Chapter 30 - Timeline for Randy Haight

Chapter 30: Timeline for Randy Haight Case

FACTS IN RANDY'S LIFE	DATE	RANDY'S AGE	RANDY'S LIFE
1. Thornton Haight, Randy's biological father, is born.	1927
2. Bette Smith, Randy's biological mother, is born.	1928
3. Bette Smith marries Charles Williams, and is pregnant with Lana.	1945
4. Bette Smith and Charles Williams divorce.	1946
5. Lana Mercurio born to Bette Smith Williams. Lana is given and later adopted by Mr. & Mrs. Mercurio, Bette's mother and step- father.	3/25/46
6. Thornton and Bette married, Bette pregnant.	8/9/47
7. Bette loses child due to Thornton beating her.	1947
8. Eugene Haight, Randy's brother, is born.	11/2/48
9. Rick Haight, Randy's brother, is born.	10/19/50
10. First contact by Thornton and Bette Haight with the court.	1950
11.	7/18/52		Randy Born in Columbus, Ohio.
12.	1952-1956		Randy lives at home with Thornton & Bette.
13.	1957	4	Randy is living at home.
14. Thornton files for divorce; accuses Bette of neglecting the children. Bette accuses Thornton of having affair with Betty Conley.	6/25/57	4
15. Betty hospitalized at Receiving Hospital. Her diagnosis was that of a "character disorder with emotionally unstable personality." Thornton appears in court to complain that Bette is not feeding the children. Bette jailed for a few hours. Bette receives elec- tro-shock therapy.	8/30/57	5
16.	9/12/57	5	Randy, Rick, and Eugene made wards of court.
17.	1958	5	Randy begins year at home with mom and dad.
18.	5/6/58	5	Randy and his two brothers are taken out of the home and taken to Franklin Village on Emergency Court Order.
19. Bette's psychiatrist indicates that Bette is "unable to cope with her own problems and consequently could not provide proper care for her children."	6/6/58	5	Randy committed by court to Child Welfare Board (CWB), but remains at Mercurios, his grandparents.
20. Conflicts develop between Bette and Thornton and Mrs. Mercurio. Letter from Mrs. Mitchell states the reason for the admission is the "parents' emotional neglect of these boys and the emotional instability of both parents."	8/20/58	6	Randy admitted to Methodist Children's Home (MCH).
21.	9/58	6	Randy begins first grade.
22. Dr. Baker diagnosis Mrs. Haight as de- pressed, upset emotionally because of her marital situation, and not able to care for her children.	9/30/58	6
23. Thorton and Betty Conley have a child.	11/58
24.	1959	6	Randy begins year at MCH.
25.	1959	6	Randy repeats the first grade.
26.	5/13/59	6	Ms. McMillian of CWB notes in transfer summary that after Christmas visit with parents, Randy was rocking, having night sweats, excessively masturbating, anxious, tense, destructive, and unable to work in school.
27. MCH states desire to place Haight boys in foster home or for adoption.	11/12/59	7
28. Bette Haight calls CWB to complain that Thornton Haight is beating her up.	11/59	7
29. Mrs. Haight uses the time to see whether Mr. Haight and Mrs. Conley are seeing one another.	Christmas, 1959	7	Boys spend two nights at home with Mrs. Haight.
30.	1960	7	Randy begins year at the Methodist Children's Home.
31. Bette separates from Thornton Haight.	1/12/60	7
32. Divorce petition filed.	2/26/60	7
33. Thornton and Bette divorced.	5/9/60	7
34. Dr. Shelton psychological exam conducted. Randy has full scale IQ of 86, and verbal IQ of 76.	6/2/60	7
35.	7/5/60	7
36. Thornton gets injunction keeping Bette Haight away from him. She files complaint against him.	Summer, 1960	7	Inter-agency conference results in placing Randy in a foster home; adoption considered.
37.	9/26/60	8	Randy placed in foster home at the Harvey Warne home.
38. Bette goes to court to stop placement of Randy in foster home. CWB and MCH workers warn that Mrs. Haight was not competent and that placing Randy with her would harm his emotional well being.	9/27/60	8
39. Mrs. Licklitner notes in letter to CWB that since commitment to CWB and placement with MCH Randy has made "gradual pro- gress in his ability to distinguish right from wrong on a moral basis."	9/30/60	8
40. Mrs. Licklitner of CWB writes letter oppos- ing returning Randy to Mrs. Haight.	10/11/60	8
41. Letter from Marilou Mitchell of CWB urges the court to leave Randy at foster home. She states "the future of this child is at stake."	10/17/60	8
42.	11/5/60	8	Court sends Randy back home with mom.
