Suffer the Little Children

by Barbara Davis

Provides a shocking true account of Jesse James Cummings, a twisted psychopath filled with rage and hate, who tortured and sexually abused young girls, forced his wives into prostitution, and murdered his niece, Melissa Moody. Reissue.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

308 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[DAISY READS HORROR · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for this one not because of the horrific crimes that Cummings commited but for the extensive research that the author did to write this book. The book flowed like a movie and not like a text style true crime novel.

This has got to be one of the most horrific and brutal true crime stories I have ever read. It is just unimaginable what Cummings did to these women and children. The instance that stands in my mind a lot is when he beat 12 month old Scottie until he got welts because Anita did not want to prostitute herself one night. Another is when he pours bleach on scraped skin. This man is the devil in carnation.

As hard as it was to read, it is important because when murders like him come up for parole, more people can stand up against it if they know the crimes committed. It is amazing how Anita & Sherry stayed as long as they did and how they refrained from putting a bullet in this man's head themselves.

I sympathize with them to an extent. However they are in jail where they belong for their part in Judy & Melissa's murder. I plan on reading and googling more on this case and I hope to discover that they have already put this devil to die.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

on Monday, May 16, 2005 I wrote about this book.


Actually I was reading another book but was so curious I decided to read a few pages. Well I could not put it down so I am reading this first. I have read the first 50 pages. One negative thing I have to mention is that this writer constantly tells what is going to happen. I hate that. I prefer not to know what is going to happen. Thanks to her I already know that 1 of the women will end up in jail. bah
I read another book of her, about Darla who murdered her 2 sons.

Update may 18 2005

God this book is so shocking can't stop thinking about it
I am very pissed off how biased Barbara Davis writes.
Its all about excuses for the 2 women. They did not run away because they were scared for there children's life. Oke but they did try to kill themselves, and if they managed, that would leave there children with the abuser!!!
So they think they are better off dead, but what about those kids. They did not choose this life
This book is a very good read, you can't put it down but as you can see, it is very emotional.
I am at page 201 right now, so 2/3th of the book

Update
finished it. It was a fast read, but I still think Mrs Davis was very busy constantly defending the women. That Sherry one, did not even want to help the prosecution
Also I noticed there were some sentences she kept repeating.
But the story was very interesting, shocking so I have to give the story a 9 the writing a 7, overall a 9 cause the story is one you never forget

[Dixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book but also tough to read and wrap your brain around. The horrendously abusive, murderer husband definitely goes up there with one of the most vile I've read about. What I can't wrap my brain around is the women and their mind sets...a tough read that will stay with you...

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

True story of a husband and father who molested, raped and murdered.

This guy takes cruelty to the max. Excellent.

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - Davis did a very good job portraying the depravity of this man. I wish I knew more about the story - not that Davis didn't do a suffiecient job but I find myself making assumptions about some of the people involved and I'd like to be able to form my opinions on facts instead.
I don't know what to think about this mans wives. They had chance after chance after chance after chance to get up and leave. He didn't keep them around him all the time, he left the house, they left the house. He slept alone at time. I'm sure he shit alone. Why in the hell didn't they pick up those babies and LEAVE? WALK AWAY? RUN AWAY?
Numerous times the "love" the mothers had for their children was talked about. That's why they did this and why they did that. Well, pardon me, but a love for your children means, to me, keeping them from harm. They didn't do that. They PUSHED them headfirst INTO the kind of harm that normal human beings can't begin to comprehend. I feel so badly for these children I can't out it into words. And these babies weren't the "victims" per se.
There was some very slight repitition but nothing much. One thing that irked me to no end was the use of the slang here. I'm just hoping that Davis did this because this was the way these people talked. But I honestly don't remember 'wasn't' being spelled as such, it was always 'wadn't'. Even the typing of that makes me cringe. There were so many 'I's didn't do nothing' and 'I wadn't going nowhere' that it made me want to puke. But I think it was meant to give more to the reader about the type of people these people were.
I don't think I've ever read anything that had so much incest also. This was so very hard to keep straight most of the time because cousins were having babies, sisters and brother were also moms and dads, etc. It was disgusting in the most sincere use of the word.
This man doesn't belong on this earth and I can only hope that his sentence has already been carried out - if so the world is already a better place.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Do you know Jesse James?" The one who goes pew pew, you know with the guns, the hat, and the bang bang? No, not -him- at all, with this J.J, J.J himself would not fathom the morbidity detailed in this book.

And sorry folks, usually you can always blame the parents. But after, you think they have a choice? So if you're not feeling sorry for J.J in the beginning, you'll probably feel sorry for his wives and children. If that's not the case, you'll be angered that they didn't escape him.

I'm also taking into account, that in the 1990's there were services for battered wives, however, just like today, women are still petrified to find help. Or, you know, you get help at a women's shelter, and once you step outside, your husband runs you over with his car.

[Jennifer Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very good. It's about this man named Jesse James who is basically obsessed with women that resemble his mother. He was raised in an abusive home and gradually builds hatred towards his parents. Throughout the book, you find out what disgusting and harmful things he does to his wifes and kids. It might be a little boring the first few pages but it gets way better as the story unfolds.

[Sandy Henke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only thing I found slightly irritating about the writing in this book was the excessive focus on physical beauty/handsomeness especially with people whose appearance were totally unimportant. (Police officers, etc) She seemed somewhat obsessed with this one officer's physical appeal particularly, which was obnoxious.

