I’m in the same boat as you
@MsBetsy
I’m just seeing difference ONLY on the fact her face is front and center and is not hiding as we see with usually guilty parties (JMO)
I do believe her grief is real but I think part is in the fact for herself. Gah. I always try to see the good in people. I’ve been around this site for years and I guess I should know better.
I’m going to try and center my sympathy from here on out for Maleah. She’s the one that needs our thoughts and love. Not these awful negligent “parents”. She has grief for the loss of her child. Fine. But the truth is she did leave her with a man she suspected of molesting her daughter; her own words. And KNEW he beat her.
I keep repeating this to myself
Yes, its a terrible problem and we see it over and over when there is an abusive man harming a child and the woman puts him before her own child.
I will never understand it. Many times the woman is being controlled and abused as well.
I have no doubt CPS addressed this. One of the things they ask during an investigation is if there is any domestic abuse. They ask specific questions about whether anyone is being controlled by a partner and if for any reason the woman or children do not feel safe in the home.
I have no doubt they would have addressed all this knowing about the "stepfather." I would think they even suspected abuse by him. They would have given BB information and resources, including phone numbers, a list of protective shelters for women and children, and other resources.
She had plenty of chances to do something to protect her children, for months!
I also don't understand how CPS or the court decided to place the children back in the home for a trial period. They should have made them complete the parenting classes, as well as therapy, before the children were ever returned to the home.
They were way too lenient in my opinion. They still had custody of these kids and should have removed all possibility of Maleah getting abused further. Visiting the home once a month is hardly supervision.
The parents should never have been trusted to be responsible for the children, especially since there were clear signs of on-going physical abuse.
This should never be allowed to happen, but for some reason it does, all too often. Imo