A 2-year-old child was found unresponsive in the home of former Massachusetts police lieutenant, Lt. James Anthony Feeley, who is currently facing child rape charges. Tragically, the child was rushed to the hospital but could not be saved, according to authorities.
The incident occurred in Winthrop, a quiet town in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Lt. Feeley, a 20-year veteran of the police force, had been detained since late December after being arrested and charged with aggravated statutory rape of a child and two counts of indecent assault and battery of a child under 14. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges.
The toddler’s death, which is currently under investigation, showed no immediate signs of foul play or physical trauma, as stated by a spokesperson for Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden. However, further details regarding the cause of death are pending an autopsy.
Lt. Feeley, who was also a foster parent, had been known to the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. The child involved in the alleged abuse disclosed that the abuse had been ongoing for approximately a year, although it remains unclear if the child was under Feeley’s foster care.
The circumstances surrounding the child’s death took a distressing turn when Feeley admitted to the crimes on Christmas night while standing by his parents’ gravesites. In a desperate state, Feeley reached out to Winthrop Police Chief Terence Delehanty’s brother, who is a sergeant on the force, expressing his need to talk to Delehanty, a long-time acquaintance of Feeley’s.
Upon Delehanty’s arrival at the cemetery, Feeley handed over his gun and was subsequently admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston for a psychiatric evaluation. The gravity of the situation became apparent as Feeley cryptically responded to Delehanty’s inquiry about his presence in the cemetery with the words, “What do you think?”
Feeley, who had been promoted to lieutenant in January 2020, is currently being held on $200,000 bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for January 29.
As the investigation into the child’s death continues, the community remains in shock over the tragic events that unfolded in the home of a former police officer. The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of protecting the most vulnerable members of society and the need for swift justice in cases of alleged child abuse.
3 Responses
What steps can society take to ensure the safety and well-being of children, especially in cases involving individuals in positions of authority?
My heart goes out to the family of the child involved in this tragic incident. As a parent myself, it is a constant reminder of the importance of child safety and supervision. Reading this post has reinforced my commitment to ensuring the safety of my own children.
One of my personal goals is to create a safe and child-friendly environment in my home. This includes childproofing the house, installing safety gates, and keeping hazardous substances out of reach. I also plan on educating myself and my family members on
HOW and WHY are ANY children (ESPECIALLY foster children) in the care of a man KNOWN to DCFS, severely and consistently abused the authority he held as a a police lieutenant, and is formally charged with multiple counts of child abuse? Guilty until proven, innocent, without question, but after formal charges are filed, any vulnerable individuals should immediately be removed from the care of the accused, pending the outcome of the legal proceedings. A TODDLER? Suffold should be ashamed. There is NO EXCUSE for the complete and utter failure of every person, protocol, policy, and system put into place by DCFS for the SOLE purpose of protecting the safety and wellbeing of children/vulnerable individuals/families. How does every single person involved, aware, and responsible (theoretically) for the care of this child fail him? Imagine if the top 1% donated even a half a percent of their profits to DCFS in their state to ensure foster children aren’t systematically abused and actively being placed in homes with violent sexual predators?