Posted on 06/29/2006 1:07:30 PM PDT by rawhide
A 5-month-old baby died in a minivan Wednesday after the mother apparently forgot to drop the child off at day care.
The tragedy was discovered about 5:30 p.m. outside the Wonder Years 2 day care. The baby's mother stopped at the day care after work to pick up the child and was told by staff that the baby had not been dropped off. She realized then that the baby had been in her minivan all day.
"The mother had forgotten to drop off the child at day care in the morning," said Curt Kreun, owner of Wonder Years 2. "She actually came in the building to pick up the child and then realized what had happened."
The child was in a car seat in the back of the vehicle, according to Sgt. Jeff Burgess of the Grand Forks Police Department. A Wonder Years 2 staff member made the 911 call, according to Kreun.
(Excerpt) Read more at grandforks.com ...
LOL! I'll bet you wanted to strangle your husband! You know, that reminds me of a case where a professor -- I think from Berzerkeley -- did the same thing this mother did. He forgot to drop the baby off at day care and the baby died. Perhaps he was treated with the same sanctimony by freepers, but I don't recall much blame being heaped on him in the press/police. I wonder if that is beause he is a man or because he is a professor. He wasn't charged with the baby's death.
A number of men were prosecuted for this according to those articles that were posted earlier. I know it's up to the discretion of the state who they will prosecute but I would be curious to see how it breaks down by sex, race, and marital status.
You are right...I'm sorry...When I had kids,there were no seats required and you knew who was in the car...No,I haven't seen the new car seats,sooooo,I was wrong...
Look at his profile page and everything will become more apparent.
Nah, I thought it was pretty funny and now it's one of those "family memories" that we laugh about every year. No harm, no foul. Leaving a teenager is not the same as leaving a toddler. My son did the right thing by calling the smokeys and having them intercept the car. He could have hitched a ride with some trucker and ended up who knows where!
"Yes, yes, we get the point. Mommies who work are eeeeeevil, whether you know what their jobs or situations are or not. Just eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevil. The AntiChrist. We get it."
Don't be so obvious. It is categorically wrong for a 2-week-old infant to be given over by its mother to minimum-wage strangers. I have no issue with working mothers (on the other hand, I don't think "working mothers" are a protected, or special class, which is what so many of them think they are, you seemingly included), but I have a major societal issue with mothers dumping brand-new babies off so they can go off to work.
I cited "Mommy's all-important marketing job" as a way of pointing out that, there simply aren't that many crucial jobs held by new mothers that can't wait. How long? In my opinion, every new mother should stay home with her newborn at least until the kid is a year old. It's my opinion. Agreed with by every reasonable person in the land.
Please don't trot out last year's fallacious study that "proved" there was no harm in dumping infants into daycare at an absurdly early age. It was unscientific, and only manufactured by groups who wanted to "prove" that what we all know to be true and obvious is something else. Marxism, in other words.
Whatever your reaction is, you ought to take a few breaths before responding. Ask yourself, Do I really want to go back and forth, fighting with this guy, or should I take whatever energy I have to spare and use it to figure out how to spend more time with this unique child I created?
Safe travel.
When this happened in Iowa a few years ago, we heard that the Career Woman was having some marriage difficulty at the time.
The jury let her go.
Nope, I don't want to fight with you, now that you've told me every reasonable person in the land is on your side! That's some survey you took!
Note to self: Do NOT go to Theo for any ministering.
It is tragic. And this mother is going through some terrible grief and self-condemnation. I can't imagine the pain she's going through.
That said, the death of her child is the result of choice she made. It's my hope that other women might learn from her mistakes, that her life might serve as a warning to what could happen if, for example, you put career over family.
Again, yes, that's harsh. But if her mistakes help other women and save little ones' lives, then perhaps it's redemptive harshness.
"Perfect"? I'm not perfect. I'm in need of a Savior just like you and this woman and my wife.
When my kids were little I used to let them roll around loose in the back of the station wagon, like bowling balls.
It's hard to believe they are all still alive.
BTW have you noticed there are almost no station wagons on the road? Families have to get minivans or SUV's to anchor all those car seats.
Yeah - also do the stories distinguish between the guy who leaves his kids in the car while he plays the roulette wheel and the absent-minded professor type that honestly forgot the baby was there?
"I would be willing to bet that none of the jerks excoriating the mother has ever lost a child for any reason. Those of us who have know that she is in a very special Hell already. Parents who lose children despite every effort humanly possible still go through an extremely painful grieving process; I can barely imagine how much worse it must be for a parent who is responsible for the death of their child."
Well said. I'm sorry for your loss.
"Nope, I don't want to fight with you, now that you've told me every reasonable person in the land is on your side! That's some survey you took!"
Denial, denial, denial. I pity your neglected child, and will pray for you both.
No problem. I think that happens often in forums like this. People obviously view things from their own perspective. I remember when I was a kid and we would be running all over the van on long road trips. My baby brother even had a "car bed." When I think of the things my mom let us do, that I would never let my kids do, I can't believe we all survived!
As I've written, those of us who haven't let our babies die may learn something from this tragedy. If we learn from it, and are able to better protect our children, then that is truly ministry. Think "discipleship," "discipline," etc....
Yep! Good call by your son.
Sorry, you can't hit that guilt button. That button was not installed. ;-D
You said I'd be wasting time by answering you, so perhaps you'd better stop wasting your time as well.
"You said I'd be wasting time by answering you, so perhaps you'd better stop wasting your time as well."
If I can gain one more second of a mother's love for a child who sorely needs it, then it won't be a waste of my time.
Absolutely. My husband, as a child, had the "way back" in the station wagon as his bed. He would fall right asleep, and never wake up until the wheels hit the bump at the end of the driveway.
He tries to tell me that's why he STILL can't navigate anywhere. ;)
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