So many people claim that a murder or homicide charge could not be sought after for Christy Shaffer because of this double jeopardy clause. It was stated that Judge Vanderbeck effectively set the sentence up so the double jeopardy clause could be used to prevent further charges being placed on Christy Shaffer. My personal belief is that is what he and others, more likely than not, wanted everyone to think in hopes that a new and completely different charge would never be pursued. Army, please refer to the photo of the definition of double jeopardy. The definition CLEARLY states that double jeopardy forbids a defendant from being charged with the same or similar charges as the one or ones they were convicted of or acquitted for. Take the O.J. Simpson trial for example. The trial of the 90's decade! Even though basically everyone in the free world knew he was guilty of murder. He was acquitted on charges of murder. Because of the acquittal on those murder charges, O.J. Simpson can never again be tried for murder. In Alissa's case, Christy Shaffer was charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent. One count was a class B felony and the second count was a class C felony. Please refer to the photo differentiating the classes of felonious neglect of a dependent. Christy Shaffer was originally charged with one class B felony which, per Indiana law, entails that (a) A person having the care of a dependent, whether assumed voluntarily or because of legal obligation, who knowingly or intentionally:(1) places the dependent in a situation that endangers the dependents life or health;(2) abandons or cruelly confines the dependent;(3) deprives the dependent of necessary support;And results in serious bodily injury. Christy was also originally charged with a class C felony neglect of a dependent which also consists of (a)(1), (a)(2), or (a)(3), but results in only bodily injury. The plea bargain that Christy took was that the class C felony charge would be dropped, in exchange for her guilty plea to the class B felony for failing to seek medical attention for Alissa in a timely manner. Please do not overlook that this charge DID NOT reflect that Alissa had DIED from what was inflicted upon her!!! Prosecution would NOT be legally able to seek neglect charges against Christy, for Alissa's case, again. HOWEVER, per the definition of double jeopardy, a homicide or MURDER charge would not be the same or even close to the same ballpark as neglect!!! So therefore, double jeopardy could not apply. Nowhere in that definition does it state that a brand new, altogether different charge couldn't be sought after. Only the same or similar charges.
There have been many questions asked concerning the day that Alissa was killed. Murdered, I should say. People ask "Were the children present in the car that day?", "Were the other kids abused?", "What was Christy's excuse?" These were the questions I asked myself in the beginning. I got answers to many of these questions from Alissa's Mother. I will be honest, I do not know how reliable the answers are. She told me that Christy's younger children, Lilli (Alissa's older sister, who was 6 at the time), and Alissa were in the van that fateful day. Kelli said that Lilli had told her later that she knew something was wrong with Alissa and, according to Kelli, she actually even asked Christy questions like "What is wrong with Alissa?", and "Did you kill Alissa?". It broke my heart to hear these things and to feel empathy for Lilli going through this nightmare as such a small child. She was told by Christy to "push Alissa's head back" when Alissa's head would slump forward and she was making grunting noises. She said that Lilli told her that Christy was crying and she kept stopping the van to check on Alissa (I believe there is video evidence at the McDonald's drive through confirming that Christy got out and opened the back door of the van where Alissa was seated) According to Christy, when she was asked if she ever stopped or got out to check on Alissa, she said that she hadn't! That right there, if I were a jury member, would have made me want to seek a murder charge. It shows her guilt and that she KNEW she had hurt Alissa bad!
Over the next few days, we will be answering questions, the best we can, as to what happened that day.
If you have any questions or comments about this, or even before this day, you can leave them here and we will try to answer.
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♥ Alissa B Guernsey November 2, 2007 – March 28, 2009
Alissa was fatally beaten by her caregiver, Christy Shaffer. The justice system did not value Alissa’s short life enough to properly punish the person who took her final breath. It is also believed that Christy's father, Kerry
Sprunger, had "connections" because of the position he held in Lagrange, which assured that Christy would never pay for her crime.
16 month old baby Alissa was murdered.
In November of 2008, Alissa's father, Michael Guernsey, was tragically killed in a car accident. Kelli Sprunger, Alissa's mother was beside herself with grief and unable to care for her children. Christy Shaffer offered to take Alissa and her 2 siblings in until Kelli got back on her feet. During that time Kelli failed to keep in contact with caseworkers. When she did return for her children, DCS was there and requested that she take a drug test which she refused. Kelli was cited for Neglect for abandoning her children. Alissa and her siblings were made wards of the state in Steuben County, Indiana and were officially placed in the home of Matt and Christy Shaffer, who were not trained foster parents, but relatives of the family, who had guardianship of Kelli's children in the past when Kelli was incarcerated.
Alissa was a normal, happy, healthy baby when she left her mother’s home.
