Mom Sentenced For Using Facebook As Son Drowned

[kiva]

A northern Colorado woman who was playing a game on Facebook while her 13-month-old baby drowned in a full bathtub was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison.

Shannon Johnson, 34, of Fort Lupton, cried as District Judge Thomas Quammen told her he didn't think she was a bad person or that she killed her son on purpose, the Greeley Tribune reported. But, he added, that doesn't mean her action wasn't criminal.

-snip-

According to court documents, Johnson put her son in the tub for his bath a little after 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 20. She then left him unsupervised in a bathtub full of water as she went to another room to share videos, check status updates and play Cafe World on Facebook. Johnson told deputies that Joseph had grown independent and wanted to be left alone in the tub.

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/15/135453322/mom-sentenced-for-using-facebook-as-son-drowned?ft=1&f=1001

[RC]

1. There has to be a better way to handle something like this.

Jail or prison can't be the answer to everything.

[OhioBlue]

4. You probably have a good point

but as a society I don't readily know what the better answer is. Obviously as punishment for the woman, there is absolutely nothing more horrible than losing your child. So I don't think this is an adequate punishment on the individual level at all... but what about the bigger issue... As a society we must deliver a punishment for the child endangerment for many reasons. I think the judge and jury probably did what they had to do to work within the system... I don't really see another alternative tho I would be open minded to one.

[AlabamaLibrul]

41. You can't fix stupid nt

[me b zola]

65. I agree

I believe the guilt & sorrow that she will feel for the rest of her life is punishment enough.

[rgbecker]

2. We've got to jail these people, before they come over to your house and start using facebook

and start drowning your kids....be afraid, very afraid.

We live in a very sick country.

[LisaL]

6. What are you suggesting? That as long as

it's not somebody else's child, the parent shouldn't be punished?

[The Doctor.]

40. I took a shit once. It was less than two minutes.

I walked back into my family room where the two kids had been watching a movie, 3 and 1 were their ages.

The 3 year-old was not in the room. The front door was closed, so I took off around the house looking for him. I spent a few minutes looking everywhere before I finally went out the front door.

He had managed the locks on the door, and then closed the door behind him before walking halfway down the street.

The police treated me like shit, even though I had done everything reasonable under the circumstances. (Seriously... bring the kids into the bathroom every time you take a shit to make sure they're not up to something crazy?)

I went to the 'child-proofing' section of Home Depot that very day and simply laughed my ass off because there was not a single fucking thing there that this 3 year-old couldn't beat.

I remember looking at the 20-something 'officer' who was being particularly condescending to me and thinking; "Buddy, I have no fucking doubt that not a single kid you could produce will ever be able to give you this kind of trouble." Heck, in my frustration, I might well have said that out loud.

I hope that I was wrong... because he could use a lesson like I had.

This woman fucked up hard, In a way that I never did... but could happen in one form or another to any parent taking even 60 seconds for themselves. More punishment than losing your child is unnecessary.

If any parent on this board says they monitored their child every minute of every day of their early life, they are either a bold-faced fucking liar, or just plain neurotic.

So all the nasty folks should really fuck off.

[Egnever]

56. Awesome post

Agree whole heartedly

[madinmaryland]

3. Ten years??? Isn't that a bit harsh. Yes, her action was criminal, but

ten years? What the fuck is ten years in prison going to do other than create a hardened and bitter criminal.

[uppityperson]

5. She was sentenced for leaving her 13 month old alone in a full bath tub.

It doesn't matter if she was reading, watching tv, fixing dinner, folding laundry. She left an infant alone in a tub of water.

As I said on the other thread going on this, I don't think 10 yrs is reasonable, would prefer to see her do a year and get out on probation including community service and some sort of counseling and education.

[LisaL]

7. Not the first time she left that child in the bathtub either, by her

own admission. Because he was an "independent baby," and she didn't want him to be known as "mama's boy."

[uppityperson]

8. I am amused. We either argue vociferously, so to speak, or agree entirely with each other

[anneboleyn]

10. She was worried he would become a "mama's boy," so she left him in a full bathtub?

This woman clearly has some major issues (a stunning insight, I know, but still).

[Pithlet]

11. I got the impression from the articles this was said to the police.

She was probably not in the best state of mind at the time.

I don't know. I think it's obvious she did a stupid thing with a tragic ending. But 10 years just seems capricious. I wonder if it's because it was facebook. Other parents do similar things, like getting up to answer the door or the phone, and generally don't end up with such long sentences, if they end up in jail at all.

