Do you all remember the movie made about the 3 year old toddler who was tortured and beaten to death by his adoptive/foster mother. They already had a son who was alittle older. His mother was forced to give him up for adoption when she was a teenager, 19 years later she learned that he had died. The whole town covered up for his foster mother. His real mother started to investigate and was determined to find out exactly what happened to him, she couldnt make sense of the autopsy report, it conflicted with the rule of his death. She ended up getting the real son, who was then a police officer, to confess what happened and the foster mother was convicted and sent to prison over 20 years later after the death. I cried through that whole movie, it touched my heart when I first saw it, so sad. I guess remembering back, he reminded me of James as well, about the same age, blonde hair and chunky, except this little one had to go through the first years of his being tortured by his distrubed foster mother, he got some justice, as she was sent to prison, but not before she stole his young life and innocense away.

Dennis Jurgens was his name, such a cute little baby. Oh this woman did horrible things, it says that she is suspected of burning down the house with her first adoptive sons grandmother in it, who died, and he was sent back to live with the Jurgens after he was removed. It also says that she threated family and neighbors with arson and that she sadistically abused four more foster children before they ran away to find safety from neighbors. She is also suspected of poisoning her husband to death. She only spent 8 years in prison and now lives a quiet peaceful life in Minnesota.

Gosh Shelley,

I've just read about this lovely boy on the net - I can't come to terms with how this can happen to such innocent, beautiful little children - who have never even yet committed a sin, who aren't even capable of comprehending why or how or what?? I can only think that somehow, these innocents slipped through God's fingers, into such harrowing darkness, and preyed upon by such evil. Because I cannot let the few depraved, unfeeling, cruel rob me of my faith in Jesus. I know that God loved James, as he loved Dennis, as he loved all innocent victims, and I know that in Heaven, these beautiful children will reap the greatest reward.

I don't even want to spend my time thinking of the murderers (no matter what their ages or 'circumstances') - I feel no pity for them, nor do I care about them or their excuses - they have God to answer to, not me. Hate is not a good thing, but I'm sorry, all I can feel for the murderers of innocent children is hatred, and time will never change that.

WOW, I HAVE HELD THIS STORY CLOSE TO ME AS WELL AS THE SHANDA SHARER STORY. LITTLE DENNIS DEALT WITH SO MUCH TORTURE FOR A FEW YEARS OF HIS LITTLE LIFE.MY CHUBBY LITTLE ONE YEAR IS MY WHOLE WORLD AND I AM DISGUSTED AT THE SICK THINGS PEOPLE DO TO CHILDREN. IT IS HORRIBLE BUT FINALLY THAT WITCH OF A PERSON WHO DID THIS WENT TO PRISON AS AN OLD LADY!!!MAY SHE ROT IN HELL AS WELL AS PRISON!!!
SARAH

I have never heard of this little Dennis until now, I will have too look into his tragic story. So sad, may he rest in peace.

I READ THE BOOK ALSO. IT'S CALLED "A DEATH IN WHITE BEAR LAKE". VERY SAD AND UPSETTING THE TORTURE THIS POOR CHILD DEALT WITH. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE DETAILS. THIS BOOK TELLS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO LITTLE DENNIS!!! AS SICK AS IT MAY BE. REST IN PEACE DENNIS AND JAMES. MAY YOU BE PLAYMATES FOR ETERNITY!

Hi Carla, there is actually a movie made, the title of my post is I believe the movie title. This lady only wanted Dennis because she wanted others to see she had a "perfect" family, but you cant have a perfect life if you abuse and kill your babies! Poor poor Dennis, he had bite and burn marks on his tiny genitals and butt, and she had made him eat horse raddish while she choked it down him, turning him blue. She also use to make him sit on his keens with a broom stick underneath his knee caps while he had to recite the Catholic prayer, he was only two years old. She thought this baby was evil because he was energetic and lively, also she starved him because she thought he was fat, so he only gained 2 or 3lbs from the time he was a baby until 3 and a half when she murdered him. She is still alive and living quietly in Minnesota...Sorry, Dennis real mother was forced to give him up because she was a teenage mother, but she ended up marrying Dennis father and having four more children with him. As far as I know, they are still married.

