The SEAY Children - Spotsylvania (N of Richmond) VA

Hey Diego,

In many ways you are right- she has become very defensive but from a standpoint of someone who knows quite a bit of her history, I feel that her attitude in it all is justified. To touch on her court dates and throw in what has caused confusion, even I have become confused.

The issue of her having pictures of her exes, I have known for a long time. I don't see it as a huge issue. It's not as if she ever looks at them or reminisces.

For an update, Spotsylvania will be dropping the charges against her. Out of this entire mess, Melissa has been found guilty of DUID (which she never contested), found not guilty on child endangerment, and will have the child cruelty charges dropped.

She has voluntarily taken parenting classes. She stopped taking Ambien right after this whole thing started. she has continued to work, and to spend as much time with the children as the temporary guardians have allowed. Yes, they have used their own drama and personal feelings come in the way.

Both sides are still fighting to try to get custody even in light of this whole mess being over. Why? Because it's not about the welfare of the children. To these people it's a like a game.

I'm not going to give details on what's going on but I'll see if she wants to post an update with better information.

So pleased the charges were dropped. Hope the rest of it goes well. It's hard raising children by yourself, and working, and keeping the house perfect but kids need their mom and a bit of "unkempt" never hurt a child.
And if the neighbor had taken the little girl right home none of this other drama would have happened.

With all due respect to baddrummer, the custody issues to the other members of her family are not about a game, and are completely about the welfare of the children; to suggest otherwise when you have not even met those others, and only know Melissa, is unfortunate. Keep in mind that Melissa herself has praised those very same people. Joe, I truly believe that all the individuals involved in this (except perhaps Melissa's Mother), care about and love those children. It is ridiculous for you to draw that conclusion without having ever spoken or met most of the family members involved in their situation. Care about and love Melissa - despite the troubles you two have had you are back together - and it is understandable that you can only base your decisions off what information you have. Melissa entrusted certain people into the care of those children during this time; do not insult her good judgment in choosing good people to look after those children, as I believe there is some overlap between temporary caretakers and some of those who sought custody.

I can completely understand why you are in complete and 100% support of Melissa. The fact is, you don't actually know any of the other individuals that are seeking custody, nor are you stateside and trying to be around these other people first-hand to aide in your evaluation. That puts your opinion at a disadvantage, and the assumption you make does not help her rise above.

I know, based on my earlier post, that you can also tell that I have long and intimate knowledge of the family. The custody issues are going to reveal some things in court that are completely separate from the child and DUID charges. If you knew some of these other factors, you would no doubt be aware that the issue of getting custody from Melissa came up long before year 2010. Before 2009. Before 2008. And et cetera. It is only in light of the legal troubles that we're seeing the activity that has so long been considered.

Just because two people have differing opinions on where a child should be raised - or with whom - does not suggest that either are game-players. All parties need to put on their adult britches and step away from all that nonsense and focus on the real issues. The Melissa I know doesn't need to behave in such a manner, and you would show her much respect to stop such recrimination.

Melissa's charges in Spotsylvania will be dismissed when she appears 31/5/11. The neighbour helped create a scenario where she ended up with multiple charges - instead of just child charges in one county - when she was trying to do the right thing by calling authorities. If anything, it is a disservice to other hardworking parents.

Diego wrote:With all due respect to baddrummer, the custody issues to the other members of her family are not about a game, and are completely about the welfare of the children; to suggest otherwise when you have not even met those others, and only know Melissa, is unfortunate. Keep in mind that Melissa herself has praised those very same people. Joe, I truly believe that all the individuals involved in this (except perhaps Melissa's Mother), care about and love those children. It is ridiculous for you to draw that conclusion without having ever spoken or met most of the family members involved in their situation. Care about and love Melissa - despite the troubles you two have had you are back together - and it is understandable that you can only base your decisions off what information you have. Melissa entrusted certain people into the care of those children during this time; do not insult her good judgment in choosing good people to look after those children, as I believe there is some overlap between temporary caretakers and some of those who sought custody.

I can completely understand why you are in complete and 100% support of Melissa. The fact is, you don't actually know any of the other individuals that are seeking custody, nor are you stateside and trying to be around these other people first-hand to aide in your evaluation. That puts your opinion at a disadvantage, and the assumption you make does not help her rise above.

I know, based on my earlier post, that you can also tell that I have long and intimate knowledge of the family. The custody issues are going to reveal some things in court that are completely separate from the child and DUID charges. If you knew some of these other factors, you would no doubt be aware that the issue of getting custody from Melissa came up long before year 2010. Before 2009. Before 2008. And et cetera. It is only in light of the legal troubles that we're seeing the activity that has so long been considered.

Just because two people have differing opinions on where a child should be raised - or with whom - does not suggest that either are game-players. All parties need to put on their adult britches and step away from all that nonsense and focus on the real issues. The Melissa I know doesn't need to behave in such a manner, and you would show her much respect to stop such recrimination.

Melissa's charges in Spotsylvania will be dismissed when she appears 31/5/11. The neighbour helped create a scenario where she ended up with multiple charges - instead of just child charges in one county - when she was trying to do the right thing by calling authorities. If anything, it is a disservice to other hardworking parents.

