;)
Thursday
Feb052009
3-Year-Old Girl Frozen to Death
Thursday, February 5, 2009 at 2:50AM
The following is a sad, tragic story of a little 3-year-old girl named Cassandra Weronick. She was found frozen to death in the snow less than a mile from her home. It is so very hard when parents have to bury their children but what makes this so much more poignant is that it was so unexpected. This little girl wandered away from home in the middle of the night with only a shirt and diaper on. She most certainly died a slow, painful, bone-chilling death in the snow with the temperature outside in the single digits. Her parents are devastated.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlzbieSoO04]
It was a neighbor, a newspaper carrier, that found little Cassandra in the snow less than a mile from her home at 33 Aldrich Road, Mountaindale in upstate New York. At first she thought it was a doll lying in the snow but when she got out of her car to investigate, she saw it was a little child.
Around the same time Cassandra’s father, Douglas Weronick, called 911 at 7:03 am to report his daughter missing. He handed the phone over to his wife, Lisa, so that he could begin searching the neighborhood. Only three minutes later—while Lisa Weronick was still on the phone with dispatchers — the neighbor called 911 to report she’d found a little girl’s body.
While out searching for his missing daughter, Douglas Weronick heard the call for a child with cardiac arrest broadcast over another neighbor’s police scanner. He went up the road to the address - to his neighbor Diana Dimilia's house - and discovered his daughter’s body in the snow just off the road. She was pronounced dead at the scene. She was the youngest of three children.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MovSw5VwAE0]
The police believe that it was around 3 am that Cassandra wandered off in the cold. The family dog started barking about that time. Cassandra's mom, Lisa, was woken up by the noise. She discovered that the door was left slightly open and - believing that the dog had opened the door - shut it and bolted it and then went back to sleep.
Police say Cassandra had wandered away from home before, but was quickly found her at a neighbor's house. The Weronick's had even made efforts to prevent her from sneaking off again.
At the Spring Glen Grocery, the owner, Ramila Patel, told CBS 2 the parents often stopped in with Cassandra and their two older boys.
The investigation continues, but police say there are no signs of foul play, just a tragic set of circumstances.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlzbieSoO04]
"There's not too much you can say about it other than its a sad, sad event," said State Police Capt. Wayne Olson.
It was a neighbor, a newspaper carrier, that found little Cassandra in the snow less than a mile from her home at 33 Aldrich Road, Mountaindale in upstate New York. At first she thought it was a doll lying in the snow but when she got out of her car to investigate, she saw it was a little child.
Around the same time Cassandra’s father, Douglas Weronick, called 911 at 7:03 am to report his daughter missing. He handed the phone over to his wife, Lisa, so that he could begin searching the neighborhood. Only three minutes later—while Lisa Weronick was still on the phone with dispatchers — the neighbor called 911 to report she’d found a little girl’s body.
While out searching for his missing daughter, Douglas Weronick heard the call for a child with cardiac arrest broadcast over another neighbor’s police scanner. He went up the road to the address - to his neighbor Diana Dimilia's house - and discovered his daughter’s body in the snow just off the road. She was pronounced dead at the scene. She was the youngest of three children.
"When I left this morning it was about 9 degrees, so it was down in the single digits, I mean bitter, bitter cold last night and you know it's amazing that she could have even gotten this far," said neighbor Diana Dimilia.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MovSw5VwAE0]
The police believe that it was around 3 am that Cassandra wandered off in the cold. The family dog started barking about that time. Cassandra's mom, Lisa, was woken up by the noise. She discovered that the door was left slightly open and - believing that the dog had opened the door - shut it and bolted it and then went back to sleep.
Police say Cassandra had wandered away from home before, but was quickly found her at a neighbor's house. The Weronick's had even made efforts to prevent her from sneaking off again.
"The parents had a couple locks on the door, evidently she was able to bypass the latch and lock to get out of the house so I think her own ingenuity was probably part of the problem," said Olson.
At the Spring Glen Grocery, the owner, Ramila Patel, told CBS 2 the parents often stopped in with Cassandra and their two older boys.
"I know the family, husband and wife, [they're] wonderful. This is so sad, oh my gosh," said Patel.
The investigation continues, but police say there are no signs of foul play, just a tragic set of circumstances.
Reader Comments (9)
This is so very sad, but I have to ask, if their child had wandered away before, when the mother saw the door ajar, why didn't automatically go check to see if her daughter was in her bed? If she had, then more than likely the child would have been saved. That poor baby, she had to suffer so horribly and painfully. This breaks my heart! :-(
I have to say that this breaks my heart, however as the mother of a two year old I am constantly checking on her in the day and in the middle of the night and If I woke up and saw the door was ajar the first thing I would due in a panic was check on my children! does anyone think this was a case of neglect, I mean she just went back to bed! I'm shocked.
It is relatively easy to speculate about what may have happened in this situation. The public is provided with the 'bites' from the news media and not directly from anyone personally involved. It is also one thing to suggest what one may or may not do under similar circumstances but until one actually walks in their shoes and has all of the facts from all parties, then one should refrain from suggestions of 'neglect' and 'shouldn't she have....'.
This family must be devastated at the loss of their young daughter. It is a terribly sad, sad story. Much peace and love to them during such a horrific time.
I would have to agree with Lynda on this one. Whether it was neglect or whatnot, fact of the matter is that they lost a child. There's absolutely no greater punishment than that. There's no blame that we can put on them that will dig deeper than the blame that they already place upon themselves.
This, for me, is a story that struck close to home. I live nearby in Orange County NY and I know the area. I can only imagine how heart broken the entire family and friends of this little girl must be. No-one is promised that there will be a tomorrow, no matter how young, but for a little girl to lose her life in this manner is one of the saddest stories I have come across in a long time. Words truly fall short.
I just want to express my sincere and deepest condolences to those affected by this tragedy. This is not a time for "what-ifs". If we had our lives to live over again I am sure all of us would make some changes.
I don't usually make requests on my blog but just this one time I would ask anyone who cares to make a comment here be mindful of the pain and suffering that many are feeling right now.....and will for a long time to come. Please keep your comments respectful.
Above all I hope that the media will not harass or attempt to intrude on the privacy of the family. They need time to heal.
Shaun Dawson
So Tragic! I feel so bad. Like, wouldn't you go on and check to see if the baby is okay or on the children. When I heard about this I couldn't fall a sleep.
Come on now, who find's their front door ajar in the dead of winter and assumes that the dog unlocked it. The cop who reported that must have meed close to his ticket quota. no time for dead babies. And kids wear pajamas! summer, spring, and fall, but DEFINITELY winter in upstate NY.
sorry, i forgot to add that in the video above was where the 'detective' said that the baby unlocked the door, but then quoted the mother as saying that the dog must have opened the door.
devastated? they got away with murder. If you care about your kids, you know that they are safe EVERY SECOND OF THE DAY OR NIGHT. Comfy clothes for day, nice warm winter jammies for cold ny nights. this poor babies very basic physiological needs weren't being met at an age so young. did an autopsy show a nutritious dinnerin her belly or a couple of chips. DO NOT FEEL BAD FOR THESE MONSTERS...