media reports of victims of various ages (Dawn Fraser, Megan Onorato and Jordan Ward) of different types of assaults that have warded off their assailant(s). It is heart breaking as we read or hear daily of the epidemic of assaults on females. But when I hear the news that a victim survived by fighting back it instills in me once again that it is better to do something rather than nothing. Sadly there are reports and evidence indicating that a victim did fight back (Annie Le, Denise Amber Lee) but was overpowered and succumbed at the hands of her assailant.

Years ago I can remember that females were advised not to fight back if assaulted as it would make matters worse. Still today there are many people that believe this. From my own personal experience - YOU MUST FIGHT BACK! Reflecting back to my assault, if I had not fought back breaking free from the grip of my assailant's hands around my throat, I would not be alive today. I was never taught anything about intuition, awareness, warning signs, how to use my mind, body or spirit to "defend myself". All I knew at that moment in time and deep inside was that I had to escape. I had to survive. I had to fight back! "INSTINCTIVELY" I FOUGHT BACK WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING! Yes, I was hurt physically, emotionally and mentally; I was bruised and sore and I had a journey ahead of myself that would impact the rest of my life.

Today it is imperative for every female of all ages including those disabled and those with special needs to acquire and retain "life skills" beyond those to assist us in making our dreams comes true. No one likes the words "self-defense, personal safety, safety skills" and why is that?

Personal safety is not all warm and fuzzy. Learning life saving skills of any kind is uncomfortable for many. The thought of being assaulted is gut wrenching and the fear that it brings to the surface is real. You have to be taught how to embrace your fear, making it your best friend. You have to understand what intuition is. You must learn how to escape effectively. And, yes.....you have to learn how to physically defend yourself if you need to. You have to be taught and experience the "warrior mentality and spirit". You do have every right to protect and defend yourself if you are in fear for your life.

First and foremost, "personal safety" is not martial arts training. It is not fighting, it is not a sport, it IS about obtaining physical skills or taking a course to learn how you can protect and defend yourself. Personal safety is part of "life skills". Many feel that learning personal safety is empowering - in actuality it's about how to effectively and quickly end an attack with minimum damage to you. In personal safety training you are not trained to stay in there for ten rounds, females do not fight with strength - we fight with knowledge. Learning skills to mentally and verbally deescalate a situation can be life saving in itself.

Females are seeking information on how to stay safe by being proactive and/or how to effectively fight back physically. We do not have years to study and to train in order to feel more secure. Personal safety is a conscious, proactive approach to life. It is comprised of a series of both learned and inherent behavioral and cognitive options, awareness and intuition that can be used to avoid an altercation/attack. Training should include boundary setting information, verbal communication, safety tips and a series of physical personal safety options which could be used as a last resort if you were to encounter a physical altercation. The physical techniques taught should be geared to the age group and the ability to learn easily and effectively. Instructors (males and females) should be certified in a specific system. Only male instructors should use "realistic" padded gear for "true life" scenario physical training; hence you can feel the impact of your defense as well as the instructor. Instructors must have the ability to physically feel your defense so that if you need further assistance or instruction it can be addressed at that moment. Training should also offer "realistic or real life" situations using what is readily available to you (your mind and body).

Keep in mind that there is not one type of personal safety training that can give you a 100% guarantee - there are no guarantees. Anyone can be victimized. Once you have completed a course it's up to you to put the information you obtained and trained with to work for you in your day-to-day life.

Your ability to effectively use the physical defense training options that you learn will be dependent upon your ability to remember what you learned and your willingness to practice. You must practice with intensity and regularity what you have learned.

Perhaps now you have a better understanding why it is imperative for females to obtain personal safety training and how to go about seeking a program for you, your loved ones, friends, and colleagues.

Those of us that have either lived through an assault, witnessed a family member or friend assaulted or worked as a certified advocate can tell you that the emotional, mental and physical damage that is a direct result of abuse or an assault just may have been spared if perhaps personal safety had been incorporated into her daily life.

How much is your life worth?

Take care and STAY SAFE!

Anny Jacoby is a Survivor of Domestic Violence, taking the steps to turn the negatives into positives and following her passion to help victims into her life's work. After many years as a certified Advocate she founded her company, The Realistic Female Self-Defense Company which is based on a realistic approach for females to protect themselves in all respects. Anny is a firm believer that EVERY female has the absolute right to protect and defend herself mentality, emotionally, spiritually and ultimately physically.

Anny's experience and achievements have been featured through many media outlets. She has been a featured guest on many BlogTalkRadio shows as well as co-hosting. She is an active member in the National and North Carolina Coalitions Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, AWSDA (American Women's Self-Defense Association), The National Center for Victims of Crime and NAPW (National Association of Professional Women). Anny has also served on the Board of Directors and held an executive position in her county domestic violence agency.

Anny and her team of male Instructors are Certified PDR (Personal Defense Readiness) Instructors through Blauer Tactical Systems, Inc.

"Raising female awareness and skills to reduce susceptibility in response to violence."
www.annyjacoby.com