so terribly upset after reading, 'Infant found on NE doorstop is dead'

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a "safe space" sign on the firehouse near me, but when I went there on another matter, the door was locked and no one ever answered the bell or my knocking. I had to walk around the building, through the garage, and peek into two offices before I found people in the 3rd one. I get the impression that even the public safety personnel don't take it seriously.

Poor little angel. I can only say that she suffered less than she would have if she had survived and stayed with the horrible "mother".

Horrible? She was probably a terrified teen-ager who may have delivered her own baby. For all we know this child was the result of a rape and she was also suffering from that trauma. Let's stop the name calling until you have the facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there suck a lack of safe haven promotion? No commercials, billboards, etc...

Agreed. They should provide the information to local area high schools are require them to post it as well as posting in any other public building.

Maybe its so poorly advertised bc people hate the idea of abandoned baby .

Or we could start at the other end by supporting comprehensive sex ed and securing reproductive rights, rather than waiting for someone to abandon a baby.

This is a tragedy, though.

Both are done and are more highly marketed then a safe haven sites.

So it would have been commendable for the mother to have aborted the baby?

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a "safe space" sign on the firehouse near me, but when I went there on another matter, the door was locked and no one ever answered the bell or my knocking. I had to walk around the building, through the garage, and peek into two offices before I found people in the 3rd one. I get the impression that even the public safety personnel don't take it seriously.

Poor little angel. I can only say that she suffered less than she would have if she had survived and stayed with the horrible "mother".

Horrible? She was probably a terrified teen-ager who may have delivered her own baby. For all we know this child was the result of a rape and she was also suffering from that trauma. Let's stop the name calling until you have the facts.

Even a teenager who was raped and delivered her own child is a horrible mother if she leaves the child outside in freezing weather to die. It doesn't mean that she didn't experience horrible things herself. But leaving a baby to die in the freezing cold makes you a horrible mother.

[Anonymous]

We're all assuming this woman was mentally competent.

What if she was suffering from PTSD or PPD/PPP?

[Anonymous]

I feel so very sorry for the men who discovered and tended to the baby. It's an image that will be difficult for them to erase from their memories.

[Anonymous]

So very tragic. Makes my heart hurt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The DC safe haven law only applies for the first 7 days of an infant's life. This baby was 2-3 weeks old, apparently. If the time period in the law was extended, could this have been avoided? Everybody in DC should lobby for extending the period under which you can give up your child without questions asked.

Not according to the article in the Wash Post. It said the baby was at most a week old, so the Safe Haven law would have covered this child (and mother):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/infant-abandoned-in-ne-dies/2012/01/16/gIQANMne3P_story.html

Likely, either the mother was ignorant of the safe haven law (quite likely considering how little is disseminated about it) or was worried about whatever caused the blood in the mouth and thought she might be accused of child negligence or abuse.

[Anonymous]

This is slightly off topic, but what is the purpose of so narrowly limiting the age of the baby that can be dropped off under safe haven laws? I mean, I can understand how they don't want people dropping of three year olds, but I looked online and a lot of states limit it to 7 days or so. What sense does that make?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What if the mother was being chased by her abusive boyfriend, left the baby on the doorstep hoping to return later when she was safe? But instead the boyfriend murdered her and the baby was no where to be found.

What if she was being chased by bears and thought that the bears were after her baby because s/he smelled of stewed prunes. I bet she then placed the baby on the doorstep thinking it was the magical portal to the tooth fairy who would then rescue the baby and banish the bear from the kingdom of Whoville.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is slightly off topic, but what is the purpose of so narrowly limiting the age of the baby that can be dropped off under safe haven laws? I mean, I can understand how they don't want people dropping of three year olds, but I looked online and a lot of states limit it to 7 days or so. What sense does that make?

I'm not sure why, but it doesn't make sense to me to limit it really at all. I know there was the case in Nebraska where teenagers were dropped off, but I actually think that's a good thing. Think about the homelife a teenager has when their parent is willing to drop them off at a safe haven place. I'm personally in favor of allowing kids of all ages at a safe haven place.

[Anonymous]

I absolutely agree with any age being able to find safe haven. There are far too many children in terrible circumstances. If children knew to find help for themselves, it would make an enormous difference.

[iluvmeconspiracy]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a "safe space" sign on the firehouse near me, but when I went there on another matter, the door was locked and no one ever answered the bell or my knocking. I had to walk around the building, through the garage, and peek into two offices before I found people in the 3rd one. I get the impression that even the public safety personnel don't take it seriously.

Poor little angel. I can only say that she suffered less than she would have if she had survived and stayed with the horrible "mother".

Horrible? She was probably a terrified teen-ager who may have delivered her own baby. For all we know this child was the result of a rape and she was also suffering from that trauma. Let's stop the name calling until you have the facts.

