Seaoat

Thelma Denise Lowery. 


Have you heard any updates? Last I heard was Oct 2016.

It is such a sad story. I tried to talk to the husband when I stopped by a neighbor of theirs who takes care of their home which is in foreclosure. he lives and works I believe in La, and visits her a couple times a week. I think their children are still local. I heard they had experts lined up which absolutely prove she did not do anything wrong and cast enough reasonable doubt that she will never be convicted. I also heard that there is a real question as to possible conflict in the rush to judgment where she may be looking at a huge civil law suit against Santa Rosa County, but all that is second hand information. What happen in October 2016?

I find the whole situation strange. First, in my entire life I never saw somebody taken before a grand jury so quickly with so many unknowns in the shaken baby syndrome. Second, I have never seen both sides freeze and nobody is filing a speedy trial motion. It indicates to me that the defendant is talking a civil settlement for her wrongful jailing and the defense knows that each day she spends in jail now will increase the pay day. I have heard her health is not good. The state should have been pushing this trial also, but that indicates they have deposed the defendant's experts and know they will never convict her. My guess they are sweating her to take a deal for time served, and lesser charges which may be something in the misdemeanor range, and some type of cash settlement. The other problem for the state is that any deal will need the parents approval, or they will howl if she is let go. Of course any deal by the state will raise questions about the parent's involvement in the injuries. So it is an old fashioned stand off where the defense is counting the money in the civil suit to come, and the state does not want to get humiliated and open the door to rumors I have heard that there was a reason for this rush to judgment which may have involved undue influence. The thing which tips me off that the backroom boyz are sweating this is the total absence of press coverage which should have raised red flags to the press that a woman was arrested immediately for murder without proof has sat in jail almost 2.5 years without a trial. Something is rotten in Denmark which I announced right from the beginning knowing this woman's character and contributions to the community as a volunteer fireman officer. You just do not expect this nightmare to happen in America.

Only thing I saw was a statement she had a court hearing in Oct. 2016.

My opinion of the situation.....you can not get that degree of brain damage from getting it on the head by a block thrown by a toddler. At the very worst, that kind of accident with death would have to be from an epidural hematoma and not amassive subdural damage that the chill susyained. Her story doesn't add up.

I have heard at least two experts who will testify said the injuries could have happened DAYS before. I am getting all of this second hand, but it is my understanding that they have a couple of nationally recognized experts who think the initial damage to this child was done before. It could be family telling people the best possible expert opinion, but the retired fireman I am getting most of my information from said they think the family is looking at a huge pay day as the immediate jailing is contrary to what the experts are saying. I said this smelled from the get go, and never could understand with the charges, nor the conclusions of local health people getting it wrong. We will see, but the State should have taken this to trial a year ago. I know her health is bad, and if the state can delay she might die in jail and without a trial or her testimony they walk from the civil liability. The husband will certainly file a loss of consortium claim, and based on what I have heard about an alleged conflict of interest in running this up the flagpole so quickly, he will win.

2seaoat wrote:I have heard at least two experts who will testify said the injuries could have happened DAYS before.  I am getting all of this second hand, but it is my understanding that they have a couple of nationally recognized experts who think the initial damage to this child was done before.   It could be family telling people the best possible expert opinion, but the retired fireman I am getting most of my information from said they think the family is looking at a huge pay day as the immediate jailing is contrary to what the experts are saying.  I said this smelled from the get go, and never could understand with the charges, nor the conclusions of local health people getting it wrong.   We will see, but the State should have taken this to trial a year ago.   I know her health is bad, and if the state can delay she might die in jail and without a trial or her testimony they walk from the civil liability.   The husband will certainly file a loss of consortium claim, and based on what I have heard about an alleged conflict of interest in running this up the flagpole so quickly, he will win.

We will see. The amount of brain damage sustained.....symptoms would have been profound within minutes not days. Also there were not any visible signs of external trauma to the face and scalp.

As far as the fireman....wasn't Mrs. Lowery a volunteer fireman?

