Monday 25 August 2014

The taking and killing of Logan Marr

The taking and killing of Logan Marr.





Within my daily research about child and adult abuse, I have to remain detached from the subject matter. In order to paint or write about it, for reasons to advocate or educate. But on rare occasions, I can become very emotionally affected by certain cases. Last night, I came across this utterly tragic story about this beautiful little girl. Who had succumbed to the unbelievable stupidity, professional incompetence,selfishness and psychotic behaviour of her mother, Grandmother, child services and her foster mother.

Logan Marr met her death, strapped and bound by duct tape into a high chair in a basement. She died of asphyxiation.

Her foster mother Sally Schofield, who was a case worker for Maine's Department of Human Services. Could not cope with Logan's 'Tantrums' So decided to wrap forty feet of duct tape around Logan's body, head and mouth. Force her into a babies high chair and leave her in the basement of her house, whilst Schofield went back to her kitchen to prepare dinner.

When Schofield went back to the basement to check on Logan. She was already dead. Schofield then phoned the authorities and claimed that Logan must of accidentally caused the high chair to topple, thus banging her head and causing her death.
During the police investigation, they found forty feet of duct tape which contained clumps of Logan's hair. Schofield then changed her story and said that Logan tried to bound herself and then she 'demonstrated' how to do it, by wrapping it around her.

Schofield had two of her own children; Both boys. She said that she had wanted a girl, but could not of guaranteed to conceive one. So she decided to adopt a girl. And even though the DHS discouraged caseworkers from adopting children within their system. Schofield had gotten around it. She was highly respected by her colleagues and the department. Schofield fostered both Logan and her little sister Bailey on the understanding that the girls did not have 'Behaviours'.

Logan Marr had first been taken away from her birth mother Christy Marr because a caseworker had decided that she was too immature and irresponsible to care for a child. And that Christy's mother Kathy Marr had told the DHS that Christy often yelled and handled Logan too roughly. You can read the rest of the story here
The taking of Logan Marr

Logan Marr did unfortunately demonstrate the 'Behaviours' That Schofield did not want. Who was assured by the DHS that she did not have. She wanted a 'Perfect' well behaved little girl.
But Logan Marr's 'Behaviours' were evident when they first took her away from her mom. They were evident the second time they took her away from her mom. And they were evident during the time she was placed with her third foster mother Schofield. They were even more evident when during a supervised Christmas visit, Logan (Instead of unwrapping her presents) told her mom that "Sally had hurt her. That she had wrapped her in a blanket and squeezed her face really hard" But, Christy was not allowed to say anything to Logan about it, for fear of thwarting their supervised visits together.


Schofield finally silenced this emotionally disturbed, little five year old girl once and for all on January 31st 2001. She callously (And most probably routinely used this punishment) Dragged Logan down to the basement, bound her body,head and mouth with duct tape and forced her into a babies high chair. And left her there while she went about her daily routine. All because Logan had an obvious,emotionally disturbed episode. And this most cruel and evil woman was not going to put up with these 'Tantrums'.

I cannot begin to imagine what this little girl went through. All the emotional pain and suffering of being taken away twice from her mother. And for no real risk. And the psychological and physical abuse that was inflicted upon her by this highly respected child case worker. The fact that Logan tried to tell the adults around her what was happening. And no one listening or believing her.
And ultimately, the suffering, pain and torture as she gasped her last breath. All alone in a basement,strapped,bound and squeezed into a tiny high chair. I would imagine...screaming inside her head for her mummy.

The taking of Logan Marr (Documentary)