Arrest, Finally; But A Mom's Hope Fades -- Assault, New London ...

Hazel Pennington has held out hope for 12 years that her missing 15-year-old daughter is still alive, maybe held captive by a kidnapper or sold into prostitution.

[ANGEL]

Hazel Pennington I cannot know the depth of your pain but I do share the depth of your HOPE. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers, I am so sorry for all that you have suffered, I am humbled by your faith, courage and strength.

[cherry]

from all your sisters in motherhood....we pray for you and your family

[Less Than Sympathetic]

If you go to the Judicial Branch website and do a defendant search on Allain, you'll see he's in custody awaiting trial for a separate rape and kidnapping. I think that deserves mention in this article, as well... both men are rapists. And I think both deserve the blame in this case, not just Leniart.

It's terrible to lose a friend, but even worse in some ways when there is never any closure or funeral or memorial... I wouldn't even know how to get in contact with half of our old friends, and the Penningtons moved far away, so I doubt there ever will be such a service. It's just so strange to have this giant mystery that's been with me almost half my life start to unravel in the news like this. I pray somehow that body can be recovered so they can take this case all the way.

[J Livingston Chalmers III]

Gee, another recidivist-based murder. When will judges get serious about violent crime? Enough is enough.

[Kensington11]

Yes...why no mention of what may have happened with Allain in this case? Was it edited out? Poor story.

[PeterPeace]

NYJ1627 wrote:

Yes...why no mention of what may have happened with Allain in this case? Was it edited out? Poor story.

Allain's case is currently pending. If he had been convicted, that fact would probably have been included. Most journalists, according to accepted good practices, avoid prejudice to currently pending cases.

[Nemesys]

It was not a "poor story". The story was about the case from the perspective of the victim's mother, and it did an excellent job of that. But until final plea-bargain deals are made, the case gets to trial, you won't be seeing many hints from the police about the nitty gritty details of what went down. Obviously the police are trying to flip Allain into getting more information about what went down.

[mom of three]

my question is if you hope your daughter is alive, why would you move out of state so she couldn't find you?????

[Nemesys]

"What a stupid, insensitive comment."

Is it? I don't think so. It's a reasonable question that I'm sure the police have already asked.

[sad]

thoughts and prayers are with this family.. how sad

[if you KNEW this story]

mom of three wrote:

my question is if you hope your daughter is alive, why would you move out of state so she couldn't find you?????

Her Husband... had a job out of state to MOVE to... and where would she be NOW waiting and waiting... when somone else who knows exactly what happend and snuffed out her babys life...
spent time walking the streets doing it again..
don't put the blame of leaving on her poor mother..

[Alison]

mom of three wrote:
my question is if you hope your daughter is alive, why would you move out of state so she couldn't find you?????

Maybe she moved to get away from the memories? Maybe she couldn't take being in the same town or state, never knowing what happened to her daughter? Maybe she couldn't bear to walk down the street and see things that would remind her every day of April?
Hazel didn't go into the Witness Protection program here.....she moved. She could easily have been found and who are you to judge her for taking care of herself in the most heartbreaking and difficult time in her life.

[Venus Envy]

What a sad, sad way to lose a child. I hope the animals that did this to her slowly marinate and rot in hell!

[Just Say No]

This whole story is a true tragedy. However, it was avoidable and completely predictable.

While I do believe the Criminal system failed to properly protect the public from this Monster, I do not believe they bear the biggest responsibility, for his actions. The bulk of the blame should lye with his biggest ally, his mother.

I have known the Leniart Family for quite a few years and the father was a great man.(George Leniart Senior) He was one of the nicest people I have ever met. Every time I saw him, he was smiling and real cordial.

However, George Leniart Junior was a whole different story. He has been in some sort of trouble since day one. There were numerous calls from the school and other parents to his family, about his bullying and aggressive behavior, starting at a very young age. In spite of all the people telling his mother about all the rotten things this dirtbag had done, she stood firm and said “Not my boy”. She marched down to the school numerous times confronting school staff and parents for picking on her son.

As the years passed his bad behavior became more frequent and more violent. Friends, family, neighbors, School Officials and even Law Enforcement officials warned Mrs. Leniart that her son was headed down the wrong road. She turned a deaf ear to all the warnings and pretended it was everybody else and not her son. When he reached a point where he had actually broken the law, mommy would run down, pay the bail and hire a good lawyer.

His mother turned a blind eye to many of his questionable activities and in numerous cases made excuses to defend or protect him. Most mothers would find it strange that their 30 year old son was brining home 13 and 14 year old girls to hangout in his room or in the camp trailer.(The 13 yr old victim from 1996 was assaulted in a camp trailer on his family’s property.) Or maybe find it strange that a 42 year old man would be living with 17 year old boys and girls. You can not live with your son for 42 years and not know something is wrong. I said it then and I say it now, Mrs. Leniart knows far more than what she is telling. Mrs. Leniart followed the see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil rule. Her actions enabled this dirtbag to evolve to the monster he is today. I believe this whole tragedy could have been prevented had she acted when he first started having behavioral problems.

Parents if you have any clue that your child has a problem, get them help right away. Do not look the other way and hope it will go away in time.

