Man on trial for putting baby in freezer

Reuters ^ | 11/27/06

[presidio9]

A Canadian man who could not figure out how to deal with his girlfriend's feverish 10-month-old daughter put the baby into a freezer to cool her down, a local newspaper reported on Friday.

Derrick Hardy faces charges of criminal negligence and assaulting the infant, who was rescued when her mother came home, the Charlottetown Guardian said.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. said the mother found the girl crammed into the freezer alongside ice cubes and hamburger meat. Hardy said he had left the door ajar but the mother said it had been closed when she returned.

He told a court in the eastern province of Prince Edward Island on Thursday the child had only been in the freezer for about 40 seconds.

Hardy, 21, who admitted to police that he had no real parenting skills to deal with a sick child, said he had noticed the girl was very hot and put a cool cloth on her face, but this had no effect.

He then carried the girl outside into the night air but, frustrated that this also did not work and worried she might drown if placed in a cold bath, he put the baby into the kitchen freezer. She was wearing only an undershirt.

A local doctor said the mother had described her baby as "crying, sobbing and terrified." The child spent several days in hospital to recover from first- and second-degree freezer burns on her head and torso.

Hardy has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The baby's grandmother now has custody of the girl.

[sweetliberty]

"who admitted to police that he had no real parenting skills..."

DUH! Ya think?

[MeanWestTexan]

"Unfortunately some reading may take notice and be reluctant to get emergency help."

Nah. Anyone who had read FR gets a thick skin quick.

[flutters]

I read this thread yesterday, and couldn't believe it when the following story was in my local paper this morning...

Microwave suspected in death of Dayton baby
Associated Press
Tuesday, November 28, 2006

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/news-story.php?story=229499

[snugs]

Read my other posts I am not I am stating that emergency care should not be talked about flippantly to make political points which some may take seriously.

If you or whoever was trying to score points with clever remarks (I cannot remember if it was you) went to England or Canada and were taken ill I think you would call an ambulance or visit an emergency room. All I am saying is that whoever were inferring that Canada would ignore a medical emergency is just stupid and irresponsible.

Further for the record though a pensioner my father saves a large proportion of his income to use private medicine for his long term problems so I and my family are far from a supporter of it but realise there are times such as medical emergencies when one has to make use of it.

[presidio9]

All I am saying is that whoever were inferring that Canada would ignore a medical emergency is just stupid and irresponsible.

Lighten up Francis. Nobody here seriously thinks Canada and England ignore real medical emergencies. It's called sarcasm.

[snugs]

I know that and you know that but some go off on a tagent and some people believe it.

[kenth]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1745358/posts

Just when you think it can only be a joke.

[suemo]

I dont think that it should be blamed on the “moron’s” family tree.... personally I am related to the young man who did this, and I think it is horrible, and that he should get what he deserves, but I know his family and he has a younger brother whom is very level headed, and the rest of his family is pretty much as normal as you would imagine. :-)

but yeah he did something VERY wrong and I hope that he gets what he deserves.