Posted on 09/06/2007 7:18:13 AM PDT by Froufrou
No charges will be filed against a middle school administrator whose toddler daughter died last month when she was left in the back seat of her mother's SUV during a heat wave, a prosecutor said Tuesday.
Leaving the child in the car for the work day was "a substantial lapse of due care" but did not meet the definition of reckless conduct necessary for prosecution, said Clermont County Prosecutor Don White.
Brenda Nesselroad-Slaby, 40, is assistant principal at Glen Este Middle School, about 20 miles east of Cincinnati. Authorities said she left her 2-year-old daughter, Cecilia, strapped into a car seat for about eight hours on Aug. 23 while she was at work at the school.
Temperatures outside reached about 100 degrees.
What the hell does that mean?
Star Trek - TNG
Sorry. Does not compute. Can you explain what it means?
Thanks, but I’m just a work at home mom with a very low tolerance for fools and knaves and clowns like these qualify in spades!
I have no sympathy for people like this. It’s not an accident, it is intentional laziness. I see mothers and fathers go into a gas station to pay and leave a baby in the car. Windows up or down, it doesn’t matter. If you are going to take two steps away from your car, you take the kid out and hold them. Yes it’s a pain in the arse to take them out and put them back in, but they are far safer in your arms than anywhere else. Doesn’t anyone remember the slew of carjackings where the perps drove away with the kid still strapped in their seat?
We are in need of a COMMON SENSE test in this country and those failing it should be regulated to the lowest rungs of society, and certainly not allowed to become school administrators. This woman should only be trusted to greet people at Wal-Mart or ask “Do you want fries with that?” But only after she is first locked in a car in 100 degree heat for 8 hours.
This has happened before, and the same "excuse" came up as a plausable reason.
Also, many people cried that she'd "already suffered enough" so let's not prosecute her.
It’s hard to believe that she didn’t notice that poor child!
I’ve read 2 or 3 articles and the only thing I see is that the police report from the incident indicates that OTHERS (not the police) had provided testimony that this had occurred on other occasions. And on one of those occasions ‘caring’ individuals alerted the school authorities (tattled) about one of those incidents. I see nothing that indicates a history with the police about this subject.
I love how we become such nanny-state liberals when something tragic happens to a kid. We must, of course, save the children from ourselves because the reality is that any one of us could have made the same mistake.
I take 3 kids to school in the AM. None of them in baby-seats. If something takes me out of my normal routine (such as a kid with a doctors appt) i will still accidentally drive the same route. The difference is that my talking age kids will tell me - hey dummy - you’re not taking me to school yet - why are you going this way?
On the weekends if I start off in the same route as my weekday morning routine I will accidentally drive the school route much to the hilarity of my kids.
I can give this woman the benefit of the doubt because I myself have left kids at church thinking the wife had them and she likewise thought I had them. These things do happen.
We can of course get all judgemental and indignant because and armchair quarterback her to deathrow... but frankly I see that as damaging and dangerous as the mistake this woman made. the only difference is we’re doing it willfully.
For those of you throwing the apologist label around - go for it.
I just found out that our esteemed prosecutor was on the “Today Show” this morning (never watch it) and defended his decision not to prosecute this woman. I also heard that the police department that investigated the crime recommended that this woman be charged. Mr. White ignored their recommendation. I don’t know what he can be thinking! This community is still reeling from the death last August of another toddler, Marcus Feisel. Two of the perps in that case are in prison — the other one (Amy Baker) got immunity for testifying against them. The citizens are still upset that Amy didn’t get some prison time for her part in it.
Mr. White’s reasoning for not pursuing chargers were appropriate. Good for him.
I am not being judgemental and I will “go for it”.
The woman went to her bloody car 5 times and even moved it to another location in the parking lot! How do you explain not seeing the child sitting in the back seat? Please, can someone explain that to me? Do we blame the stinkin’ donuts??? Who is responsible for the child baking in the back seat of the car?
You’re not asking who’s responsible - you’re asking who you can judge and condemn for it. I think you’re wrong for such an approach in a case as this. I started to answer that question for you earlier (in another post from you) but I decided to not try. Your emotional reaction has clouded your reasoning.
Got some good points. Of course, once upon a time, no “seats” were required even to be bought to enrich Graco and all the other baby companies.
Generally, I’d agree.
Although I do think “stupidity” should maybe have a fine on it, to enforce to intentional jerks that it is bad. And maybe help the rest of us better remember?
But I do hate piling on people who have brought tragedy upon themselves by “killing” someone accidentally, whether their own kid or the school kids they were driving on the bus.
“I love how we become such nanny-state liberals when something tragic happens to a kid. We must, of course, save the children from ourselves because the reality is that any one of us could have made the same mistake”
In other cases I’ve thought the same, but this case is different.
She returned to her vehicle five times.
She even moved the car.
I’m beginning to think this was deliberate.
Once again, who is responsible for the death of this child? You damn straight I’m emotional about the situation and sir/madamn, it’s your stupid replies that are “clouded”!
My hero too! Good for you, anonsquared!
I hadn’t thought about the 5 trips to the car, but now that I read it here it could very well be that she knew the child was there. I can’t fathom someone going to their car 5 times and not noticing the car seat was occupied!
The prosecutor was very glib on Today Show. I didn’t know then that this was not the first time she’d left the child! He should be encouraged to step down.
I watched the video - read the articles. I disagree completely.
“I’m beginning to think this was deliberate.”
DING DING DING, WE HAVE A WINNER!
You can bet she would have been crucified if she had left her dog in the car for 8 hours.
If the mother had left the child in the car this one time and hadn’t gone back to the car during the day numerous times, one could see how it could be construed as an innocent accident, but she had left the child in the car before. It should be fairly obvious that this woman is irresponsible and dangerous to the welfare of her own children. Now, this innocent baby girl is dead. At what point should a parent be held accountable for failing to care for a helpless child? It’s like one poster above said — it’s about laziness — and careless indifference. Under the circumstances, do you think we should be concerned about any other children in her care? Would you entrust one of your children to this woman, in particular, a 2 year old?
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