Terrible case negligent parenting

mikemac

Now I'm not one to start threads on the latest court case in AH, never started one before.
And I did search for this story on boards, didn't find it, if my thread is duplicate they hey, please lock it mods

But this one got to me

A SIX-MONTH-OLD premature baby girl died of positional asphyxia after she was left sleeping overnight in a car seat on the sitting room floor, an inquest has heard.

Baby Katie Reilly of Kilcross Court, Sandyford, Co Dublin, was found unresponsive in the car seat by her mother Laura Reilly on the morning of January 8th, 2008.

A postmortem by State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy found the death was a sudden unexpected death in infancy due to prematurity and positional asphyxia.

The findings suggested the baby was dead for a few hours before she was discovered, Prof Cassidy told the inquest. Dublin City Coroner’s Court heard the baby had been in the car seat for up to five-and-a-half hours on the night.

Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said it was a sudden death of a vulnerable infant because of her size and weight, with a major risk factor of positional asphyxia. “The major risk factor is the position in which the baby was in,” he said.

A jury of four men and three women returned a verdict of death by misadventure and recommended that child car seats should not be used in the home as a “prolonged rest places” for infants and should only be for car use.

Prof Cassidy said the position the child would have been in (in the car seat) meant her breathing could be compromised. Because of her small size, instead of being propped up in the car seat, she was able to slide down and her neck would have kinked.

She was prevented from sliding out of the chair by the strap between her legs, the court heard.

The post-mortem found the baby was dehydrated and had severe nappy rash.

It appeared she had been left in wet nappies for extensive periods.

The court heard Ms Reilly had returned from the pub around 2.15am on January 8th having left her six children, the eldest of whom was 12, at home on their own. Ms Reilly was accompanied by a barman who came back to the house for drinks. Ms Reilly had also been at the pub during the day. Barman John O’Reilly, who left about an hour later, told the inquest the baby appeared normal.

The coroner said it was clear the baby was alive between 2.30am and 3.30am or so on January 8th.

When Ms Reilly went to give Katie a bottle at 8.50am she found her daughter, who was 13 weeks premature at birth, unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at St Vincent’s University Hospital a short time later. Gardaí investigated further after fresh blood was found in Katie’s nappy.

District court proceedings against Ms Reilly for child neglect of six children resulted in a guilty plea to six charges. She was put on probation for 18 months. She told the inquest her children are not with her anymore. The baby’s father James Kavanagh did not attend the inquest.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1008/1224280636306.html

To summarize for the tl;dr

Mother of six including one six month old infant who was born prematurely.
Fecked off to the pub during the day and came back in the early hours, oldest child of 12 to mind them all.
Seems to be seperated.....considering she brought the barman home with her for more drinks.
Child was left in a car seat. As the head is the heaviest part of an infant, the child slid down during the night, neck became kinked, died of asphyxia
Mother taken to court, 18 months probation, children taken away but unclear where

Feckin disgrace of a parent imo. :mad:
If you live in the most rural village in Ireland you can arrange a babysitter.
Coming home drunk and leaving an infant in a car seat for the night and the bolded section shows even more neglect

epgc3fyqirnbsx

Read that today, a f*ckin mess of a set up, without doubt negligent, she is without doubt a despicable cúnt

Edit : as is absentee father who didn't show up to his childs inquest

Sound Bite

Ya I think so, but I don't have kids so I wouldn't understand and my opinion counts for nothing!:D

we'llallhavetea_old

scum of the earth imo. poor fcuking baby.

Sauve

Disgraceful and sad.....people get tougher sentences for the same treatment of animals....

Aldebaran

That really is shocking.

Sardonicat

She got 18 months probation?!

Dean820

AH Reply: I guess you could say that baby was feelingstressed.

Actual Reply: Scum bag parents! Makes me sick.

Dudess

That's heartbreaking - and the blood bit is disturbing the hell out of me...

Sardonicat

It would be interesting to know if this family were known to social services before this little baby was left to die by her mother.

Micky Dolenz

Dean820 wrote: »

AH Reply: I guess you could say that baby was feelingstressed.

But that's not an AH response, see other posts. We have a high level of humanity in AH. As you have yourself.

Poor kid.

PCPhoto

certainly is a tragic story.

pity the mum was so self absorbed trying to ensure she had a social life - no wonder the social welfare want to cut child benefit or limit it to a number of kids.

