Emma Thompson -- Deceased 6/27/09 (Thread #1)

[Ann - Tx]

Emma Thompson was a beautiful, 4-year-old girl, who died a brutal, horrific death on June 27, 2009. Emma lived in Spring, Texas (north of Houston, Tx) with her mother, Abigail (Abby) Young, a sister and one half-sister. They lived in a beautiful home, with a swimming pool, in an upscale neighborhood.

For a slideshow of Emma Thompson, please click on the Link below:


http://www.click2houston.com/slideshow/news/20360317/detail.html


At the time of Emma's brutal, horrific death, Abigail Young was a Registered Nurse and was employed at Woman's Hospital of Texas in the Houston area. She worked in Labor & Delivery.

Emma's parents were separated in April, 2009. Emma's father, Benjamin (Ben) Thompson, had visitation rights. Emma's bruises were first noticed by her father, Ben, in early June, 2009. Thompson told Young to take Emma to the doctor or he would.

On June 8, 2009, Emma was examined by her pediatrician. Her doctor found she had vaginal and oral herpes, along with bruising inconsistent with the explanations offered by Abigail Young. She did note that Emma had a 102-degree fever and blisters on her fingers, inside her mouth and in her vaginal area and that she ran a series of tests. The doctor notified Texas Child Protective Services (CPS). On June 11, test results came back positive for herpes.

During an investigation by CPS, Young lied to the investigator and said she was the only adult living in her home with Emma and her two other daughters. She failed to tell them about her boyfriend, Lucas Ruric Coe, who has a lengthy criminal history.

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For details of Coe's criminal history, please read here:

"The system failed Emma"
Girl's slaying followed chances to prevent tragedy

By TERRI LANGFORD
Aug. 18, 2009, 9:52AM



Before Lucas Coe was accused of inflicting the injuries that may have killed 4-year-old Emma Thompson, there were at least five chances to keep him behind bars in two different counties.

The last opportunity came just three months before Emma turned up in a Houston area emergency room, sexually abused and fatally beaten. Both Coe, 27, and his girlfriend, Emma's mother, Abigail Young, 33, have been charged with injury to a child in Emma's June 27 death. No trial date has been set.

But a closer look at Coe's criminal history reveals some troubling facts — any of which might have altered the turn of events that led up to the Spring girl's homicide.

While Coe was serving six years probation for a 2002 Harris County aggravated assault, records show, he was convicted for DWI, pled guilty to a Montgomery County assault, failed to meet with a probation officer, got behind in his restitution to the Harris County victim and was indicted on a child abuse charge in Montgomery County.

Four motions to revoke his probation in the Harris County case were made: two in 2005 and two in 2008.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6576234.html


Note: Within the above article, there is a video (lower left side of page) of the probable cause hearing of Coe and Young on 8-11-09. This is not a video of the entire hearing.

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Based on the CPS interview with Young, Emma was not removed from her home. On June 27, 2009, Young supposedly went shopping and left Emma and her two other daughters with Coe. Per testimony at Young's trial, when she came back from her second shopping trip, she fixed sloppy joe's and then checked on Emma.

Young attempted to 'Super Glue' Emma's skull together before taking her to the emergency room by private vehicle. Young, a Registered Nurse, did not call 911 (EMS). Young drove down the street and stopped. During Young's trial, it was disclosed that Young pulled Emma out of the back seat and laid her on her vehicle. Passersby stopped, called 911 and did CPR on Emma until EMS arrived. While EMS was working on Emma, Young was on her cell phone per trial testimony. It is assumed that Young did this to give Lucas Coe a chance to leave the area.

As soon as Young left her home with Emma, Lucas Ruric Coe, went to a next door neighbor with Young's two other children (ages 6 and 11 at the time) and asked the neighbor to watch them because he was not suppose to have contact with them and he needed to leave. The neighbor noticed the flashing lights down the street. Coe told her that was for Emma. Coe, who was not suppose to have unsupervised contact with his daughter, who was 4 at the time and had signs of sexual abuse, had his daughter with him and they left.

Emma was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital - The Woodlands, Tx. (just north of Houston) where she was pronounced dead. At Young's trial, testimony indicated Young told the neighbors, when she came back from the hospital, that she bleached her bathroom before she attempted to take Emma to the Emergency Room. Also, she said she cleaned Emma internally with bleach wipes. Hence, Lucas Coe's DNA not found internally.

