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Topic: Social Enterprise

Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

Summary: 12-year-old Ramie Grimmer posted a chilling message on Facebook earlier this week. Hours later, her mother shot Ramie, Ramie's brother, and herself. Last night, Ramie died of gunshot wounds.

Emil Protalinski

By for Friending Facebook |

12-year-old Ramie Grimmer died yesterday after being shot by her mother, officials confirmed today. Earlier this week, she predicted her death by writing "May die 2today" on Facebook.

Ramie posted the message on Monday during a seven-hour standoff with police at a Texas welfare office. 38-year-old Rachelle Grimmer, Ramie's mother, took a supervisor hostage after her family was denied food stamps.

Grimmer eventually released the supervisor, but later shot her two kids: Ramie and 10-year-old Timothy Grimmer, before killing herself. Police spokesman Joe Baeza said Ramie died of gunshot wounds last night, according to CBS News, while Timothy remains in critical condition. He will remain in the hospital for some time and will then be released into the care of relatives.

The children's grandmother, Mary Lee Shepherd, said her former daughter-in-law had a history of mental problems. The family moved to Texas from Ohio nine months ago, and wandered from residence to residence. At one point they lived in a tent on the beach from which they sometimes begged for food. Texas Child Protective Services had been asked to look into the status of the children while they were living on the beach, but determined no signs of abuse or neglect. Private charities in the area said the Grimmers never requested help.

The mother first applied for food stamps in July but the Texas Department of Health and Human Services says the agency rejected Grimmer's application because she did not submit enough information. Authorities were unable to reach her to find out more, so the case was eventually closed. It appears the Grimmers never received any benefits from the state, despite their situation.

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46 comments
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  • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

    Tragic all round.

    Pity they just didn't give her the damn stamps.
    Claverhouse
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

      @Claverhouse

      It's a damn shame, but if they needed food stamps how did they have access to Facebook?
      Rob.sharp
      Reply Vote

      • A very fair question

        @rob.sharp@... It is always amazing how people who claim to have economical needs, never have any problems paying for non-essential luxuries.
        wackoae
        Reply Vote

      • Misplaced priorities maybe? It was a mentally unstable person after all

        n/t
        Federico Churca Torrusio
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

        @wackoae: Uhm, sure, let's assume that the people with a hundred macbooks are far more common than those poor people who you won't hear anything about since they have no access to computers. Just because the loud minority often is composed of crazy people that also often are wrong, that doesn't say anything about the silent majority. That silent majority who cant afford a computer, or even can't afford to get to a library to borrow one.

        It would be like saying that because at least one of your friends is a proven hypocrite, you must be one too. But you don't like that conclusion as much, do you?
        Natanael_L
        Reply Vote

      • Re: Girl predicts her death on FB

        @rob.sharp@...

        In your zeal for blaming the victim, you forgot about public libraries. Public libraries offer free Internet access. Sometimes to the whole public, more often to card holders only.

        The article really tells us too little to know if that is how she got access. Less likely is that she had a cell phone or an iPod accessing a nearby wifi access point.
        mejohnsn
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

        @rob.sharp@... Rick?? Rick Parry is that you??.......School? Public Library? Workforce Services........maybe even a dumb-phone from a grandparent?

        You people should be ashamed! I hope karma bites you in the a**!
        ssc@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

        @rob.sharp... <br>Have you ever heard of a public library? They have PCs to use for free there. My little sister uses them all the time, as she lives in a rural area and has no internet connection.
        micah_
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

        @rob.sharp@... Let's do some investigation and answer your question, since it seems you are serious about it. I'd like to start by saying that your ignorance has caused you to be an asshole. And that is what ignorance does to people. Wake up. Secondly, she got facebook the same way everyone does, the only way. Connecting to the internet. Now lets investigate how that could have been done with no money. Ever heard of Wi-Fi big guy? Oh you have? Ok cool, don't be a dick until you read and use that thing called common sense.
        bevillain
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

      @Claverhouse I've unfortunately had to deal with state/govt institutions a couple times during this economy. Probably wasn't able to provide proof or residence or some such nonsense. F$#%^%! Bureaucratic filth! Texas no less........somewhere Rick Parry lights a cigar and smiles......''serves em right" to the cheers of tea-baggers everywhere.............sigh
      ssc@...
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

    What a damn shame.
    smulji
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

      @ wackoae@ In this day and age, its evident that some people need to learn a few things.
      1.) My home, burned down in 2008, (December 12th), and even though I had called the insurance company the next morning from my nieces' home, I had to submit a report online.
      2.) To receive benefits during this time, I also had to use a computer to submit all pertinent information, and ended up having to use email numerous times. After getting some clothes for my wife, our two sons, and myself, the very next thing I purchased was a cheap laptop; since my niece had to use her computer for work.

      Its the times we live in....
      Rapid Rec
      Reply 1 Vote

      • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

        @Rapid Rec

        This wasn't a case of a family buying a cheap laptop. The children posted to their facebook accounts via cell phones.

        Timothy's facebook page is still up and running.

        No matter how one looks at it, a cell phone with a texting plan is not a necessity for ten and twelve year old children, who's family is struggling to provide food and shelter.

        http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002855864255&ref=ts#!/profile.php?id=100002855864255&sk=wall
        halt20
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

    "It appears the Grimmers never received any benefits from the state, despite their situation."

    Ya think?
    grahamfluet
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

      @grahamfluet I'm not usually that political, but thank Rick Perry for that one. Fortunately he seems to have fallen in his run for being President, otherwise I would be really frightened for this country.

      Prayers for the dear children who had nobody to look out for them and love them as they truly deserved.
      terry flores
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

        @terry flores Yeah, and I think those kids were in danger even if they had gotten food stamps....
        Rapid Rec
        Reply Vote

    • As somebody pointed out before ....

      @grahamfluet .... they need food stamps, but had no problem paying for non-essential services like internet access (they can get that for free at a local library or McDs free wi-fi) or cellphone.

      This problem has more to do with the mental health of the woman, than actual economical hardship on the family.
      wackoae
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

        @wackoae: The source article said nothing about how or where they accessed the internet. As far as I can tell, the update can have been written from a friend's house.

        (But of course, in this case it's more about mental health than economics.)
        Natanael_L
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

        @wackoae Again........the places where you apply for government services?? Usually they do have computers open to the public for job searching and the actual applying for those benefits! Shame on them for being poor!

        Other options? Friends house, public school, library, wifi at McD's or, believe it or not, you can post to facebook with an old school phone that is a 'necessity' when looking for work. Boost, Cricket, any of those sound familiar?

        And shame on you for being a disgusting excuse for a human being!
        ssc@...
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Girl predicts her death on Facebook, shot by mother

    Once again we see how awesome facebook is. Arab revolutions... death predictions.. just amazing.
    paul2011
    Reply Vote
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