Could you please share with us why it would not be in the best interests/welfare for the children to stay with their mother? If these people love and support Melissa and her children, why not allow her to do her best? Why pursue something as drastic as to try and remove the children to make her (and the children) more stressed? If she did something negative years ago, why wouldn't she be permitted to grow, change, and be given a good chance to succeed now? I'm just very curious.

Diego,

Thank you for your response. It is true that I have a bias and of course support her 100%. I also support the initial actions and reasoning for the temporary guardianship.

I've read the petitions and the reasons submitted to the courts for custody as well. I understand that in many ways that those family members might percieve it as doing so for the children, but none of them justify removing the children from her care. It is a very complicated history that you're referring to and I think we share the same idea that much of the information should not be discussed here.

My stance is that regardless of what has happened in the past- and this involves adult interaction and nothing concerning the children- it is futile and still the wrong course of action.

There are a lot of bridges being mended, some that will stay burned (i.e. her mother), and others that are questionable. I may even understand some of these motivations or maybe even agree with them myself, but the things I do not agree with are the timing of the actions, the manner in which they are being done, and the complete lack or trust and respect that I have witnessed- I am not talking about secondhand knowledge but things I have seen written down, actions I have been present for.

I don't know many of the family. Those that I have met I think are great people and have a very positive view on.

My focus is on moving past the charges, giving us a chance to get our lives and families going together. I'd ask if you are a member of the family to contact me in private.

To the mods/admin of the site, I would like to ask that this topic be closed and moved to resolved. The issues in which started the thread are over and the only lingering matters are of a personal nature that should remain private, and already more "dirty laundry" has been aired that anyone would feel comfortable with.

Our policy is that the topic is not fully resolved until it is adjudicated one way or the other. Since there is a court date coming up soon, we would also like to offer Melissa Seay a chance to follow-up with comments if and when she would like as she has done previously. Here is a link to our official policy:

http://www.justice4caylee.org/t9842-removing-names-from-this-website

I don't think it's a matter of removing names, but I will confirm she has chosen to no longer post here, as any other action is regarding custody hearings and should be handled more descreetly.

Thank you.

baddrummer, you can delete your posts if you wish buy clicking on the X next to edit at the top right of your posts. Unfortunately, everything remains in cyberspace somewhere once written though.

Maybe I wasn't clear- I'm not concerned about any names, posts, or replies.

This topic is in the forum "unresoved" when in fact, it is resolved and should be placed in the appropriate section.

In addition, I requested that it be locked- the reasoning is that the criminal charges have been dropped.



http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2011/062011/06012011/630280

A felony charge against a Spotsylvania County woman accused of neglecting her daughter has been dropped.

Melissa Linn Seay, 27, was charged with child cruelty in connection with a Nov. 10 incident in which she called police after her 7-year-old daughter left the home.
The child was fine at a neighbor's house, but Seay ended up with a child cruelty charge.
Yesterday, prosecutor Amanda Duke dropped the charge, citing a lack of evidence.
The Spotsylvania arrest came when Seay was already on bond for an Aug. 26 incident involving the same child.
A police report says Seay was driving erratically at 3 a.m., striking the curb several times. The girl was in the car.
Seay, who was barefoot and wearing pajamas, said she was having an adverse reaction to the prescribed Ambien she was taking and didn't remember anything until she woke up in jail.
Dr. Michael Cohen, Seay's employer, testified that driving while sleepwalking is a possible side effect of Ambien.
Seay was cleared of a felony child endangerment charge in Fredericksburg but was convicted of driving while under the influence of drugs, a misdemeanor. She served five days in jail.
Seay yesterday said she was happy to have her legal problems behind her and is ready to move on with her life. Her daughter returned home yesterday, and Seay is getting married in October.
But Seay said she is disillusioned with how Spotsylvania authorities handled her case and said she should never have been arrested. She said the child was gone for only about 15 minutes.
"I used to have the utmost faith in the legal system and the law," Seay said. "But [Spotsylvania authorities] put me through hell basically for nothing."

Of all charges pertaining to the children:

Child Endangerment - Not guilty
Child Cruelty - Charges dropped

She has been found guilty of the DUID, a misdomeanor, and has served her time.

We want to move on with our lives, and get past the current situations. There are custody cases going on however these hearings are private matters, it is no longer something that I feel others should be coming on here and blasting, especially when in cases of custody dirt is thrown around, accusations are made, and personal information regarding people is posted.

There is a difference between discussing a public trial, and leaving this topic open for discussion when it will now has the potential to involve private matters. Given the history and the amound of damage, slander, and ill will directed at Melissa, I am asking that this thread be closed- there is no purpose to have it open.

By law this site has the right to display all information publicly available, and also in regards to criminal cases on anyone that is displayed. However, now this is going not only into civil law but also in family court.

I would like to warn some of those who have come on here and brought out harmful allegations that posting information to damage one's character, no matter the intent, can come close to violating tort law in regards to a person's right to privacy- especially when the matter is not of public record or of relation to public record.

I thank all of you who have given support over the past few months- many who I became good aquaintences with and have become to know us fairly well. I'd like to apologize for the others.

This is my last reply on the subject, please let us move on.

Thanks for the info badrummer. We can now move to adjudicated. We don't lock topics.

free speech is one thing, but this has turned into a bitch session.i thought our concern here was for the children-take the bs somewhere else!