A short time after Emma died, Young moved to Brenham, Tx, her hometown. Young's mother, Margie Routt Young, is CEO and Director of the Foundation of Scott & White, Brenham, Tx. (up until a few weeks ago, it was known as Trinity Medical Center, Brenham, Tx. and Routt Young held the same position as she does today). Many people in Washington County (Brenham and surrounding area) feel that Abigail was hired because of the position her mother held and continues to hold with The Foundation of the hospital. She serves on the Board of Directors with the hospital administrator.

Abigail Young was hired as a Registered Nurse to work in Labor & Delivery at Trinity. On August 10, 2009, Abigail Young, in her uniform, was arrested at Trinity Medical Center by Brenham Police. Later that evening, she was transported to Houston, Tx. about 70 miles away.

At the same time Young was being arrested, Lucas Ruric Coe, was being arrested in Montgomery County, Tx. (adjacent to Harris County, Houston, Tx.). He attempted to run but was apprehended by Law Enforcement. At the time of Coe's arrest, he had on a black t-shirt with the following: "It is all fun and games until the cops show up."

For the video of Young and Coe after their arrest and in the process of being taken to the Harris County Jail, Houston, Tx, please click here:

http://www.click2houston.com/video/20352361/index.html




"Mom, Boyfriend Charged In Girl's Death"

KPRC
Houston, Tx
8-10-09
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The lead detective (investigator) in Emma's case, A. J. Kelly, Harris County Sheriff's Office, said in a press conference this is the worst case of child abuse he has ever seen in his 19 years in Law Enforcement.

Abigail Young retained attorneys in Houston, Tx and was out on $50,000 bond until her trial which started with jury selection on June 28, 2010 (1 year and 1 day after Emma died a brutal, horrific death) in Houston, Harris County, Tx.

After the jury deliberated for nearly four hours, Young's trial concluded on Monday, July 12, 2010 with a guilty verdict of the lesser charge of recklessness. Young was initially charged with serious bodily injury to a child by omission, which is a first degree felony, and she could have received life in prison. Young was taken into immediate custody by the Harris County Sheriff's Office and was taken to the Harris County Jail, Houston, Tx. The punishment phase was scheduled for the next day, July 13, 2010.

On July 13, 2010, the punishment phase began for Abigail Young. After testimony from both sides and closing arguments, the jury handed down the following sentence: 20 years in prison, $10,000 fine. When the Judge read the sentence, Young's knees buckled and she started crying. She had to sit down.

Abigail Young is currently in the Harris County Jail awaiting transfer to a Texas prison as evidenced by the information below. The following information is from the Harris County Sheriff's Office - Public Information Inquiry, Houston, Tx:

INFORMATION ACCURATE AS OF 08/31/2010 - 08:54 a.m.

NAME YOUNG, ABIGAIL ELIZABETH
SPN 02443077
DOB 08/26/1975

JAIL JA09/4J1 01E BOOKING DATE 07/12/2010
UP DATE OUT DATE
If the up date is the same as the out date, payment of the fine amount is not required to release the inmate from custody on that case.

CASE # 122787901010
BOOKING DATE 07/12/2010

CHARGE RECKLESS INJURY TO CHILD

COURT 232 COURT DATE 07/14/2010

BOND AMT 0.00 FINE BALANCE DUE
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Per Texas law, Abigail Young will be eligible for parole in five (5) years. During the Victim's Impact Statement for Emma Thompson, Ben Thompson, Emma's father, vowed he or a member of his family would be at every parole hearing for Abigail Young and speak against her.

Only two people spoke on behalf of Emma during the Victim's Impact Statement . . . . her father, Ben Thompson, and her paternal grandmother, Laurie Thompson. Ben spoke loudly and with what appears to be anger to Abigail Young. Laurie Thompson spoke eloquently and lovingly about Emma. She let all know who the real Abigail Young is since she was part of the family at one time. I feel Laurie's statement was outstanding!

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"Mom gets 20 years in daughter's death"

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

KTRK - Houston, TX

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Jurors have decided how long a woman should serve behind bars for failing to protect her daughter from a deadly beating.

Those jurors deliberated for about an hour and a half Tuesday afternoon following closing arguments in the trial of Abigail Young, and returned a sentence of 20 years and a $10,000 fine. With good behavior, Young could get out of prison in five years.

Young was found guilty Monday of failing to protect her 4-year-old daughter from repeated physical and sexual abuse last year, allegedly at the hands of Young's boyfriend, Lucas Coe.