I can see the welfare's point .... if you cant afford to have a kid why should the state pay..... first child ...ok fair enough... accidents happen and parents often underestimate the costs involved with raising a kid.....second child - possible accident....but parents know the costs involved in child rearing so can understand how to use the child benefit scheme.

Third child ??? - if you already have 2 kids and get pregnant .... then why should the state pay.... if you cant afford a kid at this point then use contraceptives or dont have sex.

Dudess

PCPhoto wrote: »

pity the mum was so self absorbed trying to ensure she had a social life - no wonder the social welfare want to cut child benefit or limit it to a number of kids.

I can see the welfare's point .... if you cant afford to have a kid why should the state pay..... first child ...ok fair enough... accidents happen and parents often underestimate the costs involved with raising a kid.....second child - possible accident....but parents know the costs involved in child rearing so can understand how to use the child benefit scheme.

Third child ??? - if you already have 2 kids and get pregnant .... then why should the state pay.... if you cant afford a kid at this point then use contraceptives or dont have sex.

This is about a baby dying, not the lone parent benefits debate...

dollybird2

This is an incredibly sad situation. A child of 12 shouldn't be left with any children in her care, no matter what age. This will affect that child for the rest of her life.
I do know of parents/grandparents who still leave kids in the car unattended if the child is asleep as they don't want to wake them. I think it's terrible, nowhere is safe and anything could happen what with cot death, sudden death syndrome etc. Even if taking the child out of the car risks them screaming the place down surely it's better than leaving them in a car seat outside

I would also wonder if this family was known to Social Services prior to the baby's tragic death

Dean820

I don't want to take this thread off-topic but just for this post, yes its true, AH posters have shown a high level of humanity for sesitive issues (like here for example) but the amount of times I've seen jokes about dead people even minutes after they die, joking about things they simply shouldn't...I have seen it done a lot in the past four or so years I have been a member. Let just leave it there and get on with the topic, I don't want to derail it.

Coriolanus

This thread will follow one of the following positions.

Ah sure she was probably suffering from post nat depression and for Gods sake you can't take those children away from their mother and where was the father in all this huh, probably abandoned the poor girl to all that stress and all, society has failed this girl and how dare anyone judge her she needs help in the form of cheques and free childcare aid not lectures from on high and etc etc.

vs

Burn the fucking bitch at the stake.

JupiterKid

Very, very sad and disturbing case.:(:mad: The mother should never be allowed to parent children again. Clear case of total neglect and irresponsible parenting.

The mother should also have been given a custodial sentence for this. It's quite clear that this tragic death of her infant was not a one off, but that this baby and probably her other children also suffered long term neglect as their mother was out getting locked.

over9000dvd

why would there be fresh blood in the childs nappy if he/she was dead for 5+ hours?

Evelynmc

:mad: That's awful =[ Why do people have kids in the first place if they aren't going to be arsed to look after them?

Oscar K

That story is so sad and so infuriating at the same time. There are a lot of kids out there in serious danger. was in tesco recently and came into an aisle where i heard a mother say to a child, no more than 3 years old, "shut the fuk up or ill dig the fukin face off you and anyone who is watching" ie me as I was the only other person on the aisle! I was shocked and just thought that poor little fella. what kind of a life does he/is he going to have. no wonder there is so much violence out there when its bred into people (not all) at a young age.

just so sad .

cant understand you have to get a license to have a dog yet anyone without a brain can have a kid then through neglect murder the poor thing

if there is a god he/she makes funny choices in regards to who gets a kid and who dose not

poor mite hope she is in a better place

dollybird2

dollybird2 wrote: »

This is an incredibly sad situation. A child of 12 shouldn't be left with any children in her care, no matter what age. This will affect that child for the rest of her life.

I was often left to mind my younger siblings at 12 and didn't feel it was a problem and still don't. I was very mature and usually taken for 16 or older. Still, it wasn't at night and it wasn't while my parents were out boozing.

I do know of parents/grandparents who still leave kids in the car unattended if the child is asleep as they don't want to wake them. I think it's terrible, nowhere is safe and anything could happen what with cot death, sudden death syndrome etc. Even if taking the child out of the car risks them screaming the place down surely it's better than leaving them in a car seat outside

I agree. I wouldn't leave a backpack or sunglasses in the car, let alone a child! I wouldn't be able to stop worrying about it.

