I heard about that. I can't imagine the mother's pain.

The 12 year old is being charged with felony murder and cruelty to children.

It is really sad to hear when such things happen but in this case I feel the mother should be tried as accessory to the death of her baby. Who in the heck leaves a 5 week old with another in a car while you go shopping? There is nothing that important you have to have in order to do that.

The mother didn't use blunt force to kill the baby.

Btw, 12 year olds are old enough to take babysitting classes.

I have to respectfully disagree with this. I didn't spank my child and my child is just fine.

the mother is mother is facing cruelty to children charges. so she is being held accountable as well. they don't know much about the 12 yr old. his history, mental stability, why he was there, etc

I have a feeling there will be more about what is behind this story.

Today? What you guys think this stuff is just now happening? Dang folks, humans have always been messed up. In fact the ones that pretend they aren't are usually the ones that are the most messed up.

Maybe she is a single mom, and could not leave her kids home alone, there should be no reason why a 12 year old can't sit with a 5 year old for a short period. Do we even know the whole story?

And who ever said we should punish children like they did back when.. um, please, parents need to show their children they are in control of themselves. Beating/spanking a child shows you lack creative parenting skills and can't control your own emotions. Period.

Parents don't always know when to stop, so I am all for laws against any kind of violence toward a child. That's not liberal it's common sense. Violence leads to Violence, or severe emotional problems later one if the child is not strong emotionally themselves.

This story does not contain enough information to even TRY to speculate on anything.

WAITAMINUTE!! Hold on here! Back up the truck!....

The boy is 12....and the mother is 22???

She had this kid when she was TEN???


**EDIT** Okay, I think I may have read it incorrectly. The mother is not the the boy's mother.

the 12 yr old was the nephew. he was visiting the aunt. the infant was her child

I do understand the debate about spankings vs beatings. and I can respect the other side of the debate. But I did spank my son and we have always been very close. but I do know too many parents are out there that beat their kids or go to the other extreme and don't discipline. but I agree with lilith....there isn't anything about the 12 yr old and his background or why he did this.

I truely believe the biggest flaw in humans, is when we separate ourselves from animals.


For the most part we have a bigger sense of awareness, but we geneticaly have a lot in common still with you typical dog, cat, or whatever.

Humans themselves aren't messed up, but there are some that are. The same can be said about dogs that chase tires after being repeatedly run over, or a cat that attacks anyone or anything that gets close to it. This is atypical behavior.

Just like this boy. He was displaying atypical behavior. This could be due to his upbringing, or his neurological wiring. I'm betting on wiring issues. There is obviously a lack of empathy which could be linked to anti-social behavior. Although, as Lilith pointed out, without knowing the cause of the outburst, or even the specific actions involved in the outburst it is impossible to know. Either way this kid needs some serious counseling, and needs to be closely watched.

This young boy may have been mad, upset about having to stay in the car at all. Maybe wanting to go into the store too. To the point of lashing out and it got out of hand. He may have been so mad that he had no one to let it out on and the baby was there, possibly crying. Not meaning to really hurt the baby but to just let out his anger and it got way out of control. He may not be a bad child or even from a traumatic family. Or disfuntional. There does not always have to be a reason from upbringing. Or family issues. He may have never been spanked in his life and was a spoiled child that wasn't accustomed to being told "no", therefore having a fit.

Who knows what really happend? Time will tell.

Kat