Ashley Reeves's mother says neck not broken
Indigo Ace
Mother: Ashley Reeves neck not broken
Teen victim isn't paralyzed
BY BETH HUNDSDORFER
News-Democrat
ST. LOUIS - Ashley Reeves, the Millstadt teen who police said was
strangled and left for dead in a park by a former teacher, does not
have a broken neck.
Michelle Reeves told reporters during a press conference Monday her
daughter did not sustain a broken neck during her April 27 attack.
Police arrested Samson R. "Sam" Shelton, 26, on April 28 and charged
him with aggravated kidnapping and attempted murder alleging Shelton
used his forearm to break Reeves' neck.
"Her neck was injured in the attack, but there are no fractures and no
paralysis," her mother, Michelle Reeves said.
A change in the girl's condition may alter the charges -- and the
defense.
"Based on the original information, the assistant state's attorney
charged the case based on the information provided, now that
information has changed," St. Clair County State's Attorney Robert
Haida said. "With regard to the change in her physical condition, we
are extremely happy that she did not suffer a fracture."
The grand jury will decide what charges are contained in the
indictment against Shelton after it hears more evidence on Friday,
Haida said.
"We haven't been privy to any discovery or medical records in the case
yet," said Justin Kuehn, who is defending the case with his father and
law partner, Clyde Kuehn. "Only time will tell how this new revelation
will affect our case."
Clyde Kuehn, Shelton's attorney, told Circuit Judge John Baricevic at
a bond reduction hearing last week that Shelton tried to pull Ashley
Reeves out of the truck during an argument, broke her neck and the
girl went limp.
Shelton then drove Reeves to Citizens Park in Belleville and choked
her three separate times, Prosecutor Joe Christ has said.
Shelton led police to Reeves' barely breathing body, 30 hours after
the girl was last seen by her family, police have said.
"Not knowing was the worst," Michelle Reeves said.
The Columbia High School junior has been hospitalized for the past
three weeks at SSM St. Louis Cardinal Glennon Hospital in serious
condition.
Michelle Reeves wouldn't comment specifically on Ashley's condition or
prognosis or when Reeves may be able to bring her daughter home.
Dr. David J. Walsh, director of the department of neurology at
Cardinal Glennon, declined to comment on Ashley Reeves' case, but he
said generally in brain injury cases, it's easier to predict a bad
outcome than a good outcome.
Michelle Reeves knew Shelton, but said she "thought he was mentor" to
Ashley.
"I was surprised as anyone that this happened," Michelle Reeves said.
"I did not think that he was the kind of person to do something like
this."
Michelle Reeves called her daughter a typical 17-year-old, who made a
bad decision. She declined to elaborate.
Shelton and Ashley Reeves met in February at the Soulard Mardi Gras in
St. Louis and had what police characterize as a "relationship" but
declined to expound on the relationship's nature.
Calling Shelton an "evil person," Michelle Reeves said she sat through
the bond reduction hearing on May 15.
"I think I cracked a tooth, I was clenching my jaw so hard," she said.
The case has attracted national attention, and Michelle Reeves called
Ashley "America's sweetheart" on Monday.
Michelle and Mike Reeves, Ashley's parents, both took leave from their
jobs to care for their daughter. While Michelle Reeves answered
reporters' questions, Mike Reeves stayed by his daughter's bedside.
"Our lives are so different now," Reeves said. "There isn't very much
normal left in our lives."
http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/14645737.htm
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Fragile Warrior
> paralysis," her mother, Michelle Reeves said.
I wonder if Mom knows what a fracture is and that you can have one -- even
in the neck -- *without* paralysis.
jon...@evms.edu
right twist will do it. I've found it odd through my years that when
some relate a story about a 'bone' injury they'll say 'thank God
_so-and-so_ isn't broken --- only fractured."
??????????whatsupwiddat????
Fragile Warrior
<jon...@evms.edu> wrote in message
news:1148429626.3...@j73g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Yep. Glad you understood what I was talking about. There are a LOT of
dumbfucks out there. At a company where I worked, there was a secretary --
very good at her job, seemingly fairly intelligent -- who stumbled, fell and
hurt her arm. She went to the Dr. to have it checked out. He came in with
the x-rays and said, "Your arm is fractured" to which she asked, "But is it
broken?"
Dumb.Fuck.