As far as the fireman....wasn't Mrs. Lowery a volunteer fireman?

She was an officer at the East Milton volunteer fire department. I have spoke to some of those guys and they tell you they have been instructed not to talk about the case. However, I am talking with a person who knows the family and is a retired fireman with another department. He is the one who has alleged the experts say that the injury could have happened two days prior and could have exploded without any trauma at any time after the initial trauma. Evidently, they have science which suggest the injury could have happened earlier. I do not know because I have not seen an expert report, or read the same, but the way the newspapers have quit reporting on this case is very suspicious, and not going to trial by the State.....after taking her to a grand jury in less than two weeks......highly unusual.........we will see. I just know the lady would stop by my property and check on how I was doing after my lung was removed in 2008, I never heard anybody say a bad word about her, and when Ivan hit she was working to help other citizens when her husband and ten year old were sitting on top of a large screen tv in five feet of flood water. I just do not see the state winning this one. It is real hard to get a civil verdict for overcharging and false imprisonment, but the family has implied to my source that they expect the same. That would explain completely the delay. No plea because everyday in jail brings a bigger civil suit, and the state knowing if they take this to trial with the expert testimony they are going to lose..........I will have to see if they have scheduled a trial. I guess I could stop by the courthouse and pull the file and see what has been filed. Might do that.

I read the arrest report.

That is the issue. She should not have been arrested until shaken baby experts had looked at the child. Sorry, that is the point. The experts as it has been alleged to me are pointing to a prior injury which could have happened days before and could at any time have exploded into the damage which she has been accused without a scintilla of proof, and two years of denying harming the child.

2seaoat wrote:That is the issue.   She should not have been arrested until shaken baby experts had looked at the child.   Sorry, that is the point.   The experts as it has been alleged to me are pointing to a prior injury which could have happened days before and could at any time have exploded into the damage which she has been accused without a scintilla of proof, and two years of denying harming the child.

What kind of prior damage? What specific injury, that was asymptomatic days before, would cause the kind of damage the toddler had. The child went to surgery within minutes after arriving in the ER. Once the skull was opened a very large amount of blood gushed out followed by a large amount of brain herniated through the opened skull. Massive massive brain damage, evidence of retinal tears in both eyes, and hemorrhage. 

Keep in mind according to Lowery, the mechanism of injury was a small block thrown by a 4 year old. There was no traumatic the scalp and no skull fracture. The toddler was dropped off at daycare around 7 am.....around 10:30 the ambulance arrived. 

Mrs. Lowery was arrested 2 days later.

I have been told that the injury more likely than not was a prior injury which happened to become serious that morning. The experts in shaken baby syndrome are not first responders or local medical staff. They have looked at brains which have been used as a basis to attack somebody where the actual damage was not even from an injury but a cogential defect where people have been indicted. Part of the allegations for such a rush to judgment is that there was a conflict of interest in this prosecution. I have not had that explained, but it suggests that instead of bringing in experts to review the medical records, and explore the possibility of other sources of the injury, this was steam rolled. We will see, but I know that the family is feeling very confident based on the expert testimony that she will be found not guilty at trial, and they also think they will win a big civil judgment based on conflicts of interest, undue influence in her prosecution. I have to be honest. I was shocked at the speed of eliminating all other sources of the injury, and my understanding is that is also what the experts will say........but it is all allegations at this point and the evidence will speak for itself.

Maybe the parents did it before they dropped the baby off? How do they even prove who could have done it in that time frame?

The parents could have been totally unaware of the child being injured. To prove that Denise who has a spotless record in her childcare and personal life without a doubt after the expert testimony.......a tall order.

How do you hold somebody 2/12 years w/o a trial. Against 6th amendment.

2seaoat wrote:The parents could have been totally unaware of the child being injured.  To prove that Denise who has a spotless record in her childcare and personal life without a doubt after the expert testimony.......a tall order.

I can't imagine that scenerio with the extent of brain damage. Symptoms would have been evident.....not showing up 3 hours later.