43. Bette takes all three boys over to Mr. Haight's and Betty Conley's house.	Christmas 1960	8
44. Haight boys are living with Thorton Haight and Betty Conley.	1961	8	Randy begins 1961 with his mother. Randy is being "physically abused and emotionally neglected" accord- ing to records.
45.	2/61	8	Randy kept in the car at night while Bette worked at Western Electric on the night shift.
46.	2/61	8	Randy kept out of school because Bette Haight feared the police would snatch Randy away.
47.Thornton Haight calls CWB saying Randy is "pale," "frightened" and "upset" regarding the activities of the adults at his house. Decision is made to take Randy out of Bette's home.	2/61	8
48. Randy taken away from Bette Haight back to MCH. He is described as more "manicky and hyperactive."	2/15/61	8	Randy expresses that he does not want his parents to know where he is.
49. Juvenile Police come to Conley house saying Bette Haight had said Thornton and Betty Conley were living together.	3/6/61	8
50. Hearing held in order to secure support order on Bette Haight. Bette Haight's attor- ney claims she is too ill to work.	4/10/61	8
51. Thornton arrested for nonsupport hiding under the bed at Betty Conley's house.	4/20/61	8
52. Bette files motion to get children back.	5/61	8
53. Bette promises a birthday cake for Randy's birthday, but fails to come to MCH.	Summer 1961	9	Randy and other boys look forward to party.
54.	11/22/61	9	Randy expresses concern that Bette will be told where he is in foster home, because he does not want her "to come get me again...because she'd just make trouble."
55. Randy placed in Spires foster home. Neither parent gives Randy a Christmas present as he goes to foster home.	12/22/61	9	Randy leaves a Christmas present for mom and dad.
56.	1962	9	Randy begins 1962 in the Spires foster home.
57. Thornton Haight is $5000 in arrears on child support.	2/62	9
58. Mitchell report states Randy is "slowly stabilizing" in foster home.	5/31/62	9
59. Bette petitions court to have all three boys returned to her. Hearing is held. Eugene is placed with Mrs. Mercurio. Court orders Mr. Haight to never visit his sons nor to have them placed with him.	6/29/62	9	Ricky and Randy remain in their foster homes.
60. Bette takes boys for ride on MCH grounds in convertible with top down.	9/62	10	Randy falls out of car.
61. Eugene said to have developed emotional and sexual problems.	10/26/62	10
62.	1963	10	Randy begins year with the Spires foster home.
63. Eugene Haight placed in the Starr Com- monwealth in Michigan.	3/63	10
64.	1964	11	Randy begins year with the Spires foster home.
65. Carlin letter to juvenile court states that Randy is "no longer the anxious, unsettled, and highly emotionally upset youngster he was in his early placement. He has learned to live in a family setting with respect for other member's rights and his ability to stand the stress of conformity is much greater. Randy has an excellent relation- ship with his foster parents who are unique in their ability to give love and affection and impose realistic limitations." Carlin recom- mends Randy be placed with his mother.	7/28/64	12
66.	8/2/64	12	Randy placed back with his mother.
67. Bette reports to CWB that Rick Haight is unmanageable since Randy's placement at home.	8/18/64	12
68. Case note on consultation with Dr. Brush states that Randy and Ricky say Bette goes out with various boyfriends at night leaving them alone. Bette said to be "bordering on possible nervous breakdown."	10/20/64	12
69. "Don" moves in with Bette.	1965	12	Randy begins year living with his mother and brothers.
70.	10/65	13	Randy & brothers tear up the house they are living in.
71. C. Gray of CWB notes "How long this fam- ily situation can be held together is highly questionable...Not only in her [Mrs. Haight's] inability to care for [the boys] but the fact that she has been unable to relinquish the boys legally and stood in the way of possi- ble adoption at an earlier date and she could not at all release them emotionally. Even though she has not been able to pro- vide suitable physical and emotional envir- onment for the boys, she is still holding on to attempting to keep them."	10/23/65	13
72. CWB notes that Eugene, who had dropped out of school, calls up school and tells them he is a parent and that Ricky and Randy will not be at school.	11/65	13
73. CWB visits home and finds it to be "very run down and quite disorganized."	11/65	13
74.	1966	13	Randy begins the year living at home with mom and his brothers.
