The Liza Steinberg homicide case is famously known for involving child abuse. The case was about a wealthy couple Mr. Steinberg and his wife Hedda. Steinberg was an attorney while his wife was an editor. In 1987, the couple was charged with the murder of their adopted daughter Liza. According to Hedda, the daughter had been hit by the father because she wanted to go out with him and he did not want to be accompanied by the six-year-old girl. Upon being hit, Liza became unconscious for hours. Hedda did not report hoping she would wake up on her own. When Steinberg returned home after several hours, the girl was still unconscious (Volk, 1989). It is at this point that Hedda called 911 claiming that Liza had chocked as she was taking her breakfast.
Upon reaching the hospital, the nurses and doctors tried to revive her but the girl died. However, Liza had bruises that indicated abuse. The teachers at Liza’s school also confirmed that the girl always had injuries on her face and head but she always said it is her younger brother Michelle who hurt her (Volk, 1989). In addition, the teachers also claimed the girl came to school on her own crossing the busy streets without the escort of an adult.
Other than Liza, the brother Michelle who was also adopted was found in the house dipped in his own faces and urine. The boy was also tied to a peg and was asleep by the time the police arrived at the Steinberg’s home (Volk, 1989). It was also reported that Hedda was being abused physically by her husband and instead of being incarcerated; she was sought for a psychiatrist. Steinberg on the other hand was charged with first degree manslaughter.
I feel the judgment on Steinberg was lenient because I don’t understand why an attorney and his equally educated wife should have adopted children whom they were not ready to take care of. Steinberg should have been convicted of first-degree murder because his acts of violence and later leaving Liza unconscious to me were intentional. Additionally, the wife was also responsible and should not have been exempted from imprisonment because why was she in the house for a long time and could not clean up the young boy who was sleeping in own wastes.
One thing that the New York Police Department did right was acting swiftly when they received a call from Hedda that fateful morning. It took the officers a few minutes to get to the residence and to rescue the girl. Liza was rushed to St. Vincent Hospital where she died due to brain damage caused by occasional head injuries.
However, there are sources that state that there were anonymous calls from Steinberg’s neighborhood to the police claiming that the couple was abusing children. The reports took place in 1984 but the police did not act on the child abuse claims (Volk, 1989). If the police had taken the anonymous calls seriously, then maybe Liza and her brother would have been rescued preventing her eventual death.
After Hedda and Steinberg were booked for questioning by the police, Steinberg was kept under the watch for any suicidal acts. Hedda on the other hand was taken to a women’s correction facility in the state where the nurse discovered that she was suffering from broken ribs, jaws and the nose. The injuries on Hedda indicated constant physical abuse from her husband and of which she often concealed. The district attorney then asked Hedda to testify against her husband in exchange for freedom. In 1989, Steinberg was convicted of manslaughter which warranted 8-25 years in prison (Volk, 1989). Occasionally, Steinberg had requested for parole which was always declined on claims that he was not showing any remorse for his shameful acts.
If I was in the jury, I would have ensured that both Steinberg and his wife were convicted of murder and child neglect. Additionally, Steinberg should have also been convicted of illegal adoption of Liza because his parenthood to her was not documented. Hedda on the other hand is no better because as much as she was battered, she did not have motherly instincts towards her two adopted children. As such, I would have made sure she is also imprisoned alongside her husband.
In conclusion, the Liza Steinberg homicide case arouses a mixture of emotions because it is sad that Liza and her brother underwent mistreatment from their adopted family. The government also ought to be blamed because it was lenient to parents such as the Steinberg’s. How comes no children officer was sent to the home to observe the conditions under which the children lived. The teachers at Liza’s school should also have taken a step to understand the cause of the girl’s injuries and why she took herself to school. The responsibility of children is an all-round task that is given to anyone who handles them such as teachers and parents. The rules regarding child adoption should also be made stricter to ensure that child molesters and serial killers do not get the privilege of harassing innocent children.