BANGOR, Maine — A woman who starved her 5-year-old daughter to death in 1993 in Bangor, Maine, has dropped her request to be freed from state supervision.
Tonia Kigas Porter, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, was committed to a state psychiatric hospital in 1995. Since 2010, she has lived in an apartment in Augusta, unsupervised except for monthly visits by state mental health workers.
She went before a judge in Kennebec County a week ago to request to be released from all supervision.
WABI-TV reported Friday that a court clerk confirmed that she’s withdrawn the request.
State officials told the judge that Porter is committed to taking her medication, but they can’t guarantee it if she’s not checked in on.
Thank God!
Too many people stop taking the medication and return to being dangerous to others. Since this woman already killed once, there’s no reason to give her the benefit of the doubt now.
Wow! There IS a God!
Where was this God when her child was starving to death? Was it on vacation for a month or did it just not care if the little girl died?
IMO I do not think that she should have ever been out on her own.She should be locked up forever for what she did to that poor little girl. Obviously she doesn’t think she is stable enough to go it alone.
The problem with taking mental problems into account when dealing with a perpetrator is that you ignore the outcome of their actions. Her little girl died a very unpleasant death. It is for God to forgive. I would have locked her away in a dark cold cell forever.
She should of remained locked up but seeing some judge released her, she needs to continued to be monitored for the rest of her disgusting days.
Make the judge without food for a day or two and see how he feels….
I remeber Taviel very well. She was an amazing child with a huge spirit always laughing and smiling. Her mom on the other hand abused the welfare system and treated her daughter poorly. If DHS had investigated all the claims against her this could have been avoided!
I have memories of Taviel coming into our store in Capehart. She was a light in the darkness always happy despite Tonia always being angry. Thank god she dropped this isn’t the freedom she has enough? Taviel doesn’t have it she would be 23 or 24 now RIP little girl.
I for one am glad that she dropped her request-there’s a high probability that she would have stopped taking her meds…what she did was heinous,and unforgivable,and I hope she remembers it for the rest of her days. Those of us who lived here when that happened will never forget Taviel or how she died…RIP Taviel…
I recall the picture of a small white coffin with balloons attacked to it on the front page of the BDN. I recall the Bangor Police Department going to this childs home for complaints of various kinds. I recall with a chill in my bones, the news after her death that rescue by the police was within feet when they went to investigate the complaints ( and the child was actively being starved). I recall the utter and complete failure “of the system.” God Help me understand why this woman is given any consideration what so ever? Oh I know, SO THE SYSTEM CAN FAIL AGAIN. MAY GOD HELP US ALL.
I applaud this woman for somehow taking responsibility for her crime and murder of her child by continuing to check in with state officials. It at the very least proves that she has a conscience and remorse over the situation that happened and realizes that her complete freedom should not be granted.
I completely agree!
I had a close relative who developed paranoid schizophrenia. This woman’s crime was horrible, but if she was in the grips of dementia, she could not distinguish right from wrong. The insanity plea is on the books for cases like this. She was sick at the time, no different than if she had cancer. Let us show a little compassion.