Young Couple Sentenced for Starving Their Child: 60 Years

[robjvargas]

There's more detail at this link. No mention of "better things to do." But I warn you, the details the story provides, to me, make it worse, not better.

I wouldn't quote from the story, but I think we should all know the name of the hero of the story:

Magon Rutledge was 17 on the night the Alstons were arrested, visiting their home on Rance Drive for a get-together with friends. She said she was only slightly acquainted with the Alstons, who lived nearby.

Magon said she asked to see Baby Riley after hearing strange noises from the bedroom where he was being kept in a playpen.

“It wasn’t like a normal baby cry,” she testified.

She said the conditions were indescribable, and Riley’s crib had a filthy, brown nasty mess over it.

I'm beyond words about this. But I celebrate Magon Rutledge. It took a lot of courage to do that.

Minor kudos to the authorities for recognizing that the underage drinking was utterly irrelevant in the face of the horror young Miss Rutledge discovered and acted to correct.

 

[juniper]

From that link:

"When asked why she had not recently sought medical aid for Riley, Brittany said, “I’ve been so stressed. I have so many things that I need to be doing. I need to look for a job, and I’ve got to get my oil changed. I have to find him a doctor.”

Yeah, that's why she couldn't feed him. Other things to do.

 

[Marian Perera]

There's more detail at this link. No mention of "better things to do."

Except for the part where the "mother" gives some reasons for not taking her child to a doctor.

I need to look for a job, and I’ve got to get my oil changed.

Don't forget to get your tires rotated too, and the gas tank filled. ...baby? What baby?

 

[Roxxsmom]

I think that, despite what they say, there was more to it than just "Not Being Bothered."

There's a sadism involved in this, knowing that a little soul is suffering. It's more that just indifference.

I think this is probably true. Used to volunteer for an animal group, and people deliberately starve dogs sometimes. It doesn't usually get the attention that human cases do, but it appears there's a weird power dynamic or morbid fascination with suffering/torture going on here. And since jail sentences for doing this to an animal are short to nonexistent, some of those horrible people go on to have babies they can abuse in the same way.

And most often there are heavy drugs involved. This story made me think a bit of Trainspotting with the baby who died because the parents were too caught up in their heroin-fueled lifestyle to care for her. But those characters at least were upset when they realized what they'd done. Sounds like these scum felt ... nothing.

I really do feel like two sides of my nature are at war here. One that really doesn't want big brother stepping in and forcing sterlization and deciding some people aren't fit to be parents (any more than I want big brother telling people they must be fertile and have to be parents). This sort of thing has been so abused in the past. Still is abused sometimes. But then I see this sort of thing and think that having kids should be a privilege that can be revoked in certain cases.

 

[robjvargas]

I hear you, Roxxsmom. They could qualify for parole in their early 50's.

I'd be sorely tempted to attend every hearing, with photos of Riley under their care, with descriptions of his medical status (if any), and with transcripts about why they did this.

Never let them forget what they did to their own flesh and blood. Nor let us.

Side issue, I'm a bit troubled by the kind of hedging response by the mother of Justin, Riley's father.

Justin’s mother, Jennifer Ferriera, showed a look indicative of horror and disbelief when she saw the shocking image of her grandson. She turned away as she placed the back of her hand over her mouth.

After she had seen Riley’s photo, Christian asked Ferriera if she would trust her son around Riley, and her answer was, “Not alone.”

BZZT! Wrong answer. The right answer is, "No, not while I draw breath." I wouldn't subject Riley to even a photo of the monster that nearly killed him. Although I wouldn't stop Riley if he sought it out in the future.

 

[Marian Perera]

Side issue, I'm a bit troubled by the kind of hedging response by the mother of Justin, Riley's father.

Same here. Her son wasn't alone when he nearly killed his child - he was with his wife, the baby's mother. Being accompanied by someone (who should have been willing to do anything to keep that particular child safe) didn't exactly prevent him from harming the child, did it?

 

[chompers]

The sentence would be sufficiently long, if they were denied food.

I'm not even remotely interested in trying to understand these people.

caw

Yes. Because we had better things to do.

 

[Plot Device]

From that link:

"When asked why she had not recently sought medical aid for Riley, Brittany said, “I’ve been so stressed. I have so many things that I need to be doing. I need to look for a job, and I’ve got to get my oil changed. I have to find him a doctor.”

Yeah, that's why she couldn't feed him. Other things to do.

Any photos available of what Mommy Dearest looked like at the time of her arrest?

I ask because I'm wondering if there might be photographic evidence of Mommy somehow finding the time for:

-- a hair cut
-- a dye job
-- an eyebrow tweeze
-- a manicure
-- etc.


::ETA::

I did find this image of her mug shot:

http://www.radiosarajevo.ba/novost/132471

Looks like she wasn't as guilty as I imagined of only taking care of herself. (And yet surely she was at least showering.)

 

[Ambrosia]

Would postpartum depression explain the mother's actions? It wouldn't explain the father's actions. But I am wondering about the mother's mental processes given the list.