Father sentenced to 100 years for poisoning his children

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/19529396/detail.html

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. -- A father was sentenced to 100 years in prison for poisoning his children Thursday.

A Clayton County jury found William Cunningham guilty on all seven counts of aggravated assault and cruelty to children.
Cunningham spiked his children’s soup with prescription drugs and lighter fluid in a plot to get money from Campbell’s Soup in 2006. They nearly died.

William Cunningham was found guilty Thursday of poisoning his 18-month-old daughter and 3-year-old son with soup laced with prescription drugs and lighter fluid, not once, but three times.

“The third time, he forced it down them and this is the one that put the kids in the hospital and made them deathly sick,” said Ron Dockery, the children’s grandfather.

The 100-year prison sentence is fitting, according to the Janet Dockery.

“I hope you get what you deserve when you are in there,” she said Thursday. “They should serve him lighter fluid every night.”

I know we're supposed to comment, but frankly I'm speechless... except to say I agree with Grandma.

(I did a search for this on the forum, so I hope it isn't a duplicate thread)

[birddog1]

I know its not right but I sure hope the inmates where he is going have a sense of justice among them and treat him rather harshly every chance they get. Society as a whole would be better off without this guy around.

[mysticbeauty_nbeast]

Greed and stupidity....seems the back bone of any crime this day in age. To spread that stupidity and greed and involve your own children? beyond reprehensible.

100 years...which is cut in half with good behavior....cut in half again for budget cuts in the state where he is housed....and he'll be out in 20 years....you wait and see...:wall: :snooty:

~Mysty

[BasicGreatGuy]

I hope he rots in prison.

[Hoobeedoo Bejesus]

Greed and stupidity....seems the back bone of any crime this day in age. To spread that stupidity and greed and involve your own children? beyond reprehensible.

100 years...which is cut in half with good behavior....cut in half again for budget cuts in the state where he is housed....and he'll be out in 20 years....you wait and see...:wall: :snooty:

~Mysty

If he makes it out. This was a high profile case and it is my understanding that the general prison population does not take too kindly to child abusers.

[mysticbeauty_nbeast]

If he makes it out. This was a high profile case and it is my understanding that the general prison population does not take too kindly to child abusers.

In many cases your understanding about the mindset of prisoners as it pertains to kids is mostly correct...however those in prison don't take kindly to those who sexually assault the kiddies. Poisoning....hey..the guy was just trying to bilk a few bucks from a huge corporation...and in many prisoners minds...that's ok. :rolleyes:

What really makes my skin crawl...is far to many will secretly understand what this man was trying to accomplish....and may even try their own version of 'poisoning' to retain a huge payday for themselves. :wall: It's amazing how stupid some people get when trying to take what isn't earned. :doh:

~Mysty

[sgtmac_46]

I know its not right but I sure hope the inmates where he is going have a sense of justice among them and treat him rather harshly every chance they get. Society as a whole would be better off without this guy around. What's not right about it....Karma is a *****!

[sgtmac_46]

I know its not right but I sure hope the inmates where he is going have a sense of justice among them and treat him rather harshly every chance they get. Society as a whole would be better off without this guy around. What's not right about it....Karma is a *****!

I hope some inmate does the right thing and sticks a shank in his neck......a couple dozen times!

[bella-day]

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/19529396/detail.html



I know we're supposed to comment, but frankly I'm speechless... except to say I agree with Grandma.

(I did a search for this on the forum, so I hope it isn't a duplicate thread)

Both children survived but may have lifelong breathing problems from swallowing the lighter fluid.

“That chemical has scarred their lungs,” said Janet Dockery.

Poor babies, they will carry the emotional and physical scars with them throughout their lives.




The family said the little girl has no memory of what happened. The little boy, now 6 years old, does. He caught a glimpse of his father’s mug shot in the newspaper.

“And he said, ‘Mama, I think that’s my old daddy,’” said Janet Dockery. “I said, ‘No baby, that’s not your daddy.’ I played it off to something else but he said, ‘Yeah, that’s soup daddy.’ That’s what he calls him…soup daddy.”

The little girl may remember more than the family gives her credit. I have a very detailed memory of car accident I was in when I was 20 months old.

It could be the child does not have a way to verbally express her memories as of yet.


Cunningham was also convicted at an earlier trial in federal court. The children’s mother has since divorced him.

I wonder what kind of a sentence he was given in Federal court. If memory serves me right there is no parole for good behavior or anything else from a Federal prison.

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

Poor babies, they will carry the emotional and physical scars with them throughout their lives.




The little girl may remember more than the family gives her credit. I have a very detailed memory of car accident I was in when I was 20 months old.

It could be the child does not have a way to verbally express her memories as of yet.




I wonder what kind of a sentence he was given in Federal court. If memory serves me right there is no parole for good behavior or anything else from a Federal prison.
I don't know; I could ask my dad about that.

And I agree about what these children are going to remember. I hope they get some intensive counseling; how in the world do you live with the fact that your own father did something like this?

[bella-day]

I don't know; I could ask my dad about that.

And I agree about what these children are going to remember. I hope they get some intensive counseling; how in the world do you live with the fact that your own father did something like this?


I have no idea but children can be the most resilient of individuals.

Family counseling is in order. Their Mom needs to learn how to talk with her children about this when they bring it up. These children need a strong shoulder, an attentive ear, and all the love and strength their Mom can muster.

All three of them have a very rocky road ahead of them.

[RedStatePaPa]

Wow. WHat goes around comes around.

I hope he gets what's coming to him.

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

I have no idea but children can be the most resilient of individuals.

Family counseling is in order. Their Mom needs to learn how to talk with her children about this when they bring it up. These children need a strong shoulder, an attentive ear, and all the love and strength their Mom can muster.

All three of them have a very rocky road ahead of them.

Yeah.

Too bad the father was too much of a coward to poison himself in order to extort money from Campbells'.

[Cav Scout]

I keep a special place in my mind for folks like this ass. I really sincerely hope he enjoys his hundred years...mayhaps he will on see a few of them before he discovers a shank the hard way.

[GA_LP]

Only a 100 years? Damn, this ***** deserves a big bowl of his own "soup".

[homiebrah]

If he makes it out. This was a high profile case and it is my understanding that the general prison population does not take too kindly to child abusers.
Assuming he will be released into the general population. My bet would be he gets put in a section with less human contact, but not on par with solitary confinement.