Summary

A YOUNG BOY TELLS HIS TEACHER HIS MOTHER IS DEAD, SHE DOESN'T BELIEVE HIM... BUT HE WAS TELLING THE TRUTH. SHE WAS DEAD INSIDE THEIR HOME.

Source CONUS Archive
Record ID 175567
Story Slug Mother Dead
Location Peabody, Massachusetts
Format PKG
Date 12/15/1999
Archive Time 45:42
TRT 1:53
Supers Peabody, Massachusetts :05 Mayor Peter Torigian, Peabody, Massachusetts :37 Hillary Straus, Reporting ON NEIGHBOR BITES
Video Description PIC OF LYDIA HANSON; MAYOR SOT; SHOT OF SCHOOL; KIDS INSIDE SCHOOL; TRAILER; PIC OF MOTHER; SCHOOL SHOTS FROM OUTSIDE; STAND-UP; MAYOR SOT; SHOTS OF TRAILER; NEIGHBOR SOTS; ZOOM-IN ON SCHOOL.
Description A YOUNG BOY TELLS HIS TEACHER HIS MOTHER IS DEAD, SHE DOESN'T BELIEVE HIM... BUT HE WAS TELLING THE TRUTH. SHE WAS DEAD INSIDE THEIR HOME.
Script LEAD: OUTRAGE AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS THIS EVENING ABOUT THE WAY A TEACHER TREATED A PEABODY, MASSACHUSETTS GIRL. THE 7-YEAR-OLD TOLD HER TEACHER THAT HER MOTHER HAD DIED... BUT THE TEACHER APPARENTLY IGNORED HER. HILLARY STRAUS HAS MORE FROM PEABODY. PKG SCRIPT: QUESTION PEOPLE ARE ASKING IS: WHY DIDN'T ANYONE HELP FIRST GRADER LYDIA HANSON WHEN SHE WENT TO SCHOOL THURSDAY MORNING AND SAID 'MY MOMMY IS DEAD'? (sot) "My guess is that is one of the questions that has to be answered." PEABODY'S MAYOR PETER TORIGIAN IS ALSO CHAIRS THE CITY'S SCHOOL BOARD. HE'S ANGRY THAT HE HEARD ABOUT THIS STORY TUESDAY FROM A REPORTER. HE'S ASKING FOR A COMPLETE INVESTIGATION. THE TRAGIC TALE BEGINS THURSDAY MORNING. LYDIA'S MOM KIMBERLY A DIABETIC WASN'T FEELING WELL. SHE SAT DOWN IN A RECLINER HERE INSIDE HER HOME AND APPARENTLY DIED. LYDIA THEN WENT TO SCHOOL TELLING HER TEACHER WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THE TEACHER TOLD A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR. THE COUNSELOR NEVER GOT BACK TO THE TEACHER. LYDIA CONTINUED TO ACT NORMALLY THE REST OF THE DAY. (standup) WHEN LYDIA CAME BACK FROM SCHOOL SHE STUCK WITH HER NORMAL ROUTINE--DOING HER HOMEWORK, EVEN MAKING HERSELF DINNER, THEN EVENTUALLY CURLING UP NEXT TO THE DEATH MOTHER, PULLING A BLANKET OVER THE TWO OF THEM, AND GOING ASLEEP. (SOT) "I think at that age, uh, maybe reality hadn't set in with her, you know, and..and my guess is that at this point it probably hasn't. And I think she has some really tough days ahead of her, unfortunately." LYDIA STAYED HOME FROM SCHOOL FRIDAY. HER GRANDFATHER CAME OVER AND DISCOVERED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AFTER KIMBERLY'S BOSS CALLED HIM, WORRIED THAT SHE HADN'T COME TO WORK. MEANWHILE, HER NEIGHBORS-- INCLUDING A WOMAN WHO DIDN'T WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED--ARE SADDENED AND ANGRY. (SOT) "I'm just totally shocked; I think it's a shame; the little girl's a little doll..." (SOT "It's sad that such a thing could happen, and [the teacher] should have at least listened to Lydia when she said her mother was gone." THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT APOLOGIZED, SAYING, "WE'RE SORRY IT'S SUCH A TRAGEDY, BUT THIS TEACHER DID NOTHING EVIL."
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