MANASSAS, Va. — A North Carolina woman was sentenced to 25 years in prison Thursday for fatally beating a 2-year-old girl she had adopted from a Siberian orphanage.
Peggy Sue Hilt, 34, of Wake Forest, N.C., repeatedly punched and stepped on her daughter, Nina, in July. Nina died from her injuries the next day.
Hilt told investigators that she had become frustrated about her failure to bond with the child.
Calling Hilt's actions "inexplicable," Prince William Circuit Court Judge William Hamblen imposed a 25-year sentence, above the sentencing guideline range of 12 to 21 years.
Prosecutor Paul Ebert said the stiff sentence was warranted given the horrific injuries that Nina suffered. Ebert also pointed out that Nina's death caused a backlash in Russia against foreign adoptions, hurting families' efforts to adopt children.
Hilt's lawyer said his client was an alcoholic who suffered from mental health problems that went untreated.
Shit. So much for better off. That just goes to show that you just never know. The first question that comes to mind is, "Who the hell screened this woman?" And what's the deal with the 25 year sentence even if it's above the 12 to 21 year guideline. What? You only get 12 to 21 years for ruthlessly beating a child to death?!
I'm seriously itching to bring up racial discrepancies when it comes to screening and how social services looks at parents "of color" as opposed to white parents. I don't think it's appropriate here, though and will save it for another day. I know Jae Ran touched on this subject in her Myth of Motherhood post which was one of those "hmmm…I never considered it" things for me. Since then, I've been thinking more about this. Anyway, will save that one for another day.
It kills me to read news stories like this. Part of the problem with screening is that there’s really no way to tell if someone is lying about a history of alcoholism or untreated mental health issues, and both can be easy to cover up, depending on the circumstances. What is the answer? I have a mental heatlh history that I could have easily lied about. If I had decided to be dishonest, the social worker would have to have either lived with me on a daily basis for god knows how long or dug up mental health records (that I don’t even know how she would have knowledge of). This woman probably simply lied through her teeth and got personal references from people who either didn’t know of her problems or who were willing to lie for her.
I wholehearted agree with you about her sentence.
Margaret, the article doesn't really supply enough information to form a complete picture. Her lawer says she had a history of alcoholism and untreated mental health problems. It doesn't say much of anything else so I'm not sure if she really had mental health problems or if that's just her lawyer's claim. It doesn't say if she was ever evaluated by a psychologist either before this happened or afterward. It's disturbing that this happened but honestly, I'm not sure exactly what went wrong in the adoption process or what could have been done to prevent it.
Similar things happen with birth parents as well as adopted parents. What I found odd was the mention that she was frustrated over her failure to bond with her adoptive child. Could it be another example of bad aparent support after adoption? I'm not sure really.
bad a-parent support after adoption??? WHAT a-parent support after adoption? My two visits by our social worker were, honestly, 5 minutes long! And we were in the midst of exhaustion, sleep issues, sibling issues, in-laws unhappy with the fact that we adopted issues, and could have used some support!
DS-L
(((Sume)))
Unfortunately, I’m obsessed with adoptive parents and the sad fate of adoptees. I always look in papers, hoping I will never see my daughter’s name in them.
But, I have developed a page (Caution: lots of sad / emotional articles as it is the fate of many adoptees at the hands of their abusive adoptive parents).
It reemphasizes to me, just how strong and intelligent an adoptee has to be sometimes, just for the sake of survival. It is not a unique occurance:
http://geocities.com/world_wide_registry/log.html
Homestudies: lame.
Post-placement support: beYOND lame.
Social net in the US: practically nonexistant.
I have heard rumors that homestudies are rigorous in Canada. Maybe Russia, which loses an inordinate number of children to child abuse in the US, should restrict their international adopting to Canada, and maybe the UK, heck, any country where social nets and health services are available on a broader basis.
I agree that there are definitely issues with post-adoption support and pre-adopting screening.
I wonder about the screening of single parents, I think parenting is hard, single parenting is twice as hard, a single parent need a good support system. Institutionalized Russian children often do have significant delays and problems, in some orphanages they get very limited time with care takers and therefore the kids have significant bonding issues. If one is not prepared for bonding issues and risks, it can be problematic, especially if one is not equipt to deal with these things.
In response to Sue G – Support can be found in the US if it is sought out. Social services does get involved if they are informed of a problem. I cannot find the source right now, but I think it’s been 12 children that have lost their lives in the US. I’m not saying 12 like that’s nothing – one is too many, but it’s not an “inordinate number” – and it’s definitely less than the number of children killed by their bio parents in Russia. It’s tragic – any time a child is killed – where ever it happens and whoever does it.
The problem I think is the adoption business – the profiteering off bringing children and parents together. This country has to get with it and start seriously regulating agencies.
You’re comments referring to the lack of post-adoption support is disturbing to say the least. While I flinch at the thought of more government regulation, something needs to be done to better prepare potential aparents and to help post-adoptive aparents with difficulties after adoption.
Isabel, even though support can be found, there seems to be a reluctance to acknowledge problems. From what I’ve heard from some aparents, they feel as if they’re being discouraged from talking about difficulties after adoption. If that’s the case, most won’t seek help even if it’s out there.
The denial is obvious in the way many aparents respond to adoptees who scream “something is wrong here!”. Until society gets past this need to put adoption in a wholly positive light, nothing will change.
Heather, in a lot of ways, adoptees are survivors of so much pain and loss that is involved in adoption, imho. Adoptees (and birthmothers) are somehow suppose to be grateful for/in spite of that loss.
I can understand your obsession and your worry for your own daughter. The tragic cases you’ve listed on your site should serve as a wakeup call that adoption is not all it’s cracked up to be. Unfortunately, society is slow to listen.
Honestly, I don’t have any answers. What I do have is a large number of questions (which I’m struggling to answer), concerns and a set of ever-evolving opinions as I learn more.
One other recent case that comes to my mind is that
of Masha, the Russian born girl who was adopted
by a pedophile. What I read in her most recent testimony
was that she didn’t even have her own BED!!!
I also read that she said
her pedophile found her online, so I really do think
some of the waiting child lists should be more strictly
regulated or maybe completely removed. What
is the purpose of the Homestudy. I just don’t get it
either. I have lots of questions myself.
Heather, I just want to tell you how sorry I am that
you are faced with these fears on a daily basis. I would
probably feel the same way. It must be very difficult.
This blogger did suffer from post-adoption depression and she gave her adopted daughter up for adoption to another family. I think it was the best thing for the little girl. I’m saddened that she was so wholly unprepared and had unrealistic expectations.
http://closertocharlotte.blogspot.com/
Re Masha. Well, I have deep feelings about that and I’ve donated to her fund. The social worker never interviewed the bio-daughter who had been sexually abused by her father. The person at the adoption agency never looked harder at this single man asking for a blond haired blue-eyed five year old – she should have. Car dealerships are more regulated than adoption agencies – these are human lives, there ought to be a whole lot more care in the process.