News
Parrish
continued from page 1
anything? Did a witness really identify Par-
rish near The Grotto carrying something
heavy in a garbage bag? Why did investi-
gators fail to contact the witness? What
about the anonymous caller who painted a
chilling scenario involving four people and
rape? Were those messages a cruel hoax?
Why didn’t investigators follow up on
those tapes?
Each of these questions deserves an
answer, but until more information is made
public the family can only wait.
Other questions may never be easily The Skanner News has created a timeline of events in the case. Find it at
answered. Could this tragedy have been Dipity.com/A Portland Tragedy. The timeline is incomplete. If you have
verifiable information to contribute, email it to Helen@theSkanner.com
prevented? What should justice look like?
People who knew Parrish before he ever
around his neck,” she said. “He was crying
picked up a gun, are asking different ques- arrest.
and he had a busted lip, a black eye, and his
Two
other
women
have
told
The
Skanner
tions. They just can’t square the boy they
cheek was the size of a softball. His hands
News
a
disturbing
story.
Yet,
because
of
know with the crime he’s accused of.
Take Kara Geraty. A medical assistant, concerns for their families, neither of those were sweating because he was so nervous.
whose son played basketball with Parrish moms is willing to speak out publicly. We He’s scared to death of (his father).
The other woman, who we’re calling
when both boys were attending Mt. Tabor agreed to shield their identities because
Madeline
Stone, said when Parrish arrived
other
sources
have
confirmed
key
elements
Middle School in 2006-8,
at her home with choke marks on his neck
in their accounts.
her reaction to news that
According to both she emailed a cell phone photo of the bruis-
he’d been arrested was dis-
women,
Parrish was a ing to his case worker. If any action was
belief.
kind
and
loving
boy who taken, she didn’t see it, she says.
“Whatever happened to
“He told on his dad. He asked for help. He
was abused and aban-
that sweet boy?” she asked.
doned by the adults in his asked the system to help him like we tell our
Geraty says he was a
life. Time after time he children to do, and it didn’t help him.”
likeable kid. Sure, he could
The Skanner News has been unable, so
sought refuge with their
be aggressive at times, but
families. Time after time far, to reach Parrish Bennette Sr. for com-
not more so than plenty of
he was sent back to ment on the allegations. Gene Evans, a
other 12-year-old boys.
spokesperson for Oregon Department of
abuse.
Rob Ingram, former
Human Services, said state and federal law
“DHS
has
known
for
director of the Office of
years, but they won’t do forbids the release of abuse reports and chil-
Youth Violence Preven-
anything about it,” said dren’s case records.
tion, also knew Parrish.
That Parrish was a troubled child was
the woman we’re naming
Before his death last year,
common
knowledge. Years before his
Pat
Curtis.
“I’ve
seen
a
he said he was fond of the
busted cheek and bruises arrest, he was bouncing from school to
Parrish Bennette Jr.
boy and shocked by his
Yashanee’s family and friends
distributed flyers all over the city,
spending hundreds of hours
searching for her.
school – and home to home. When he was
8, his parents split up. His mother moved
away from Oregon taking at least one other
child, but leaving Parrish with his father.
That loss hurt him, Stone says.
Stone also says that over a two-year peri-
od from 2006, Parrish spent weeks on end
living with her.
“He was in my house for two months
before I got a call to make sure he was with
me,” she says. “His dad didn’t want the
responsibility.”
Parrish spent holidays with her family,
she says. She even attended teacher parent
conferences for him at Mt. Tabor.
Stone says Parrish was, “a skinny little
October 17, 2012
See BENETTE on page 14
The Portland Skanner Page 13