I'm bringing this over from the other thread because it closed before I could post:
Snipped respectfully for space by me.
I think the difference is that he knew AD, or thought he did. We can become lulled into a sense of security when we actually know people who may pose a risk. I have said this before, and I will repeat it. How many times have we heard neighbors or others say, for example: "Oh, but he was such a nice man! So kind to animals and children. I never would have guessed he could do something like this."?
How many cases have we heard of where the initial reaction from people who knew the perp is that he or she just must be innocent because they are not capable of such acts? I think of Jesse Grund and casey anthony. He thought she was a wonderful, loving mother incapable of harming her child. he knew casey well. He slept with her, lived with her and was engaged. But, he could not see the evil that is now so apparent to us.
I think it is psychological to be more trusting of people we actually know.
The other issues is that, again, some people are not that smart. Some people don't have good hinky meters. Some people are naive, trusting. Some people hold the ideal of motherhood to such a high standard they could not imagine a m other harming a child - even though we hear of such cases in the news. Another example from the casey case - there were LEGIONS of people from websleuths supporting her and/or insisting that she either had nothing to do with it and was innocent, except possibly for negligence, that her child was forcibly kidnapped, that casey sold her child instead of murdering her, or that if the child was dead, it was an accident. And these are people who know full well about crime and stats and mothers who kill yet did not actually know casey. But, they could not wrap their mind around the possibility that a pretty young woman with tons of smiling pictures of her and the child, could have murdered her own baby. It's the motherhood ideal working.
Finally, how many of you could possibly predict such an outcome? My gosh, it is so horrible to comprehend - a mother actually harming her child in such a premeditated, methodical manner, and for what, why? How the heck could this average, uneducated, working class father possibly predict such a thing?
We on these boards know full well the risks to kids from drug use, new boyfriends, dysfunction, etc. But many, many people out there do not. Nor do they know what they can do about it even if they have an inkling as to the risks. This father should have done many things. He didn't. But he is not a bad man. He's a single dad trying his best to work and provide for his child and provide for her care and give her access to her bio-mom, etc.he obviously took great care of Shaniya, who looked happy, clean and well adjusted, when in his care. He made a huge error in giving AD a chance to see her child.
Finally, sadly, I come across cases in my practice, every single week, of parents who absolutely have no understanding of their rights. Especially dads. I don't think Brad knew of the risks, knew what he could do to obtain custody via the courts or knew that it is not always wise to give someone a "second chance." I pity the man.