Drunk Mother Suffocates Baby - Should Get "Some Prison Time"

	posted by Matt on 11:51 PM April 27th, 2006
	Another story of an intoxicated mother passing out onto her baby during breastfeeding only to wake up to find she had smothered the child to death. How much time does she get? Not that much. Would a dad who drunkenly passed out while cradling a baby and smothering the child to death as a result also just get "some time"? Doubt it. Excerpt: Prosecutor John Jorgensen said he would recommend that she receive at least some prison time. "We just believe she should be held accountable for the neglect," he said. Hawkins had been drinking at a bowling alley in February 2005, and after her husband dropped her and the child off at home, she started breast-feeding the baby but fell asleep, a criminal complaint said.

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What are we doing? (Score:1) by Davidadelong on 11:13 AM April 28th, 2006 EST (#1) Whether or not it was a Man or a Women, wasn't this a sick freak accident? Wouldn't a loving Parent that had inadvertantly caused the death of their Child suffer for the rest of their life? Where the hell is our compassion? Have we become so hateful as a species that we prey on anyones Human frailty in order to gloat over their misery? So we just become satisfied that Women will suffer as much as Men, instead of trying to remove the suffering? Reminds me of an abused Child that complains that they are the only one being abused. Then one day the parents start abusing the other Child, and it becomes OK, because they are not the only one anymore. I for one do not see the answer in oppressing everyone, the answer lies in "not oppressing anyone".

Re:What are we doing? (Score:1) by RandomMan on 12:04 PM April 28th, 2006 EST (#2) I agree David, that in a perfect world, nobody would be oppressed. Sadly, humanity has long since demonstrated that it is incapable of perfection. I also agree that this was a sick accident, but a death still resulted due to the willful negligence of a human being, and that is defined as manslaughter (unless you're driving a car, for some twisted reason, in some places). My belief is that there should be some punitive measure applied here, BUT, that men should freely be able to expect that in their trials, they can rely on such a ruling and punishment as valid case law to minimize their own liability. THAT would be equailty. The trouble is, there are two systems of justice: one for women and another for men, even when they commit the same crimes at the same time, and judges are more than happy to apply two sets of rules, when the basis of law is supposed to be precedent! My sympathy is not with the drunk who killed her child through negligence, it's with the dead child, as is yours, I'm sure.

Re:What are we doing? (Score:1) by Davidadelong on 06:45 PM April 28th, 2006 EST (#3) Yes, my sympathy lies with the Child, as well as the parents of that Child. It was an accident, nothing more or less. I had twins and fell asleep feeding them due to exhaustion on more than one occasion, as did my ex. But she didn't breast feed against my wishes, they were her breasts "after all". It could have happened to me, or any one of us. Yes she was intoxicated, and she was breast feeding, that is a no no anyway. Don't want to precondition the Child to alcohol now do we? As far as perfection to erradicate oppression, perfection isn't necessary, just self rule, one vote, one Person. The real concept of Citizenship, instead of the mentality of the slave. Administrative law versus actual law. We all know that the law is interpreted to control society to benefit the ruling factions of our society, don't we? So I guess my goal of ending oppression is just as idealistic as your wish of fairness in administering the actual laws, no? You got me thinking RandomMan, oh oh, it always gets me in trouble! Have a good weekend........

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