tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188078120365131355.post797972818746998466..comments2024-01-16T04:04:41.045-05:00Comments on Someday I'll Sleep Autism Blogs: Another Look at the Infanticide CaseCammie Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07137080807945525006noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188078120365131355.post-17065934233086215052011-09-19T02:33:29.386-04:002011-09-19T02:33:29.386-04:00Thanks Zach. I don't live in Canada so I'...Thanks Zach. I don't live in Canada so I'm not sure what the news was reporting. But of the few US cases I've seen they do mention along with the women about safe baby sites and things like that. Although most of the reports are local news. To make national news you have to drown your child in a bathtub, sadly. <br /><br />Shame the Canadian news isn't being more informative. It would be a good opportunity to remind the public.Deltaflutehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00489950329698009256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188078120365131355.post-16686205337505780962011-09-18T17:50:47.144-04:002011-09-18T17:50:47.144-04:00As a reply to deltaflute, I'm not saying that ...As a reply to deltaflute, I'm not saying that these things shouldn't be openly discussed; merely that they should be discussed honestly. None of the news coverage I've seen has mentioned anything about safe baby sites. ALL of it has mentioned a woman killing a baby she couldn't handle.Zachary J. Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08923712479703550171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188078120365131355.post-7500515393646015902011-09-18T14:58:38.151-04:002011-09-18T14:58:38.151-04:00I'm of two minds about this.
I do think that...I'm of two minds about this. <br /><br />I do think that setting this woman free is a mistake; anyone who is detached from reality enough to kill a person needs mental health care and monitoring. I don't, however, believe that throwing people in jail necessarily proves that we really care about something in our society, nor has it ever historically. Punishment, especially in a dehumanizing place like jail, doesn't really lead to healing or safety. Some people need to be locked away permanently to keep society safe, but that's not quite the same thing as punishment - that's an unfortunate requirement of responsibility in some cases. <br /><br />What's most disturbing, as you pointed out, is the phrase used in the court: "nothing more than infanticide," as if infanticide were a different, lesser kind of murder than the murder of an adult. Here's where I get fierce! When it comes to one human being, in this case the mother, I try to use compassion and forgiveness and think of how tragedy can be avoided in the future. When it comes to court systems, though, there's no excuse for what they said. They could have chosen to let this woman out of jail because, in her circumstance, mental illness made her unable to cognate the full impact what she was doing - but they still should have charged her with murder and refrained from commentary that belittled the life of that baby and all babies. <br /><br />In other words, they manipulated the charge to ensure a different sentence, and I am with you: that was awful. I believe that the sentence was reasonable, but it was dangerously wrong to portray infanticide as lesser charge than murder to get there. The ends don't justify the means.Mrs. Molnarniahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08143000702247305571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188078120365131355.post-85543662471425567952011-09-18T03:20:48.431-04:002011-09-18T03:20:48.431-04:00I suppose my reaction is more like a remembrance. ...I suppose my reaction is more like a remembrance. Back in college, they had just enacted the safe baby program. The one where you can drop an infant off and not be held liable, which I think was a brilliant idea to ward off infanticide and neglect. <br /><br />Anyway...at our school one of the swimmers who was Canadian ended up being deported. She apparently had given birth with only her boyfriend assisting and then they threw the baby in a dumpster. They claimed the baby was born stillborn. But labor and the after affects being what they are she went to the emergency room claiming that her period was out of control. Naturally the medical personnel knew that this wasn't the case and finally got her to confess about the dumpster.<br /><br />They spent time trying to locate the baby even digging through the dump, but never found the body. Therefore they couldn't prove that the baby was stillborn or that it had been alive and the couple killed it. I don't think she served much jail time. I think she was just sent back home.<br /><br />It was really sad then. And it infuriated me because here were two college people who didn't have the forethought to leave the baby at the hospital where they wouldn't get prosecuted. At the very least, the baby could have gotten medical attention.<br /><br />So unfortunately, this whole mess is actually more common then people realize.<br /><br />Although on a similar note, I saw a news story of a lady who didn't know she was pregnant (no symptoms, body changes, or anything thought it was menopause) gave birth on her toilet, but had the forethought to seek out her neighbor afterward who was a paramedic. That's the kind a person who deserves applause. Of course, she was older so age might make a difference.<br /><br />Contrary to Zach, I think these things do need to be sensationalized a little because most unwanted pregnant people aren't thinking straight. They don't go seek help or resources, but they watch the news. They're more likely to remember baby safe sites if they hear about them.Deltaflutehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00489950329698009256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188078120365131355.post-58261562318266739032011-09-17T20:53:36.110-04:002011-09-17T20:53:36.110-04:00Anon-
I had depression during pregnancy and was di...Anon-<br />I had depression during pregnancy and was diagnosed with PPD and PTSD less than 5 days after the birth of my son. It was, and continues to be, a real struggle of mine. I had flashbacks and sometimes didn't even know where I was in the beginning, but I never, not even one time, thought about hurting myself or my precious child. There was one time that I thought I was still in the hospital and my husband handed me our baby, who was much bigger than what he was in the hospital! I was worried, but more worried about this poor baby and wondered where his mother was. The episode lasted about 2 minutes. <br /><br />I agree with you, as well as Cam. This woman needs to pay for her crime, even if she has repented (which I wouldn't know if she has). Consequences matter.LouLouhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01662781447385668500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188078120365131355.post-79504442311353975672011-09-17T18:24:05.178-04:002011-09-17T18:24:05.178-04:00As someone who has suffered postpartum depression ...As someone who has suffered postpartum depression and psychosis (though separately) I am wondering how often this afflicts women IMMEDIATELY after giving birth. It certainly did not for me. I have heard of severe depression during pregnancy and I am wondering if that was going on with this woman. <br /><br />But yes, my reaction was very similar to yours, even being someone who has dealt with mental illness personally. She needs to either be in jail or an inpatient facility of some kind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188078120365131355.post-23534475159843391792011-09-17T18:02:56.399-04:002011-09-17T18:02:56.399-04:00Hi Zach-
It hasn't at all! I really appreciat...Hi Zach-<br />It hasn't at all! I really appreciated the link to the original case and I was hoping you didn't think I was sensationalizing it! The whole things is so sad. I didn't see the original stories on CAF... I heard about it on the Catholic radio when we were driving somewhere and finally found an article when I got home.<br /><br />And I like your blogs so I was hoping that the link will get you a few new followers since starting out it can be hard to get traffic! You're doing great work! Writing this post I was hoping it wasn't too emotional (because it's definitely from an emotional point of view). You do a good job looking at it objectively, which was another reason I put the link up, so people could see another explanation.Cammie Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07137080807945525006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188078120365131355.post-40124403882447627352011-09-17T16:55:13.712-04:002011-09-17T16:55:13.712-04:00Hello Cam.
I just wanted to clarify I wasn't ...Hello Cam.<br /><br />I just wanted to clarify I wasn't accusing individual bloggers of sensationalizing this, as much as the news media. You might recall that the original sources of this story appearing on CAF were rather more inaccurate than what's being carried now.<br /><br />Thanks for the mention and the cross-link, though. I really do appreciate it. I hope this hasn't soured things between ourselves. I really do enjoy following your blog.<br />-ZZachary J. Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08923712479703550171noreply@blogger.com