Do You Think This Is Abuse?

[elizabethann]

But do you really think the child should be taken away? That's what I don't understand. The Mother sounds like she was ignorant to her child's needs. She needs some education - like child development or something. Perhaps she's dirt poor and has no teeth herself? I don't know. I just don't think the child should be taken away from her.

[Uabassoon]

I do feel this is neglect, but maybe she had no form of insurance and had no way to pay for her son to visit a dentist. This is one of the reasons why health care needs to be more readily avalivable, or at least make it avaliable for all children.

[jackie]

I do feel this is neglect, but maybe she had no form of insurance and had no way to pay for her son to visit a dentist. This is one of the reasons why health care needs to be more readily avalivable, or at least make it avaliable for all children.

I agree with this statement 100%. I am still undecided whether the boy would be better off in foster care or not. It is a tough call and need more information before making judgement. I am very suprised the bail is so high, $25,000 seems like a lot.

[Cataholic]

I have no dental insurance, and haven't for years.

I go to the dentist twice a year, and Jonah will go beginning at age 3 (this is the age my dentist suggests). Not having insurance is not an excuse. Not having money is not an excuse. There are, at least here in Ohio, several facilities that accomodate the lower income/no income population.

This is abuse. It is neglect.

[Miss Z]

Yes, I think that is abuse. Dental pain is one of the most painful things around, and I don't believe any 'true' mother could be conscious of the fact that her child was in pain for so long and not do anything about it. 'True' mothers move the earth for their kids. Perhaps the child being taken away will shock her system a bit, and she'll realise the full extent of what she has done.

[lizbud]

I am very suprised the bail is so high, $25,000 seems like a lot.

You know that the person doesn't not have to come up with that amount
to post bail, don't you? I think it's something like 10% of the amount gets
the person bail.

The woman does need help, even if she doen't think so. Ignornace is no
excuse.The child is evidently not getting the care that he needs & the mom
thought that wasn't a problem.Rotting teeth is a serious health problem.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I do feel this is neglect, but maybe she had no form of insurance and had no way to pay for her son to visit a dentist. This is one of the reasons why health care needs to be more readily avalivable, or at least make it avaliable for all children.

I agree, so many people are without insurance they are forced to make choices like not taking their children to see a doctor. I think the mother should be charged with neglect but if the only problem with the child is his teeth I don't think they should have taken him away. Imagine how much stress he must be in to be in a totally new household with his mother in jail. Is that really the best thing for him?

[K9soul]

if the only problem with the child is his teeth I don't think they should have taken him away.

I don't think some folks are understanding how serious a problem a mouth full of rotting teeth is. It doesn't stop at the teeth, it goes down into the gum and jaw, and into the blood stream. If left long enough (as it was being left with this child) the results can be FATAL. For him to have such horribly rotting teeth, I am betting he was malnourished too, as someone else stated. He has been taken away for now but I doubt for good unless the mother continually keeps blowing it by doing these things and if she shows no remorse etc. Yes being in foster care can be emotionally traumatic but as the article stated, he would soon have been in the hospital with life-threatening complications. He also more than likely will have lasting problems from this having gotten so bad.. and perhaps no adult teeth ever.

[Lady's Human]

It is abuse. There are numerous free medical and dental programs available, so monetary reasons are no excuse.

[Maresche]

If she thinks teeth that bad are just going to fix themselves, what about other possible injuries? Will she think a deep cut isn't too bad because it doesn't bleed much. Will she think a painful arm isn't broken because it doesn't look broken?

The child was complaining about toothaches and headaches for more than a year! To me, that indicates that she doesn't much care what the child feels or his well-being.

I would not be adverse if he were returned after his mother underwent some serious education including parenting classes and showed major improvement.

[CathyBogart]

I do think he should have been taken away. Even if all she needs is some education, she should know that chronic pain for OVER A YEAR requires attention. A year is more than enough time to locate a free clinic in your area and take the kid to a doctor.

I'm not totally against the kid being returned to his mother if the gets some education (if that is in fact what she needs) but I think it's good that she had the shock of having him taken away to show her that she needs to take an interest in her son's health!!

It's not like he would have gone to the jail with her anyways, so she was going to be without him at this time regardless.

[Karen]

Yes, I think it is abuse. Neglect to a criminal degree. I also think that just not visiting the dentist would not have cause that amount of rot and decay and pain. Did she EVER have the kid brush his teeth? Ever? Letting him suffer for a year when she knew he was in pain is unconscionable.

[caseysmom]

He was most likely malnourished for this to happen.

[IRescue452]

YES! Lord I can't imagine the pain that little boy went through. I chipped a tooth once and ignored it and soon enough the nerve was exposed. It was extremely painful. There were times I even went into shock from the pain. I won't go into the lack of health care. I've no doubt that this boy has some predisposed condition that led to his teeth having no enamel because at this age there would not be this extent of damage for somebody with normal teeth. But the government has health care programs for children.

[lizbud]

But do you really think the child should be taken away? That's what I don't understand. The Mother sounds like she was ignorant to her child's needs. She needs some education - like child development or something. Perhaps she's dirt poor and has no teeth herself? I don't know. I just don't think the child should be taken away from her.

Hopfully the mother will now get the messgae that this is criminal neglect
on her part. She probably will have to take parenting classes before the boy
will be returned to her.I think the fact that she knew he was in pain for
months on end & never made a move to get help for her child, is proof of
neglect that is criminal.