I saw something on the news at noon and it has concerned me enough that I just need to get a few things off my chest. Please be warned that I am expressing my opinion in the following paragraphs, which is dangerous all on its own.
A baby girl was wrapped in a towel and a sleeping bag and abandoned on someone's back doorstep in the north end of the city this week. This baby was only a few hours old. So new in fact that it still had the umbilical cord still attached to her. On the day that this baby was left outside in the temp was -29 (-39 with windchill). Luckily she was found only after being outside for what they suspect was 15 minutes or so. Thankfully baby Jane Doe (as she is referred as) is in perfect health and it is now being decided on where she will be placed for care.
The reports that I have read have been very sympathetic to the mother in saying that she was young and confused, etc. She is being given the opportunity to go to court and possibly have the child placed back in her care.
Ummm HELLO!!!! First of all the mother is 18 years old. Is that not legally an adult? I was 17 when I had Alanna and I had enough sense to know that if I didn't know what to do with a baby I could still go to the hospital and then set the baby up for adoption. Even in the delirious moments you have after giving birth that I know every mother has had are you confused enough to put your baby on someone's doorstep. Obviously there is something seriously wrong with this poor young lady. It is my opinion that she is not in a proper state of mind where she is able to care for another life. I mean, how many chances does someone get when it comes to putting the life of a defenseless human being in their care before they end up killing or seriously damaging the poor thing.
Here's what gets me. Today on the news a survey was taken on whether the parents should face criminal charges and only 14% of Saskatchewan's said that there should be. What is wrong with you people who participated in this survey?
Canadian Law states:
Every one who unlawfully abandons or exposes a child who is under the age of ten years, so that its life is or is likely to be endangered or its health is or is likely to be permanently injured, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.
Okay, let's play devil's advocate and say that she had a lapse in judgement and is really a great person and just didn't have anywhere to turn and she really felt as if this was the best thing for the baby. Maybe she even knew the people who lived in the house where she dropped the baby off and knew that they would take care of the baby or at least know what to do. She still did the wrong thing. Even if it was a huge mistake, it was still a criminal mistake. If someone gets plastered and makes the stupid decision to drive and then hits someone, even though it was a stupid mistake do the not deserve to go to jail? I think so. There still needs to be consequences to her actions and I don't think that a fine or community service is sufficient (isnt' that for vandelism or something). And by making the claim that maybe she didn't know any better just doesn't cut it for me. Sorry.
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18 comments:
I agree. IMO, that's attempted murder.
I have rather struggled with this story too seeing as how i had sammi at 18. but as much as i didn't have money, good health, or a future *at that point* i did manage to make it through. on the other hand i had a ton of friends and family support throughout the experience..so no matter how scared i was.. i had positive reinforcement the whole time. I prefer to give her the benefit of the doubt simply because we don't know what hideous background she may be coming from. And to be quite honest... as much shit and abuse i may have dealt with growing up that led to bad decisions like drinking and driving etc... i know for a fact there is a lot of people that came from worse backgrounds and have much less coping mechanism because of it.
just my two cents.
christine
I do sympathize with the 18 year old and the fact that she may have come from some pretty unfortunate circumstances. But the fact remains that she did what she did. She must have a basic sense of right and wrong and if she didn't then that adds to my case. If she can't cope now, what is she going to do in the middle of the night when baby decides she wants to cry all night?
Leah, I'm with you 100%. When you're 18, you're an adult and deserve to be treated like one. There are all sorts of criminals out there who have shady backgrounds and it has never been an excuse to stand above the law. On the flip side, there are plenty of people with shady backgrounds who manage to overcome their past and live for the future. And the same goes for people with sqeaky clean pasts as well. I don't think your background should matter. A personal choice is a personal choice and there is no excuse for what she did. I believe she deserves to be punished for what she did. At the very least, I think she surrendered all parental rights when she left her baby on a doorstep and put it's life in mortal danger.
Life isn't always so black and white. You can't just look at the fact that she left her baby on a doorstep. We would be ignorant people if we did not consider why she did what she did. Lack of support, background, fear, no coping mechanisms, etc. The reasons behind decisions need to be considered and factored into 'punishment'. I am certainly not advocating leaving a child on a doorstep in frigid temperatures or that this young girl experience no consequences. I am suggesting we consider what consequence would be most helpful to this 18 year old in improving her life and her way of dealing with difficulities. Jail is certainly not the answer, I feel that would be a great injustice to this young woman. I am also not suggesting she get her child back, but if we consider what she did through her eyes maybe we can understand a little more. I think she 'placed' her baby at a home rather than 'abandoned' it. She needs support, education, counselling rather than judgements and harsh jail sentences. Our reaction to this situation as a Christian is an opportunity to show the world our compassion and our ability to consider the help we can be to young women who are faced with a pregnancy full of fear and hopelessness (in her mind). I respect everyones different views on the situation, just thought I'd throw in my opinion and hope that maybe others can look at this situation with gentle hearts.
