“Found her dead”.

[ronandannette]

the first article, the one I posted said she was 20. not arguing, just pointing out where it came from

This one, posted upthread by @eksmama01 is where I got my information.
https://www.news5cleveland.com/news...sed-of-leaving-toddler-home-alone-heartbroken

 

[mumto3girls]

Why wouldn’t she just give the baby to someone who wanted her? And what were the grandparents thinking? They all lived together if I read that correctly. I can’t imagine the suffering of that little girl. Makes me wonder what the rest of her short little life was like. Heartbreaking.

 

[AppleDumpling]

No. This woman was 31 years old and had an established career as a educational aide at several schools. She also had another child, who was apparently on vacation with her (the mother's) parents at the time.

the first article, the one I posted said she was 20. not arguing, just pointing out where it came from

Yes, from reading OP, I thought she was 20. I didn’t read the second article before commenting. Of course, regardless of age, what she did is inexcusable and heinous. Being older and a mother of two makes it even worse. WTH? So her parents went away with the older child and she decides to take off and leave the toddler in a playpen? For over a week? And she worked at a school? Wow, just wow.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

This one, posted upthread by @eksmama01 is where I got my information.
https://www.news5cleveland.com/news...sed-of-leaving-toddler-home-alone-heartbroken

I do think the initial report I read in the Cleveland area had her age at 20 as I was thinking the same thing about how young she was. I’m guessing the information was corrected by the news outlets.

 

[John VN]

Can't fix stupid.

 

[tzolkin]

Unbelievable. Teenage mom clearly not ready to be a responsible parent. Instead she wants to travel and party.

I know others have already corrected and stated that she was actually 31, but even if she had been a "teenage mom" that would have absolutely nothing to do with this tragedy. Being a young parent does not mean that you are irresponsible or lack the common sense to know that if you leave a human being without food or water for a week that they will suffer and die.

 

[Skippy918]

If the neighbors knew her child was being left home alone, why didn’t they call cps? What is wrong with this family that they think a 16 month old can fend for themselves?

 

[firefly_ris]

Lots of sociopaths out there. What a horrific and torturous way for that poor little one to die. All alone.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I know others have already corrected and stated that she was actually 31, but even if she had been a "teenage mom" that would have absolutely nothing to do with this tragedy. Being a young parent does not mean that you are irresponsible or lack the common sense to know that if you leave a human being without food or water for a week that they will suffer and die.

As I said in my last post, it is inexcusable regardless of age. This particular woman is clearly an irresponsible parent, who IMO, has rightly been charged with murdering her child.

 

[china mom]

We received a call one time at the PD from an apartment maintenance man. He had to enter an apartment to do some maintenance work and found the bedroom door barricaded with a dresser. He got into the bedroom via a second door that was in the pass through walk in closet. He found a two year old sitting on the bed with the TV on, a sippy cup with a drink and a partially eaten sandwich. Mom was at work and tis did not look like the first time she had left eh child home alone for the day. And before you ask...heck yes I charged her criminally and turned her child over to CPS.

I handled several unattended children over my years in law enforcement but that was by far the youngest child I found left alone for a full day.

 

[tzolkin]

What is wrong with this family that they think a 16 month old can fend for themselves?

I don't believe that she thought the 16 month old could fend for herself. Even a delusional person who actually believed that a toddler could "fend for themselves" would have left them loose in the house with enough food and drinks accessible for the time they planned to be away. This woman left the child trapped in a playpen that she was unable to get out of, so she knew there was no chance of the toddler being able to eat or drink on her own.

It is certainly possible that the mother purposely left the baby there with the full intention that she would be dead when she came home. But I also wonder if based on her habit of leaving the baby unattended in the past with no consequences that she thought it would turn out fine. Did she expect the grandparents to return home within a day or so but they changed their plans? Did she text a neighbor or friend that she was leaving and expect them to go care for the baby? Obviously still completely inexcusable behavior and the mother is responsible for the child's death, but I do wonder if she carelessly assumed that someone else would just take care of the baby while she was gone like they apparently had in the past.

 

[darnheather]

Sometimes I really hate people. I would have taken that baby in a heartbeat no questions asked.

 

[AppleDumpling]

It is certainly possible that the mother purposely left the baby there with the full intention that she would be dead when she came home. But I also wonder if based on her habit of leaving the baby unattended in the past with no consequences that she thought it would turn out fine. Did she expect the grandparents to return home within a day or so but they changed their plans? Did she text a neighbor or friend that she was leaving and expect them to go care for the baby? Obviously still completely inexcusable behavior and the mother is responsible for the child's death, but I do wonder if she carelessly assumed that someone else would just take care of the baby while she was gone like they apparently had in the past.

We don’t have enough information to know the full story. I too wondered about the grandparents. I certainly hope the baby was not intentionally left to die. But it seems to me, this mother did not have her daughter’s welfare as her top priority. Perhaps she has mental health and/or drug abuse issues that impair her judgment.