That is really sad, I was a teenage mother and I managed to get through it all. His mother should have been able to keep him. That is the biggest bull ever. Make a mother who has a natural and unconditional love for her child give him away to a person who doesn't love him and abuses and kills him. This world doesn't make any sense to me anymore.

I was a teenage mother too. From what I have read, Dennis was given to an elderly lady who cared for him for the first year of his life, maybe that is why he was so happy and energetic.

So he was given to one laday and then to another and the other abused him??

HEY CARLA, HE WAS ADOPTED BY AN OLDER COUPLE WHO HAD ALREADY ADOPTED ONE BOY. HE WAS NOT ADOPTED UNTIL HE WAS OVER A YEAR OLD. THE WOMAN THAT ADOPTED HIM WAS CRAZY AND HAD ACTUALLY BEEN CONSIDERED MENTALLY ILL AND HAD VISITED MENTAL INSTITUTIONS. SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO ADOPT THERE WAS A REASON GOD DID NOT ALLOW HER TO HAVE HER OWN!!IT TOOK THEM AWHILE TO EVEN GET ANY KIDS TO ADOPT. ONCE SHE GOT DENNIS SHE COMPARED HIM TO THE CALMER OLDER BOY AND SAID HE WAS EVIL AND FAT. SHE TORTURED HIM FOR NEARLY 3 YEARS BEFORE KILLING HIM. HE WAS MALNUTRITIONED AND DIED FROM A PERFORATED BOWEL. SHE MADE HIM EAT VOMIT AND THREW HIM IN SCLDING WATER. HE WAS PUNISHED AT THE AGE OF 2 FOR NOT RECITING HIS ROSEARY'S PROPERLY. AND SHE WOULD CLIP A CLOTHESPIN ON HIS GENITALS OR CONTINUOUSLY DUNK HIS HEAD IN WATER. WHEN HER HUSBAND FINALLY CALLED THE AUTHORITIES HE HAD BEEN DEAD FOR QUITE SOME TIME, RIGOR MORTIS HAD ALREADY SET IN AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THE DESCRIPTION OF HIS BODY AND THE WAY IN WHICH IT WAS FOUND. HORRIBLE, I MEAN THAT STORY IS ONE OF THE MOST HEART WRENCING THAT I HAVE EVER HEARD!!! YEARS LATER HIS REAL MOTHER WENT TO FIND HIM AND FOUND OUT HE HAD PASSED AS A CHILD. SHE INVESTIGATED, EVENTUALLY PEOPLE AND FAMILY OF LOIS(THE EVIL WOMAN)CAME FORWARD AND TESTIFIED THAT SHE HAD INDEED ABUSED HIM. THIS ALL HAPPENED IN THE 60'S WHEN PEOPLE DID NOT GET INTO THE PRIVATE BUSINESS OF A MOTHER AND HER CHILDREN. I WISH SOMEONE WOULD HAVE STEPPED IN INSTEAD OF TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK."THE DEATH IN WHITE BEAR LAKE" THAT'S THE NAME OF HIS SHORT LIFE STORY. SO I HOPE THIS HELPED OUT A LITTLE BIT. THERE IS NOT TOO MUCH ON THE INTERNET ABOUT DENNIS AND I HAVE ONLY EVER SEEN ONE PICTURE.REST IN PEACE DENNIS

Ok, I just read his story on wikipedia. I can't tell you how I feel. And I found his picture, what a beautiful, adorable little boy. I can't believe that women only served 8 years. She should have been in prison until the day she died. She should have been given the death penalty actually. I really hope that when these sick and twisted people die that their time does come when they need to face everything they have done in this world and that they are punished for it. I can't believe that Dennis's beautiful little life until the day he was given to her was not worth more than 8 years in the eyes of the justice system. Something is terribly wrong here. I am so sorry for the pain that she had inflicted on him for most of his life. No child deserves that, I am so sad, and angry!! That is the worst story of child abuse I have ever read.

