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Bible Belt father faces charges for spanking daughter with leather waist strap
Filed under: Health & Safety: Babies, Development/Milestones: Babies, Media
Last
Friday, police in Coral Springs, Florida responded to a call about a 12-year-old girl who was reportedly panhandling
outside of a Walgreens in Port St. Lucie. When questioned, she told the officers that she'd run away from home because
her caretakers had beat her with a belt. This led to an investigation by the Department of Children and Families into
the case, who determined that charges should be brought against her father, Michael Bilodeau, for child abuse. The
officers found found numerous bruises and cuts on her legs, buttocks and back. "Based on the bruises on her body,
they're in various stages of healing, which is evidence to us that this has been going on for some time," said
Officer Robert Vega. "It's more than parental discipline; it's excessive, it's child abuse."
When confronted by police, Bilodeau used the old Bible defense. He claims the punishment was allowed because "it is stated in the Bible that it is OK to spank your children."
Three years ago, Bilodeau and his wife decided they couldn't take care of this daughter, so they sent her to live with a couple they were friends with. He made sure the friends had similar religious beliefs. He allowed them to punish her like he did: strip her naked, put her in an awkward position and strike her repeatedly with a belt or a stick, according to Bilodeau's arrest report. The punishments were handed down to the girl for not using proper English, not finishing her homework, lying, or "not accepting Jesus into her heart," police have said.
Because that's what Jesus would want, after all. Seems to me these nutters might have gotten a little too excited watching that subtitled S&M porn movie that Mel Gibson made a few years ago.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
4-13-2006 @ 3:37PM
Angelica said...WTF?! UGH, good LORD...I don't even know why I bother to think at all, EVER. Because if I don't accept Jesus into my heart I surely should be punished. GODDAMNIT...I hate hate hate hate hate, when people tell me I am wrong because I do not believe what they do (i.e. my MOTHER). But to beat a child who cannot even begin to grasp the concept of God and religion? That is just a damn excuse to beat the shit out of your kids. PERIOD.
I hope someone beats that guy with a leather strap.
Reply
4-13-2006 @ 3:39PM
Angelica said...OH and by the way...both of these stories are out of Florida...what is going on down there?
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4-13-2006 @ 3:50PM
Ginny said...Dare I admit that's where I live? I call it the Florida Freak Show. I notice alot of freaky stories coming from down here.
I just can't imagine how that poor girl feels.
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4-13-2006 @ 3:50PM
Heather said...I can tell you what's going on down here in Florida. Every idiot from all over the country comes here to live. It's a vagrant state, the weather is always nice, so we get all the idiots. However, I am personally insulted by the comparison to The Passion. Any Christian who would defend this fathers actions is not a Christian as far as I'm concerned, and I'm sure many other Christians would agree.
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4-13-2006 @ 3:54PM
Michelle said...Angelica, That was my first thought. I had to double check. Yep, they're both in Port St. Lucie. Maybe Parenting classes or something more are in order for the people there. They need to get their stuff together before it becomes a Children of the Corn scenerio.. . .
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4-13-2006 @ 3:57PM
ann adams said...I started to skip past this because I wasn't sure I could be civil.
This behavior has nothing to do with Christianity and everything to do with true evil. The man and his cohorts should be locked up and all of those kids removed - now.
I'm a Christian although some of the more extreme factions might doubt it and sometimes I'm almost ashamed to admit it. I get tarred with the same brush. I don't know what these fanatics are but certainly not that. They're an affront to decency and they don't speak for me.
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4-13-2006 @ 3:58PM
Michelle said...Ginny, no offense, but what's in the water there? Maybe you're not on city water. I've read some of your comments, and you seem to be pretty well put together, can't you do something with the rest of the people? ;)
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4-13-2006 @ 4:06PM
Angelica said...Oh hey, I in no way meant to offend anyone. And I certainly agree that the few fanatics give everyone a bad rap. And not just Christianity but in EVERYTHING. There are fanatics to be found in every corner! I think sometimes people need to get a grip...and I definitely agree that the facade of religion or beliefs or what have you is NO EXCUSE to abuse children.
Power to sane people!
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4-13-2006 @ 4:09PM
Nancy Toby said...I can only hope that the God, in His infinite wisdom, makes sure that these people are put in a penitentiary cell with a 6'10", 350-pound hairy inmate who will treat them with equal benevolence and mercy.
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4-13-2006 @ 4:20PM
Angelica said...Hee hee...just great.
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4-13-2006 @ 4:57PM
Sharon said...Unbelievable. It makes me beyond angry to see someone abuse their own child under the name of "christianity".
I guess this jerk must have thought that he could twist the Bible around any way that he wanted to suit his purpose. Like "women should be submissive so I can treat them like crap"; or "it's OK to blister my children because the bible says we should spare the rod", etc., etc. This man has gone so beyond the mention of discipline in the Bible that I don't see how he could justify stripping down his daughter and putting her in an awkward position. He is a mean, twisted bully and should be dealt with accordingly.
