Born and Raised to Murder: A Failure of Foster Care
by Irene Sullivan
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Pub Date 18 Jun 2024 | Archive Date 3 Jul 2024
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Description
When Florida juvenile judge Irene Sullivan read about the arrest of the young man who killed two college kids camping in the Ocala National Forest, she took action—in a surprising way. She began writing to Leo Boatman, 19, determined to understand what led him to commit such a random, violent act. She shares their correspondence, and examines many other cases of delinquency and its destructive trajectory, in her first book, Raised by the Courts: One Judge's Insight into Juvenile Justice.
Here, in Born and Raised to Murder, Sullivan continues her exploration into a foster care system that abuses, neglects, and incarcerates children, like Boatman, who seem unable to break free from a cycle of crime. Through her singular relationship with Boatman, she offers a rare insider’s view into his background, not as an excuse for his crimes, but as a way to understand how a bright bookworm of a child ended up a killer on death row.
You’ll read about Sullivan’s role as a defense witness in Boatman’s trial, enlightening perspectives from juvenile delinquency experts Kenneth Wooden, Dewey Caruthers, and Dr. Adele Solazzo, as well as Boatman himself.
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"I want my story to be told so what happened to me never happens to another foster kid. If you want to create a pit bull, put a kid in solitary confinement in a juvenile prison, without books to read and taunted by prison guards." —Leo Boatman
A Note From the Publisher
years as a family and juvenile judge, presiding over cases
involving child abuse, domestic violence, family conflict and
juvenile crimes. She is now appointed as a Guardian ad Litem
to be the voice of the child and make recommendations that
are in the child’s best interest in divorce and paternity cases.
Irene is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and worked for a few years as a newspaper reporter and magazine editor before attending law school—Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida, near St. Petersburg. For 22 years she practiced law with a large St. Petersburg firm. In 1998, Irene was elected as a Circuit Judge and served for 12 years before retiring and becoming an adjunct professor of juvenile law at Stetson University College of Law until 2022.
Irene is the author of Raised by the Courts: One Judge’s
Insight into Juvenile Justice, real stories about the children
in her court. She is the co-author of You Can’t Raise Children
by Text: Better Co-parenting in a Digital World, written with child psychologist Dr. Lisa Negrini, a guide to improve coparenting in divorce and paternity situations.
Irene is very active in her community, sitting on the boards of many nonprofit organizations and has received many awards for her judicial service and community involvement.
Advance Praise
"In this book, Judge Sullivan skillfully 'pulls back the curtain' to illuminate the circumstances that led Leo Boatman to kill two college students within a few seconds of exchanging pleasantries with them along a park trail. This book is as compelling as it is disturbing; it is a masterful account that helps the reader to understand the murderer without excusing his behavior."
-- Kathleen M. Heide, Ph.D., Distinguished University Professor, University of South Florida; Editor of The Routledge International Handbook of Juvenile Homicide
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Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9798891322912 |
| PRICE | US$18.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 264 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Emma N, Reviewer
Content Warning: Child Sexual, Emotional and Physical Abuse, Graphic description of homicide, Emotional and physical neglect
Irene Sullivan's Born and Raised to Murder is a poignant and unsettling examination of Leo Boatman’s tragic journey from a neglected childhood in foster care to a condemned prisoner on death row. This book offers an invaluable perspective on the critical shortcomings of our juvenile justice and foster care systems.
Sullivan provides an unflinching look at how repeated failures in these systems led to Boatman’s heinous crime. The book covers numerous adverse childhood experiences, including various forms of abuse and neglect, and includes graphic descriptions of homicide based on real events and court documents.
What I found particularly compelling was Sullivan’s focus not just on the problems but on potential solutions. She discusses how improvements in foster care and juvenile detention can reduce the likelihood of repeat offences and prevent career criminals. The book also highlights the severe consequences of not addressing childhood sexual assault seriously.
While I appreciated the depth and detail of the narrative, there was a small inaccuracy regarding the term "veterinarian technician," which should be "veterinary technician."
Overall, Born and Raised to Murder is an essential read for those interested in juvenile justice and child welfare, offering crucial insights and a call to action for much-needed reforms.
Reviewer 1296250
Very interesting...Not what I thought it was going to be but it kept my interest throughout. Definitely would recommend giving it a read.
Educator 1174608
This was a good book based on Leo with a different and troubled upbringing a sad story how things went wrong and how many lives were destroyed I found the court documents and proceedings interesting I enjoyed the true story of this book
Kelly L, Librarian
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had so many thoughts reading Leo's story. From anger at the foster care system to anger at Leo to anger at the justice system. Then Chapter 26 came along and I was so glad that the clinical psychologist stated all the same issues I had noticed. (I have a degree in psychology so I was kind of analyzing Leo as I read his story.)
Leo was definitely let down by a lot of people who were supposed to care for him. The five solutions that make up Chapter 32 make a ton of sense but it's definitely an uphill battle to get those implemented.
Kelly P, Reviewer
Gosh, this was a difficult subject to read about. Sullivan has crafted a powerful book. It's important to uncover the truth, and she has. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I thought I understood much about foster care after being a foster mom for a year, but this story was eye-opening.
Reviewer 1003397
Things I really liked:
- I really like that this pushes a topic that isn't talked about nearly enough into the spotlight. It is a hard reality to face when a system you grew up in, hurts many people. It is never easy to talk about the ways that we let people (in our very own communities) down, but this surpasses all of those things. It discusses why and how we need reforms and until things change, we endanger members of our community.
Things you need to know before reading:
This is an extremely heavy read. Sometimes the lines are blurred between right and wrong. If your mentality is either black or white, then this book will challenge that world view. A lot of people know the stories of a person within the system, and even when they are uplifting and inspirational, it is not without its gut wrenching heartaches and people who cared enough to be a helping hand.
Although the books needs a little bit of editing, it is an important book that needs a lot of attention! I am recommending this to people who have big hearts and want to fix this system (or to at least make it better).
Lyndsey M, Reviewer
Thank you to NetGalley and Atmosphere Press for the eARC.
I have challenged myself to read more nonfiction and Irene Sullivan's book has really floored me. The entire time I am reading it I have to keep grounding myself in this is someone's actual life. Devastating.
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