Words don't even begin to describe this- Mother Accused of Throwing Kids Into Bay

[poseidon]

This is just so sad.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...000284_pf.html

[theworm[$]]

I heard this on the news this morning. It's tragic in so many ways. This woman is schizophrenic. She was hearing voices. She and the kids were living in a shelter. With proper care and medication, this wouldn't have happened. The mother was described as a quiet and calm person. She supposedly walked with the kids out onto the pier. She calmly undressed each of the three boys, and threw them off the pier. There were only a few poeple out, and they were too far away to stop her. Afterwards, she just stood there with the empty stroller and waited for the police. She cooperated with the police. The children's father is reported to be devastated by the news. It's not clear if the father and mother are married or if they are living with as a family.
3 innocent lives lost. As horrible as this is, I also feel very badly for the mother. This should have and could have been avoided.

[emeleel]

I was just reading this at CNN. So very sad. Those poor children.

[Redlass]

Let's hope and pray that the six-year-old is still alive and perhaps hiding somewhere, confused by what has happened. I'd hope the same for the one-year-old, but I doubt that the child would be old enough to swim or if he/she safely floated, to have the presence of mind to hide from searchers (not that I think hiding from searchers is a good thing, but I could understand a child doing that out of fear).

[poseidon]

Unfortunately, what I heard on the news this morning said that the water is pretty cold there and it would only take a few moments for hypothermia to set in. From the pictures (I've never been to this place before, so I'm commenting only by pictures), that seems like a hell of a long swim back to dry land. Sure, at six you could be a good swimmer, but, is there a six year old that is THAT good, especially in those conditions?

I understand where you're coming from, Bridgette. My hopes and prayers are that the other two kids are still alive. Miracles do happen. But, it will sure take one for those kids to survive.

[Redlass]

You're right--it isn't likely, but I do believe miracles happen, and will believe until they find the body or have searched all of the shore.

The coldness of the water does make things less likely. I didn't realize the water there was that cold this time of year.

[lynnzop[$]]

What Wormie said.

[poseidon]

Redlass said

You're right--it isn't likely, but I do believe miracles happen, and will believe until they find the body or have searched all of the shore.

I don't think you meant to say what you just said.

Miracles do happen, more frequently than we guess, and perhaps one (or two) will happen now. One can only hope and pray that this will be one of those times.

[Redlass]

What did I just say? (I'm a little tired and stressed this morning.)

I think I said: You're right (that the child is likely dead)--it isn't likely (that the child could have survived), but I do believe miracles happen (in other words, there's at least a greater chance he's alive than I would have of winning the lotto), and will believe (that a miracle is still possible) until they find the body or have searched all of the shore (or any of the places the child might have found to hide).

Must have read differently than that, eh? Sorry.

[murasaki]

Schizophrenic and awfully young to be a mother to three children--that's a huge amount of responsibility for anyone, but I think younger mothers are less able to cope.

[poseidon]

Redlass said

What did I just say? (I'm a little tired and stressed this morning.)

I think I said: You're right (that the child is likely dead)--it isn't likely (that the child could have survived), but I do believe miracles happen (in other words, there's at least a greater chance he's alive than I would have of winning the lotto), and will believe (that a miracle is still possible) until they find the body or have searched all of the shore (or any of the places the child might have found to hide).

Must have read differently than that, eh? Sorry.

It's okay. Like I said, I didn't think you meant to say what you said. The way it reads is, "I'll believe in miracles (generally speaking) until the kids are found dead."

BTW, you said before that you didn't know the water was that cold this time of year. It's been a very long time since I've had a chance to visit the West Coast (like, 36 years ago when I used to live there -- I was one when I left). My understanding is that the Pacific is a much colder ocean than the Atlantic.

[realtraveller]

Not only is the water cold, but the currents are vicious. They were too rough for divers to get into the water last night. And there are sharks in the bay.

I question why the father had his children living with a schizophrenic mother. (Reminds me of the Andrea Yates case in that respect.) I question why social services hadn't put those children in foster care.

[Redlass]

I guess I just think of oceans near southern shores as being relatively warm--unlike somewhere like Lake Superior which is always cold (but swimmable).

Sharks too?

[poseidon]

Redlass said

I guess I just think of oceans near southern shores as being relatively warm--unlike somewhere like Lake Superior which is always cold (but swimmable).

Sharks too?

Think Alcatraz.

[drmomentum[$]]

The cold is freezing here, is it colder in San Fran?

In any case, it's a horrible story.

-JP

[nicholmere]

theworm said

This should have and could have been avoided.

So true. Very sad

[pippadaisy[$]]

And thank the courts... she'd lost custody then got it back.

I hate seeing the system fail so miserably. And I'm sitting here crying just thinking about those poor little kids. I can't imagine. I can't.