How do you hold somebody 2/12 years w/o a trial. Against 6th amendment.


I went out to dinner last night and was told that they were suppose to go to trial on Feb. 14. The state asked for a continuance. I know her health is bad, and I think at this point Santa Rosa County has exposure on a civil suit if some of the innuendo I have heard comes out at trial. I will not repeat it here, but her immediate arrest and taking this to a grand jury without experts on this giving their input and only having treating folks testify is a formula for a disaster when the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt. This could happen to anyone. There house is in foreclosure and it is my understanding that the husband has had to take work in LA to keep afloat. They were a wonderful couple who have had their lives destroyed and when the state allegedly is asking to continue the trial......there has been a huge miscarriage of justice......now....will we find out at trial why and who was responsible for this rush to judgment which foreclosed investigation beyond the target......something is rotten in Denmark.

According to a facebook post by a family member, her trial is scheduled for the week of August 7th, 2017.

I believe an innocent women in America has been persecuted by a Criminal Justice system which jumped the gun, and sadly this may have happened because of undue influence on the system. Their home has been sold and their lives shattered, and I doubt a jury who is fair could ever find this woman guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. A tragedy which can never be made right. A child is dead. A family is destroyed, and justice in Santa Rosa County appears to only apply to some.

jkl410 wrote:According to a facebook post by a family member, her trial is scheduled for the week of August 7th, 2017.

Thank you.

2seaoat wrote:I believe an innocent women in America has been persecuted by a Criminal Justice system which jumped the gun, and sadly this may have happened because of undue influence on the system.  Their home has been sold and their lives shattered, and I doubt a jury who is fair could ever find this woman guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  A tragedy which can never be made right.  A child is dead.  A family is destroyed, and justice in Santa Rosa County appears to only apply to some.

That is your opinion. You are assuming Lowery is innocent because of her past behaviour. Things change, people change....people can snap. That child was in her care and her care alone for 3 hours. The damage happened during that time....the injury would have been evident immediately not 3 hours later. Go read the police report....it includes the operative notes and damage to the child's brain.

Your assumptions are not what the experts will testify. Do you really think this delay is because they are dealing with a guilty person? The have put an innocent woman in jail and destroyed her family. I pray that a jury will end some of her pain. Nothing will bring this child back and the rush to judgment was simply wrong on so many levels, but we will see if the state even brings this to trial.....my guess they will simply voluntarily dismiss the charges, rather than let the news media hear the expert testimony.

They were very wrong on that 19 yr. old girl w/ the brain damaged child when they said she neglected him and caused the bed sores and things on him. They put her in jail and then dropped the charges.

Vikingwoman wrote:They were very wrong on that 19 yr. old girl w/ the brain damaged child when they said she neglected him and caused the bed sores and things on him. They put her in jail and then dropped the charges.

Yes, they were. The cachetic 4 year old that weighed 10 pounds. Turned out he had an extremely rare brain disorder. Lisscencephaly

I can say this with some confidence. I have Never seen a rush to judgment without an expert opinion being provided and a complete investigation. This was very unprofessional and emotional. You need to be very careful when prosecuting to seek justice, not expediency.

Joanimaroni wrote:

2seaoat wrote:I believe an innocent women in America has been persecuted by a Criminal Justice system which jumped the gun, and sadly this may have happened because of undue influence on the system.  Their home has been sold and their lives shattered, and I doubt a jury who is fair could ever find this woman guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  A tragedy which can never be made right.  A child is dead.  A family is destroyed, and justice in Santa Rosa County appears to only apply to some.

That is your opinion. You are assuming Lowery is innocent because of her past behaviour. Things change, people change....people can snap. That child was in her care and her care alone for 3 hours. The damage happened during that time....the injury would have been evident immediately not 3 hours later. Go read the police report....it includes the operative notes and damage to the child's brain.

That's not true, Joani. Many people have had brain injuries that killed them later and didn't show up immediately. Case in point was Liam Nesson's wife who hit a tree while skiing. She was perfectly fine and dies hours later from her injury.