VA - Newborn girl found alive in woods

[Oblio]

I wouldn't be so sure. I don't have any doubt CPS is going to try to re-unify this child (if not with the mother herself-although it's quite possible they will even try to re-unify child with the mother) then with her relatives.

But now there will be the advantage of her not hiding the baby, there will be mandatory parenting classes, and hopefully a web of support.

Now that this is completely out, she will have a hard time with the infamy, and may give her child the gift of anonymity through adoption.

No matter the out come, baby with new family, relatives, or mother, I am confident that there will be a network of security for her.

 

[peeples]

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/court-documents-reveal-Baby-abandoned-same-day-she-was-born

Baby abandoned day after birth

 

[Oblio]

Well that changes things.

 

[nursebeeme]

if you find a post offensive hit the alert button: do not argue amongst each other.

 

[jjenny]

I don't know what the mother's circumstances were/are.

4 good things: she wrapped her baby in a towel, placed her between 2 logs (presumably so she wouldn't roll over or even for some level of protection?), she turned herself in to police within 8 hours of the baby being found, and before she was identified...thus saving some (but not all) resources to find the mother.

I'm just wondering WTH was going on between the birth and the abandonment (well, also during the pregnancy). I hope there are not drugs involved (for all's sake) but it mite explain the choices made.

She didn't turn herself in, that was erroneous reporting. Police found her.

 

[jjenny]

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/court-documents-reveal-Baby-abandoned-same-day-she-was-born

Baby abandoned day after birth

Not day after birth, the day of birth.

 

[JeannaT]

So I googled her address - and in fact, directly across the street from her is this little footbridge that leads to a small wooded area with a jogging/walking path through it. Like a little neighborhood recreational park area.

It still sounds to me like her intent was not to kill the baby, but to have the baby discovered, and rescued.

 

[jjenny]

I have no clue what her intent was but it appears that baby was there for a day before discovered. Presumably the baby would have died sooner rather than later if not found in time.

 

[JeannaT]

I have no clue what her intent was but it appears that baby was there for a day before discovered. Presumably the baby would have died sooner rather than later if not found in time.

Not quite a full day, I don't think. About 12 hours.

I don't know what her intent was either, but again, if her intent was to kill the baby that would have been easy enough for her to do. Wrapping the girl in a bright red towel and placing her in a recreational area (albeit woodsy) of a neighborhood doesn't indicate intent to kill the child, to me.

 

[jjenny]

The child was born Friday morning, left in the forest Friday afternoon, found Saturday afternoon. Last I checked that was a full day.

 

[FrayedKnot]

I understand what you are saying, but leaving a baby to die in the woods is different from hiding your report card (do they even have those anymore, lol) from your parents.

An 18-year-old . Have we infantalized young women and men so much we can't expect them to have any common sense?

Saving face on the back of a dead baby is too much for me to excuse. I don't even care about what her thought process might be, it makes no difference. At worst she's a sociopath and at best she's an idiot.

To answer your question: Yes. We HAVE infantilized our youth and we as a culture seem to be fine with allowing them all the rights of adulthood while expecting from them none of the responsibility.

This "girl" was 18 years old, and while I agree she was in a tough spot, she is still an adult and that baby's mother. She basically left her newborn to die and by the grace of G*d, that didn't happen.

But there is no excuse or spin that can change for me the fact that Viktoria had choices. The are ALWAYS choices. They may not always be easy choices , but still they are there.

 

[danzn16]

The child was born Friday morning, left in the forest Friday afternoon, found Saturday afternoon. Last I checked that was a full day.

This is awful. an infant needs to feed regularly and it was surely dehydrated and very hungry by this time. Not to mention it would have been very cold over night. This woman should be so ashamed. I wish there was an incredible punishment for this. This baby could have easily died. This is attempted murder in my eyes.

 

[JeannaT]

To answer your question: Yes. We HAVE infantilized our youth and we as a culture seem to be fine with allowing them all the rights of adulthood while expecting from them none of the responsibility.

This "girl" was 18 years old, and while I agree she was in a tough spot, she is still an adult and that baby's mother. She basically left her newborn to die and by the grace of G*d, that didn't happen.

But there is no excuse or spin that can change for me the fact that Viktoria had choices. The are ALWAYS choices. They may not always be easy choices , but still they are there.

I certainly don't think the killing or abandoning of a newborn is anything this "infantilized" generation of youth invented. it's a common practice in cultures where children were, in fact, just the opposite - forced to shoulder adult responsibilities way too young, with no chance of help.

 

[pianokiller]

I think it's a very sad situation but I won't judge the mother. I live in a safe haven state but I had no idea what that was at 18. I heard of safe haven on a Barbara Walters special when I was 20, a year ago.

I have friends who have kids who would react with disgust toward this poor girl. Obviously her judgement was off. Are than any hospitals in the nearby area?

Where I grew up the fire station was only ever open of a fire was reported and the nearest hospital/ambulance was 20min away.

I'm not justifying what she did but as someone of similar age I can empathize.