I would give credit to this mother if I saw the expected unrelenting, maniacal search for this child. I would give credit if people had to drag her home to sleep, to maintain herself. I would extend credit if she were the loudest, most frequent noise I heard, trying to bring her baby home. I've listened for Lena. Crickets. She's tried [as in trial] this crime in her head already. She has rationalized her role, diminished her responsibility, and that rationalization is what gave her permission to appear at the search, not a primal parental instinct to rescue her child. Rationalization is the activity in the head that gives one permission to use drugs, even when they have first hand knowledge of the consequences. To trade parental responsibility for immediate, temporary pleasure. Her appearance at the search was for her, not her child. Showing up says more about her psychological state than her parental priorities. This may have been a missed opportunity for law enforcement, as I suspect in her guilt and shame ridden state, she may have been vulnerable, broken down and some information gleaned from her.
I find nothing admirable in her trying to assuage her twisted, tormented soul. No forgiveness until she owns her part in this, and this child is accounted for.
If there is spare credit to give, lets offer it to the searchers, who are facing a Winter Weather Advisory today, snow and wind in the immediate forecast.