[LisaL]

12. She plead guilty. Her sentence is within sentencing guidelines.

I simply don't see a problem with it.

[Pithlet]

13. Did I give the impression I wasn't aware of those things?

:shrug:

[LisaL]

14. What did you mean by "10 years seem capricious?"

How is it "capricious" if it is within sentencing guidelines?

[Pithlet]

15. When most parents don't receive sentences for similar crimes?

But this parent gets slammed, I'd call that capricious.

[LisaL]

17. What do you have in support of your idea?

I did a google search. A different woman just got 50 years for child enlargement resulting in death for drowning her child in the bathtub.
"The woman charged in drowning her 4-year-old son in a bathtub last year pleaded guilty Friday to child endangerment resulting in death and was sentenced to 50 years in prison."
http://easterniowanewsnow.com/2011/04/15/jackson-county-woman-sentenced-to-50-years-in-prison-for-drowning-4-year-old-son/

[Pithlet]

18. She held her child's head under water.

http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/article_9a2cfeac-7b18-11df-b124-001cc4c002e0.html

Ooopsie! Guess you should have looked further down when you googled that one.

[LisaL]

That appears to have been an allegation.

But if it could have been proven, I presume the charge would have been murder/homicide.
As it is, she got her fifty years for child endangerment with death resulting. Ooopsie.

[Pithlet]

21. My point is, it isn't your typical "I just got up for a minute" case.

There are allegations by the prosecution she held his head underwater. That's likely what led to the large sentence. This was a messy case. So, indeed, oopsie. My point still stands. Death by drowning in bathtubs is the second leading cause of deaht for children under two. Most parents aren't sentenced for these absurdly large sentences. They just aren't.

[LisaL]

22. The woman described in the OP didn't claim she "just got up

for a minute." She claimed she left her child in the bathtub because this child was an "independent baby" whom she didn't want known as "mama's boy." She also admitted she has been leaving him in bathtub for weeks before he died.

[Pithlet]

23. These were statements made to the police.

I'm not inclined to give the mama's boy statement all that much weight. She's just found her baby in the tub, and police are there and she's out of her mind. Look, I'm not saying what she did was a-okay. Not at all. But it's not all that different from the inattentiveness that happens. It just isn't. It's a sad, tragic reality. It's the second cause of death for children under 2. And the rest of the parents don't get slammed with long sentences like this, as I said. Parents should be educated that it's not okay, whether it's the phone, the door OR facebook. It doesn't matter. The water is just as deadly.

[LisaL]

24. Well, there is supporting evidence in addition to what mother herself

has claimed...

"Weld County Undersheriff Margie Martinez told KMGH-TV in Denver that Johnson's mother said she had warned her daughter of the danger of leaving the toddler unattended in water just days before he drowned.

"She told her she wouldn't do it anymore," Martinez said."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7524097.html

[Pithlet]

26. Okay. And?

I'm still not sure what that supports, exactly. We know she did it.

[Pithlet]

27. And just so we're clear

I'm not necessarily saying no prison time at all. I think it's clear there was some negligence, here. I'm just bothered by the focus on Facebook, particularly by the judge, and think that factored into the sentencing. Oohhh, the evil Faceook! Throw the book! I strongly suspect if she'd been answering the door or doing something more mundane it would be a lot different.

[LisaL]

28. There is more to this story than just leaving the child for a minute.

She's been leaving him in a bathtub alone for weeks.

[Pithlet]

29. A lot of parents have done that.

Again. The second leading cause of death. Do you think those parents only did it once? No. And again. It doesn't matter if parents are leaving for the phone. Or the door. Or to go get toys. Or feed the cat. It doesn't matter. If a parent doesn't understand that you can't leave. For even one second. Then who cares if it's facebook or not? None of those millions of parents who have practiced it are any different than she was. None of them.

[LisaL]

30. And there appears to be nothing to stop any judge to sentence

these other parents according to sentencing guidelines. People do get different sentences sometimes for doing similar things-that's why guidelines have a range depending on circumstances.

[Pithlet]

35. And do you honestly think parents do it because there's no fear of jail?

No, I think parents generally want to protect their child and do what's best for them. But the most effective way is education. This happens because they answerd the door that one time and nothing happened. It was fine! And so they go drop off the mail! Again, everything was fine! Their little darling is getting very big and is able to handle things fine on their own now... They have to stop from doing it that first time. I don't think she wanted to harm her kid at all or wanted to be neglectful. She just wasn't that bright.