I too had a child at a very young age so I am not without compassion. I do understand her fears and worries but she is 18. And the fact that she broke the law is black or white. I think that when compassion and sympathy starts playing a part in the law, society will have some very serious problems. I have compassion for some convicted murderers too. Some of them have heartbreaking stories. Where do you draw the line between who should be punished for breaking the law and who shouldn't? What kind of message is being sent to today's youth if all that happens to this woman for abandoning her baby and leaving it to freeze is support and counselling? It would be fantastic if the punishment for every crime could suit the criminal's best interests because everyone makes mistakes. But she made a choice and she had to have known that choice was wrong. If I get in my car and drive drunk, hit another car and kill everyone in it, do I deserve to go to jail? Of course. And I think I'm a pretty good person, jail definately would not suit me at all and would not be in my best interests. But I would deserve it because of the choice I made.
It's a situation with obviously blurry edges, and I don't envy the judge in the case, that's for sure.
I guess I feel so differently about this situation because I feel that the mother 'placed' her baby at a home and did not 'abandon' it without care and concern. To say that this is attempted murder seems to be so harsh and extreme. The only thing this mother was attempting was to place the baby where she believed she would be better looked after. Even though she is 18 and legally an adult her mind and actions do not follow the mature way of thinking that a so-called adult should. Therefore the standard to which we hold this girl is not to be the same as that of some reckless mother who has no concern for the child who leaves it at a dumpster or something. I think that we're assuming too much in our belief that because this girl was 18 she knew that she was wrong in what she did. Hmmmmmm...this topic has given me lots to think about. I have really been struggling with this very concept as of late. Does the motive behind our actions matter in terms of law and punishment? I guess I just feel it would be a waste for this girl to go to jail. I don't think that would really be addressing any problem. Maybe I'm too idealistic in thinking that we should be matching consequences with what is in the best interest of the person.
Anyway any discussion is always good! Love how everyone has an opinion:)
I don't think that being a Christian has anything to do with compassion vs punishment. God says to abide by the laws of the land. Should she be placed in some kind of rehabilitation program while she is in jail - most definitely. I'm not saying lock her up and throw away the key. I am having trouble with the "placing" her child on someones doorstep. If you "borrow" something from someone without asking them is it not stealing?
where I have problems sympathizing with this woman is a length of time of about 15 minutes. yes, saying attempted murder is extreme, but had that baby been left outside any longer, it would have been murder. And I have an inclination that nobody would be quite so understanding. If she wanted her baby to be cared for better than she could, good for her for recognizing that. But adoption would have been a bit more acceptable. At least ring the doorbell. And no, don't lock her up and throw away the key but she is not above the law. And her motives should not place her above the law. It is up to the justice system to ensure her punishment is equal to her crime. It is also up to that same legal system to ensure she gets help. I just feel very strongly that everyone should be held accountable for their actions. All 3 of us commenting have had children when we were under 20 so it's not like we don't understand her fears. Her frame of mind is what I will never undersnand, and don't care to. Would either of you ever even consider doing what she did? And if you did, do you think you should be held above the law? She deserves our prayers, not necessarily our support and understanding. It's not up to us to understand (thankfully, because I never could).
Great blog, Leah! And please tell your friend that I am not a cold-hearted snake with no regard for anyone else's feelings.
Oh how I love discussions. Ummm - don't you know eachother. You are both ex-MarketLincers.
oh, maybe then. why was I thinking she was a friend of yours from SBC?
Sorry for the confusion. Just to clarify, the last two anonymous posts were not made by Christine who posted the first one. I'm just a visitor preferring to remain anonymous:)
fair enough
I appologize for the assumption.
haha.. and leah you shoulda known it wasn't me.. no way i would bring christianity willingly into a conversation :)
christine
and just one reituration as a commment:
on the other hand i had a ton of friends and family support throughout the experience..so no matter how scared i was.. i had positive reinforcement the whole time.
makes a huge difference.
christine
I did want to comment on this since our coffee on Thurse. I know that it is a topic that sparks very strong feelings in all of us. A baby cannot defend itself. It has no choice. Everything that is done for it and to it is by someone else's choice. The choice was wrong and there should be consequences. However, be careful how you judge. We are told that over and over again in God's word. Remember that in God's eyes, all of us have sinned and all of deserved hell over the cross. Should she have the baby back-no, not now. But none of us have any idea what was going on in her life. I know that it is hard to beleive, but she may not have any feelings towards right and wrong. She may have known what is right, but be lacking any heart and soul conviction. Maybe with community support, this could be her life turning point. Maybe she needs 3 years of heavy counsilling. But I would never say never because God can make something beautiful out of even the most hideous life. Again, there should be consequences-there has to be, but she still deserves love.
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