Yes Carla, he was given to an elderly lady who cared for him for the first year and then adopted to an older couple, the Jurgens. He was also in and out of the hospital before his death, he was thrown down stairs, but he did have some kind of bowel rupture, but they labeled it something to do with what Sarah wrote. The older boy testified that the day Dennis died his mother threw him down the stairs. It was a mess...that poor baby.

He was given to the elder lady where he was loved and well cared for, but it was foster care, and just past one year of age, the Jurgens adopted him. It also said that Lois threw him down the stairs many times. In the movie when the older brother testified, he said that Dennis was crying and she got enraged and threw him down the stairs and he never heard him cry after that, like he knew something horrible had happened, because Dennis should have been crying after having been thrown down the stairs. The movie is heart wrenching, I cried through the whole thing. I havent read the book yet, but I think I will see if I can find it.

How awful!! Poor little boy. I had never heard of this story. I can't read up on it though because its to sad and I don't want to feel that way again like I feel with James. I read up on the Yates children a while back and I can't begin to tell you all how that made me feel. I'm sure you can imagine. I can't read no more.

Actually I take that back that she should have been the death penalty, she should have been publicly burned to death slowly. I am seriously angry about this. That poor little boy. I read that one of the persons involved in the case said that he had experienced more pain and torture in his short life than most adults do in an entire lifetime.

I WONDER WHY HE ONLY HAS ONE PICTURE. IT MAKES ME SAD THAT NO ONE LOVED HIM ENOUGH TO TAKE PICTURES OF HIM. SO NOT ONLY WAS HE ALONE IN HIS DAY TO DAY STRUGGLE,HE WAS SADISTICALLY ABUSED. POOR SWEET BABY. THAT JUST ****** ME OFF!!

Murder is the ultimate sin, it doesn't get any more sinful that that, but murder of an innocent and helpless child is the most unforgivable of ultimate sin and it is unbelievable that anyone who believes in god could do such a crime. That must be the worst crime against what god had put us here for ever. I can't even explain what I'm trying to say. Sure kids can be frustrating at times, but they will always be the perfect picture of innocence no matter what. It's a shame that not everyone feels that way.

I agree with you Sarah, I thought the same thing, a side picture of this beautiful baby, they made a movie about this, you would think there would be more pictures, but Im wondering if Lois didnt destroy his pictures because in the movie she wouldnt give his real mother any pictures...maybe after he died she got rid of them...who knows. This woman is a suspect in her husbands death as well as her first adopted sons grandmothers death. She is evil beyond words.

I just read about little Dennis,and what happened to him is absolutely heartbreaking!
I saw his picture too and he's such a beautiful little boy..how can anyone harm such an innocent child like that?!..it just makes me so sick and angry!

And to think that Lois got out of jail on "good behavior" after serving only 8 years?
So disgusting....

I think if she got out of jail for good behavior then it shows she couldnt blame the mental illness for killing Dennis. If she can be good in prison then why couldnt she be good to Dennis? Because she chose not to be imo. She took how many lives..nobody knows for certain, but I also remember, to try and scare her oldest adopted son into not testifying, she sent him a doll in a box, like a coffin...it was a threat against his own child at the time.

Where can I locate the picture of little Dennis?? During my search for information on him, I ran into this site.....take a look guys & remember that that every child pictured has been murdered

http://suncanaa.com/in_memory_

Oh my goodness. That is so sad!! That poor baby. I could not imagine hurting a child. I do not know how those people were ever allowed to have that child. I guess thats what happens when you have family working for the police dept. that can cover up your tracks, huh? That is sick what she done to that baby-God will punish her. That baby died a horrible death. Ive seen people come into my office for that!