Yes, I understand what sentencing guidelines are. That doesn't mean this judge wasn't acting in a caprecious manor . What led to the judge thinking "Facebook! OOOOOOHH!" I have nothing against guidelines, per se, because not all cases are the same. But this judge was still wrong.

[The Doctor.]

42. The self-righteousness of you people is remarkable.

Either you're not a parent, or you're insane.

Parents do leave the room, or let the kids play in their rooms for a few minutes at a time, you know.

Anyone who thinks that every parent can account for any possibility is a tool.

This woman fucked up pretty hard. Personally, I've never let my kids bathe without being within earshot while verbally checking on them (My 16 y/o is pretty sick of it). But the fact is you CAN'T watch them 60 minutes an hour 24 hours a day.

Children get up in the middle of the night sometimes and dump your spice rack on the floor.

They are little humans with no sense of personal danger unless you scare the living fuck out of them... and even then it's not always effective. You do the best you can while trying hard not to go insane.

Like I said; Those that blindly condemn this woman are either not parents themselves or will be spending all of their time calibrating their blades.

[LisaL]

44. She did not leave the child in the room.

She left the child in the bathtub. Alone. She also admitted she had been leaving him in the bathtub alone for weeks prior to him drowning.

[The Doctor.]

47. Try reading for a change. Here's the quote;

This woman fucked up pretty hard. Personally, I've never let my kids bathe without being within earshot

I was talking to someone who went 'blanket' on the issue.

[Pithlet]

45. ???

Did you mean to reply to me?

[The Doctor.]

49. I was trying to reply to the person who said this;

It doesn't matter if parents are leaving for the phone. Or the door. Or to go get toys. Or feed the cat. It doesn't matter. If a parent doesn't understand that you can't leave. For even one second. Then who cares if it's facebook or not? None of those millions of parents who have practiced it are any different than she was. None of them.

It seemed like a blanket indictment.

I'm sorry, but anyone who believes that a parent must be vigilant 60 minutes of all 24 hours a day is insane. It's simply fucking impossible.

Anyone parent who disagrees is either lying or insane and lying.

[Pithlet]

52. I'm talking about from a legal standpoint.

Why should the parent who left to play Facebook get ten years? I'm saying this mother shouldn't be thrown in the slammer for this heinous amount of time. I didn't mean for it to sound like a blanket indictment. Parents do make a mistake. I'm just saying the mistakes are equal.

[The Doctor.]

57. Like I said; it seemed like a blanket indictment.

I get your point though. Like I said upthread... I took a dump once and it cost me!

[Pithlet]

60. Believe me, I understand.

I was just getting strident in driving home my point. I can see how it looked, especially out of context. It really is a parent's worst nightmare. Most parents at one point will have a lapse of some kind, even if some don't like to admit it. No one's perfect.

[Pithlet]

54. If you read my subsquent posts you'll see the context.

I'm not condemning parents who do this.

[uppityperson]

32. I am bothered by the Facebook focus also. What if she'd been, say, cooking dinner?

Still she was negligent, but I really don't see "she was recreating" as being part of this.

[anneboleyn]

62. It's like she was using a full bathtub as a playpen for the baby.

Look, I am not unfairly criticizing this woman, but parents know that leaving a baby of this age alone in a full bathtub for *any* length of time is extremely dangerous. The baby has to be supervised at all times while in the bath, or taken out if the parent has to go do something else and he/she can't watch the baby. She was leaving the baby in the bathtub for extended periods of time as though the baby were in a playpen.

[LisaL]

69. A lot of people seem to ignore the aggravating circumstances.

Such as it was not a single occasion where she became distracted for whatever reason.

[donheld]

51. "child enlargement"

How does one do that? :hide::D

[LisaL]

55. Spell checker! It's too late to change it.

Darn!

[Mojorabbit]

20. This shows a great need for parental education re child development and care nt

[uppityperson]

33. Indeed. I pointed that out on the other thread also. nt

[LisaL]

37. How are you going to educate someone like this woman,

when her own mother apparently warned her of the danger of leaving the child alone in water several days before the child ended up dead?

[uppityperson]

39. I don't know. A yr in prison would give them a lot of time to work on it though.That poor baby.

[LisaL]

43. I am really curious if the people who feel that her sentence

is much too long would feel the same way if it was not her child. What if she were babysitting?

[Pithlet]

46. I don't know. Do babysitters generally get longer sentences

for leaving babies unattended in the tub? And I'm not sure why their sentences should be longer?

[LisaL]

48. I believe people would be a lot less sympathetic to a babysiter

getting a long sentence because it's not babysitter's child.

