A mother, if one could even refer to her as such, has received a 6-year prison sentence for failing to care for her 8 children.
The woman, who might not merit the term ‘woman,’ brought her ‘nearly lifeless’ 5-year-old to the hospital, where it was revealed that the child weighed slightly more than 14 kg and was suffering from hypothermia and malnutrition.
At the South Australia Supreme Court yesterday, the woman, whose identity remains undisclosed for legal reasons, admitted guilt to two counts of endangering life and three counts of causing a risk of serious harm to her children.
Justice Christopher Kourakis of the Supreme Court stated that she had come alarmingly close to causing her child’s death.
She neglected to provide sufficient food, shelter, and medical attention for her children.
The children endured physical abuse and were made to stand with their hands on their heads for extended periods.
Although the unnamed woman had a history of being abused herself, the judge could not fathom why she allowed her children to suffer in front of her.
Instead of attending to her children’s needs, she misused child benefit payments and nearly all her available funds on dining out, cigarettes, and gambling machines.
The children essentially survived on leftover fish and chips along with discarded noodles.
The Justice sentenced her to 6 years, with a minimum non-parole period of three years and three months, emphasizing the necessity for a strong deterrent against child neglect.
But who bears responsibility for this situation?
In the end, that responsibility lies with this woman. What sort of trauma had she endured in her life? Clearly, it shaped her into the person she became. THAT DOES NOT EXCUSE HER ACTIONS…although…she did take her son to the hospital, which indicates there was, or must have been, some level of desperation that drove her to seek help.
However, what of the prolonged punishment of standing with hands on heads and being beaten? Did not someone from social services notice that something might be amiss? There should be protocols ensuring that when children skip school, parents are required to notify someone. If such absences become common, social services should intervene to investigate the family’s situation.
Why was it necessary for this tragically disturbed woman to take her dying son to the hospital for these issues to come to light?
Countless questions arise. I had presumed we were not living in a third-world nation. Systems are in place to prevent such dreadful situations; so why do they fail?
As for the family, it is a harsh opinion, but perhaps the woman deserves the ultimate punishment…regardless of the method…so that these depraved individuals do not share the same air that I do. And while it would undoubtedly be heartbreaking to separate a mother from her child, I believe that, in the long run, the children would have a significantly better chance at life knowing their mother could never harm them again.
by Sel Hurst
