GUILTY NJ - Bridgeton girl, 14, charged in death of newborn, 4 May 2008

[SewingDeb]

snip for space

If some time is spent trying to help this girl, it is better for all of us. If she doesn't get help, she will go on to act out in other ways that could be fatal to others. The reality is - there is no way this girl is going to spend the rest of her life in jail, so we should hope that some help is extended.

Like Irish, I see myself in others. I cannot begin to imagine what it would feel like to be a 14 year old giving birth for the second time alone in a bathroom. There, but for God's grace, go I.

I agree that she needs help because she will be released. Unfortunately, she has already acted out in a way that is fatal to others...that's not just in the future as her dead baby's body shows.

She was alone in a bathroom giving birth because she kept the pregnancy a secret and already had a plan. JMO.

When you take another's life (and at 14 she knows this is wrong!) there have to be consequences.

 

[southcitymom]

I agree that she needs help because she will be released. Unfortunately, she has already acted out in a way that is fatal to others...that's not just in the future as her dead baby's body shows.

She was alone in a bathroom giving birth because she kept the pregnancy a secret and already had a plan. JMO.

When you take another's life (and at 14 she knows this is wrong!) there have to be consequences.

She'll definitely have consequences - of that I'm certain and I don't have a problem with that.

I do not know that I think she had a plan to harm the child. Perhaps she was purposefully hiding the pregnancy and did. Perhaps she was in deep denial. I can just envision a number of scenarios that don't point to her being a sociopath.

 

[blaize]

Hello SewingDeb, the very fact that she was alone in the bathroom makes me wonder how long labour lasted? Another thing is that giving birth is an intense & often painful enough event in a hospital so I wonder if anyone heard her & if the level of pain she experienced was enough to cause a degree of dissociation?

There definitely have to be consequences & as yet I haven't seen anyone here say there shouldn't be consequences for her actions but I'd hope that those consequences are tempered with some mercy and compassion & that whatever counselling she receives helps her to face up to what she did in taking the life of her own child was very wrong.

I agree that she needs help because she will be released. Unfortunately, she has already acted out in a way that is fatal to others...that's not just in the future as her dead baby's body shows.

She was alone in a bathroom giving birth because she kept the pregnancy a secret and already had a plan. JMO.

When you take another's life (and at 14 she knows this is wrong!) there have to be consequences.

 

[southcitymom]

Hello SewingDeb, the very fact that she was alone in the bathroom makes me wonder how long labour lasted? Another thing is that giving birth is an intense & often painful enough event in a hospital so I wonder if anyone heard her & if the level of pain she experienced was enough to cause a degree of dissociation?

There definitely have to be consequences & as yet I haven't seen anyone here say there shouldn't be consequences for her actions but I'd hope that those consequences are tempered with some mercy and compassion & that whatever counselling she receives helps her to face up to what she did in taking the life of her own child was very wrong.

Great post, blaize. I too wondered if she might have been checked out on some level.

 

[mysteriew]

IMO, someone screwed up and failed this child. She had a baby at the age of 13? Was she under the age of consent when she conceived? Was there ever any investigation done as to how she became pregnant? Were there charges filed? Was any counseling done?

She is 14. Under a 14 yo logic, if she knew she was pregnant, if she could get her parents consent she could have aborted the baby. But since she could not tell her parents, then she could not have the abortion before delivery. So she did it after delivery. Not saying that is right, but saying I can see a 14 yo reasoning that way. If there had been an investigation after the first time, if there had been counseling done the first time, if there had been charges filed the first time, perhaps there wouldn't be a second time.

 

[Brefie]

Possibly (or not) for the same reason so many people are unwilling to show an ounce of compassion for a child who has been pregnant to delivery twice by the age of 14. A monster? String her up? Make her pay?

Consequences can always be delivered compassionately and with the value of a human being at heart. Or we can just foam at the mouth for blood. Our choice.

I'm with you. I cannot believe that so many are willing to condemn this baby who has managed to deliver 2 children at the tender age of 14.

The article has no mention of her celebrating Cinco de Mayo, yet a few assumed that she was only concerned with getting her party on. Same people do not even want to wonder about the monster who is probably fathering these children.

 

[SewingDeb]

Hello SewingDeb, the very fact that she was alone in the bathroom makes me wonder how long labour lasted? Another thing is that giving birth is an intense & often painful enough event in a hospital so I wonder if anyone heard her & if the level of pain she experienced was enough to cause a degree of dissociation?

There definitely have to be consequences & as yet I haven't seen anyone here say there shouldn't be consequences for her actions but I'd hope that those consequences are tempered with some mercy and compassion & that whatever counselling she receives helps her to face up to what she did in taking the life of her own child was very wrong.

Unless the birth was very quick, other people had to have heard something.

I agree about tempering with mercy and compassion. Unless she is a sociopath, there is a chance of getting through to her with therapy. She is still young enough.

 

[blaize]

Yeah I think someone must have heard something too Deb or that maybe the labour was so quick that it took her by surprise?

I hope she's not a sociopath and that therapy will help.

Unless the birth was very quick, other people had to have heard something.

I agree about tempering with mercy and compassion. Unless she is a sociopath, there is a chance of getting through to her with therapy. She is still young enough.

 

[Amraann]

I am very concerned at the notion that this young girl is being brought up on charges and yet No charges are being brought against anyone for a 12 yo getting pregnant??

Seriously if your 12 yo gets pregnant either they are being molested or you have raised them soooo screwed up and with such lack of parenting that you should be in prison as well.

