PA Girl Charged With Third-Degree Murder For Shaking Baby

[discocrisco01]

Source: Associated Press

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. (AP) — A 10-year-old girl has been charged with third-degree murder in the shaking death of an infant in central Pennsylvania.

Her babysitter was also charged Friday in Franklin County for allegedly failing to seek medical care for 11-month-old Heath Ryder.




Read more: http://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/Pa-girl-10-charged-with-murder-in-death-of-baby-1359717.php

[LiberalLoner]

1. This is so sad. I think new parents should always receive a mandatory class

from a doctor or nurse about shaken baby syndrome and also be given some tips on how to just step away from a situation when your temper rises with your child.

[JDPriestly]

10. Yes. Information about parenting should be made as widely available as possible.

All parents should have the opportunity to take free parenting classes. So much sorrow could be prevented if we made that widely available in schools and hospitals.

[KittyWampus]

2. Awww. I agree with first poster about class covering basics for parents.

And I guess babysitters?

[greiner3]

3. How fucking stupid;

This little 'girl' is a few years away from playing with dolls. She did not know the consequences of what she was doing. A punishment from her to one of her dolls would have likely killed any newborn human.

How fucking stupid.

BTW, I forgot 'Central PA.'

[Le Taz Hot]

4. That's not who should be charged.

Whoever put a 10-year-old in charge of taking care of an infant should be the one in jail. What's wrong with people? There was a case yesterday in which a motel manager alerted police to an 8- and 9-year old left alone for many hours in the room. When police got there, there were methamphetamines and hypodermic needles LAYING ON THE TABLE. Mommy and boyfriend were nowhere to be found. I swear, too many people regard their offspring as nothing more than crotch droppings. It's sickening.

[enlightenment]

5. She wasn't in charge - the babysitter was 'in charge'

(not very well, apparently).

Snipped from the article, which also indicates the the older child was actually nine when this happened.

The Public Opinion in Chambersburg reports 56-year-old Dottie Bowers was caring for both children last summer. Authorities say the girl, then 9, allegedly shook the baby and threw him into a crib. He died a few days later of traumatic brain injury.

Bowers is charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child. Her attorney, Joseph Caraciolo, says Bowers will tell her story eventually.

The girl's lawyer, Jason Kutulakis, says she has no history of behavioral problems. Her case was transferred to juvenile court.

I agree with your assessment of some parents, though . . .

[JDPriestly]

11. I took care of a newborn after school when I was 10.

It depends on the child.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

6. they cannoit do that...good lord...the 10m year old doesn't know that shaking a baby could hurt it.

she probly did it to her doll babies that she was probaly still playeing with last ye.ar

[Frances]

7. The person who left a 9 year old in charge of an infant

should be charged with the murder. That is who is really responsible.

[LiberalLoner]

8. Exactly. n/t

[LiberalLoner]

9. Exactly. n/t

[happyslug]

12. A ten year old girl capable of shaking a baby long enough?

I was a full grown man when I did "Ups and Downs" with my niece. She loved it, but after three or fours lifting that child up and then down made my arms hurt and I had to quit (She would tehn insist on "More" and after a few minites I would oblige but again quit after a few "Ups and Downs").

I can see a full grown man or woman having the strength to do the number of "shakes" needed to do the damage seen in a "Shaking baby Syndrome" case, but a ten year old? Something else is going on here, what I do not know what, but something else.

Remember most 10 year olds are pre-Growth spurt children, quit small by standards of High School let alone adults. The average ten year old girl is 51 inches tall (4 foot, 3 inches) and 70.4 lbs in weight.

Average height and Weight of Children:
http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/height-weight-teens.shtml

Please note just because women can carry a 20-30 pound baby all day, does NOT mean they can "Shake" that baby. A woman's center of gravity in just below her naval (Belly-button) and thus when she holds a baby she holds it tight to her body so the center of gravity of the woman's upper body and the Baby's body is right above that center of Gravity of her entire body. Thus woman can carry a baby for hours. The issue is do a 10 year old girl have the upper body strength to shake that baby, which requires the baby to be held away from her body. That requires a lot more upper body strength then just carrying a baby and again something I doubt a ten year old can do to the extent needed to do enough damage for the baby to die of Shaken Baby Syndrome.