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pis&GSln=Jurgens+&GSfn=Dennis+&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=6465523&PIgrid=6465523&PIcrid=83445&PIpi=252540&

This is a picture of him and his headstone.

What do you do for a living????

Are you asking me?

Yes,I was speaking to you Tiffany, sorry, trying to do from work & we are busy today

I work for a Cancer clinic as a Medical Assistant. What do you do?

I used to work in administration for medical clinics, but now work at a health insurance company

I was thinking a lot about Dennis and James last night. I am so glad that you shared Dennis' Story with us. I was thinking about their short little lives, and the similarities and the differences. James lived a happy yet short life. A bright boy with lots of love to give and everyone around him gave that same love back. As for little Dennis, he was basically taken from his birth mother because of her young age. Put into the Foster care system, beaten, tortured, mutilated in his private parts, and was never given the love that I know every baby yearns for. I cried for this baby boy last night, worse than I have ever cried before. It’s terrible the pain that Dennis had to endure his entire 3 1/2 years of life. Having his head shoved into water, being beaten, force-fed horseradish until he couldn’t breathe, cutting off his oxygen supply. Making him vomit and then forcing him to eat his own vomit. Calling him names like Sloppy fat and starving him because he was a little chunky baby boy. She mutilated his genitalia, not only burning it, but putting a clothespin on it. Maybe so he could not pee? Could this be one of the reasons that he died from peritonitis? Well, it definitely contributed to it! Along with the continuous severe beatings and severe malnutrition. This baby's autopsy report showed that he was brutally beaten and had bruises old and new. He was so dehydrated and malnutrition that he did not even have any subcutaneous fat, which is layers of fat just below your skin that basically "Cushions" your body. She even made this baby wear sunglasses to cover up his black eyes that she gave him. I am so furious about them letting her off as they did. Kind of like James' Murderers. This is freaking ridiculous!! I really think that if I was to see this lady ever in my life, well, I am not going to go there just because I believe that God definitely has it in for her. And one day soon she will meet him and have to answer to Dennis-and he will have God on his side. And I pray that there is no mercy for what she has done to this precious boy. I can not believe that there are so many children that have gone through such torture.

I must share with you all: I went to my Big, little cousin’s grave over the weekend. He was born on 4-6-1978 and died on 5-1-1978. Just a baby. My Mom told me that he died from dehydration. And that he died in his Mothers (my Aunt) arms. It saddens me that his little life was gone so quickly. I was born several years after, but I am still saddened because he not only did he miss out on so much, but our entire family missed out on having him in our lives. He was the first grandchild of the family, and can you believe that not even my Grandfather remember it? It really disgusted me. I after all these years have been yearning to go to his grave, and I finally did it. It was painful, yet I felt better once I was there. It took forever to find his grave, because there were so many child/baby graves. I even took the time to visit some of them. Short lives surrounded me everywhere I turned and I was just standing there thinking to myself, why? I prayed for all of them. I will visit more often now that I know where he is at, it is a very beautiful cemetery and it is well kept. So I know his little soul is happy with his body at rest there. His Mother moved away after he died. So she doesn’t visit him, I from this point on, I will, it’s about and hour from where I live, but is worth the time and the drive to me. Thank you for letting me share.

Have a blessed day!!

If you dont know where to find Dennis' story please check out the links below. He is worth our time too!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Jurgens

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?GRid=6465523&page=gr

That is really sad about your lil cousin Tiffany. May he Rest in Peace! I have a lil cousin who died before I met him as well and I have visited his grave a few times with my Grandma, before she passed away. He had a very rare disease where his muscles wouldn't develop and he didn't have the strength to even cough, so he eventually died, but not sure what the disease was and his heart never grew either, its really sad, and it is so sad to visit the childrens section of the cemetary, that they had such short lil lives, but I pray they are all happy in the spirit world.