BluesBerry

I hope her night out was fcuking worth it only thinking of herself with 6 kids at home selfish b*tch a 12 year old should not have been left in charge of 5 kids can you imagine what that child is feeling now thinking it was her fault:(

She should have been sent to prison and not a suspended sentence to show her the seriousness of what she did :mad:

metrovelvet

You know what. Do you know how many people have their infants in car seats all day long? They should only be in them for very short periods and should lie FLAT but I see people strolling around with them ALL THE TIME.

I cant figure for the life of my blood in the nappy.

Police Chief Wiggum

AH
All
Horror

to be recorded here

Ronin247

I wouldnt know exactly but this C*NT would have had 6 childrens allowances at E1048/month plus single mothers allowances and a council house,medical card,back to school allowances etc giving her an income of somewhere in the region of E500+ per week take home, plus whatever the 6 individual fathers give her in cash.I work and dont have her disposable income.I cannot afford to go on the piss for the day.

Nine times out of ten in my experience the people who have 6 kids plus are usually the least suited to raising them properly.
Used to be a time where big families were the norm and usually the best of people,some of the most sucessful people I know came from large families but these days its mainly trailer trash who seem to have massive broods to get welfare.

There was once a program where the hospital in California (I think) offered $200 dollars to the crack whores to get sterilised when they dropped a sprog,maybe it should be enforced for some people in this country.

Noreen1

Dudess wrote: »

That's heartbreaking - and the blood bit is disturbing the hell out of me...

I'm guessing that the blood was because of severe "Thrush" - caused by faeces and urine combined in the nappy. It can happen to babies who are well cared for - through nappy being soiled at night, for example.

However, since she already had several children, I'm surprised that she let it get to the stage where there was blood in the nappy - thrush doesn't develop to that extent in a few hours between nappy changes.

If I had to guess, I'd say the baby was sleeping all night at the age of 6 months, probably was unsettled at bedtime because of nappy rash (thrush). I wouldn't expect any 12 year old to be able to identify "Thrush" in it's early stages.
An experienced babysitter would recognise it by the speed at which it develops, though - and would know that it has to be treated with medicated creams/powders.

I'm not going to even comment on leaving a 6 month old baby, (with a developmental age of 13 weeks when you factor in the prematurity) - in a car seat all night.
I would expect an experienced (presumably mature) mother, to know better.

A very sad, and disturbing case.

Noreen

Daisy Steiner

RIP baby. Hope her brothers and sisters are going to be ok.

Police Chief Wiggum

negligent parenting

this is a murder case

Del2005

If they can ban people from keeping animals for less then this why can't we ban them from being parents? She has already shown she can't cope or doesn't care. She's free to go out and have another child.

scientific1982

Some people just shouldnt be allowed to have kids.

anndub

No doubt Im being very un-PC here and breachng all sorts of human rights but that woman should be immediately sterilised. She had six kids, the youngest of whom was 6 months old and she was bringing the barman home for "drinks". With behaviour like that how long before child number seven turns up? That kid will go straight into the care of social services and so on with the next three or four she conceives. And with the stupid laws in this country they will be moved from foster home to foster home just incase she is eventually capable of looking after them, instead of being put up for adoption.

And she should have been done for manslaughter

Son Of A Vidic

A license is required for shooting, fishing, driving, ect, ect....
Yet undeserving scum can pop out kids like their a commodity, of course there's rich pickings to be made with all the child benefit ect.

m'lady

I totally agree with the previous poster, she shoud be sterilised, and should also not be allowed have access to her other children. This woman should be charged with manslaughter, its a disgrace.

So true what has been said before, you need a licence to have a dog, and not a child.

mikemac

BluesBerry wrote: »

I hope her night out was fcuking worth it only thinking of herself with 6 kids at home selfish b*tch a 12 year old should not have been left in charge of 5 kids can you imagine what that child is feeling now thinking it was her fault:(

Just to be clear, the infant was still alive when this lady arrived home with the barman.
The child didn't die while the 12 year old was in charge.

Police Chief Wiggum

Nevore wrote: »

This thread will follow one of the following positions.

