Trekker- you are absolutely right. No mention has been made of the responsibility of the child's parents. Where are they? The woman being charged was not the mother. No mention has been made of why there was no follow up on her care- why there were no regular social workers checking on him, why there was no home medical if he needed it, why there was no community support for this child. The whole thing makes me ill. The fact that here is a child who needs help- here is a family who needs help- and there is no help until someone is horrendously injured. Losing 22 lbs is not something that happens in a fit of anger, overnight or even in a week. Rats do not move in and begin biting children in short periods of time. This is something that has been going for a while.

And yet where is the protection? Where are the resources to help people who are UNABLE to help themselves? I understand how difficult it can be to take care of someone else- I have done it myself. I commend you that you were able to devote your life to taking care of your husband when he needed it and am glad that you were able to find some respite. It seems like all too often the "authorities" are dismissive of situations like these until there are charges of neglect, and THEN they are all too eager to dig up all the ways you were weak.

It makes me very sad to hear about the man who was left alone all day. I just don't understand why the help isn't there BEFORE things get so bad.