Set phasers to "Charcoal"
Oct. 2nd, 2003 01:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
patgund(Note: Accidently set this rant to disallow comments. Oops. It's been fixed.)
Okay, my usual response to news about how stupid people can be is "well, most people are idiots" and leave it at that.
But when I read the story about the 2 year old girl that survived for 19 days on her own, eating ketchup, mustard, and dry pasta, while her mom was in jail on battery and petty theft charges, my blood ran cold.
The little girl was discovered after her father wasn't able to contact the mother in two weeks - seems they were having a nasty custody fight, and he finally went to the apartment and had the landlord let him in when he found out his extranged wife had been arrested. Thats when he found his daughter, alone, dirty, and scared. She spent almost a day in the hospital, and was released. The father is trying to get custody now.
As for the mother, seems all the time this stupid bitch was in jail, she didn't think about telling the cops that she had a child alone at home, instead telling the cops, (and eventually her estranged husband), that she was being cared for by a sitter. (Personally, I think the cops should have done a follow up, but that's just me.)
Actually, my first response was the temptation to fly to Jacksonville Florida, find this woman, slap her into next year, and use a rusty claw hammer to spay her before she has any more children.
Okay, maybe my reaction was because I have an almost-2 year old girl myself. (23 months old today). And it was all too easy to superimpose Little Bit's face into the mental image I had of that poor little girl. (Not that I think Little Bit is in any sort of simular danger, both me and her mother are quite protective of our busy little girl. Plus, I talk with Little Bit at least once a day on the phone, usually more than once. Not worried about about her in that regard.)
But at the same time, I have a child that age, I know what they're like and how they act, and I cannot even begin to imagine how that poor little tyke felt when nobody came home for 19 days. That's a long time for such a little person. I mean think how that little girl felt all alone for 19 days: All alone at night, looking at the cans of corn that she tore the labels off of trying to open, just begging for a small scrap of food to eat, water to drink and a warm hug from just anyone.
This justs pisses me off. Actually more than pisses me off, this is nightmare material for any good parent or anyone who cares for and about children.
Thank goodness that little girl in Florida is none the worse physically for her ordeal. The mother has been charged with aggravated child abuse for leaving the child alone in her apartment, and bond has been set at $170,000. Personally, I'd add endangerment and attempted murder charges as well. I'd vote for forced sterlization and an injunction to never come near that poor little girl even again too.
Gee, can't tell I'm bloody pissed off, can you? Actually enraged comes closer to the truth.
Okay, my usual response to news about how stupid people can be is "well, most people are idiots" and leave it at that.
But when I read the story about the 2 year old girl that survived for 19 days on her own, eating ketchup, mustard, and dry pasta, while her mom was in jail on battery and petty theft charges, my blood ran cold.
The little girl was discovered after her father wasn't able to contact the mother in two weeks - seems they were having a nasty custody fight, and he finally went to the apartment and had the landlord let him in when he found out his extranged wife had been arrested. Thats when he found his daughter, alone, dirty, and scared. She spent almost a day in the hospital, and was released. The father is trying to get custody now.
As for the mother, seems all the time this stupid bitch was in jail, she didn't think about telling the cops that she had a child alone at home, instead telling the cops, (and eventually her estranged husband), that she was being cared for by a sitter. (Personally, I think the cops should have done a follow up, but that's just me.)
Actually, my first response was the temptation to fly to Jacksonville Florida, find this woman, slap her into next year, and use a rusty claw hammer to spay her before she has any more children.
Okay, maybe my reaction was because I have an almost-2 year old girl myself. (23 months old today). And it was all too easy to superimpose Little Bit's face into the mental image I had of that poor little girl. (Not that I think Little Bit is in any sort of simular danger, both me and her mother are quite protective of our busy little girl. Plus, I talk with Little Bit at least once a day on the phone, usually more than once. Not worried about about her in that regard.)
But at the same time, I have a child that age, I know what they're like and how they act, and I cannot even begin to imagine how that poor little tyke felt when nobody came home for 19 days. That's a long time for such a little person. I mean think how that little girl felt all alone for 19 days: All alone at night, looking at the cans of corn that she tore the labels off of trying to open, just begging for a small scrap of food to eat, water to drink and a warm hug from just anyone.
This justs pisses me off. Actually more than pisses me off, this is nightmare material for any good parent or anyone who cares for and about children.
Thank goodness that little girl in Florida is none the worse physically for her ordeal. The mother has been charged with aggravated child abuse for leaving the child alone in her apartment, and bond has been set at $170,000. Personally, I'd add endangerment and attempted murder charges as well. I'd vote for forced sterlization and an injunction to never come near that poor little girl even again too.
Gee, can't tell I'm bloody pissed off, can you? Actually enraged comes closer to the truth.
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no subject
Date: 2003-10-02 04:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-02 10:45 pm (UTC)I think it should be standard OP to send a cop/social worker to check on any children, regardless of the parent's story.
They are concerned with themselves, and only themselves, and I think this is pretty obvious. (the "parents")
And considering she was arrested on a battery/assault charge, I find it *that* much more appaling nobody went to make sure the child was okay, and not being abused--that should have been done promptly, in my opinion.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-03 01:06 pm (UTC)Gak. I'm still having nightmares about something like that happening to my daughter. Not that it would, but it's all too easy to scare myself like that.