Ah sure she was probably suffering from post nat depression and for Gods sake you can't take those children away from their mother and where was the father in all this huh, probably abandoned the poor girl to all that stress and all, society has failed this girl and how dare anyone judge her she needs help in the form of cheques and free childcare aid not lectures from on high and etc etc.

vs

Burn the fucking bitch at the stake.

where was the father?
same as with the roscommon incest case
the policy among the girls who are social workers and among all local garda stations is to scare away fathers if the mother asks for it..


I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.
SIGMUND FREUD, 'Civilization and Its Discontents'

The whole thing is so sad....cases like that are usually very complex and hard to deal with for social services..people aren't always as good and adequate as we would like them to be.

I do think parents who neglect their children should be taken to court and should be given prison sentences. The reasons for this are (1) people should face consequences for what they have done (2) Its a signal form society that what you have done is wrong.

We need parenting orders that should be enforced and they have to be simple and clear for example children have go to go to school every day, on time, and in clean uniforms and if that is not happing the parent should be giving help but its should always be made clear that its their responsibility to look after their children. The fact that the parents come for a dysfunctional background is in a way beside the point...thats why parenting orders have to be a simple.

Dean820

I actually know people who's kids would be in a similar state if it wasn't for the grandparents. The grandmother in particular has to wash the kids, change the clothes... the mother is a total waster and an alcoholic. I can only imagine where they would be without the grandparents.

Parsley

my diagnosis: case of BAD BABYSITTING.

*glares at lisa*

JupiterKid

feelingstressed wrote: »

Just to be clear, the infant was still alive when this lady arrived home with the barman.
The child didn't die while the 12 year old was in charge.

The woman in question does not merit the title "lady" under any circumstances. She was a grossly irresponsible drunkard who wilfully neglected her large family. I wouldn't be opposed to her being forcefully sterilised while in custody.

She got away far too lightly IMO.

mikemac

Hey, don't quote me over it, I had to put something in my post

orourkeda

I'm somewhat surprised that this doesnt happen more often.

orourkeda

scientific1982 wrote: »

Some people just shouldnt be allowed to have kids.

It's like trying to enforce drink driving. You will only catch drink drivers every time if you have some watching every car every single time it is driven.

Likewise with unsuitable parents, you'll just have to either sterilise them or watch them every time they have sex.

marzic

orourkeda wrote: »

It's like trying to enforce drink driving. You will only catch drink drivers every time if you have some watching every car every single time it is driven.

Likewise with unsuitable parents, you'll just have to either sterilise them or watch them every time they have sex.

hows watching them having sex going to help? you perv!

Cavehill Red

Police Chief Wiggum wrote: »

where was the father?
same as with the roscommon incest case

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the father in the Roscommon incest case was present in the family home.
He is also facing legal action over incest charges if he hasn't already.
The matter may still be sub judice though, so the mods may feel free to amend/delete this post if so.

invisable

JupiterKid wrote: »

Very, very sad and disturbing case.:(:mad: The mother should never be allowed to parent children again. Clear case of total neglect and irresponsible parenting.

The mother should also have been given a custodial sentence for this. It's quite clear that this tragic death of her infant was not a one off, but that this baby and probably her other children also suffered long term neglect as their mother was out getting locked.

thats wat happened your spot on!

invisable

its about both...unless u know what happened here dont put negative replys pls

liquoriceall

If people dont want kids why do they have them? There are plenty of couples who cant have kids ( & single people for that matter) who would be great parents, this proves there is a case for restricting child allowance payments as some people are only having them for the money
Poor baby and the rest of the kids and hopefully they will get to have some sort of a stable life in foster care, if she cares about those children she will sign adoption papers

stovelid

I trust that you will all show the same tenderness and deep concern for children that have grown up in similar backgrounds of neglect if they show up in courts themselves. You know, the scumbags.

Or does your interest in generational neglect only extend as cracking off in here with your sterilization and censorious Jeremy Kyle fantasies?

Danbo!

liquoriceall wrote: »

If people dont want kids why do they have them? There are plenty of couples who cant have kids ( & single people for that matter) who would be great parents, this proves there is a case for restricting child allowance payments as some people are only having them for the money

You've answered your own question there. It's a mix of benefits and idiocy.

slarkin123

I feel so sorry for the children. They'll be much better offvwithout her. And imo she should be locked up. Where was the father. Its a disgrace he didn't attend. As for a bad nappy rash, I have seen it develop in a matter of hours. Especially if the child is teething