Originally Posted by nannyde:
I have a hard time with the consequence of her loosing her child being considered as a portion of due punishment.
I don't think a parent should be charged any differently in the death or life altering injury of a child than a total stranger would be if said stranger c omitted the exact same act.
I think this mindset allows parents take dangerous risks with their child with confidence that because they are their child they can.
If this was any other non related caregiver they would be charged with murder. The baby is dead. It shouldn't matter the relationship with the caregiver.
She also had the extra abuse of breastfeeding a baby with coca in and weed in her system. Cocaine passes the placental barrier quickly and weed remains in the fat cells for a long time.
I wonder if she drove under the influence and killed her baby would the fact that she was punished enough with the loss of her child be taken into consideration in her sentencing?
I see this so much with positional asphyxiation. At some point we have to have the same expectation on proper placement in sleep as proper placement in car seats.
Im not sure how I feel about this situation. The difference between the death of a child with a caregiver vs parent is that a caregiver, if legally licensed, has to have training on safe sleep. If a child dies with a caregiver they were being neglegent on purpose. A parent is not required to take classes and therefore may not know better. Also with the cocaine passing into breastmilk. It may be common sense to us, but nobody teaches new parents these things. I definantely believe she should be charged for possesion of drugs/intent to sell. But anything related to her baby, really could have been just an accident...
Just my opinion!!!