And in other child abuse-related news...
This just in from Florida. Seems this 9-yr old's parents were so concerned about their son's safety that they kept him in a deadbolted bedroom for the past 3 years. He was under video surveillance 24 hrs a day. He's had no school, no medical attention, no friends, and is only allowed to leave the room once a day to go to the bathroom.
The child's mother defended the actions of the father (I guess he was the warden in this situation) by saying they were trying to protect him from a relative who had molested their son (or another child, that was unclear) some years ago. The child's paternal grandmother defended the warden/father saying that he is simply a control freak, and he knows it. Huh? Apparently any act is defensible if you don't consider the impact on others.
The child's mother also said their son was rather hyperactive. No kidding. If I keep my three year old in the house all day long, he's rather bananas. And how did she conclude he is hyperactive (and not just a normal, energy-filled child) since he hasn't had medical care in three years?
After he was found in his underwear in a urine-scented room, the police department reported that he said he had to keep pinching himself, because "days like this just don't come along very often." By "days like this" he meant days you get to leave your room.
So what's my point? As far as I understand it, there will always be nut jobs in this world who do ridiculous things and in their own minds are completely justified and rational. That's called mental illness (or personality disorder). But what about all the people who are so willing to defend the nut jobs' actions? That's what makes me nervous.
Whole towns turned a blind eye to the atrocities of Hitler's regime, perhaps based on fearing the consequences. But what mother, what grandmother, can know what is going on in a home and not be concerned enough to take action on behalf of a 9-year old boy with no friends? My bet is, more than we'd like to think.
When this whole Iraq war/terrorist stuff got started and John Ashcroft encouraged us to report any suspicious activity, even though we didn't necessarily know what that might be, something closer to home was ignored. Why has no one ever said this: Americans, it is your duty to take action when an adult is abusing or neglecting a child. Quite honestly, the social ramifications of years of deprivation or abuse might be of greater impact than a suspicious gathering of people playing checkers in the park. Someday, maybe we'll have learned that lesson. Unfortunately it might not be a very comfortable lesson to learn.
Love up your babies. Protect them from bad things and bad people. And teach them not to turn away when other people are in need.
The child's mother defended the actions of the father (I guess he was the warden in this situation) by saying they were trying to protect him from a relative who had molested their son (or another child, that was unclear) some years ago. The child's paternal grandmother defended the warden/father saying that he is simply a control freak, and he knows it. Huh? Apparently any act is defensible if you don't consider the impact on others.
The child's mother also said their son was rather hyperactive. No kidding. If I keep my three year old in the house all day long, he's rather bananas. And how did she conclude he is hyperactive (and not just a normal, energy-filled child) since he hasn't had medical care in three years?
After he was found in his underwear in a urine-scented room, the police department reported that he said he had to keep pinching himself, because "days like this just don't come along very often." By "days like this" he meant days you get to leave your room.
So what's my point? As far as I understand it, there will always be nut jobs in this world who do ridiculous things and in their own minds are completely justified and rational. That's called mental illness (or personality disorder). But what about all the people who are so willing to defend the nut jobs' actions? That's what makes me nervous.
Whole towns turned a blind eye to the atrocities of Hitler's regime, perhaps based on fearing the consequences. But what mother, what grandmother, can know what is going on in a home and not be concerned enough to take action on behalf of a 9-year old boy with no friends? My bet is, more than we'd like to think.
When this whole Iraq war/terrorist stuff got started and John Ashcroft encouraged us to report any suspicious activity, even though we didn't necessarily know what that might be, something closer to home was ignored. Why has no one ever said this: Americans, it is your duty to take action when an adult is abusing or neglecting a child. Quite honestly, the social ramifications of years of deprivation or abuse might be of greater impact than a suspicious gathering of people playing checkers in the park. Someday, maybe we'll have learned that lesson. Unfortunately it might not be a very comfortable lesson to learn.
Love up your babies. Protect them from bad things and bad people. And teach them not to turn away when other people are in need.
posted by Left Coast Sister at 1:36 PM
6 Comments:
I read this too and couldn't believe it. A heart just breaks to think of countless others in similar situations, some of whom may never be "discovered". I can't imagine ANYthing that could justify such behavior.
(I think, though, if they're 16, you can leave them in their room until they're maybe 18 or 19 or something. I think it's okay then.)
It's called Shared Psychotic Disorder (aka Folie a Deux) and it's an actual codable disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Described as a "delusion that develops in an individual who is involved in a close relationship with another person who already has a Psychotic Disorder with prominent delusions. The individual comes to share the delusional beliefs of the primary case in whole or in part."
So you're right. It's verifiably sick.
Horrible story.
You're right, we need to be concerned with the things going on right next door to us as well as across the globe.
Wake up people!
Carrie
ughh
this makes me want to cry, cuss & hit something...
i know violence is not the answer
but i think that every child abusing parent should have to go through exactly what they put their child through times 2
& then see how their feeling afterward....
& i think you are a super smart sister...
you are so right about not just standing by
you just can't...
gotta trust your instincts
& not care about what anyone else says
or if your manic crazy friend/daughter/sister will be mad at you
you can't treat people horribley & get away with it
you shouldn't be allowed to...
Hey LCS, call me about the Dream Dinners thing, or email me... do you still have my email?? psychomamma@gmail.com...I'd love to do it.
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