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

True story, good writing, but it sickened me! I read this 8 years ago when I was 8 months pregnant, while I also worked as a CPS investigator in a county near where this all took place. I read it as a recommendation from a friend who worked at the prison where this sick man is incarcerated. It hit too close to home, but the author did a wonderful job telling the horrific story.

[Barbara Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

just started reading this book today. wow he almost killed his mom when she was giving birth to him. I wonder if all murderers come into the world like this. mother's abuse towards him made him the man he became. smh poor Melissa.. and the women who stayed even after their children got beat.. sicking.
stopped reading at chapter 16
(I am an empathy and it was draining me everytime I read it)

[Shannon Glen]

Well written, but the subject matter was horrible! I wanted to crawl through the pages and rip this man's head off.

[Amy]

Another sick puke! lol

[Brit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisted and disturbing. So so sad people like this exist.

[Red Denver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I start this review, maybe I should state that I am a realist, very pragmatic and very independent. So I struggle to relate to or even understand people who, for instance, buy into cults (currently watching a documentary on the "Heaven's Gate" cult -- good grief!). So, the women in this book are, to a certain degree, like aliens to me.

This book was very difficult to get through because of the story itself. And at least the first 2/3 of this book is not about the killings; but rather about the hellish life Cummings' wives and children endured. Cummings was a complete monster -- even on a scale of murderers, even serial killers, Cummings was a monster -- the worst of the worst.

I could have done without so much detail of this man's cruelty -- especially towards the infants/little children and animals. There is nothing worse than people who harm those of God's creatures who are defenseless: children, the elderly, or animals.

Having said that, the book was well researched and well written, although even having read the entire book, I was left with some questions. I won't go into that here for fear of 'spoiling' the read for those of you with strong enough constitutions to decide to give this book a try.

[Kayle Wallis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed. The author who claims to have done extensive research not only has the county involved listed incorrectly, ( Coal county, not Cole) but the story line gets jumbled and is fabricated for flare and interest rather than just telling the story of what happened ( the stated attractiveness and family history is not needed for agents/officers involved) . My grandpa’s name and “description” is listed and this is the sole reason I wanted to read the book as I have already made myself familiar with the case by asking people involved that I personally know. I’m not saying the author made up stuff, I am saying I feel it was more for fanfare than a documentary of a true crime therefore not my favorite. Had I not known this to be true and close to home, I would have likely enjoyed the book more.

[Cersei Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

🚨 Cool story alert 🚨

(Not the book, my story regarding the book…to clarify)

So I’m a huuuuge true crime buff… so one day in prison another inmate (Katie Jo Childress) overheard me confessing my love of this book to my bunkie neighbor (was next in line to read) anyway Katie Jo told us that her grandma was a foster parent to the surviving children! Neat right? Anyway these poor babies suffered in so many ways and she said they definitely showed signs of the abuse. Anyway I told the bunkie neighbor to return it to me once she was done because i planned on taking it with me on my upcoming transfer to the halfway house. I ended up leaving the next day and left it on the yard 😔 i forgot the name of the book and the characters 4 years later i found Katie Jo on FB and here i am!!

[Raylee Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this many years ago and just remembered it. So good I have to read again. Googled Jesse Cummings and they executed his evil butt in 2008. Very glad to hear it - he was so deserving of the death penalty!!

[Callie Ingram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chilling, and definitely sickening. But not a book you can put down. Beautifully written, and doesn’t fail to make its point. Recommended for sure

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is total trash. It's badly written, badly researched, and the most insufferable salacious garbage I have read in a long time. Do NOT waste your time.

[Chelsie Arrants · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this a long time ago but it still haunts me.

[Jessica Elkins Strope · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok and such a sad book. I really feel sorry for the woman and children in this book.

[Beth-Ann Cosenza Bourgeois · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's unbelievable how much pain this man inflicted on those who know him. Great book. Horrible subject.

[Deniz Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horrendous account of a very violent and sick individual who thankfully received what he was long due. Harrowing but very informative.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I normally don't read stuff like this because it really sticks with me. I'd rather wear rose colored glasses and pretend that everything is fine in the world, but deep down you know it's not. As a mother of 4, I would do absolutely anything to protect my children and I can't for the life of me understand how some parents willingly hand their children over to predators. This is that kind of story...where a woman is so naive, lonely and desperate for attention that she let herself be manipulated and brainwashed to do anything to please this guy, including giving up her own daughter. I sincerely hope these people rot.

[Jeannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like true crime this is a really good book. I thought it was well written and even though it was hard to read at times (due to his depravity) glad I finished it. Hard to understand a monster like this.

[Annabelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This plot is interesting. She uses the fact of a decrease of sperm in European men and the buying of eastern European women’s babies by wealthy Venetians, as a theme. It was pretty good. I think I have read too many of them.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was hard to read because it is a true story. It is hard to understand how someone can bring so much suffering to the lives of others and yet we see glimpses of people like this every day on the news.

[Kristin · Rating 1 out of 5]

horrible and upsetting as you could probably gather from the title. not sure why i would do this to myself. i think i found the book in a hotel room and then just got sucked in. ugh, bad idea.

[Josh Light · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a messed up book and i really like it because in some of the book took place where i live in batesville arkansas

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't normally seek out a true-crime novel, but parts of this one took place around where I live. It's frightening that such a depraved man was a part of our community.