47 replies to this topic

[Carl G]

It takes a village, and while I can appreciate (somewhat) your "moral panic", we are responsible for each other, and thus, this child. The couple who made this child will have their own price to pay.

No - it doesn't take a village. It take a mother! It takes a father! It may take their extended family.

I don't know the details so I'll reserve judgment. Maybe when the details come out we will understand why this tragedy happened.

[4thgenFolsomite]

No - it doesn't take a village. It take a mother! It takes a father! It may take their extended family.

I don't know the details so I'll reserve judgment. Maybe when the details come out we will understand why this tragedy happened.

but maybe its none of our business. the police will do a thorough investigation and I think they'll do what's right. its really not our business to know all the details.

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

Sharing the details of what happened may help to educate others to hopefully prevent something like this from happening again.

[4thgenFolsomite]

Sharing the details of what happened may help to educate others to hopefully prevent something like this from happening again.

I hear what you're saying, somehow I doubt that. kids can be afraid of telling their parents what's going on. gossiping and pontificating about it here isn't going to change that.

[cw68]

I hear what you're saying, somehow I doubt that. kids can be afraid of telling their parents what's going on. gossiping and pontificating about it here isn't going to change that.

No, but seeing the damage that it causes a community and be made aware of other options could.

I offer up my doorstep to any of the kids who know who I am. I will help, I won't judge.

[supermom]

but maybe its none of our business. the police will do a thorough investigation and I think they'll do what's right. its really not our business to know all the details.

I disagree. Once a child fetus reaches past 12 weeks of development they are considered a futeure assett to their society; in this State. They are considered a child. This child was born, breathed and sadly; died.

Her death may have been preventable. Or her death may not have been. We probably will never know. But I find it revolting that anyone would think this should be a private thing. No. This is not a private thing. This was a valued human being in our society.

As such, her life had rights that should have been protected. Her right to live. Her right to thrive. Her right to die. And as a part of our society, it is our duty to investigate how she died. Not just to prevent other people from making the same mistakes, but also to hold accountable the person(s) responsible for her not thriving- if in fact, she could have lived beyond those 15 hours.

Yes, I respect that some religions believe in no medical interference. However, even those people have a marked and respectful manner in treating the body of a human being. They don't dump the body in a back yard to rot.

Anyone who thinks my indignant response is moral panic should think about that. Do you want rotting humans left in your back yard because it was convenient? I have no idea what the excuse was (can't pay a emergency ambulance, can't pay for morgue services, can't pay for a funeral, can't pay for a coffin and plot, or just plain old cranked out on meth and don't give a toot); hey whatever.

But even an anonymous call, that a baby was alone and needed medical assistance to a 911 dispatcher shows more humanity and compassion than what really happened.

And that is one thing that someone should be held accountable for. Leaving a dead body in an unauthorized place for decomposition. I believe it is a misdemeanor.

[Deb aka Resume Lady]

I hear what you're saying, somehow I doubt that. kids can be afraid of telling their parents what's going on. gossiping and pontificating about it here isn't going to change that.

True, but they might not know they have options and what those options are. Anything we can do to get the word out and educate is worth the try. Don't you think it's worth a shot if it could save the life of even one baby?

[tessieca]

True, but they might not know they have options and what those options are. Anything we can do to get the word out and educate is worth the try. Don't you think it's worth a shot if it could save the life of even one baby?

I'm not sure what message we can get out. Don't drop your baby in a backyard and leave it to die? What more can the Village People do that hasn't already been done? There are safe havens, there are community resources, there is education starting in early grades. Perhaps it's another example of why children should not be making decisions until they are wise enough to consider and deal with the ramifications.

[4thgenFolsomite]

True, but they might not know they have options and what those options are. Anything we can do to get the word out and educate is worth the try. Don't you think it's worth a shot if it could save the life of even one baby?

Yes, its important to get the word out to parents to stay in tune with what is going on with your kids, especially when they're entering adulthood. I totally agree with you on that. What I object to in this thread is that people are ready to tie someone who made a grave and lifelong mistake to a pillary and whip them. These people were not injured, but they feel they have right to make judgement and cast stones. What happened is awful in every way and there will already be lifelong trauma and punishment as a result.

Deb, I think you have the right and positive approach to this. Encourage parents to stay open to their kids and keep the lines of communication open. The previous posts though would probably drive another kid in a similar situation to be even more afraid to let someone know what's going on and more likely to happen again.

