Josh Powell killed his sons. Oh, and himself.

[marlynnp]

Before calling somone stupid, you should probably actually check the facts. So you don't, you know, look stupid.

Too late! That ship has sailed.

 

[Magic Mom]

So I'm not allowed to my opinion, WOW.

Is that what that was?

 

[Wendy31]

I'm curious, Happygirl, had you been the social worker, what would you have done differently? What would you have done that would have changed the outcome?

Yes, everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. However, sometimes those opinions are based on incorrect facts... which, then, make those opinions faulty.

If I say something like, "It's my opinion that the sun is shining" when, in fact, it's pouring down rain, my opinion is wrong & actually kinda... stupid.

Sometimes, it's best just to say, "Oops. I'm sorry. I read the article wrong & mispoke."

I'm sure, after realizing all the facts, you will not continue to think that the social worker is "stupid".

The social worker was on the phone alerting the authorities at the time of the explosion. NO ONE would have been able to reach the house in time to prevent the explosion.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I'm curious, Happygirl, had you been the social worker, what would you have done differently? What would you have done that would have changed the outcome?

Yes, everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. However, sometimes those opinions are based on incorrect facts... which, then, makes those opinions faulty.

If I say something like, "It's my opinion that the sun is shining" when, in fact, it's pouring down rain. My opinion is wrong & actually kinda... stupid.

Sometimes, it's best just to day, "Oops. I'm sorry. I read the article wrong & mispoke."

I'm sure, after realizing all the facts, you will not continue to think that the social worker is "stupid".

The social worker was on the phone alerting the authorities at the time of the explosion. NO ONE would have been able to reach the house in time to prevent the explosion.

Never going to happen. This is the DIS!

BTW....The rest of your post is great.

 

[Magic Mom]

A telephone is a device used to communicate with someone in a different location. It is not a teleportation device. The article linked in the first post says the house blew within 2 minutes of the woman smelling the gas. Even if the police could have teleported to the scene, there is nothing they could have done with the time they had. That woman does not deserve any criticism or to be called stupid.

I agree. Even if she hadn't called the police right away, how would she have known the house would explode? What would the police have done over the phone? What would it have changed?

She doesn't deserve to be called stupid, she probably deserves our empathy for having to witness something so horrific, knowing she just handed the kids right over to their killer.

Hopefully she won't be slammed with crazy people attacking her.

 

[Missy1961]

I agree. Even if she hadn't called the police right away, how would she have known the house would explode? What would the police have done over the phone? What would it have changed?

She doesn't deserve to be called stupid, she probably deserves our empathy for having to witness something so horrific, knowing she just handed the kids right over to their killer.

Hopefully she won't be slammed with crazy people attacking her.

I know. Her job is hard enough. I have many social workers in my family so I know how tough the job can be. I'm sure most people are supporting her. Even with that support, it's going to be hard.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I agree. Even if she hadn't called the police right away, how would she have known the house would explode? What would the police have done over the phone? What would it have changed?

She doesn't deserve to be called stupid, she probably deserves our empathy for having to witness something so horrific, knowing she just handed the kids right over to their killer.

Hopefully she won't be slammed with crazy people attacking her.

MTE...She DID say she smelled what she thoght was gas, but like I said in a PP, even if the authorities would have gotten there before the explosion, they wouldn't have had enough time to save them.

There are precautions and measures taken with a house full of gas...Not to mention a probably hostile suspect.

Even if the house wasn't full of gas, he was planning on killing himself and his children. Look at the Marcus Wesson case...The police WERE ON SCENE when he murdered them...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Wesson

Nothing the social worker could have done would have changed the outcome.

 

[doxdogy]

So I'm not allowed to my opinion, WOW.

No one stated you were not allowed to your opinion. However, before one expresses their opinion, it is best to have all facts known. I only read a short blurb last night. My first opinion DID NOT blame the social worker. In fact, my first thought was this poor social worker. Powerless to save the lives of two innocent children. A guilt they will carry for the rest of their lives.

So to make a blanket statement calling this woman "stupid" was uncaring and crass.

 

[Ginny Favers]

I keep wondering why, if one of the children had said, "Mommy was in the trunk," and this was on file, he wasn't denied visitation immediately? Who did the child say that to? And why wasn't it seen as a huge red flag?

Hindsight is 20/20, I guess. Those poor babies. At least they are with their mom, now.

 

[Jennasis]

I'm surprised the case worker survived the blast too. I don't know how to wrap my mind around how evil Powell was.

 

[Poohforyou]

I hope something positive will come from this tragedy and supervised visits will from now on be required to take place in a secure and safe environment. I can't imagine the heartache that social worker must be feeling. The father gettings the kids in the house and locking her out must have happened in a matter of seconds.

 

[Swan4Me]

Such a sad story
He was a sicko

 

[NotUrsula]

According to the article the caseworker DID call 911 immediately. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017434073_powell06m.html


She bears NO blame or responsibility for that monster's actions or the outcome of his actions. Firemen arrived 3 minutes after 911 was called. Everyone did what they could, but they never had a chance.

I wonder if he had the house soaked in alcohol or something?

Yes, he did; the fire crew said there were definite signs. I'm not sure whether the "gas" that the caseworker smelled was gasoline or natural gas, but with the power of the explosion it could have been a combination of the the two. The liquid part of gasoline isn't really that quick to combust (the common film trope of a trail of gasoline on the ground lighting up like a fuse doesn't really happen), but the vapors are -- immensely so. In order to build up a dense vapor cloud he would have had to essentially seal the house, which explains why he was waiting outside; inside the fumes would have knocked him out. If he opened a natural gas valve and used an accelerant on top of it, then it is clear that he wanted to be sure that the blast was large enough to be instantly fatal.

The caseworker could not have done a darn thing, and in fact it is a miracle that she survived the blast without physical injury.

 

[jodifla]

So I'm not allowed to my opinion, WOW.

You are entitled to your own opinion. Your are not entitled to your own facts.

 

[A Yinzer]

Saw a police nes conference that said Josh Powell spread more than 10 gallons of gasoline around the house. They think he lit the fire exactly where he and his two little boys were found..Apparently he sent several e-mails instructing people what to do with his money, utilities(there is no house left), etc. He also indicated in these e-mails that he couldn't live without his kids..Interestingly, his kids didn't get a chance to decide their fate. Hope he enjoys hell.

 

[FINFAN]

Saw a police nes conference that said Josh Powell spread more than 10 gallons of gasoline around the house. They think he lit the fire exactly where he and his two little boys were found..Apparently he sent several e-mails instructing people what to do with his money, utilities(there is no house left), etc. He also indicated in these e-mails that he couldn't live without his kids..Interestingly, his kids didn't get a chance to decide their fate. Hope he enjoys hell.

He couldn't live without his kids? But they have had to live without their mother. Selfish Bas****. Ironic that he chose to end his life in a hellish fire...kind of a preview to his eternity.

 

[Promomx2]

Wish someone could "convince" the grandfather to come clean and tell what happened to the mom, then let him rot in jail.

 

[sookie]

I hope the POS rots in Hell.



http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/05/us/washington-powell-explosion/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

i feel so badly for susan's family. and that social worker. she has to have ptsd. how could you ever work again after that?!

 

[TLSnell1981]

This is heartbreaking...sad beyond words.

 

[lucyanna girl]

Pure evil does exist in our world. It walks around on two legs just like the rest of us. One went back where he came from yesterday, sadly he sent two sweet little boys to Heaven to be with their moma before he left.

Penny