Case File: Huckaby

Case File: Melissa Huckaby The Murder of Sandra Cantu

Harkit Dhami, Angelica Garcia Psychology 001 Professor Dr. Cabrera November 3, 2011

Case File: Huckaby Case File: Melissa Huckaby The Murder of Sandra Cantu

Who could take an innocent childs life? What would drive somebody to do so? In March of 2009 in Tracy, California, Melissa Huckaby, then a 28-year old Sunday school teacher, took the life of 8-year old Sandra Cantu. Huckaby and Cantu were not only neighbors in the mobile home lot where they resided, the little Sandra Cantu was a playmate of Huckabys daughter. When Cantu was reported missing, Huckaby sent a text message to Cantus mother which only made her seem suspect. The message was to notify Cantus mother that something was stolen from her home earlier that day. In the attempt to make it seem as if a suitcase was stolen from her home and the thief may have been the same person who murdered Cantu, she only put the spotlight on herself. Huckaby went to police with a note that stated that the body of young Sandra Cantu was put into a stolen suitcase and thrown into a river. It seemed ironic that Huckaby found the note as oppose to other neighbors being that it was her suitcase that was stolen. As police continued to investigate, they found that the hand-writing on the note was that of Melissa Huckabys. After days of investigation and searching for answers, sure enough, Huckabys suitcase was found dumped in an irrigation pond, stuffed with Sandra Cantus body. She had scars on her body and evidence proved that Cantu was sexually molested and murdered. An article in People Magazine by Howard Breuer states Huckaby took Cantu to her grandfathers nearby church, sexually molested her with a rolling pin, strangled her and stuffed her into the suitcase in a snug fetal position that Cantu couldnt have squeezed into on her own. Huckaby then tossed the suitcase into an agricultural ditch that stunk so badly of manure that searchers couldnt retrieve the suitcase until it eventually floated to

Case File: Huckaby the surface. After being confronted with the enough evidence to prove Huckaby guilty, she admitted to the kidnapping and murder of Sandra Cantu. Melissa Huckaby, now 30years old has been charged with kidnapping, raping, and murdering 8-year old Cantu. She now is faced with life in prison without parole.

The Biology of the Mind Melissa Huckaby was a depressed woman that was taking anti depressants and anxiety medications. Depression is caused by neurotransmitters being off balance. Neurotransmitters influence our mood and our memories. An example of a neurotransmitter is serotonin; it can affect our mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal. If your body does not produce enough it can lead to depression. Another area which is shown to affect depression is the endocrine system. The endocrine system glands create hormones and release them into the blood. They travel through our blood stream and affect other tissues including our brain. Hormones affect our interest in food, sex, and our aggression. Melissa Huckaby was affected by depression and anxiety which contributed to the choices she made. Another biological factor that could contribute to the actions of Melissa Huckaby is frontal lobe damage. When making plans and judgments we use the frontal lobes of our brain which is behind our forehead. When a person has frontal lobe damage it can alter personality and inhibitions. In the book a case that was presented was the case of railroad worker Phineas Gage had frontal lobe damage while packing gunpowder into a rock with a tamping iron. A spark ignited the gunpowder shooting a rod up through his cheek and through the top of his head. Although he survived he was not the same his moral judgment

Case File: Huckaby was not the same. It is unclear whether Melissa Huckaby had frontal lobe damage at any

time her life but she states she was abused as a child. After she murdered Sandra Cantu she pretended like nothing happened and lied to police and family members. Even though Melissa admitted to the murder she never admitted to the sexual abuse to Sandra Cantu, even thought there was evidence of sexual abuse. This could be from signs of frontal lobe damage.

Motivation To psychologists a motivation is a need or desire that energizes behavior and directs it toward a goal (Myers 443). Motivation is essentially the drive to accomplish or fulfill a need, and is not always a positive motive. This is also known as an incentive. Incentives can be a positive or negative motive. As stated in Psychology by David G. Myers, Not only are we pushed by our need to reduce drives, we also are pulled by incentives- positive or negative stimuli that lure or repel us. In the case of the murder of Sandra Cantu, Huckabys thoughts and actions arouse from a negative stimulus. The drivereduction theory, which refers to a physiological need that produces a drive or arousal to satisfy that need, would explain Huckabys actions the day she took Cantus life. Although she denied the allegations, saying she did not sexually molest Cantu, there was evidence to prove otherwise. So what was Huckabys motivation to rape and kill this child? Her need to belong. We have a need to affiliate with others, even to become strongly attached to certain others in enduring, close relationships. Huckaby had been divorced from her ex-husband and was living in a mobile home with her daughter. She had no significant other and because of her own personal desire to be intimate with someone

Case File: Huckaby that was Huckabys motivation to sexually molest Cantu. Huckaby also made claims that she, too, had been raped as a child. Some reports say it is believed because of her own childhood experiences, she was motivated to put the same pain, upon 8-year old Sandra. Intelligence There are several theories on intelligence such as Spearmans general intelligence, Thurstones primary mental abilities, Gargners multiple intelligences, and Sternbergs triarchic. Sternbers theory states that there are three intelligences; analytical intelligence, creative intelligence, and practical in. Analytical intelligence is determined by school

grades, test scores, IQ tests, and aptitude tests. Creative intelligence is tested by reacting to unexpected situations and generating ideas. Practical intelligence is needed for everyday task such as writing emails, motivating co-workers to meet goals at work, and delegating tasks. When you apply analytical intelligence there needs to be some semblance of academic understanding. According to her ex-husband, after the initial divorce she, went to school and got a job. As such, with her attending and completing school this is an excellent example of her having the ability to start and finish a complicated endeavor. Another example that defines this is that there is some analytical intelligence involved in filling out a basic job application. There are certain situations where Melissa Huckabys actions proved to be lacking creative and practical intelligence. As a broad example: On the day that Sandra Cantu went missing, and Melissa Huckaby sent a text message to Sandra Cantus mother informing her that a suitcase was stolen from her. Another example is her inability in leaving the scene of the crime inadequately clean. This is a clear lacking of foresight in

Case File: Huckaby regards to creative and practical intelligence when you see that the text message had little weight to any kind of plausible alibi and the crime scene left enough evidence for the truth to come to light. Another type is emotional intelligence. This is the ability to perceive,

understand, manage, and use emotions in a variety of situations. Through Melissas actions she proved she was unable to identify the emotions in Sandras face. Also, Melissa was unable to understand her own emotions and control herself from hurting and murdering Sandra Cantu. As such she is lacks the ability to convey her emotions.

Due to her chemical imbalance, which caused depression, and anxiety (that stems from her abuse as a child), the subject lacked the emotional stability and comprehension of the heinous act that was done against Sandra Cantu. No emotionally intelligent person would ever have the lack of conscience of understanding the consequences of their actions. As such this shows that more studies and behavioral observations of human interaction are needed to ensure a healthy and productive society. One in which no one should ever have to fear that their child is in danger.

Works Cited Breuer, Howard. "INSIDE STORY: Clues to Why Melissa Huckaby Murdered an 8

Case File: Huckaby Year-Old Girl - Crime & Courts, Melissa Huckaby: People.com." Editorial. People Magazine. People.com : 27 June 2010. Web. 22 Oct. 2011. <http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20397416,00.html>.

Ito, Sharon. "Melissa Huckaby Gets Life Sentence without Parole; Apologizes to Sandra Cantu's Family | News10.net." Sacramento News | 14 June 2010. Web. 18 Oct. 2011. <http://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=83543>.

Myers, D. G. (2010). Psychology Ninth Edition in Modules (9th ed., pp. 443-482). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.