A child named Cassandra, an adoptee, was killed by her parents, Richard Killpack and Jennete Killpack, in Utah on June 10th because of a method of punishment that was supposed to stop four-year-old Cassandra's lying and stealing.

The parents say that Cassandra's therapist told them whatever she stole should be given to her in excess and also recommend giving their daughter water to promote bonding between child and parents (a victim of past abuse, she wasn't bonding with them).

Cassandra's punishment for stealing was to be forced to drink 24 ounces (three cups) of water. They asked their other children, also adoptees, to get a rope to tie Cassandra up. Even forcing her when gagging, they managed to get Cassandra to drink 12 ounces before she started complaining about dizziness and then passed out in her father's arms.

The sodium level of Cassandra's blood was low, which caused her brain to swell, killing her the next day.

Some of the information in this case is questionable. Some say she stole water, others say Kool-Aid. One argument is that her parents gave her more water than they say, another argument is that her sodium levels were deplete before she was forced to drink the water. The parents say they were following their therapist's advice, the therapist denies giving such advice.

More here.

Do you think the Killpacks are criminally responsible for Cassandra's death?

Not only that, you don't force a 4-year-old to drink like that. I've babysat a five-year-old who would get sick if I'd allowed him to drink most of the soda or juice they have in a "small" container in movie theaters. Their stomachs are small.

Secondly, she was gagging. Did it not cross their minds that they were hurting her?

I don't care whether it was the full 12 ounces that killed her or just one. It was abuse.

The rope, the gagging--all of this over stealing Kool-Aid or water, which I personally think is wrong to make her have to ask for within her own home anyways.

I tried to rewrite my first post three times trying to give an unbiased account, but as you can see by just looking at the title, I couldn't do it. No matter how I look at it, they were wrong. If Cassandra had stolen a hundred dollar bill from them, they wouldn't give her a million because the therapist told them to give her whatever she stole in excess.

How would torturing her make her bond?

I see no justification for what they have done.

Adoption should have saved her from unnecessary pain, not kill her.

Of course they're responsible. They killed a child; the weapon is not important. Her death is what counts. And what well-cared-for child has to 'steal' water or Kool-Aid? And what rational adult would follow such ridiculous alleged advice from a therapist?

They should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Of course they are responsible for the child's death.

It sounds as though they probably misinterpreted what the therapists told them to do. The therapists may have advised them that the child should always come to them if she were thirsty--i.e. that she was not to be allowed to get water (or any other beverage on her own). Supposedly, the parents doling out the water to her would promote bonding. The child then sneaked some water (or KoolAid) and the parents proceeded to force water into her.
But I think that was not what they were supposed to do. I suspect that maybe, if the child asked for water, they were supposed to do something like set six glasses of water in front of her (i.e.give her an abundance of what she wanted)--but not force her to drink any of it.
I don't think that punishment was supposed to enter in to this situation. They were ostensibly trying to promote bonding--and you don't do that with punishment. But the parents chose to respond to the child in a punitive--and abusive--manner.

What these parents did goes beyond the bounds of any common sense. They can't just say they were following the orders of some therapist. The therapist could be a wacko. People are supposed to use some common sense and judgment. These people are responsible for causing the child's death by abuse.

While I doubt that the therapist told them to force water on the child, if the therapist did in fact do that, I think that the therapist should also be held liable.

Children with severe attachment disorders can be very very difficult and very aggressive. They are very hard to manage and to live with. Adoptive parents can easily find themselves angry and frustrated and at their wits end with such a child.
Sometimes therapists do suggest atypical methods of trying to modify behavior with such children--but no reputable therapist should ever suggest doing anything harmful or abusive to a child. Either the parents distorted/misunderstood the therapist's directives, or, if they understood the therapist correctly, and did what he suggested, then all of them are culpable in this situation.