After the sentence was read, Emma's father, Ben Thompson, and his mother read victim impact statements.

Ben Thompson yelled in the direction of Young, "She was four years old. She had her whole life in front of her and you took that away from her."

Read more and view Victim Impact Statements:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7552449
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In my opinion, this is an excellent Link. Below the main video box, there are about 7 videos of various stages of the trial. Katie McCall, Reporter, KTRK, Houston, Tx covered the trial. All video is live.

Within the article, is a blue box (to the left) titled 'Related Content' with excellent articles.

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Sadly, no one from Emma's maternal side of the family spoke on her behalf. I guess this should not surprise me because Emma is buried in a cemetery in Brenham, Tx. To this day, precious Emma who died a brutal, horrific death, still does not have a tombstone. She just has a little marker, provided by Memorial Oaks Chapel (funeral home), Brenham, Tx, with her name on it, date of birth and date of death. As of Monday, August 30, 2010, there was only a bouquet of silk faded red roses on Emma's grave! When I visit my maternal grandparents grave (which is often), I always stop and visit precious Emma Thompson!

Lucas Ruric Coe 's trial is scheduled for September 13, 2010 in Houston, Harris County, Tx. I will be following Coe's trial closely and I do plan to attend a few days of his trial if my schedule permits.

After doing a public inquiry from the Harris County Sheriff's Office, I notice Coe has a court date of 9-9-10. It was 9-13-10. Perhaps that is the day jury selection starts with trial date of 9-13-10. If I get a chance, I will call the Harris County District Attorney's Office or the Court Coordinator in Court #232 and get clarification for the aforementioned.

Coe is currently being held in Houston, Harris County, Tx. at the Harris County Jail. His bond was finally set at $300,000 and he has not made bail. The following info is from the Harris County Sheriff's Office - Public Information Inquiry:

LAST NAME COE
FIRST NAME LUCAS
DOB
SPN NUMBER 01980445
SSN

CHARGES FOUND =1

INFORMATION ACCURATE AS OF 08/31/2010 - 09:21 a.m.

NAME COE, LUCAS RURIC
SPN 01980445
DOB 11/24/1981

JAIL JA09/5F2 01F BOOKING DATE 02/18/2010
UP DATE OUT DATE

If the up date is the same as the out date, payment of the fine amount is not required to release the inmate from custody on that case.

CASE # 122787801010 BOOKING DATE 02/18/2010

CHARGE SUPER AGG SEX ASSLT CHILD < 6

COURT 232 COURT DATE 09/09/2010

BOND AMT 300000.00 FINE BALANCE DUE

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I will keep this thread updated during the trial. All main stream media in Houston, Tx, Brenham, Tx, and Bryan, Tx. covered Abigail Young's trial. Once Associated Press (AP) picked up the story, it was covered by major media outlets in Texas such as Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, Waco, Beaumont, San Angelo, El Paso, etc. I also saw coverage in Mexico and New Mexico. There could have been other states that covered the story but I did not monitor it. My assumption is that Coe's trial will definitely be covered by major media outlets. A few days before Young's trial, a national TV station online website did a very interesting and informative story on Young's upcoming trial. If I can find it, I will post it.

After Coe's trial regarding Emma Thompson's brutal, horrific death concludes with punishment phase, he is scheduled to go on trial in Montgomery County (county just north of Harris County, Tx) on a case involving a young boy in Montgomery County.

In Emma Thompson's case, Coe is charged with super aggravated sexual assualt of a child less than 6 years old. The State of Texas (Harris County District Attorney Prosecutors) will be seeking the maximum sentence for Coe which is Life in Prison without Parole. The minimum Coe could get is 20 years in prison.

Justice for precious Emma Thompson!


Special thanks to the following for posting the pictures and videos on this thread:
Justice4All and Snaz, Administrators - Reality Chatter

[Julie]

Ann - thank you so much for creating this thread for Emma. She was a precious little girl who deserved to live longer than 4 short years. She should have enjoyed a long life full of love, joy, happiness, laughter, trust.

Rest in peace Emma.

snipped from above:

Only two people spoke on behalf of Emma during the Victim's Impact Statement . . . . her father, Ben Thompson, and her paternal grandmother, Laurie Thompson. Ben spoke loudly and with what appears to be anger to Abigail Young. Laurie Thompson spoke eloquently and lovingly about Emma. She let all know who the real Abigail Young is since she was part of the family at one time. I feel Laurie's statement was outstanding!

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