Shoe Box Leads to Law Suit

Woonsocket, SD---A seemingly frivolous mis-understanding over a forgotten photograph has prompted a South Dakota woman to sue her mother, Doris Philanges, for $1.5 million.

The photograph, found in the bottom of a shoe box full of miscellaneous pictures, old birthday cards and newspaper clippings accumulated over the years, was taken 23 years ago by Doris Philanges and forgotten.

Sally-Anne in 1987

In 1987 there was a promotion by "life" cereal to find the new spokes-person to replace "Mikey" who was getting a little long-in-the-tooth to continue as the mischievous little tyke who would "eat anything" as they liked to say.
Parents of precocious, omnivorous children nation-wide were urged to send in photos of their little darlings to contend for the soon to be open position.
The little sweety-poo in the accompanying photo, Sally-Anne Philanges, says she "would surely have been a prime contender for the honor" because of her dual pony-tails, bright eyes, and slightly asymmetrical smile, but for one small technicality; her mother "through negligence and a total disregard for my future" never actually completed the entry process by sending in the photograph.
Sally-Anne, now 26 recently found the misplaced photo while helping her mom clean a closet and was curious.  When she asked her mom about the photo they both had a good laugh about it.  Later she was joking around about the photo with her common-law husband, John-John McGuilocuddy, but he failed to see the humor in the missed opportunity and things turned sour.
John-John, who was laid off from his job at the D-L Service and Tire Center 23 months ago, and has been unable to find employment since, is in danger of losing his double-wide and has "driven a wedge" between mother and daughter.  He sees the oversight as an act of negligence that could make all the difference in the life that Sally and he are living.  "Not only that," says McGuilocuddy "if we get enough from the old bag I can stop worrying about what to do when the unemployment dries up."
Former family pastor, Rev. Tommy Millikin of the Mount Olive Evangelical Lutheran Church tends to agree. "You hate to see families torn apart like this but parents have a responsibility to exploit a child to the best of their capability."
Rudy Schoenblum, an attorney from Sioux Falls, got involved after seeing the now estranged Philanges mixing it up on the Jerry Springer TV show.  Schoenblum thinks the case is strong.  "There is no doubt the girl was cute and that Mrs. Philanges had exhibited gross negligence by not following through and entering the contest.  What parent would deprive her child of such an opportunity."
Sally-Anne has said, "I never really wanted it to come to this, but parents have to take care of their kids, and she never sent the picture in, and since this all came out I'm about sick of everyone in "the park" mocking me behind my back about not being the 'life kid'.  Hel-lo! they weren't either!"
Schoenblum could cite no precedent that would indicate that judgement might go in the favor of the younger Ms. Philanges, but states that civil cases are very different from criminal ones and that "...you never know what will sell when dealing with a jury in our cock-eyed court system.  The way they toss around huge judgements over stupid complaints....  Shoot, I've already picked out the color of my new Beamer."