It was in January of 2009 that Alissa began losing her hair and random bruises were appearing all over her body. Shaffer had taken Alissa to doctors to try and find some type diagnoses stating that Alissa "bruised easily" and that her hair was "falling out". Alissa had been to specialists in Elkhart and Riley's Children Hospital. None of which could ever find anything "medically" wrong with her after multiple rounds of blood testing.
During this time Christy Shaffer kept Alissa's mother from visiting with her, but not with her other 2 children who were also in Christy's care.
March 28, 2009 Alissa B Guernsey was murdered. The autopsy report declared her death a HOMICIDE, due to blunt force trauma to the head. According to the postmortem exam, her hair had not fallen out - it was ripped out! Alissa endured months of beatings which resulted in stitches to the head, multiple deep mouth lacerations, a broken elbow (for which she was not given her pain medication) and multiple bruising about her head and body before she was finally beaten to death. These injuries were new and old.
Christy wanted people to believe that Alissa had Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or was born a meth/crack addicted baby and that was the reason she was "clumsy and always bruised" – that is wrong! According to the doctor and tox screen reports from when she was born, Alissa was perfectly healthy. You can clearly see the before and after pictures of Alissa, she was perfectly happy and healthy with her mother, and turned in to a different baby with Christy Shaffer.
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Christy Shaffer never had to take responsibility for the blunt force trauma. In June 2009, Prosecutor Jeff Wible convened a Grand Jury after being presented with the Medical Examiners report, the Indiana State Police report, and all evidence pointing to HOMICIDE due to blunt force trauma. The Grand Jury indicted Shaffer for Neglect of a Dependent, Class B Felony AND Neglect of a Dependent, Class C Felony. (neither charge results in the death of the child!) It is believed that Jeff Wible purposely did not push for any murder charge (or even so much as Neglect of a dependent Class A which results in death) This is believed to be because of the MULTIPLE conflicts of interest involving relationships between himself and Kerry Sprunger (the defendants father) and Alissa's Pediatrician, Dr, John Egli, (who missed every single opportunity to save Alissa's life) Jeff Wible sat on the same board of directors of the LaGrange County Community Foundation with Dr. Egli for years. Kerry Sprunger was a regular member and donated undisclosed amounts of money and assets to this foundation.
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Shaffer accepted a Plea Agreement by pleading guilty to Neglect of a Dependent, Class B Felony in February 2011.
In late May 2011, Shaffer was sentenced to 10 years in the Department of Corrections, 6 years suspended.
At sentencing, LaGrange Circuit Court Judge J. Scott VanDerbeck offered Christy Shaffer information that she could come back in 60 to 90 days for a possible modification of her sentence. Judge VanDerbeck modified Shaffer’s sentence in August 2011. Shaffer was released after serving 77 days.
Where is Alissa's justice?
Shaffer only spent 77 days in prison and was released with time served and 6 months home detention with 3 yrs probation. Baby Alissa was tortured, beaten and lost her life.
Christy Shaffer served only 77 Days for the torture and murder of an innocent and defenseless 16 month old baby girl. Alissa was given no mercy, no justice, but we can give her a voice!
DON'T FORGET TO LIKE AND SHARE HER PAGE TO HELP BE ALISSA'S VOICE!
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Alissa was found unresponsive while riding in a car seat. While Christy Shaffer drove around running errands, renting movies and going to McDonalds, Alissa was slipping away! A terrified little BABY! Scared and feeling all alone. She had to have been wondering WHY no one was helping her, WHY Christy was IGNORING her!!!
WHY didn't you take her to the E.R. right then Christy??? Even the children KNEW something was wrong!! They were asking you (CHRISTY) WHY IS ALISSA MAKING THOSE NOISES!! While her big sister is holding her hand telling Alissa it is going to be OK!
After arriving home Christy carried an unresponsive baby girl in the house and called her brother (an EMT) instead of calling 911… WHY CHRISTY??? Alissa’s ARMY wants to know!!! You SHOULD HAVE TAKEN HER STRAIGHT TO THE E.R.!!! SHE MAY STILL BE ALIVE IF YOU HAD DONE SO!! How can you live with yourself Christy???
Emergency medical workers were called and a full resuscitation was attempted. The child’s medical history indicated there had been a previous soft-tissue injury to the elbow and “growth plate displacement from a ‘fall,’ ” according to the autopsy report. Salter Harris fracture Type 1 (common with inflicted trauma i.e. CHILD ABUSE).
The autopsy found multiple bruises on her face, and there was no medical explanation for them at the time. Alissa had bleeding inside her skull and an inch-long cut inside her mouth that was beginning to heal. AND NO PRESCRIPTION PAIN MEDICATION IN HER SYSTEM (prescribed for her fractured arm)!
