Can you believe this??!?!?!

DOVE1920 · #1 12-11-2001, 12:29 PM

In Iowa a woman left her 7month old baby in her car when she arrived at work. The temperature that day was 90+ degrees and the baby died. The court found the mother innocent of involuntary manslaughter and neglect!!!!!

And here is the killer part...she worked for a hospital. She claimed she was running late and forgot about her child.

Six_Three_Sigma · #2 12-11-2001, 01:46 PM

Soror,

Sad as it may be, I can believe it!!! Although, its hard to imagine a mother forgeting her child because she was running late for work.

As for the court finding her not guilty of neglect or manslaughter, I would probably have voted not guilty unless there was some really CONVINCING evidence presented that gave an indication that she was trying to kill her kid.

Interestingly enough, this past summer a dad who worked at some government office in Virginia (Quantico I believe), left his kid in the car. Suffice it to say the kid died in the car.

When they questioned him about what happened, the police found out that this guy did NOT normally take the kid to the babysitter. This was his first day doing it. Basically, the dad just got into the car and went to work as if everything was normal.

In either event, both of these events are very sad.

Six_Three_Sigma

kizzie22 · #3 12-11-2001, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DOVE1920
In Iowa a woman left her 7month old baby in her car when she arrived at work. The temperature that day was 90+ degrees and the baby died. The court found the mother innocent of involuntary manslaughter and neglect!!!!! And here is the killer part...she worked for a hospital. She claimed she was running late and forgot about her child.

I cannot believe she got off!!!! I work 12hrs shifts in a hospital and I JUST CANNOT see her forgetting about HER own child!!!!

Dove 1920, please tell me she wasn't a nurse or respiratory therapist.

DOVE1920 · #4 12-11-2001, 09:59 PM

It only stated that she was worked in administration at the hospital. I just don't understand how someone can forget their child...

Six_Three_Sigma · #5 12-12-2001, 06:21 AM

Fellow GC peeps,

I don't understand either. I cannot ever imagine being so tied up in my life that I'd forget that I had taken my child with me in the morning (or whenever) and went about my day as if I never took (or picked up) my child. I just cannot see it. It's obvious to me that these folks need some serious help to deal with whatever it is they have going in their own lives. It's obviously very stressful.

lilZetagirl · #6 12-17-2001, 07:01 PM

that happened in MN this summer (well at least it got a lot of attention in MN, i can't remember if it actually happened here)...a man forgot his child in the back seat of the van and went to work.

now, in no way, shape, or form am i condoning it, but like frat said unless i felt there were malicious intent, i would have found him (in your case, her) not guilty as well. these people have to life w/ the fact that it is because of them that their child is dead, i want to believe that, that punishment is much more harsh/cruel than any court of law could ever impose on them.

we are a society that is DRIVEN (to a fault) by the clock. if a person becomes pre-occupied by work, or some "pressing" issue or distracted, it may happen. once again, not to say "hey lets all forget our kids in the car and call it a day" but we are human.

NewBee · #7 12-18-2001, 01:29 AM

Okay maybe I am being a little harsh but I really dont see how you could just forget your child. I would have hated to be on that jury because although she probably didn't intentionally try to murder her baby she did. Would you plead innocent if you killed your kid? I dont know I would want to do the time but maybe thats just me. I am not judging her or anyone for that matter but it kills me, excuse the pun, when people commit acts of crime and then plead insanity or some other laid back charge so they can get off easy. Just my 7 cents.

littlegirlblue · #8 12-18-2001, 04:52 PM

I don't understand either, but I guess it is like when you forget your purse or wallet at home. It is something you need and pretty use everyday, but when you have a million and one things on your mind, you just think you have it and go one. I am in NO way saying that a child is equal to a wallet or purse, but just trying to find some reasoning on how they let her off. You always hear of children getting left in the car and the parents get prosecuted.

I don't know, but could it political????

straightBOS · #9 12-18-2001, 10:07 PM

It’s funny (not in a ha-ha way) that I should come upon this. A Woman here in MA has just been arrested for strangling and suffocating her 2-year-old to death.

But, back to the post. Involuntary homicide and neglect means that it wasn't on purpose. But, that to a certain extent, the accused did not do something that would have likely prevented the occurrence. Or, as a responsible adult, should be reasonably expected to do something, but did not.

The father and the babysitter is a little tougher. But, if you take your child to the babysitter everyday, and this day you lock them in a sweltering car, that different. You should reasonably be expected to check the back seat of your car before exiting. Also, you should reasonably be expected to call the babysitter- on a lunch break, whenever, to be sure the kid is okay.

Like, if I back out of a parking space and crush my next-door neighbor's dog. Even if it was an accident, It should be reasonably expected that I check the rear view mirror, side view, etc. before moving the vehicle an inch.

Leaving a kid in the car doesn't really make any sense. I know we have all left our lights on a time or two, but who doesn't peak in the rear view mirror while driving, or check to see if all of the windows are rolled up, all doors locked.

Just a few things any reasonable adult with a vehicle should be expected to do.

lilZetagirl · #10 12-18-2001, 11:53 PM

Quote:

The father and the babysitter is a little tougher. But, if you take your child to the babysitter everyday, and this day you lock them in a sweltering car, that different. You should reasonably be expected to check the back seat of your car before exiting. Also, you should reasonably be expected to call the babysitter- on a lunch break, whenever, to be sure the kid is okay.

See that is the difference, i apologize, i don't recall all of the facts of the case, but that day was not done by "normal" routine...i think mom generally had taken the child to day care, but for some reason he did that day. either way...i guess the situation can be looked at in many different ways...

volgirl2376 · #11 12-21-2001, 03:31 AM

This reminds me of this horrible story I heard on the news this past summer. A woman drove to work everyday, parked her car, and locked her 2 kids in the, while she put in her 8 hours..because she couldnt afford a babysitter. Words cannot describe how disgusted I still am over this. I really think there is a special place in hell just for people who abuse children.

lilZetagirl · #12 12-21-2001, 10:37 AM

whew, ok, now i have all the facts (thanks to this mornings paper). it actually occured in MN this Juny/July. the father had dropped his wife off at the bus stop. he then took his oldest daughter to day care (the children went to 2 seperate day cares because of age)...the father then proceeded to work, having forgotten to take the 4 month old child to day care...

the little boy sat in a van for 8+ hours...charges were dropped just yesterday, as the prosecution was not able to prove intent.

sorry it took 3 post for me to get it right!