child killer worked at high school

**baller21** · 10-23-2012, 11:30 PM

Anyone catch this story on the news? Was this a failure to do a proper background check by the school? She worked in Conrad just to the north of Marshalltown.

DOUBLE LIFE: Child Killer Worked At High School

This was a horrible crime committed by horrible people and the two daughters were allowed to work with children afterword. Mind-boggling.

Sylvia Likens - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**josh4isu** · 10-23-2012, 11:41 PM

i went to high school there. verrrrrry weird situation looking back at it. i never wouldve thought miss pace could hurt anyone. nice lady but wow. im still shocked.

**xboxfever** · 10-23-2012, 11:56 PM

Wow. I read all about this crime many years ago and have seen the movie the killing was based on. Unbelievable how the school district did not do a background check.

**alarson** · 10-24-2012, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by josh4isu

i went to high school there. verrrrrry weird situation looking back at it. i never wouldve thought miss pace could hurt anyone. nice lady but wow. im still shocked.

And its very possible she was no danger at all, and your impression that she wouldnt hurt anyone (now) could be correct. 50 years was a long time ago.

I looked up the wiki entry on this case earlier.. while i believe she was involved, she was also just a teenager, who i'm going to guess was abused as well by how crazy the mother sounded, which may have caused any involvement on her part in the torture\killing.

Not that you necessarily want to be taking that risk in hiring that person in a position that deals with kids, but given how long its been she could easily be a completely different person just trying to live a life, and not necessarily an axe murderer waiting to strike.

**cyclonedave25** · 10-24-2012, 12:04 AM

I've seen a movie about this. I think there are a couple movies about it, "The Girl Next Door" (not the one with Elisha Cuthbert, obviously) and "An American Crime". Crazy and disturbing.

**isuchicago** · 10-24-2012, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by alarson

And its very possible she was no danger at all, and your impression that she wouldnt hurt anyone (now) could be correct. 50 years was a long time ago.

I looked up the wiki entry on this case earlier.. while i believe she was involved, she was also just a teenager, who i'm going to guess was abused as well by how crazy the mother sounded, which may have caused any involvement on her part in the torture\killing.

Not that you necessarily want to be taking that risk in hiring that person in a position that deals with kids, but given how long its been she could easily be a completely different person just trying to live a life, and not necessarily an axe murderer waiting to strike.

I see where you're coming from..but after reading some of the details, I'm just shocked they didn't serve longer than they did. Here Iowa teacher's aide suspended after role in '65 torture death revealed - U.S. News it says Paula actually escaped prison after 5 years, they recaptured her..then let her out a year later. Why in the hell...

I agree she was born into a horrible family..but at 17, you should be held more accountable than that IMO. And the mother getting out of jail after 20 years is even more shocking. Just amazed they let someone like that out after 20 years. Has nothing to do with your point though..you're right, she could be an entirely different person.

**baller21** · 10-24-2012, 01:22 AM

[QUOTE=alarson;3123408]And its very possible she was no danger at all, and your impression that she wouldnt hurt anyone (now) could be correct. 50 years was a long time ago.

I looked up the wiki entry on this case earlier.. while i believe she was involved, she was also just a teenager, who i'm going to guess was abused as well by how crazy the mother sounded, which may have caused any involvement on her part in the torture\killing.

Not that you necessarily want to be taking that risk in hiring that person in a position that deals with kids, but given how long its been she could easily be a completely different person just trying to live a life, and not necessarily an axe murderer waiting to strike.[/QUOTE]

I'm no expert, but I don't think anyone convicted of such a crime would ever get a job in child care of any kind. It doesn't matter if she's a changed person or not. The point I was trying to make is how ridiculous it is for schools to let this happen. And from what I've read she has never expressed any remorse for her crimes.

**00clone** · 10-24-2012, 01:55 AM

00clone pleads guilty to clicking on the thread thinking it was 'child kills worker at high school'

**1100011CS** · 10-24-2012, 07:36 AM

[QUOTE=baller21;3123419]

Originally Posted by alarson

And its very possible she was no danger at all, and your impression that she wouldnt hurt anyone (now) could be correct. 50 years was a long time ago.

I looked up the wiki entry on this case earlier.. while i believe she was involved, she was also just a teenager, who i'm going to guess was abused as well by how crazy the mother sounded, which may have caused any involvement on her part in the torture\killing.

Not that you necessarily want to be taking that risk in hiring that person in a position that deals with kids, but given how long its been she could easily be a completely different person just trying to live a life, and not necessarily an axe murderer waiting to strike.[/QUOTE]

I'm no expert, but I don't think anyone convicted of such a crime would ever get a job in child care of any kind. It doesn't matter if she's a changed person or not. The point I was trying to make is how ridiculous it is for schools to let this happen. And from what I've read she has never expressed any remorse for her crimes.

Do background checks find aliases? Since she changed her name 40-50 years ago they probably had no idea.

**2020cy** · 10-24-2012, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by alarson

And its very possible she was no danger at all, and your impression that she wouldnt hurt anyone (now) could be correct. 50 years was a long time ago.

I looked up the wiki entry on this case earlier.. while i believe she was involved, she was also just a teenager, who i'm going to guess was abused as well by how crazy the mother sounded, which may have caused any involvement on her part in the torture\killing. I agree, likely completely different person now, see Morgan Freedmans(sp?) speech to parole board in Shawshank Redemption.

Not that you necessarily want to be taking that risk in hiring that person in a position that deals with kids, but given how long its been she could easily be a completely different person just trying to live a life, and not necessarily an axe murderer waiting to strike.