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Where Was the Family?
January 19th, 2006

At the funeral for little Nixzmary Brown yesterday, the crowd of hundreds hushed when dozens of the girl’s family members entered. The press ran photos of sobbing relatives and reported on how her anguished grandmother wearily said she’d sue for custody of her daughter’s five other children.

But Juan Gonzalez takes a less sympathetic view of the uncles, cousins and other relatives who he feels must have had more contact with Nixzmary and her troubled mother and step-father than any lax case worker, cop or teacher ever did.

“Where had they all been during the months and years when this terrible outrage unfolded?” writes Gonzalez. “Where had they been when, according to police, this innocent child was repeatedly tortured and beaten by her stepfather, Cesar Rodriguez, the man now charged with her murder?”

Some family members did wonder aloud how they let it happen. “I’m sorry! I couldn’t help you! I’m sorry,” screamed Yasminda Villanueva, 22, a maternal cousin, according to Newsday. “If our family had been united, maybe this wouldn’t have happened,” cried an aunt.

That wasn’t enough for some opinion writers — or other mourners. “How could you not see it?” wondered one funeral attendee. Andrea Peyser sees the city’s rage as real, even if she thinks the family’s tears are fake.

By Hilary Russ on January 19, 2006, 8:34 am
In category: Social Services | 3 Comments »

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3 Responses to “Where Was the Family?”

  1. cathy Says:
    January 19th, 2006 at 9:23 am

    i am a nurse and often see family that “does’nt want to get involved”. i absolutly hold any adult family member, friend, neighbor, etc. responsible if they had any knowledge of child abuse and did nothing. agencies are easy to blame and should be held accountable. it does make me sick how this family is wailing and teeth knashing at the funeral. lets see some of that drama and emotion while the childs life is in danger. this child’s mother is obviously a sick, sick, woman. experience has taught me that this condition did not just happen and i would bet my next paycheck that her childhood and her mom’s childhood were models for dysfunction. please do not allow the grandmother to have custody of the remaining children. break the cycle.

  2. Bindu Says:
    January 19th, 2006 at 10:21 pm

    I agree with you. I don’t think the family should get involved now. They should have gotten involved when the poor child was in danger. What those children need is a family that would love them and care for them. I blame every one that knew about these abuses and did nothing to get the little girl and her siblings out of that house. I hope people will take these seriously and get to the bottom of it, before they get on with their lives. Kids will destroy things in the house, but that is not because they have devil in them. They are just being kids and should not be punished so brutally. I am a mother of two little girls, 6 and 5 and does not understand how Nixzmary’s mother could have let this happen to her little girl. I wouldn’t let anyone do that to my kids. I hope all the mothers out there feel the same way.

  3. Jayne @ Connecticut 4G Wireless Says:
    January 22nd, 2011 at 4:30 pm

    Hi there, just doing some research for my Connecticut 4g site. Lots of information out there. Wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, but great site. Have a nice day.

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