14 year old in Silver Spring charged with 7 month old's death...tragic!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:no 14 yo should be responsible for his younger siblings on a continuous basis such as this. I heard that he'd go to school, come home, watch the kids while his mom worked the night shift. So much responsibility on this young boy. I feel sorry for him really. Not saying what he did was right.

These moms need to take care of their own babies and not put so much responsibility on older siblings.

Sad all around!

How clueless can you be? This is a fact of life for poor families. Why don't you pay more for everything instead of expecting low-income workers and their families to subsidize your lifestyle?

It doesn't make it appropriate or safe for a 14 yo to be providing the care.

Thank you Dr. Obvious. What would you have done in the mother's situation? Quit your job and tried to get welfare?

[Anonymous]

He BEAT a defenseless 7 months old, covered her nose and mouth until she was smothered to death!
And you are all crying about the 14 yo? WTH?
Many 14 yo around the world take care of babies, and don't beat and kill them! 14 yo is old enough to know what is right and wrong. Horrific!

[Anonymous]

PP, it's not that I have sympathy for the 14 year old, exactly.

But I have had too much experience with babies that cry incessantly. I was 34 at the time and even I could feel rage after hour three of the baby Not. Shutting. Up. I never hit my baby, but I did very forcefully put him down in his crib. My rage shocked me, but again, I was mid 30s at the time.

A 14 year old still has a developing brain and is not fully in control of his emotions and reactions. THat's why we don't consider him yet an adult. That's why we don't let him drive a car or drink.

If this baby was sleeping peacefully, and he just up and started wailing on her, then yes, he is a monster.

If this baby was crying for 3 hours and he couldn't make her be quiet and he felt sudden rage (as I admit I have experienced) then this is a horrible situation, that he wasn't in any way prepared for.