[Carl G]

but maybe its none of our business. the police will do a thorough investigation and I think they'll do what's right. its really not our business to know all the details.

I could not disagree more.

If a drunk driver hit and killed someone on Folsom Blvd, wouldn't you want to know the details? If a crime has been committed the guilty need to be punished. It is society who makes sure that happens through the police, DA, and elected officals.

This is a teaching moment, for the community and for me.

[4thgenFolsomite]

I could not disagree more.

If a drunk driver hit and killed someone on Folsom Blvd, wouldn't you want to know the details? If a crime has been committed the guilty need to be punished. It is society who makes sure that happens through the police, DA, and elected officals.

This is a teaching moment, for the community and for me.

if a teenager hides a pregnancy, gives birth alone and terrified and the baby dies, you want her punished? I don't get that. She's going to be punished for life. She didn't hurt you or drive drunk. We have laws so that we don't have vigilantes. Now if she did something to kill the baby after it was born, that's different. But I think that should be left to the police to investigate. It's not our business. This is a family who lives in our community. Their names have already been put out in the news. I think we should let the police investigate and find something that actually effects us to gossip about.

[supermom]

So this adult woman hid her pregnancy and now wants a pass on leaving a dead baby to rot in someone's backyard?

Really?

[supermom]

This is not a teenager.

Her highschool track team records online state she was a freshman in 2006. That makes her a minimum age of 20 years old.
Her Myspace page states she is 22 years old.

And even if she is a teenager, it would still be a tragic crime to leave a dead newborn in the backyard and wait for someone to come home from vacation to clear up the "misunderstanding".

Really, what kind of misunderstanding was there?

Her myspace indicates she has been dating this same named guy since 2008. That means she definitely has the mental capacity to know and understand complex adult ideas like, if you decide to hide you are pregnant---at some point in time you will have to fess up. Hello......pop goes the weisel...

Did she take a pass on ging to sophmore mandated health class ( a high school graduation prerequisite)? If she attended that class then she definitely knew lots of things like safe places to go, how to get away from bully boyfriends, how to call 911. What to do expect when your water breaks ( OMG, that means you are about to have a BABY! Yeayyy no more hiding it now..)

Ok, so I'm being a bit sarcastic, but the fact is, I don't believe no one knew this woman ( not a girl) was pregnant. Lets not try to pull the wool over the sheep. The crime is already committed and the ewe is responsible in part for the discovery of a dead lamb in the back yard.

[Carl G]

if a teenager hides a pregnancy, gives birth alone and terrified and the baby dies, you want her punished? I don't get that. She's going to be punished for life. She didn't hurt you or drive drunk. We have laws so that we don't have vigilantes. Now if she did something to kill the baby after it was born, that's different. But I think that should be left to the police to investigate. It's not our business. This is a family who lives in our community. Their names have already been put out in the news. I think we should let the police investigate and find something that actually effects us to gossip about.

As I said in my initial post, I don't know the details so I'll reserve judgement. I believe the system will ultimately do the right thing.

I'm a bit perplexed by your responses here. I'm concerned because the child, a human being, apparently lived for some 15 hours before she died. Her dead body was left in the backyard for who knows how long. If the child was in some sort of distress the mother should have sought help. If the mother could not handle the child there are places to safely take your child so a responsible person can. In the first scenario a crime was committed and should be treated accordingly. In the second scenario what's to say there would be any difference in behavior in the future.

The length of the investigation is interesting. Generally speaking, if there was a simple accident or mistake that would be reported almost immediately. That leads me to believe this is not going to end well for the mother and/or father.

I have full confidence the Folsom's Finest is doing the best job that can be done and the ultimate outcome will be appropriate.

[supermom]

As I said in my initial post, I don't know the details so I'll reserve judgement. I believe the system will ultimately do the right thing.

I'm a bit perplexed by your responses here. I'm concerned because the child, a human being, apparently lived for some 15 hours before she died. Her dead body was left in the backyard for who knows how long. If the child was in some sort of distress the mother should have sought help. If the mother could not handle the child there are places to safely take your child so a responsible person can. In the first scenario a crime was committed and should be treated accordingly. In the second scenario what's to say there would be any difference in behavior in the future.

The length of the investigation is interesting. Generally speaking, if there was a simple accident or mistake that would be reported almost immediately. That leads me to believe this is not going to end well for the mother and/or father.

I have full confidence the Folsom's Finest is doing the best job that can be done and the ultimate outcome will be appropriate.

You expressed yourself quite well in this post. Clear and concise.