Corese Goldman
--Illinois
It was an unlicensed foster mother who drowned 2-year-old Corese Goldman as punishment during toilet training.
Lillie Easter was convicted in 1997 of killing Corese by beating him and drowning him under a bathtub faucet.
The case was described by authorities as the worst they had ever seen.
Goldman's tiny body was scarred by hundreds of marks--evidence of past abuse--although Assistant State's Attorney Kevin Byrne conceded that some of the marks could have been inflicted in some of the previous foster homes in which Corese had stayed.
His parents, Maurice Goldman and Sharon Robinson, said after the trial that they had not wanted Easter sentenced to death, as the prosecutor had requested.
"That's just taking another life," said Robinson, who had four other children in foster care, three of whom were in Easter's home with Corese.
Goldman agreed, but added: "I still feel really hurt about my son. You can never put some things behind you."
Adapted from Lorraine Forte, "Foster Mom Gets Life for Child's Murder," Chicago Sun Times, July 3, 1997 and other sources.
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Last updated May 14, 2000