Pot-smoking mom sentenced to 7 years for baby's death in hot car (literally baked to death)

ap via newsday ^ | 9/8/2001 | ap

[TLBSHOW]

A Sussex County woman whose 13-month-old son "baked to death" inside a parked car while she smoked marijuana in a nearby house has been sentenced to seven years in prison.

Christine Hayes, 34, of Lafayette, was sentenced Friday on a reckless manslaughter conviction. She told Superior Court Judge N. Peter Conforti in Newton that she never meant to harm her son, Jack.

"I miss Jack so much. It was horrible, all this pain and grief," she cried.

Hayes said she showed accountability by pleading guilty and maintaining her son's grave.

[mountaineer]

Hayes said she showed accountability by pleading guilty and maintaining her son's grave. "I didn't leave my son in the ground without anybody to take care of him," she said.

BFD. It doesn't do him much good, does it?

[mombonn]

"I miss Jack so much. It was horrible, all this pain and grief," she cried.

Boo hoo hoo, cry me a river, lady. Try thinking about the pain you baby endured.

[Whilom]

I sure hope that kid understood that smoking pot doesn't hurt anyone.

[FormerLib]

>>>"I didn't leave my son in the ground without anybody to take care of him," she said.<<<

No lady, you left him in a hot vehicle to burn to death without anybody to take care of him.

[Swede Girl]

At 34 she should have behaved more responsibly. She is the type who should never have children. This probably was not the first time this baby was neglected, considering her "pot-smoking." No mention of a husband.

Judges should fine these types of "parents" with sterilization to prevent the abuse of subsequent children.

As for that poor baby.....I cannot even think about what he went through.....crying for his mommy.....trapped......

[glock rocks]

where is n.o.w.? another late term abortion?

[Jean S]

"His skin suffered burns, second- and third-degree burns," Briegel said. "The child literally baked to death in the car."

She only got seven years? This makes me sick.

[southern rock]

I sure hope that kid understood that smoking pot doesn't hurt anyone.

seeing how the mother is still in perfect health, we can only assume that smoking pot doesn't hurt anyone. Being left in a hot, locked car, that is a different story.

I long for the day when we can punish actual crimes, and not the motives, intentions, and chemicals in the criminal's mind or body.

[Slyfox]

I can just hear Janet Reno slapping her forhead and saying, "Why didn't I think of that?"

[TheOtherOne]

The same way it is not the gun to blame for the death when someone gets shot, it seems some here forget that it is the individual who is responsible for their actions.

She is guilty as sin and deserves the severest of punishments. This is not about pot, there are stories on FR monthly about kids dying after being left in cars - that is the crime, not the pot.

I guarantee it was not like this was a good mother, but for the pot smoking.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

[Pipe Dog]

Instead of a seven year sentence, she should be seat belted in a car in the sun and left to bake to death as her child was.(Even if it take a few days that is too soon IMHO.)

[motzman]

While the child was dying, his mother smoked marijuana and drank beer with her friends, Briegel noted.

Why's nobody blaming the beer?

[apackof2]

seeing how the mother is still in perfect health, we can only assume that smoking pot doesn't hurt anyone.

"woman whose 13-month-old son "baked to death" inside a parked car" while she smoked marijuana in a nearby house

Her pot smoking DID hurt her baby
But I guess if she was "free" to smoke pot, her baby would'nt have died!

[Sandy]

"I didn't leave my son in the ground without anybody to take care of him"

OMG... She actually said this to the judge in hopes of mitigation.

[southern rock]

while she smoked marijuana

Would it make you feel any better if she were watching the Home Shopping Channel instead?

[Sandy]

She only got seven years?

From what I've seen, that's a relatively long sentence for this crime. I assume she got a stiffer sentence than others who've done this because she was drinking/smoking rather than shopping or working or sleeping.

[Pipe Dog]

Hhmmmm..Let's see, she left her child locked inside the car with the engine running and the windows rolled up for 2 hours.

HHMMmmmm....Do you think this was an accident or maybe it was intentional? The drugs were not the cause of this child's death. It was the irresponsibilty of the parent regardless of what she was doing!! Most people would at least go check on their car, which is a replaceable commodity, unlike that of a child's life, if they left it running for 2 hours!?!

[headsonpikes]

Post #11---bttt.

[jwalsh07]

Are you saying that there was no nexis between this womans use of drugs (alcohol included) and the horrible death of her child?