An interesting development made the news over the weekend: another felony theft charge against Madelyne Toogood. For those who didn't hear about it, here's the story...

Reprinted from the South Bend Tribune, October 19, 2002

LaGrange issues warrant for Toogood
Shipshewana department store claims theft of fabric
By JOYCE MCCARTNEY, The Journal Gazette

LAGRANGE -- Madelyne Gorman Toogood, the woman police say was caught on a St. Joseph County department store surveillance camera beating her daughter, is now facing a theft charge accusing her of taking fabric from a Shipshewana department store. The felony theft charge was filed Thursday against Toogood and Margaret Jean Daley, Toogood's sister, LaGrange County Prosecutor Jeff Wible said Friday.

The charge alleges Toogood and Daley went to Yoder's Department store in August, took some fabric and told a store clerk it was already paid for, Wible said. Neither Toogood nor Daley have been arrested on the outstanding LaGrange County warrants, officials at the LaGrange County Sheriff's Department said....

[Toogood's] sister, Daley, was charged in St. Joseph County with failure to report child abuse. Last week, a St. Joseph County judge ruled that Daley could leave the state, allowing her to go to Missouri, where her husband and four sons were.

Randy DeCleene, spokesman for the St. Joseph County prosecutor's office, said the LaGrange County case will likely have no bearing on Toogood's case here. "Assuming that it's true, it's unlikely it would have an effect on the case in St. Joseph County because the supposed (LaGrange County) incident happened before her problems in St. Joseph County," DeCleene said.

However, Michael Gotsch, attorney for Child Protective Services in St. Joseph County, said there could be an impact on efforts to reunite 4-year-old Martha Toogood with her parents. Martha is living in the St. Joseph County home of her maternal grandmother, Mary Agnes Gorman, who is functioning as a foster parent for the little girl. Martha could remain in her grandmother's care six to 12 months.

"It could have an effect," Gotsch said late Friday night of the LaGrange County charge. "It may complicate our providing services to the family."

Assuming the child's safety can be assured, Gotsch said, federal and state laws require CPS to consider reuniting the family. The family is next due for a court hearing Wednesday, Gotsch said. At that time, CPS makes recommendations about services the family needs. "We'll advise the court of what we know (about) additional new information," Gotsch said.

In LaGrange County, Toogood is accused of assisting her sister in the theft of fabric from the store, Wible said. The two women went to the Shipshewana store on Aug. 21, took fabric to a cashier and said they bought the fabric the Saturday before but forgot to take their package because their children were distracting them, said Larry Yoder, a manager at the store. When the women left the store, employees realized the fabric had just been cut that day, he said.

At the time, store employees and management did not know who the women were, but when St. Joseph County authorities released the surveillance tape, she was recognized, Yoder said.


By the way, I have much to say in response to Larry's last few posts, but I've been off having a life and posting to a small number of the other threads on Mudcat for the last week or so. But since Madelyne's story has been refreshed in the news by this latest charge, I guess it's time to refresh this thread again. I'll be back later today or tomorrow to post my reactions to Larry's comments from last week.