Before we get into the relevance of Cali Anderson, let’s cover the basics of the case:
A Reno couple has pleaded guilty to murder charges in the torturous death of the man’s 5-year-old daughter who police say was handcuffed in an animal cage and starved before she died and they stashed her emaciated body in a duffel bag found in a California storage unit.
Averyauna Enoch pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and Tyler Anderson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Thursday in Washoe County District Court.
The two 25-year-olds also pleaded guilty to destruction of evidence and are expected to be sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole at their sentencing set for April 21.
Enoch, who was not the girl’s biological mother but went by the name Anderson before the couple divorced in August, “did willfully and unlawfully kill” Cali Anderson “by means of torture,” court documents said.
Enoch intentionally withheld food and water from the girl “for the specific purpose of inflicting pain by means of starvation for revenge or for the sadistic purpose of hatred of CA due to the fact CA was not her biological child,” according to documents filed Thursday.
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/parents-admit-to-killing-girl-5-whose-body-was-found-in-duffel-bag-in-sacramento-storage-unit/
How is this relevant to Judge Cynda Unger?
According to many people familiar with Solano County Family Court, Judge Unger returned from a stint in Juvenile Court determined to ensure fathers had primary custody of their children. It is alleged that she witnessed the impact of absentee fathers and wanted to remedy that.
Sounds great? But the problem occurs when a judge takes it too far and gives primary custody based on gender, and not on the “best interest standard”. In Cali’s case, this was a contributing factor in her demise.
Despite being a confirmed and proven drug addict, Cali’s father was granted custody. Cynda Unger awarded primary custody to Cali’s father, even though neither parent resided in Solano County. Tyler Anderson gained custody, despite substantial credible proof that he wasn’t intending to be Cali’s primary caregiver. He consistently violated Court Orders for visitation with the mother, and despite numerous appeals to Judge Unger, she repeatedly declined to enforce these orders.
Numerous news articles have covered this heart-wrenching case, shedding light on the abuse Cali endured from her father and stepmother. Yet, one pressing question remains: How did a young child find herself in such a neglectful and harmful environment to begin with?
Under Cynda Unger’s persistently biased judgments, Cali Anderson ended up in the custody of her father and stepmother. Unger disregarded evidence of drug use, turned a blind eye to signs of abuse brought before the court, and overlooked the father’s non-compliance with visitation orders. Tragically, Cali paid the ultimate price for this Judicial negligence.
If there had been proper judicial oversight in Solano County, if the presiding and supervising judges had intervened, and if the Commission on Judicial Performance had genuinely examined the numerous written complaints, it’s conceivable that such tragedies might have been averted. However, those in positions of authority chose to overlook the litigants’ concerns, labeling them as “angry mothers,” and disregarding credible evidence presented in court. This suggests that the system prioritized safeguarding the judges over the well-being of children.