Murder by neglect or just total stupidity?

[strollingbones]

I live in the south. Every year we have cases of babies/infant/toddlers left in hot cars, allowed to die and the parents go free! What has gotten me on this rant, Oprah having a mother who was just too overwhelmed with her busy lifestyle to remember her infant in her car.

An overwhelmed mom's deadly mistake - CNN.com

In Boone NC, this summer, there was a dead infant, the parents were drinking and doing drugs. The mother made it a habit to leave the infant in the car.

Is there really any difference in the two cases? Isn't neglect, neglect regardless of the reason?

What do you think should happen to parents who leave kids in car in the heat? Here is kinda another thing...I live in the mountains where it gets cold....you rarely if ever hear of someone leaving their child in a car and letting them freeze to death, now why is that?

Do you, like me, wonder how many of these cases are simply murder disguised as neglect or forgettfulness?

 

[editec]

Do you, like me, wonder how many of these cases are simply murder disguised as neglect or forgettfulness?

Yes.

 

[Gunny]

I live in the south. Every year we have cases of babies/infant/toddlers left in hot cars, allowed to die and the parents go free! What has gotten me on this rant, Oprah having a mother who was just too overwhelmed with her busy lifestyle to remember her infant in her car.

An overwhelmed mom's deadly mistake - CNN.com

In Boone NC, this summer, there was a dead infant, the parents were drinking and doing drugs. The mother made it a habit to leave the infant in the car.

Is there really any difference in the two cases? Isn't neglect, neglect regardless of the reason?

What do you think should happen to parents who leave kids in car in the heat? Here is kinda another thing...I live in the mountains where it gets cold....you rarely if ever hear of someone leaving their child in a car and letting them freeze to death, now why is that?

Do you, like me, wonder how many of these cases are simply murder disguised as neglect or forgettfulness?

I'm going for murder by reason of neglectful stupidity.

However, murder disguised as neglect or forgetfulness is just murder.

 

[chloe]

Both, we've had alot of that happen in Utah too and the church seems really sympathetic to the parents when it happens.

 

[Annie]

I know that I once left a baby in his crib asleep while going to get another child at preschool. I realized such though within 5 minutes, being closer to the preschool than home, decided to rush into the preschool, rather than waiting in the line, told them I'd thought I'd left the coffee pot on, needed my child pronto.

Got home and of course he was still sleeping. Were there reasons I'd forgotten the baby, yes. Does that excuse it, no.

 

[chloe]

Yeah when I was little we moved to Phoenix in the summertime and my dad had put me in the car and forgot something and went back into the house, well he also forgot me in the car, back then they had these metal pullup type of car locks that got really hot in the sun and I tried but couldnt pull the lock up when I figured out he wasnt coming back (haha). Thank goodness some Beakins movers found me and got me out. I guess parents do forget sometimes.

 

[Gem]

Kathianne Wrote:

Were there reasons I'd forgotten the baby, yes. Does that excuse it, no.

I think that this sort of sums up my opinion as well. Is it possible that a mother or father on two hours sleep with a list of chores in their head a mile long will forget a quiet, sleeping child in the back of their car? Yes. Does that make it ok when that child is hurt or, god forbid, dies because of the mistake? No.

As far as the appropriate punishment for such crimes, however. I don't really know about that. If it truly is an accident, then I don't really think that any punishment on earth is worse than losing your child due to your own mistake.

 

[strollingbones]

Kathianne Wrote:


I think that this sort of sums up my opinion as well. Is it possible that a mother or father on two hours sleep with a list of chores in their head a mile long will forget a quiet, sleeping child in the back of their car? Yes. Does that make it ok when that child is hurt or, god forbid, dies because of the mistake? No.

As far as the appropriate punishment for such crimes, however. I don't really know about that. If it truly is an accident, then I don't really think that any punishment on earth is worse than losing your child due to your own mistake.

are you willing to forgive other deaths that are accidents...its called manslaughter...the law reconizes it...

i could not imagine a greater pain than losing your child...no more crueler trick of nature to let the parent outlive the child....and gem is right...the burden of guilt of your child dying due to your mistake...

 

[RetiredGySgt]

are you willing to forgive other deaths that are accidents...its called manslaughter...the law reconizes it...

i could not imagine a greater pain than losing your child...no more crueler trick of nature to let the parent outlive the child....and gem is right...the burden of guilt of your child dying due to your mistake...

But other types of murder are forgiven all the time. I can think of one where millions die and it is perfectly legal.

 

[strollingbones]

But other types of murder are forgiven all the time. I can think of one where millions die and it is perfectly legal.

not the thread for that discussion..there are threads devoted to the topic...take it there please. this thread is about neglectful parenting and the fact that parents allowing kids to die in cars of heat stroke are given pretty much a free pass.

 

[editec]

I suspect what often happens is that people simple cannot believe how quickly the vehicle turns into an oven and how fragile babies are to the heat. (they don't sweat, you know?)

A few years ago, at a Lytchfield Maine antiques fair, a couple killed their infant while carrying it around on their back in one of those child carrying backpacks.

It was a hot day and they just didn't realize that their kid was roasting as they were walking about searching for bargains.

Can you imagine taking off your babycarrier to check your kid only to find it died of heat stroke while you were searching for bargains?

I'm guessing that given the heat of that day, the kid could have easily died in less than hour if they were (as is likely given that place) walking around in the sun.

 

[Care4all]

Intent, and whether you were involved in another illegal act, plays on why those that forgot their children in cars do not get charged or do get charged...

if you are in a car accident that kills your friend in the car with you...

if it was truely an accident, slippery road or another car swerved towards you or a deer crossed the road, you would NEVER be charged with manslaughter for killing your friend.

However if you were drinking and were over the limit, or were speeding when you had your accident, you would be charged with manslaughter...for killing your friend.

is my understanding of it...?

Thus, if you left your kids in the car while you went inside someone's house to do illegal drugs, the parents would be charged with some sort of neglect or manslaughter of their kids, you would think?

And those that truely were absent minded due to stress should not be charged with anything, their own pain and suffering and the cross that they will bear the rest of their lives... is enough, imo.

Care

 

[PoliticalChic]

Kathianne Wrote:
As far as the appropriate punishment for such crimes, however. I don't really know about that. If it truly is an accident, then I don't really think that any punishment on earth is worse than losing your child due to your own mistake.

Yes, if you truly love your child, nothing could be worse punishment.

A relative of mine, decided not to get the detachable infant car seat. She said she might be susceptible to putting the seat on top of the car with the baby and accidentally drive away. From my perspective, I couldn't see how that was possible, but people, parents can get absentminded at times and my relative had the foresight to take precautions.

But the story about the couple bargain hunting in Lytchfield, Maine is horrible. I love shopping particularly in flea markets, but I can't imagine neglecting a child on my back on a hot day for hours! Can people be so self-absorbed to this extent? I can't understand. If you can neglect a child on your back for so many hours, I'm sure this baby was neglected before.

There was also a bit of controversy about the Oprah show that was mentioned because the audience showed so much sympathy for the mom who neglected the child. I don't know if I have a position on that because she already was suffering due to the loss of the child. Does anyone know if she will be criminally prosecuted?

 

[manifold]

I suspect what often happens is that people simple cannot believe how quickly the vehicle turns into an oven and how fragile babies are to the heat. (they don't sweat, you know?)

I have two, and they both sweat up a storm and have since day one.