75. CWB notes that Randy was truant, and the family was "deteriorating". CWB explored placing Randy back with the MCH and the Spires foster home. Bette Haight opposes the move.	May	13
76.	May	13	Mr. Carlin arrives to transport Randy to MCH. Randy refuses to go "to that prison." CWB changes decision, and decides to leave Randy with Bette Haight.
77.	Summer	13	Randy and Eugene go to father's house in Kentucky. Randy comes back to Columbus and enrolls in the 7th grade.
78.	10/10/66	14	Randy taken to Detention Home for destruction of property.
79. Juvenile hearing conducted	10/25/66	14	Randy placed in Franklin Village. Court orders psychiatric exam of Randy.
80.	12/22/66	14	Randy back with mom.
81.	1966	14	Randy misses half the school days in 1966-1967, and fails most of his subjects.
82.	1967	14	Randy begins 1967 living with his mother.
83. McClain of CWB notes the family is deter- iorating, and that it is caused by "Mrs. Haight's ineffectiveness as disciplinarian." The house is described as "constantly in a shamble."	July 11, 1967	14
84. Thornton Haight picks up Randy and Ricky without permission of CWB or Mrs. Haight and takes them to Kentucky.	5/67	14
85. Dr. Gussett report for FCCS states that "this boy has had a very unstable and unhappy home life. He has been tossed from one placement to another...This unstable background has had an unfavor- able influence on the boy." Possible attention deficit disorder noted. Said to "have difficulty exercising judgment appro- priately at all times; he is capable of unpredictable behavior when confronted with stress...He is inclined to be impulsive and is capable of acting out emotional reactions without much control. This boy is very suggestible and easily manipulated." Randy is described as "overwhelmed by feelings of cautiousness and inferiority." "His home has offered him little in the way of psycho- logical warmth. This boy has strong feelings of rejection and feels that his home has seldom offered him much in the way of security." "The subject has never had a close, sustained relationship with a signi- ficant adult." Special classes were recom- mended.	5/18/67	14	Randy's IQ is 72, with a 70 verbal scale IQ.
86. Bette picks up Ricky and Randy from Mr. Haight in Kentucky and take back to Ohio. Thornton initially refused to permit the boys to go. Bette Haight threatens to call the police. Eugene is in the Army.	8/67	15	Referral by CWB made to Big Brothers for Randy. CWB notes that "Randy at times is defiant towards his mother possibly because of the resentment he feels in regards to the rejection he has experienced."
87.	9/8/67	15	Randy runs away to West Virginia to avoid having to testify to what he saw two filling station attendants do to young girl. He was threatened by the young men.
88.	10/67	15	Randy living with Bette in the Mercurio's house.
89.	10/67	15	Randy suspended from school for 3 days due to truancy.
90. Ricky joins the Army.	11/67	15
91.	11/20/67	15	Randy was sodomized by "Tiny," who works at mother's store.
92. Martha Ames of CWB expresses chief concern that Randy is not "receiving enough adult supervision at home."	11/27/67	15
93.	1968	15	Randy begins year living at Mercurios with his mother.
94.	1/21/68	15	Randy steals $1300 from his grandfather, and runs away from home to Thornton Haight in Kentucky. Leaves note admitting his role in the theft.
95.	4/7/68	15	Bette picks up Randy from Thornton's house in Kentucky and takes back to Columbus.
96.	4/18/68	15	Randy suspended from school. Randy is reading at 4th grade level.
97. Martha Ames transfers case. She notes that "he has been shifted from pillar to post by caseworker after caseworker..."	4/23/68	15
98. Support hearing held to try to get child support from Thornton.	5/29/68	15
99. Hearing held due to Randy's participation in stealing girl's pocketbook out of car.	6/22/68	15
100.	9/68	16	Randy does not enroll in school.
101.	10/68	16	Randy moves to Kentucky to Thornton's home.
102.	1969	16	Randy begins year living in Kentucky with Thornton Haight.
103. Bette tells CWB that Thornton "refused to feed and clothe [Randy]."	May 1969	16	Randy returns to live with mother when relationship with father "began to deteriorate."
104.	1969	16	Randy marries Diane Fraley.
105.	1969	16	Randy works at horse stables after coming back to Columbus.
106.	1970	17	Randy begins year living with mother.
107.	1970	17	Randy and Diane Fraley are divorced.
108. CWB and FCCS terminate Haight case.	5/19/70	17

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