Gabby Petito

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't know their history. I base some of my opinions on the 911 call. I think it takes some icky entitlement (and maybe having done it before) to be slapping a woman in public.

I'd say it's bad for anyone to be slapping anyone much less in public. When we went to Disney in 2017 during Irma in the middle of the hotel lobby at All-Star Sports a mom hauls off and slaps her daughter in the face because she appeared to have accidentally stepped on her flip flop. Pretty sure many of us were like "did that just happen?" But as much as that was terrible to see it only made me think what happens in private when they get into fights.

Physical when done in anger is bad no matter the gender or the location

 

[mom2rtk]

Would you mind sharing what you feel makes him “a monster even if he didn’t kill her”? I really want to know.

I assume because *something* happened and he went home, didn't report it, then went into hiding? Leaving her parents hanging with questions about the welfare of their daughter?

 

[bcla]

Yikes. I hope they brought in expert additional/consulting/backup MEs for this one.

I'd hope so. Teton County probably has a lot of doctors for its population size since they have a lot of injuries from outdoor recreation. I doubt they have a whole lot of autopsies - certainly not enough to justify full time medical examiners. I couldn't find anything about the qualifications of their deputy coroners, although when I read that one retrieved the suspected body of Petito it sounded like they're not medical practitioners.

 

[js]

Could a family hire their own ME (or forensic pathologists, etc.) for an autopsy after the county does their own?

 

[JimMIA]

This may be more "inside baseball" than some want (or can take), but Fox News did an excellent interview with board-certified forensic pathologist Priya Banerjee, who talks about some of the challenges the ME will face in determining identification, cause of death, manner of death, and time of death.

She talks about bringing not only forensic pathologists, but also anthropologists and etymologists to assist. Some of the discussion will sound crazy to lay people, but she's actually talking about just normal stuff for a case like this.

The written article only scratches the surface of the actual interview. Watching the whole 4 minute video will give you a much better idea of what they are faced with.

Here's the link: https://www.foxnews.com/media/gabby-petito-autopsy-challenges-cause-death-pathologist

 

[JimMIA]

Could a family hire their own ME for an autopsy?

Yes, and it's frequently done when the family doesn't like the official result. Pathologists will often perform a second autopsy pro bono in order to get publicity.

But a second autopsy is nothing like the first because organs have been removed, fluids have been removed, and the body has been cleaned and embalmed.

 

[js]

Yes, and it's frequently done when the family doesn't like the official result.

Thank you very much.

 

[mjkacmom]

I don't know their history. I base some of my opinions on the 911 call. I think it takes some icky entitlement (and maybe having done it before) to be comfortable with slapping a woman in public.
ETA...And obviously, slapping anyone in public or anywhere else is unacceptable behavior.

It sounds like it was an emotionally heated situation, he was trying to defuse it by telling her to walk away, when she wouldn’t he got into the van trying to leave, she jumped in. The officer’s take on the situation:
One of the responding officers said the incident can be "more accurately categorized as a mental/emotional health ‘break’ than a domestic assault," and that "no significant injuries" were reported. And I’m sure he’s sees his fair share of domestic violence than most of us. My husband hates to argue, me not so much, his solution is to walk away and not engage.

 

[Marrila]

It sounds like it was an emotionally heated situation, he was trying to defuse it by telling her to walk away, when she wouldn’t he got into the van trying to leave, she jumped in. The officer’s take on the situation:
One of the responding officers said the incident can be "more accurately categorized as a mental/emotional health ‘break’ than a domestic assault," and that "no significant injuries" were reported. And I’m sure he’s sees his fair share of domestic violence than most of us. My husband hates to argue, me not so much, his solution is to walk away and not engage.

Except the dispatcher didn't tell the officers the important specifics from the 911 call.
And the officers approach and conclusions showed that.

 

[Sinder]

They were high school sweethearts, they lived together with his parents, I don’t understand why folks are judging their relationship on one incident. If their relationship was unhealthy I can’t imagine his parents would continue to allow them to live together in their home, or why Gabby’s parents wouldn’t have mentioned it when talking to the media or police.

I don't know their history. I base some of my opinions on the 911 call. I think it takes some icky entitlement (and maybe having done it before) to be comfortable with slapping a woman in public.
ETA...And obviously, slapping anyone in public or anywhere else is unacceptable behavior.

In the dashcam video Gabby said she slapped him first, and then the PO asks if he hit her and she said "I guess". He asked where and she said "he grabbed my face".
I guess I just don't see all this proof of gaslighting or what appears to be some kind of battered woman syndrome here.

