A California teen’s extraordinary survival after having both arms severed by a predator exposed catastrophic flaws in our justice system that nearly cost another innocent life.
Story Snapshot
- 15-year-old Mary Vincent survived brutal attack, climbed out of ravine with no arms using mud to stop bleeding
- Her detailed testimony led to Lawrence Singleton’s conviction, but he served only 8 years of 14-year sentence
- Singleton murdered another woman after early release, proving dangers of lenient criminal justice policies
- Vincent’s case sparked California’s “Singleton bill” increasing penalties for violent crimes
Teen’s Incredible Survival Against All Odds
In September 1978, 15-year-old Mary Vincent accepted a ride from Lawrence Singleton while hitchhiking to her grandfather’s house in California. Singleton, a former merchant seaman, sexually assaulted Vincent overnight, then severed both her arms with a hatchet and threw her down a 30-foot ravine near Modesto, leaving her for dead.
Vincent packed mud into her wounds to slow the bleeding, climbed out of the ravine despite catastrophic injuries, and flagged down motorists for help. Her courage and will to survive saved her life and provided law enforcement with crucial evidence to catch her attacker.
Justice System’s Dangerous Leniency Exposed
Vincent’s detailed description helped investigators create a forensic sketch that led to Singleton’s arrest and conviction for attempted murder. However, the case revealed alarming weaknesses in California’s sentencing laws when Singleton received only 14 years in prison. Due to legal limitations and good behavior credits, this violent predator served a mere eight years before release in 1987.
Public outrage was so intense that authorities had to house Singleton on San Quentin prison grounds because no community would accept him, highlighting how soft-on-crime policies endanger law-abiding citizens.
Predicted Tragedy Strikes Another Innocent Victim
The justice system’s failure to properly punish Singleton had deadly consequences exactly as critics predicted. In 1997, just ten years after his release, Singleton murdered Roxanne Hayes in Florida, proving that lenient sentences for violent criminals put innocent lives at risk.
This preventable murder demonstrated how progressive criminal justice policies prioritize offenders over public safety. Singleton finally received the death sentence he should have gotten decades earlier, though he died of cancer in prison in 2001 before execution.
Legislative Reform Driven by Conservative Values
Vincent’s case became a rallying cry for common-sense criminal justice reform that prioritizes victims and public safety over criminal rehabilitation fantasies. California legislators passed the “Singleton bill,” significantly increasing penalties for similar violent crimes and addressing the dangerous loopholes that allowed early release.
Vincent transformed her trauma into powerful advocacy for victims’ rights and continues living in Washington State as a mother, artist, and voice for survivors. Her story proves that strong sentences and tough-on-crime policies protect innocent Americans from predators who belong behind bars permanently.
Sources:
He Cut Off a Teen’s Arms and Threw Her Down a Ravine – AOL
Mary Vincent Lawrence Singleton Attack Survival – BlurredByLines
Mary Vincent Lawrence Singleton Attack Arms Survived – That’s Life
Mary Vincent (artist) – Wikipedia