[Pithlet]

50. Okay. Well, maybe there's some, but not I

:shrug: Justice isn't supposed to be about that. That's the point.

[LisaL]

59. 10 years is a long sentence. But I bet she won't serve all of it.

Assuming she exhibits good behavior.

[Rage for Order]

19. Would you hold the same opinion if it was a child who accidentally killed himself with a handgun?

One that was left in a place easily accessible by the child? Letting the child drown in the bathtub is no different.

[uppityperson]

31. We can play "what if" and "let's change something and see if she'd say the same thing" all night

I am talking about this case. It was a bathtub. No gun. This is the case I am talking about here.

[Rage for Order]

53. I'm just trying to determine if it's the cause of death that has you calling for leniency

Accidental death by drowning in the bathtub, accidental death by self-inflicted gunshot wound; both are a direct result of parental negligence and both should receive similar sentences. I think 1 year is too light; I'd say at least 2 1/2 years with 10 years of supervised release. And absolutely no unmonitored visitation with any children, and definitely no custody or legal guardianship of any kids.

[uppityperson]

58. That would work for me. eom

[donheld]

61. Prison is for profit. Hefty sentences pay big bucks to fat cats.

I agree 10 years is too much, but that's the world we live in. Very sad.

[XemaSab]

9. In cases like that

knowing you killed your own kid is worse than prison could ever be.

[Blue-Jay]

16. Those fishes on Fishworld ain't gonna feed themselves.

Fuck, you gotta have SOME priorities.

[uppityperson]

34. What if she was doing something else, if she'd gone and read a book? Or watered her

plants? WTF does WHAT she was doing, other than leaving an infant unsupervised in a bathtub, have to do with this?

[Blue-Jay]

71. Nothing that I can figure out.

[Electric Monk]

25. What a headline. Implied is, if she'd only been playing mine sweeper, there's no story here.

Better headline: Mom sentenced for leaving baby unsupervised to drown in bath.

The Facebook connection is totally incidental.

[varkam]

64. I'm not so sure it is.

I think if the mom had been distracted by some older form of entertainment, such as run-of-the-mill television or telephone conversation, we wouldn't be seeing a 10 year sentence out of this.

[LisaL]

67. Distracted?

According to the prosecution she's been leaving her child in the bathtub alone on a daily basis (for a month) and her own mother warned her not to do it just three days prior.

“This was not the first time this defendant had left Joseph alone in that bathtub; she had been doing it for a month on a daily basis,” Wilkinson said. “At the end of day, this is something that should have been expected by the defendant.”
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20110415/NEWS/704159989/1005&parentprofile=1001?loc=interstitialskip

[varkam]

70. According to the DA, anyway.

Nevertheless still seems like criminal negligence to me, and ten years isn't the type of sentence that you'd generally see in a negligent homicide case. Ten years is closer akin to manslaughter than negligent homicide, and the disparity is even greater when you factor into the mix that the defendant was the mother of the victim.

I don't think that anyone is saying that there shouldn't be a criminal consequence for what she did. But ten years, plus a mandatory five year parole period, is completely uncalled for.

[Capitalocracy]

73. Facebook + child death = headline

Child death alone = blah

[krispos42]

36. Yeah, that's not something you do.

I recall reading a book while my kid played in the tub when he wanted some playtime.


I was on the throne (lid down, clothes on, of course) while he threw toys around the tub. :-)




Sometimes the kitty would come in to visit me... and get splashed for her trouble. :D






This lady... damn, I don't know what to do. :-(

[Warren DeMontague]

38. 13 Months is far too young to be left unsupervised in a bathtub, obviously.

The 'facebook' focus is just idiotic, though. It's not about facebook, it's about leaving a baby, essentially, alone in a bathtub.

I'm also not sure society is served by putting her in prison for 10 years.

[varkam]

63. And the justice system compounds tragedy with more tragedy.

Well done.

A ten year sentence is way over what this mother should have received. This was criminal negligence, pure and simple. Moreover, she's already paid a price of sorts in that the victim was her own flesh and blood. That's something she has to live with for the rest of her life. That's not to say that there shouldn't be a criminal consequence, but ten years? Way to grandstand for the cameras, counselor.

[uppityperson]

66. but, but, but, she was Facebookin' and we all know what a timewaster that is!

She wasn't studying, or making dinner, or anything important, simply relaxing and socializing and taking a break.

It is something.

[jillan]

68. What a stupid woman. Who does that?

[seabeyond]

72. ya, cause a 1 yr old dictates parental responsibility. amazing. nt