Even a teenager who was raped and delivered her own child is a horrible mother if she leaves the child outside in freezing weather to die. It doesn't mean that she didn't experience horrible things herself. But leaving a baby to die in the freezing cold makes you a horrible mother.

It's rare to find a teen who DOES make a good mother. Of the ones I know, THEIR mothers are raising their children. You have no idea what has happened to the person who delivered this baby. And I bet that had YOUR daughter been in this mess, you would have given every excuse in the book to protect her.

[Anonymous]

iluvmeconspiracy wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a "safe space" sign on the firehouse near me, but when I went there on another matter, the door was locked and no one ever answered the bell or my knocking. I had to walk around the building, through the garage, and peek into two offices before I found people in the 3rd one. I get the impression that even the public safety personnel don't take it seriously.

Poor little angel. I can only say that she suffered less than she would have if she had survived and stayed with the horrible "mother".

Horrible? She was probably a terrified teen-ager who may have delivered her own baby. For all we know this child was the result of a rape and she was also suffering from that trauma. Let's stop the name calling until you have the facts.

Even a teenager who was raped and delivered her own child is a horrible mother if she leaves the child outside in freezing weather to die. It doesn't mean that she didn't experience horrible things herself. But leaving a baby to die in the freezing cold makes you a horrible mother.

It's rare to find a teen who DOES make a good mother. Of the ones I know, THEIR mothers are raising their children. You have no idea what has happened to the person who delivered this baby. And I bet that had YOUR daughter been in this mess, you would have given every excuse in the book to protect her.

I think there are definetly some good teenage mothers, but there is a world of difference between your average teenage mother and this sort of horror of a mother.

If my teenage daughter left my grandchild out in the freezing cold to die I would be beyond horrified/angry/distraught/etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

iluvmeconspiracy wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a "safe space" sign on the firehouse near me, but when I went there on another matter, the door was locked and no one ever answered the bell or my knocking. I had to walk around the building, through the garage, and peek into two offices before I found people in the 3rd one. I get the impression that even the public safety personnel don't take it seriously.

Poor little angel. I can only say that she suffered less than she would have if she had survived and stayed with the horrible "mother".

Horrible? She was probably a terrified teen-ager who may have delivered her own baby. For all we know this child was the result of a rape and she was also suffering from that trauma. Let's stop the name calling until you have the facts.

Even a teenager who was raped and delivered her own child is a horrible mother if she leaves the child outside in freezing weather to die. It doesn't mean that she didn't experience horrible things herself. But leaving a baby to die in the freezing cold makes you a horrible mother.

It's rare to find a teen who DOES make a good mother. Of the ones I know, THEIR mothers are raising their children. You have no idea what has happened to the person who delivered this baby. And I bet that had YOUR daughter been in this mess, you would have given every excuse in the book to protect her.

But would you be so ready to put your teen-age daughter in prison for 30-life?

I think there are definetly some good teenage mothers, but there is a world of difference between your average teenage mother and this sort of horror of a mother.

If my teenage daughter left my grandchild out in the freezing cold to die I would be beyond horrified/angry/distraught/etc.

[iluvmeconspiracy]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

iluvmeconspiracy wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a "safe space" sign on the firehouse near me, but when I went there on another matter, the door was locked and no one ever answered the bell or my knocking. I had to walk around the building, through the garage, and peek into two offices before I found people in the 3rd one. I get the impression that even the public safety personnel don't take it seriously.

Poor little angel. I can only say that she suffered less than she would have if she had survived and stayed with the horrible "mother".

Horrible? She was probably a terrified teen-ager who may have delivered her own baby. For all we know this child was the result of a rape and she was also suffering from that trauma. Let's stop the name calling until you have the facts.

Even a teenager who was raped and delivered her own child is a horrible mother if she leaves the child outside in freezing weather to die. It doesn't mean that she didn't experience horrible things herself. But leaving a baby to die in the freezing cold makes you a horrible mother.

It's rare to find a teen who DOES make a good mother. Of the ones I know, THEIR mothers are raising their children. You have no idea what has happened to the person who delivered this baby. And I bet that had YOUR daughter been in this mess, you would have given every excuse in the book to protect her.

But would you be so ready to put your teen-age daughter in prison for 30-life?

I think there are definetly some good teenage mothers, but there is a world of difference between your average teenage mother and this sort of horror of a mother.

If my teenage daughter left my grandchild out in the freezing cold to die I would be beyond horrified/angry/distraught/etc.

That's the million dollar question for this scenario. I doubt many parents could go that far.

And while there may be "good" teenage moms, the good ones have family support, which doesn't mean enabling. Usually, teen moms give birth to teen moms, and the cycle continues. Sadly, abuse may be part of the cycle - physical, emotional, sexual. A child's life is ruined at that point. So what empathy can she possibly have left?