In any case some others should be joining this girl on her treck into the criminal justice system. IMO
Yet, it seems it will only be the screwed up 14 yo who is going to do time.
Lovely.

My entire problem here is that obviously nothing was done when this girl got pregnant at 12... No one was punished for that..
Does anyone really think after having been through that and not having ONE SINGLE adult stand up for her at that age that she was then going to trust those who should help her to help this time around??

 

[bakerprune64]

I'm with you. I cannot believe that so many are willing to condemn this baby who has managed to deliver 2 children at the tender age of 14.

The article has no mention of her celebrating Cinco de Mayo, yet a few assumed that she was only concerned with getting her party on. Same people do not even want to wonder about the monster who is probably fathering these children.

And we are so sure that the person who fathered the kids is a monster or maybe just another irresponsible 14 YO having unprotected sex?

 

[philamena]

I am very concerned at the notion that this young girl is being brought up on charges and yet No charges are being brought against anyone for a 12 yo getting pregnant??
SNIP...?

Darn right Amraan!:clap:
The 14yo didn't get pregnant by herself.

 

[Jolynna]

And we are so sure that the person who fathered the kids is a monster or maybe just another irresponsible 14 YO having unprotected sex?

According to this article, the dead baby's father is a teenager too.

The first baby had a different father.

http://www.nj.com/news/bridgeton/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1210396227317400.xml&coll=10&thispage=2

It doesn't say how old the father of the first baby is.

I still think the girl's motive for killing the baby matter.

 

[bakerprune64]

According to this article, the dead baby's father is a teenager too.

The first baby had a different father.

http://www.nj.com/news/bridgeton/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1210396227317400.xml&coll=10&thispage=2

It doesn't say how old the father of the first baby is.

I still think the girl's motive for killing the baby matter.

Motive or not she concealed her crime. She knew what she did was wrong.

 

[Amraann]

Darn right Amraan!:clap:
The 14 didn't get pregnant by herself.

I said 12 because I was referring to her first pregnancy.


I want to address what Pixie posted above ...

"That is what is wrong with our world today! We are raising children with no morals and no sense of responsibilities. We "forgive" and "cuddle" them when they do the little things like try to rape their teachers or murder their babies.
We offer support and understanding because they "must be the victim of abuse or neglect". We try to be "open-minded" and "caring" because we want to be viewed as "compassionate" and "loving"."



I disagree the problem is a society that permits and perpetuates lousy parenting.
Children ether are not "abused" enough to even be taken away or when they are they are thrown around to various foster homes and then sent back to their awful parents... time and time and time again.
The parents are half the time not even charged when the kids are taken away. Yet when the resulting screwed up child commits a crime THEY get charged and sent to jail.
Does this make sense to anyone?????
If a 12 yo old turns up pregnant then why the hell was no one investigating her home life?
Who are these parents who have a 12 yo exposed to sex and leave them alone long enough to get pregnant??

GOOD parents do not wind up with pregnant 12 or 14 Yo's unless the child was molested.
Why was not someone investigating this family when a practical baby herself gave birth the first time??

 

[Brefie]

And we are so sure that the person who fathered the kids is a monster or maybe just another irresponsible 14 YO having unprotected sex?

No, we are not. Precisely the reason I said 'probably'.

One thing I do know, is that this child is not getting the guidance she needs.

 

[Brefie]

GOOD parents do not wind up with pregnant 12 or 14 Yo's unless the child was molested.
Why was not someone investigating this family when a practical baby herself gave birth the first time??

EXACTLY!!! Until I read otherwise, this girl is very much a victim in my eyes.

 

[Amraann]

Motive or not she concealed her crime. She knew what she did was wrong.

The law as it applies to adult reasoning and thinking should not be applied equally to CHILDREN.
It is proven that their brains are not yet fully developed and capable of reasoning like an adult.

This is backed by the fact that they cannot legally sign contracts or drink or go into the Military until a certain age ....
In effect our laws say "NO they are not responsible adults" that is why they have parents responsible for them until they are 18.

BUT when they break a law all of a sudden they are responsible???
It cannot be both ways...
Really if they are not responsible for signing contracts etc then why aren't the parents held more accountable when a law s broken?

 

[philamena]

I said 12 because I was referring to her first pregnancy.

SNIP....
GOOD parents do not wind up with pregnant 12 or 14 Yo's unless the child was molested.
Why was not someone investigating this family when a practical baby herself gave birth the first time??

:clap::clap:
IMO, her parents should have definitely been investigated by CPS. The public can't dump all the responsibility on this young girl.

Now that I think about it, a child this age giving birth and killing 1 infant shouldn't really be in the news....should it?

 

[Brefie]

:clap::clap:
IMO, her parents should have definitely been investigated by CPS. The public can't dump all the responsibility on this young girl.

Now that I think about it, a child this age giving birth and killing 2 infants shouldn't really be in the news....should it?

She killed one, not 2. The firstborn is alive and not in her custody, but I guess lives with her and her father(?? from the article) I think it should be in the news, these stories definitely need exposure. Of course, identities should always be protected.

 

[Amraann]

:clap::clap:
IMO, her parents should have definitely been investigated by CPS. The public can't dump all the responsibility on this young girl.

Now that I think about it, a child this age giving birth and killing 2 infants shouldn't really be in the news....should it?

The problem is that the public and criminal justice system will do just that.
Because ADULTS make the laws. And rather then hold adults responsible its easier to take it out on the messed up children they created.
(Psst she did not kill the first infant)