Last night a young woman in Alberta was convicted of Second degree murder for the death of her newborn infant. Her trial had been in the news quite a bit over the last couple of weeks. The defense was trying to get her found guilty of the lesser charge of infanticide due to mental illness. This young woman hid her pregnancy and gave birth in her parents basement. When the newborn started crying, she wrapped a pair of her underwear around his little neck and tossed him over the fence into her neighbour's yard. When the dead baby was found, she at first claimed that she had never had a child, then she claimed that she did have a baby, but gave him away, then she claimed that her boyfriend did it, before finally admitting what she had done. The girls family call the verdict a travesty of justice.
Being a relatively new Mum, I followed the trial somewhat, and I had very strong feelings about it. I find that more and more mental illnesses such as post partum depression are being used as handy excuses to get away with doing things that everyone knows is wrong. "I didn't mean to shoot that girl/kill my baby/run my neighbour over, but I couldn't help it. I'm depressed." It makes me sad, and it makes me angry that people can get away with these things. I acknowledge that there are people out there who are mentally ill, who perhaps cannot see the difference between right and wrong, who need medications to keep themselves level. I do not, however, believe that depression/mental illness is as common as drug companies and Dr. Phil would have us believe.
I had a hard time after Mary was born. An Extremely Hard Time. I know others who went through extremely difficult times after their children were born. Yes, I did in fact have thoughts about hurting my baby, and hurting myself. I also knew that they were wrong. I knew that as tempting as it was, it was wrong to put my baby out in a snowbank until she stopped screaming. I got help from my husband, from my friends and from my doctor. I didn't kill my baby, but if I had, I certainly would expect to be punished. Murder is murder, whether it is a baby, a toddler, a teenager, your spouse, your mother. Murder is murder, whether you are depressed or not. I believe this girl knew what she was doing was wrong from the moment that baby was born, and the proof is in the fact that she lied and lied and lied about what actually happened.
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4 comments:
Actually this case is a little off because in our justice system murder is not always murder.
I personally would have thought she would have been found guilty of infanticide although I haven't read up extensively on the case.
Our justice system has recognized that women are often not in their right frame of mind after birth. That is why the charge of infanticide was created.
As for her lying that sounds like someone who's not in their right mind.
But I do agree with you about clinical depression. It is far too wasily diagnosed nowadays, and doctor's are too quick to prescribe pills for it.
At what point is the family 'victims'? Victim implies hurt by things beyond your own control not your own stupidity. Christ, if that was the case were all 'victims'.
They were obviously not an open family or she could and would have told them about the pregnancy. What was worse her going to jail for life? Or her parents driving her into the street and out of the in rage? Is he screaming loudest becasue he feels the most guilty about this?
Besides how do you HIDE a pregnancy?! (insert nasty comment about North American diet) THe pill, no parents required and 13 dollar a month piece of mind. Mind you that would mean a)maturity and b)responsibility none of which are in any evidence here.
Well, you know how I feel about people copping psychiatric excuses for criminal behaviour...
If everyone that ever had a homicidal thought acted upon it we'd all be dead. Having the potential to kill and actually doing it...
(Ugh, I just deleted a much longer response because I'm all soap-boxed out today and sick of sounding like little-miss-know-it-all).
The thing that bugs me a lot about this is the family. I mean, yes, the mother strangling her child, throwing it someone's yard and then lying about it badly is disturbing.
But that event is the end of a long chain of neglect and abuse that started with that girl's parents, if not earlier. It's the tip of the iceberg. I consider the whole family to be responsible for this one.
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