If he didn't get caught, he's the type that might've started a weird cult.
God, as I know Him, must be weeping over this and as angry as the sane Christians and non-Christians alike are.
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4-13-2006 @ 4:58PM
Ricki said...From someone who lives in Port St Lucie, a FL resident since 1997, this is typical FL stuff. Religion is the excuse. There is a sub-culture of violence, which most people (I am from New England, originally) don't realize. On top of that, these people are just nuts.
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4-13-2006 @ 5:10PM
Sheena said...Wow. You sure are offensive. Don't put Gibson in the same boat as fundamentalist Christians. And don't insult the rest of us who found nothing wrong with the movie. Maybe you ought to look up the definition of the "passion" first before you *gasp* judge! You're worse than the Bible-thumpers...
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4-13-2006 @ 6:10PM
Michelle said...This father was way way out of line. The bible does not say to beat your child to the extent where there is bruises, marks ect. This guy should be dealt with in the same manner ...I say send him to one of those countries that still canes criminals ...and use the rod across his butt and back. I was spanked as a child and it did me a whole lot of good but my parents never beat me like that. I believe in spanking but only when done correctly. I swear there are some freaks out in this world!
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4-13-2006 @ 8:01PM
Uncle Roger said...Nancy Toby -- I agree 100%! I do believe, however, that if he were to exist, surely he must have a strong sense of irony, and would therefore ensure that their new roommates were the very epitomy of the S in S&M.
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4-14-2006 @ 8:25AM
Ginny said...Hey Michelle - THANKS for the nice comment. I think the Freak Show is partially due to us being a transient state like Heather said and partially because it's so dang hot here, our brains are fried. lol
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4-14-2006 @ 1:02PM
dutch said..."Don't put Gibson in the same boat as fundamentalist Christians"
HA. HA. HA. Oh my god I can't stop laughing. Oh my God I had to pick myself off the floor from laughing so hard after reading that.
How many millions did that biblical snuff film of his make? How many of those millions came from fundies? Fundie churches rented out entire theater showings for their congregations. Fundie churches bought up millions of copies of the DVDs to give away.
That movie is porn, plain and simple. Christian porn, true, but porn nonetheless.
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4-14-2006 @ 2:08PM
ann adams said...My neighbor's church pressured their members to take their kids to Passion. She had to leave the theater with them screaming. Some family values Gibson promotes. I haven't seen it and I won't let the girls near it.
I took her word for it.
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4-30-2006 @ 6:33PM
SccrButt said...I just want to add my own insight on the Mel Gibson film. Someone has to stick up for him. The film portrayed the life of Jesus Christ, and depicted his love and sacrifice for the world, and the shame and torture He endured to save us from eternal damnation. Try to imagine YOURSLEF being beat nearly to death.
The Passion of the Christ portrays God's love, and the ultimate sacrifice He gave (his one and holy Son) for the world. If you've never committed sin, then great!! But surely you have, just as I have. While I don't believe that father was acting on true Biblical principles, there is no reason to bring Mel Gibson down. I watched the movie with my 4 year old daughter. There's no reason you can't shield a child's eyes in the graphic parts, but I think every child should have the opportunity to know what Jesus did for him/her and the rest of the world.
As for the father, I know he was wrong. But who among you hasn't done wrong as well?
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5-16-2006 @ 10:50AM
Nikki said...I have lived in Florida for 25yrs now, and I have to say I would never/have never in any way even thought about beating my child. Yes there are a lot of sick people here but then again there is sick down right demented people EVERYWHERE! I think that if you harm a child or an animal (they don't deserve to get hit ether) well then you should be taken out back and shot!
In Saint Augustine, FL Back in the very old days when the old jail (now a tourist trap) was a real working jail, one of the punishments was to be put in to a over sized bird cage and hung in a tree, where all the towns people could come and throw rocks and what ever else they had to throw at them, you would sit there for thirty days then you would be hung in the same tree.
That right there seemed so cruel to me, but the more I think about it the more I think that is what you should get if you injury a child.
No matter what though it is and will always be in Gods hands on what kind of punishments he or she will get for doing those kinds of sins, they will no doubt be spending an eternity in Hell!
I know there are some of you that will say that "oh well here is another sick person from Florida", but if you look deep down you will concur with what I just said. Oh and by the way if you have such a problem with Florida, then STAY HOME!!! DO NOT COME HERE AND DRIVE LIKE YOU JUST GOT YOUR LICENCE OUT OF A CRAKER JACK BOX, AND WELL JUST VACATION SOMEWHERE ELSE!
I AM SORRY, but I HATE when I hear of stories of people who cause detriment to a child but its also disturbing that so many people would say that it is the states fault, every single state has some kind of horrible stuff happen in it, whether it involves kids being harmed, rape, murder, robbery, or what ever other unimaginable acts there is. Instead of people just making dumb comments why don?t you try to change the world and society instead of contributing to the anger of this world!
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