ARMY LET’S SCREAM TO THE WORLD “JUSTICE FOR ALISSA, SHE MATTERS”!! There is NO EXCUSE for her NOT getting IMMEDIATE TREATMENT!!
CHRISTY SHAFFER NEEDS TO BE CHARGED ACCORDINGLY!! CHRISTY ADMITTED she was the only adult with Alissa that fateful
INJURY OF HEAD!! Keep fighting Army we together WILL get someone to listen and get Christy charged with the homicide of Alissa B Guernsey!!
Prosecutor Wible convened a Grand Jury after being presented with the Medical Examiners report. It isn't known what exact evidence was presented to the Grand Jury for them to indict Christy for Neglect of a Dependent, Class B Felony & Neglect of a Dependent, Class C Felony. Alissa's autopsy report shows that her death was ruled a HOMICIDE due to blunt force trauma!!! Christy Shaffer has been named the ONLY suspect in Alissa's death!!!!
Judge Vanderbeck sentenced Shaffer to 10 years in prison, suspending six of them, than modified her sentence to 77 days!!! There were to many conflicts of interest from the beginning. Judge Vanderbeck was the judge that was appointed to Alissa's case. He & Kerry Sprunger (Christy's Father) were good old friends. Vanderbeck should have done the right thing from the beginning and recused himself.
**JUDICIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST** http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/article_0e382758-ddb9-11e2-846e-0019bb30f31a.html
Alissa's life was only valued at 77 short days!! That is not justice for the torture & murder of a 16 month old baby!!! Army, PLEASE CONTINUE THIS FIGHT WITH US!!! We want Alissa's case reopened so that she can finally get the justice she deserves!!!! NO ONE has ever been charged with the HOMICIDE of Alissa Beth Guernsey!!!!
On 03/11/2009, Dr. Egli is informed that Alissa’s arm is still swollen and she isn't using it. Her hand is also swollen. She continues to have bruising on her face and bald spots on her head. He orders an MRI of her arm. Her arm is now 8 DAYS POST INJURY. An MRI is performed on 03/19/2009. A fracture is CLEARLY demonstrated of her distal humerus (the upper arm bone at the elbow) and is described as a Salter Harris type 1. They subsequently order a 3 view x-ray of her arm (it is unclear why). This further confirms a HEALING fracture of the humerus consistent with a fracture that could have occurred on or about 03/03/2009. By report, Dr. Egli was informed that this type of fracture is HIGHLY CONCERNING for INFLICTED TRAUMA. However, none of the treating physicians (the orthopedic surgeon, the radiologist, or the primary care physician) reported this to CPS as would be LEGALLY MANDATED. There is no note to indicate what Dr. Wagner’s (the orthopedic surgeon) involvement was after 03/19/2009 when it was stated that Alissa was to see him on 03/23/2009. On 03/24/2009, apparently the caregiver reported that Tylenol and Motrin were not working and asked for something “stronger”. A script for TWENTY (20) doses of Hydrocodone was provided. Assuming maximal dosing (given every 4 hours for pain), this should have lasted more than 3 days. As it is HIGHLY unusual that a child would be awakened every 4 hours around the clock for even 1 day let alone 3 days, this should have lasted even longer. On 03/26/2009 the FOSTER mother (Christy Shaffer) called asking for MORE Hydrocodone as they would be out the next day. Apparently more was prescribed, though there is insufficient documentation to determine how much.
03/28/2009- EMT began CPR and then called 911. Alissa was apneic (not breathing) and asystolic (NO HEART BEAT). She reportedly was cool to the touch and had bruises on her head. Due to the history of narcotic administration (Hydrocodone), Narcan was administered (an antidote to narcotic overdoses). There is notation in the E.R. note that Alissa was” more sleepy than usual” and “approximately 20 minutes during which time the child kept leaning forward and her 7 year old sibling kept sitting her upright. Just prior to which at the end of the car ride Alissa developed some “grunting” respirations. Alissa was taken out of her car seat and was noted to be unresponsive and taken inside. A short time later, the child (Alissa) was noted to stop breathing”. After an hour long code, she was declared dead.
Here it is Army the FACTS!! Dr’s did NOT report the abuse and Alissa had no pain meds in her system according to Toxicology reports. However, a refill WAS GIVEN!! Sounds fishy to me!! CHRISTY SHAFFER, WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL YOU ARE BEHIND BARS for the HOMICIDE of Alissa not neglect, NEWSFLASH ALISSA IS NO LONGER WITH US & ALISSA HAS HER “TRUE” JUSTICE!!
Christy Shaffer made statements that Alissa was clumsy, hard to deal with, and she took precautions to child proof the house putting up baby gates and even thought about getting Alissa a helmet. It was also stated by Dr. Fallon that Alissa’s bruises on her little head were caused by Alissa banging her head on her crib. These are all LIES!!
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