Don't get me wrong I do think he killed her, whether intentional or accidental. I think his behavior (leaving, hiding, not talking to her family at least, etc) is making him look extremely guilty in that regard.
I just don't get the feeling that her death is a result of ongoing domestic abuse by him. I feel it's more of something that happened in the heat of the moment. I also know I can be wrong and more evidence could come out that changes what I think now.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

I'd say it's bad for anyone to be slapping anyone much less in public. When we went to Disney in 2017 during Irma in the middle of the hotel lobby at All-Star Sports a mom hauls off and slaps her daughter in the face because she appeared to have accidentally stepped on her flip flop. Pretty sure many of us were like "did that just happen?" But as much as that was terrible to see it only made me think what happens in private when they get into fights.

Physical when done in anger is bad no matter the gender or the location

If that happened in Wales, the parent would be charged. Not even being English (different law) would excuse the offence.

 

[gncntry]

I found this FB post by Julie Perkins Cantrell to be an interesting read. Cantrell is an author who is an advocate for survivors of domestic abuse. This is her opinion. She basically says that Gabby was the victim and that we, as a society, need to do better in recognizing the warning signs of abuse.

https://www.facebook.com/635034307/posts/10159565774284308

“When we see someone at her emotional end during a domestic dispute, we shouldn’t assume she’s crazy. We shouldn’t buy into the false narrative given by the abuser. We shouldn’t believe the cover-up story by the target who has been conditioned to carry all the blame and shame. And we shouldn’t assume they’re going to be okay. “

 

[mom2rtk]

I found this FB post by Julie Perkins Cantrell to be an interesting read. Cantrell is an author who is an advocate for survivors of domestic abuse. This is her opinion. She basically says that Gabby was the victim and that we, as a society, need to do better in recognizing the warning signs of abuse.

https://www.facebook.com/635034307/posts/10159565774284308

“When we see someone at her emotional end during a domestic dispute, we shouldn’t assume she’s crazy. We shouldn’t buy into the false narrative given by the abuser. We shouldn’t believe the cover-up story by the target who has been conditioned to carry all the blame and shame. And we shouldn’t assume they’re going to be okay. “

^^^This. All day this.

 

[tzolkin]

Personally I think vilified is too strong a term. But if we’re going to say it about Gabby, we could also say the same about Brian, too.

Yes, that was exactly my point. Regarding the speculation and assumptions about abuse, gaslighting, and who is the victim/aggressor another poster said "none of that matters anymore". I think it will matter a lot if there is a trial. Both sides will be trying to vilify one or the other to either convince the jury of guilt or defend what happened.

 

[GreatLakes]

I found this FB post by Julie Perkins Cantrell to be an interesting read. Cantrell is an author who is an advocate for survivors of domestic abuse. This is her opinion. She basically says that Gabby was the victim and that we, as a society, need to do better in recognizing the warning signs of abuse.

https://www.facebook.com/635034307/posts/10159565774284308

“When we see someone at her emotional end during a domestic dispute, we shouldn’t assume she’s crazy. We shouldn’t buy into the false narrative given by the abuser. We shouldn’t believe the cover-up story by the target who has been conditioned to carry all the blame and shame. And we shouldn’t assume they’re going to be okay. “

But we should assume the male is the abuser despite the only official report that I've seen so far, the police report, saying otherwise? That's pretty weird logic.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If that happened in Wales, the parent would be charged. Not even being English (different law) would excuse the offence.

It was a flurry of activity at that point as we were checking in a day before the airport was closing down and I know it's not the first time someone has seen something like that happen at Disney but there were a lot of surprised faces when it happened, I think we all were like wow ya know? I honestly don't know about a parent being charged here in the U.S. (or rather FL where it occurred) it very well could depend on other circumstances but that's interesting knowing what it would be like in Wales.

 

[Marrila]

But we should assume the male is the abuser despite the only official report that I've seen so far, the police report, saying otherwise? That's pretty weird logic.

I am troubled the critical information from the 911 call was never given to the responding officers.
Did that skew their approach and conclusions? I'm sure opinions vary.

 

[mom2rtk]

But we should assume the male is the abuser despite the only official report that I've seen so far, the police report, saying otherwise? That's pretty weird logic.

Is a 911 call not considered official?

 

[Marrila]

dp

 

[Sinder]

I am troubled the critical information from the 911 call was never given to the responding officers.
Did that skew their approach? I'm sure opinions vary.

But they asked her what happened. They asked her if she hit him first, they asked her why she hit him and she said because she wanted him to stop "telling her to calm down". She also answered "I guess" when they asked her if he hit her, and when they asked her where she said "he grabbed my face like this", and demonstrated him grabbing her chin.
If they had the info from the 911 call what would they have done differently? Wouldn't they have asked the same questions? Would they just take a witnesses word over the parties involved?