it's very, very sad Jenstar

Unimaginably sad, makes me feel cold inside to think that this went on, and is going on as we type. Leaves me feeling helpless. 

She'll be told on 12th January what the minimum length of time she'll have to spend in jail.

How heartbreaking ...................I'm speechless TBH. What can you possibly saY - SOME PEOPLE ARE SIMPLY INHUMAN!

I know, the label monster mother isnt true either cos by the looks of it she wasnt any kind of mother to little Declan.......

It scares me, theres been a few stories of fathers killing their kids, wives and then committing suicide recently and the thought of those poor kids minds as their dad comes at them intent on murdering them... i just shudder

It's a frikkin messed up world that we call civilized these things still happen over and over again...

I think the family 'village' has been lost somewhere along the way....(I know that sentence does not say a lot, but in my mind it says it all)

Apparently she was a decent person until her father died and she started drinking heavily and 'a friend' introduced her to heroin.

No i think i see what you're saying with that, especially after reading fluffs post. If communities were closer people would notice where somethings going wrong and maybe lend a helping hand and if all else fails intervene/call authorities before things get too bad

I personally won't listen to excuses, either from the accused or those that never helped the accused or the child that died.....(sorry I am getting tearful and trying not to sound judgemental)

(and I have a stupid dancing Santa making me feel sad)

How can a decent human being continue to live a normal life knowing a baby is dead and decaying in the same house.

Hope she spends a long, long time pondering this one in prison

I hope the other women get to her in there

I've no doubt she needs or needed help and we always expect the state to pick up the pieces but it is really the family/friends and neighbours who need to keep an eye in the first instance.

Saying that, considering that she was supposed to be monitored by a drugs service, as soon as she didn't attend an appointment they should have been on the case. They must have known she had a young child. There should have been mandatory weekly or fortnightly appointments for her to take the baby to the local baby clinic too just so they could keep an eye.

Even though it's obvious that her addiction was the driving force behind this tragedy I would still put her in prison for life - or until she is well over the age that she could conceive another child

I really don't think s/he would be helped by being punished in some way or another by inmates. Being an addict is the worst thing in the world, may it be cigarettes, alcohol, heroin, cocaine or anything else. Unless or until s/he realises that life can only be resumed by crying off the addiction nothing will change.

Weak cow.

Good posts Veggie and Col 

I know people have addictions and problems, but I find it hard to feel sorry for her or feel any kind of pity for HER when this poor helpless child is now dead because of her addiction and neglect.  We all have problems and issues and many of us have been through a lot, and still manage to stop our children from being neglected.   I simply can not feel sympathy for her.  I hope they throw the book at her.

No excuses, a mother should nurture, but was she a woman alone?......and more importantly was the poor child a child that wasn't missed, and alone?

Oh this has been all over the news up here,sadly another "family" that slipped through the net.A cunning woman that did the usual,lied etc to her family and social services etc.The poor ,poor child.I'm not religious  but I hope the wee mite is in a better place now.

This little boy has been on my mind ever since i posted this thread, every time my baby (same age) cries and i comfort her or she needs changing etc. he crosses my mind I don't care whats happened in your life, what drugs you need to keep going, a child should be the most important thing in the world.I mean she was 'with it' enough to lie to everyone so she wasnt totally messed up all the time.... As i type this my baby has cuddled up beside me and i cant understand how a 'person' could neglect a baby that much that he died.....

There is not ONE excuse for this woman's behaviour.

Lock her up and throw away the key.

Some things do not deserve rehabilitation.

I read this thread, but not the story, yesterday.

I just clicked on the link ... I wish I hadn't

Speechless.