Time may heal all wounds but it also gives cancer time to spread.

[george]

This is the poster boy for the death penalty.

[Charlie]

It is sad for the Mr. & Mrs. Pennington of not knowing about their daughter for 12 years. I don't think you can blame them for moving for whatever reason. They do have a live.
However, it is not the justice system that failed. It is more the fault of our liberal state lawmakers who kept insisting on "3 strikes rules does not help". May be they think we should coddle dirtbags like that and allow them to continue to hurt, kill, and maim the people in the state. May some day they will pass a "10 strikes law."

[Maroon]

mom of three wrote:

my question is if you hope your daughter is alive, why would you move out of state so she couldn't find you?????

I pity your kids

[Gail]

Just Say No wrote:

This whole story is a true tragedy. However, it was avoidable and completely predictable.
While I do believe the Criminal system failed to properly protect the public from this Monster, I do not believe they bear the biggest responsibility, for his actions. The bulk of the blame should lye with his biggest ally, his mother.
I have known the Leniart Family for quite a few years and the father was a great man.(George Leniart Senior) He was one of the nicest people I have ever met. Every time I saw him, he was smiling and real cordial.
However, George Leniart Junior was a whole different story. He has been in some sort of trouble since day one. There were numerous calls from the school and other parents to his family, about his bullying and aggressive behavior, starting at a very young age. In spite of all the people telling his mother about all the rotten things this dirtbag had done, she stood firm and said “Not my boy”. She marched down to the school numerous times confronting school staff and parents for picking on her son.
As the years passed his bad behavior became more frequent and more violent. Friends, family, neighbors, School Officials and even Law Enforcement officials warned Mrs. Leniart that her son was headed down the wrong road. She turned a deaf ear to all the warnings and pretended it was everybody else and not her son. When he reached a point where he had actually broken the law, mommy would run down, pay the bail and hire a good lawyer.
His mother turned a blind eye to many of his questionable activities and in numerous cases made excuses to defend or protect him. Most mothers would find it strange that their 30 year old son was brining home 13 and 14 year old girls to hangout in his room or in the camp trailer.(The 13 yr old victim from 1996 was assaulted in a camp trailer on his family’s property.) Or maybe find it strange that a 42 year old man would be living with 17 year old boys and girls. You can not live with your son for 42 years and not know something is wrong. I said it then and I say it now, Mrs. Leniart knows far more than what she is telling. Mrs. Leniart followed the see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil rule. Her actions enabled this dirtbag to evolve to the monster he is today. I believe this whole tragedy could have been prevented had she acted when he first started having behavioral problems.
Parents if you have any clue that your child has a problem, get them help right away. Do not look the other way and hope it will go away in time.
Time may heal all wounds but it also gives cancer time to spread.

Thanks for sharing the history

[lol]

Her 15 year old looked like a 21 year old. Part of the blame should fall on the mother for being a clueless parent. Seems as though she didn't care much until something happened.

What parent would move away? This lady's got issues.

[doglove]

Just Say No wrote:

This whole story is a true tragedy. However, it was avoidable and completely predictable.
While I do believe the Criminal system failed to properly protect the public from this Monster, I do not believe they bear the biggest responsibility, for his actions. The bulk of the blame should lye with his biggest ally, his mother.
I have known the Leniart Family for quite a few years and the father was a great man.(George Leniart Senior) He was one of the nicest people I have ever met. Every time I saw him, he was smiling and real cordial.
However, George Leniart Junior was a whole different story. He has been in some sort of trouble since day one. There were numerous calls from the school and other parents to his family, about his bullying and aggressive behavior, starting at a very young age. In spite of all the people telling his mother about all the rotten things this dirtbag had done, she stood firm and said “Not my boy”. She marched down to the school numerous times confronting school staff and parents for picking on her son.
As the years passed his bad behavior became more frequent and more violent. Friends, family, neighbors, School Officials and even Law Enforcement officials warned Mrs. Leniart that her son was headed down the wrong road. She turned a deaf ear to all the warnings and pretended it was everybody else and not her son. When he reached a point where he had actually broken the law, mommy would run down, pay the bail and hire a good lawyer.
His mother turned a blind eye to many of his questionable activities and in numerous cases made excuses to defend or protect him. Most mothers would find it strange that their 30 year old son was brining home 13 and 14 year old girls to hangout in his room or in the camp trailer.(The 13 yr old victim from 1996 was assaulted in a camp trailer on his family’s property.) Or maybe find it strange that a 42 year old man would be living with 17 year old boys and girls. You can not live with your son for 42 years and not know something is wrong. I said it then and I say it now, Mrs. Leniart knows far more than what she is telling. Mrs. Leniart followed the see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil rule. Her actions enabled this dirtbag to evolve to the monster he is today. I believe this whole tragedy could have been prevented had she acted when he first started having behavioral problems.
Parents if you have any clue that your child has a problem, get them help right away. Do not look the other way and hope it will go away in time.
Time may heal all wounds but it also gives cancer time to spread.

Makes me think of that rotten family from Long Island. The ones that tried to help their son cover up killing the UConn Student, Carly.

Thanks for an up close and personal viewpoint.