Hi Tiffany, I have talked to some of Dennis's relatives on his birthmothers side, and he was a happy baby anyways, despite his torture. Must have been a miracle. I too, had a cousin, we were close in age, die of cancer at 10 years of age. We were best friends growing up because we were so close in age and went to the same private school, he was a year younger than me. There is a small cemetary down the road from me, every year I gather up flowers from around the house. I get alot of fake ones to decorate, but when I redecorate, I take all the other ones a decorate the graves that dont have flowers on them. I would love to send James a bunch of flowers oneday, I'd really like to visit his grave in person. My sisters baby died right after birth last year and he has the most beautiful grave, he was her first born, he was sick and his lungs didnt develop right. It is filled with balloons, plants and all kinds of really cute stuff. It almost looks like he is having a party over there...she is now having another baby that is due in Dec. We will find out what she is having on July 18th. Im happy for her. Im going on an on now, but I wanted to tell you that about Dennis, because he was a very energetic, happy baby just like James, that lady who had him for the first year took very good care of him, she was alittle older and Dennis was her only child so he got lots of attention.

Shelley, why did she give him up? Was he taken from her?

I am so sorry to hear about your cousin. I actually worked with children with cancer about two years ago. It was the saddest job I have ever had in my life. But you know, the children are so much better than adults going through treatment. It is so weird how brave and energetic they are. Skipping all the way down the halls. Until you get the needle near them, that was the only time I ever seen any of them cry. Except for when they got really sick. I had to get out of that. I feel sometimes I should go back, because I have one of those personalities that just can make a child happy. But I would have nightmares about the babies going through everything. Even loosing them. I just couldn’t take the pain any more. I hope your sister has a healthy baby this time. I am so sorry to hear about your family’s loss. Carla-you too I am sorry for your family’s loss. A baby is something that should never die. There is a really good heart wrenching book you all might enjoy; it’s called Titanic, the Polar Bear. I recommend it to all. Bless you all TTFN!!

Hey Shell, one more thing, I emailed you last week, I just wanted to make sure you got it, Our emails here are acting crazy!! Have a great night!

Hey all I was reading about all the youngsters and their deaths of some of your loved ones. I am sorry for your losses. Dennis' death brings on a new sadness for me though. I was 12 at the time strangely enough I found out about James and Dennis the same year! My grandfather was in the hospital after having a stroke a few days before the movie "A CHILD LOST FOREVER" came out and I remember watching it and thinking of Dennis for a long time therafter. On visits to see my grandfather I thought of him as well. My grandad died that Thanksgiving and for some reason I have always connected the 2! So hearing about little Dennise always reminds me of that terrible fall and all that we endured. And even as a child I went into his room before the coroner came to get his body and I am haunted by this to this day. My grandmother weeping by his side and refusing to let go of his hand. My dad telling her "he's gone MOM we have to let them take him now" It was horrible and I'm crying right now!! I can not imagine the feeling of James and Dennis' mothers. I know they are strong people but those kinds of memories just don't ever leave you. I just needed to get that out and maybe it will help me some.I have not thought of this for awhile and maybe I should've! I Love you James and Dennis.

Hi Tiff, yes I got ur email, I was going to write you back but Im having problems with my computer too, there must be something in the air. I got ur email today too, I passed it along, thanks for sending it, it was sweet. You know when Jason died, he was away in a hospital and I was so young, I remember going through shock, but not grief. It wasnt until I became an adult that I was able to grieve for him...I dont know why. Tiffany, I dont know how you do your job, but God put you in the right place. Take care

Shelley and Sarah & Everyone else too!

