KC your parent involved herself so much in your's and Caylee's lives that it's truthfully you who occasionally "babysat" your own child, if your mother complained or insisted. Even on those occasions you wanted to sleep w/ men so badly you lied to your mother to shut her up and, when they'd go along w it, secretly took Caylee into bed w your boytoys. Your mother made all the decisions in your daughter's life and you couldn't have disciplined her either because that too was Grandma's job.
Those times you even tried to act as mother to Caylee, you were just as swiftly shot down and the little confidence you had collapsed away for not doing it her way--the "right way." The more you failed, the less you tried until you resigned yourself that your mother's pronouncements of your inadequate mothering must be true--so why bother? She even calls herself 'Mom' to your child. Face it, you can never measure up to her standards, can never compete w the Perfect Mom, who ALWAYS knows better and NEVER admits to a mistake--to do that, she's shown you, is a sign of weakness so at all costs you must never make yourself vulnerable. Afterall, you have fought your whole life to just have the right to your own voice--and this would spell death to what shred of individuality you've hung onto...
You had both drawn the line that Father's Day--she by finally kicking you out, enraged by the stealing, while cutting off the intended source for your planned getaway... now only your childless friends would be going and you would be stuck watching Caylee; and you in turn by then refusing to leave Caylee--your daughter--w her. That will change her mind, she will miss Caylee and not really make you move out once you announce your plan to take Caylee w you.
But who could have known that, w/in 24 hours, all your mother's relentless berading and prophecies about your unfit mothering would come true? Were you checking your myspace when you suddenly realized it had been too quiet for too long. Did you wonder where the time had gone as you tore yourself away from the computer to go in search of your normally babbling daughter? Was there a growing sense of unease as you checked every room, calling her name as you saw she wasn't playing in the backyard either? Were you sick w the realization she wasn't in her sandbox... nor the garage... nor playing a game of hide-and-seek, as you approached the pool w dread and terror... Is it here your mind recoiled to see first her backpack, floating on the surface... and then grapples in horror to take in the sight of Caylee's tiny, lifeless body in the bottom of the pool? Were your mother's words deafening in your ears as you asked, how could it have happened?? As you enter the cold water, fully clothed w boots, before you can reach her, was your mind already reeling w horror... was it protesting, but it has only been ten minutes... Or was it flashing back to what was more important than watching your child? Were you wracking your brain w a million questions, like who forgot to close the gate? Hadn't your mother just told you about that? Or something about Caylee soon mastering this task herself? Did you bear the guilt of having attached the ladder yourself--intending to take Caylee in, but becoming distracted; or had she been left unattended long enough that, after wandering back there, she somehow managed to pull the lawnchair over and climb up w/out help, toppling in head first while trying to retrieve a toy...
She is blue, cold and nonresponsive--beyond hope, you despair, of revival or of ever being the same vibrant, alert, active girl. You can already hear your mother's hysterical voice condemning you KC, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE... the guilt and shame so profound it is easier to feel nothing from now on. Did you freeze in your panic, frantically trying to dial while staring in shock and disbelief at your daughter who just minutes ago was so full of life... trying desperately to reach someone, ANYONE, but knowing she will never be the same. You have done the very thing of which your mother has always accused you. Maybe she IS right... You KNOW your mother can NEVER forgive you. She has forgiven so much, but there is no way you can ever make up for this. SHE CAN NEVER LEARN THE TRUTH. This time there is no one who can be trusted, and no one, not even her, who can fix it.
You must hide her then, quickly... in the sandbox... no, the tarp, or wait this smaller storage container, could be dragged behind shrubs toward the rear of the yard... at least until you can figure out some other place, and come back for her. Your clothes are soaked and there is no time to waste, you have to change. You will leave then just like she told you, and stay gone. She will think you have changed, and are no longer depending on them. You just need time... you'll figure everything out later, right now you must hurry to pack a bag of your clothes, which you throw on the front seat, tossing your dripping clothes and boots behind the front seat onto the floor of the car. It is too late--nothing can ever change it, nothing will ever bring her back so you must cut her out of your heart--afterall, everyone lies, everyone dies...
*Of all preschoolers who drown,
75 percent are missing from sight for five minutes or less.
*
Among children ages 1 to 4 years, most drownings occur in residential swimming pools. More than 85 percent of drowning among children ages 1 to 4 are pool related. Most young children who drowned in pools were in the care of one or both parents at the time.
*Barriers such as
pool fencing, can help prevent children from gaining access to the pool area w/out caregivers awareness. Install a four-sided isolation fence that completely separates house and play area of the yard from the pool area.
The fence should be at least 4 feet high. Use self-closing and self-latching gates that open outward w latches that are out of reach of children. Also, consider additional barriers such as automatic door locks or alarms to prevent access or notify you if someone enters the pool area.
*The Association of Pool and Spa Professions (ASSP) recommends being aware of objects (ETA like tables, chairs, or containers) which could allow children to climb over barriers and reach the pool.
*Drowning is a "silent killer," swimming and child medical experts said. It's not at all like Hollywood dramatizations depicting floundering swimmers bobbing to the surface yelping for help for several minutes.
*"Kids slip in the water like a pebble going under," said Dr. Marty Eichelberger CEO of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign. "As they try to get themselves out of the water, they sorta streamline their bodies making this linear form, and it takes them straight to the bottom. They only have a minute or two before they loose consciousness. ... It is a silent thing because they are under the water. They are trying to get themselves to the point where they can breathe, and as they breathe, they just suck in more water."
*
The majority of children who survive (92%) are discovered w/in two minutes following submersion, and most children who die (86%) are found after 10 minutes. Nearly all who require CPR die or are left w severe brain injury. Nonfatal drownings can cause brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities including learning disabilities and permanent loss of basic functioning (permanent vegetative state).
*In 2005, of all children 1 to 4 years old who died,
almost 30% died from drowning. Although drowning rates have slowly declined fatal drowning remains the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children.
There is nothing to date which connects chloroform to Caylee herself. I enrolled my five year-old daughter in swim lessons this fall after hearing of this case. This is the recommended age for formal instruction, but even swimming classes can not "drown proof" your child. JMO
http://www.poseidon-tech.com/us/statistics.html
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/05/27...ing/index.html
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/drown.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/drown.htm
