Article: EDITORIAL: Melanie Smith: A battered boy's message to mom.

Dec. 13--Dear Mom,

I heard that a judge in Muskogee County has sent you to prison for 16 years for child neglect and child endangerment. Those are big words for a 5-year-old boy. What it means is that you were really mean to me.

My foster parents are taking good care of me. My foster mom says I'm doing the best I can and "making progress." She told the judge in court the other day that I still hog food, but can you blame me? When I lived with you, you hardly let me eat anything but Ramen noodles. When I was taken from our house last year, I was 4 years old but only weighed 26 pounds!

My foster mom says I still have flashbacks to what went on in ...

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