It's funny how you said that you don't know how I can do my job. Well, in May 1996 I was 14, my Grandmother was diagnosed with Cancer, and my Mom had a terrible car wreck disabling her. Her entire face was crushed and she had several reconstructive surgeries to repair the damage, still to this day she can’t even smell. I had to quit school, because I didn’t have any way to get to and from, so I didn’t even get to graduate high school. Anyway, my Grandmother was so sick all the time, she quit her job, sold everything she owned, and moved in with us. Well, I was the lucky one to have her move into my room. We bonded pretty well in those short months, her, my mom and I. She apologized for any wrong she ever done to us-I won’t go to deep into the details, but, our relationship struggled before she had cancer. I felt like I was always the last in line, below the rest of my cousins it felt like, but now that I am older I understand why. I had a good Mom that took care of me, my cousins didn’t. And well, her and my Mom had there own things that they worked out. But it was an eye opening experience. Well she died in my room, less than 5 feet away from me, in the middle of the night. I remember my Mom screaming "momma no! Momma no!" And I sat up in my bed and I knew what had happened. She was the closest person I ever been to that died, no one really understands the effect that it had on me, and continues to have on me. I never moved out of that room until we moved out of the house. It made me so strong, some would think I would be a basket case, but I’m not. She and I made peace in that room and I am glad that she passed there with me, instead of somewhere by herself. It is one of those weird things I guess. I love her so much still to this day. I visited her Grave too over the weekend, her Birthday was last Friday-she would have been 69! But she told me not to ever give up in life, to go back to school, that I had too much potential to go to waste. And I did just that. I ended getting my GED when I was 16-I am the only one of my cousins and including my brother that did it, and the I went to college for the Medical Assisting after I had my second baby. I had a string of successful jobs for my young age prior to the college, but I was never really satisfied. So the oncology kind of fell into my lap. And working with cancer patients is more rewarding than sad. Of course you have those who pass, but at the point that it happens, it’s usually for the best. It is hard, and I do get attached. But my patients love me, and I love them too. I am glad that they count on me as they do. And they all love my attitude and understanding for what they are going through. I am thankful for my experience when I was younger, because without that, I probably would not do this. I think that this is what I was meant to do, the hardest for me was working with children, maybe one day I will go back to it, because I am so great with kids, but not any time soon-they were hard to loose-that is why working with adults now is not so hard. We do have more success stories than bad, but it’s getting easier. I do cry for them when they go, sometimes even attending there funerals to help the families. They appreciate having someone so caring being around and taking care of there sick loved one, Its hard-but like they say, someone’s got to do it! And I think that God prepared me at a young age for it! I even had a patient tell me that I am an Angel in disguise. I liked that, it was sweet. So that is why-sorry so long, but that’s the story!! You all have a great day! Talk to ya later!

Tiff

I AM DISGUSTED AT PEOPLE LIKE THESE WHO OUT OF PURE MALICE SUBJECT INNOCENT CHILDREN TO THESE GROTESQUE AND INEXPLICABLE TORTURES. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR ANYONE WHO DOES THIS OR ANYONE WHO KNOWS ABOUT THIS AND DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT. THESE PEOPLE SHOULD BE SUBJECTED TO THE SAME PUNISHMENT AND I WOULD GLADLY INFLICT IT. I AM SORRY BUT PEOPLE HAVE STOPPED STANDING UP FOR CHILDREN , FOR INNOCENCE AND NOTHING WOULD MAKE ME HAPPIER THAN TO HAVE SOMEONE LIKE THIS OWMAN WHO TORTURED PORO DENNIS UNDERGOE THE SAME OR WORSE . IT LITERALLY DISGUSTS ME THAT SHE IS LINVING A QUIET AND PEACEFUL LIFE, SHE DOES NOT DESERVE A LIFE, ANY KIND OF LIFE.
IT BREAKS MY HEART TO EVEN THINK OF WHAT THIS BABY , BECASUE HE WAS STILL A BABY,ENDURED, MAKES ME WANT TO GO LOOK FOR THIS WOAMN AND MAKE HER LIFE A LITTLE LESS PEACEFUL, GOD FORGIVE ME!!!!