A parent murdering their children has been a regular occurrence if you are one to follow the news. Though I have to admit, it’s only been a couple of months that I have been keeping my eye on CNN and other local news channels in various states, however, it is every single day that I read or watch some horrific story about a parent murdering their own flesh and blood and in some instances their whole family.
I realize that everyone is innocent until proven guilty but I can’t help seeing the faces on television and on the news web sites of the people, the parents arrested for such unthinkable crimes. Take for instance Casey Anthony who is facing the death penalty for supposedly killing her daughter and the recent arrest of Christopher Coleman for the murder of his wife and two young sons, or the mother who supposedly suffocated her 3 year old son, thought about it, revived him with CPR, and then decided to go through with the dastardly deed and re-suffocate him. According to CNN this is what she had told law enforcement and the reason she gave was because she didn’t want him growing up with no one caring for him like no one did for her. Is this a reason? Is this an excuse? I think not.
According to the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online parents who commit these crimes are involved in several factors for the reasoning behind their actions. Some believe they are doing this out of love for the child by preventing the child from experiencing some future pain, or because they are an unwanted child, and even for the reason of spousal revenge. In some cases of Filicide, the parent themselves will also commit suicide and take their loved ones with them, believing that they are the only one who can provide for their family, therefore, in my opinion it has become a control issue. Regardless of the reason, to me it is unfathomable, unacceptable. Their state of mind whether they are receiving treatment for depression or some other psychiatric condition needs to be looked into further and considered seriously especially if there are children involved.
Are these killings preventable? I think so. Steps need to be taken, information needs to be given, available, and advertised to the extreme so that parents realize it is not the only way out. Help is out there if it only can reach them. Expecting mothers who feel that a baby would be a burden or too hard to care for need to realize that there is the “Safe Haven” law out there regarding dropping your child off at a hospital after birth. It is an alternative measure and no charges would be filed. The child will be taken into Children’s Services and eventually end up with a family who does want children.
Too many times it seems that we turn our backs and ignore the signs because we don’t want to face what is going on in our world. Out of sight out of mind, but the truth is this is a common occurrence in our society and has been going on for centuries but for different reasons, just read your history books. The good thing about today is that there are alternatives to murder when they feel so desperate that they have to end the life of a child. Without thinking, that child could have been the one to discover a cure for cancer, win a Pulitzer Prize, or hold a great place in somebody else’s life.
Whatever it is that sets these people off should be recognized and dealt with. There is absolutely no excuse for abuse or murder of a child. If at all you are seeking help for preventing this situation from happening please review all the options before making reckless decisions that could affect your life and the life of an innocent.
