New York woman gets 20 years to life for killing son with salt
Source: reuters
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (Reuters) - A suburban New York mother who blogged about motherhood was sentenced by a judge to 20 years to life in prison on Wednesday for murdering her young son with a salt overdose so she could bask in social media attention about his mysterious illness.
The sentence imposed on Lacey Spears, 27, who chronicled her 5-year-old son's illnesses on a personal blog called "Garnett's Journey" and other social media, was less than the maximum penalty of 25 years to life requested by the prosecution
"She continued to portray him as a sick child for her own bizarre need for attention. She used that feeding tube as a weapon to kill him," Lloyd said
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/york-woman-sentenced-20-years-life-killing-son-143802291.html
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Romeo.lima333
(1,127 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Hopefully she won't be allowed to blog for the rest of her life
shenmue
(38,503 posts)So sorry for the little kid.
Romeo.lima333
(1,127 posts)closeupready
(29,503 posts)(repeat, NOT) a defendant whose circumstances warrant time or energy in presenting a 'textbook example' in support of abolishing capital punishment.
Let her suffer, and move on to a more worthy defendant, IMO.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)as opposed to:
a psychiatric factitious disorder wherein those affected feign disease, illness, or psychological trauma to draw attention, sympathy, or reassurance to themselves. It is also sometimes known as hospital addiction syndrome, thick chart syndrome, or hospital hopper syndrome.
I knew someone with Munchausen syndrome...very very sad to see. Denial is huge problem for these folks, they truly believe they are ill,
AgingAmerican
(12,958 posts)Disgusting...
brett_jv
(1,245 posts)That poor, poor child.
Glad she was caught & will not be allowed to be around children again for a very very long time.
Edit: addt'l comment removed ... no need to get all meta ...
Quantess
(27,630 posts)Regular Munchausen Syndrome is self-inflicted.
I read an account of a woman who, as a little girl, had ner legs broken (among other injuries) by her own mother, just to get sympathy from others. So, so, sick.
Warpy
(110,913 posts)People with Munchhausen's or Munchhausen's by proxy do awful things because they're sick, not evil. It's a form of conversion disorder, it's overwhelming.
This woman needs incarceration in a mental hospital, not prison.
Oh, right, we emptied our mental hospitals out and closed them down.
(I've seen two cases of Munchhausen's. Both people were stopped just short of killing themselves. The denial was impenetrable and regular MDs are like the justice system and washed their hands of the whole thing. Likely both people are dead by now because mental health treatment in this country is only for the rich if they can't just write a prescription and get rid of you)
Quantess
(27,630 posts)I guess you're a nurse, so if that's the official consensus...
But they still are committing a crime by acting on their sick desires.
Warpy
(110,913 posts)People can't control their brain chemistry.
That's the bottom line.
Major Nikon
(36,814 posts)The bottom line is whether they know and understand what they are doing is wrong. Even if people can't control their brain chemistry, this doesn't mean they can't seek help and protect others from harm. The child is still a victim of abuse, and if the person knew what they were doing is wrong, they are still culpable legally and ethically.
Elmer S. E. Dump
(5,751 posts)This says a lot:
"Spears had moved with Garnett from Decatur, Alabama, to Clearwater, Florida, to Chestnut Ridge."
OnlinePoker
(5,702 posts)His reason...to show mercy. Bollocks! This was premeditated murder. She should rot in jail for the rest of her life.
valerief
(53,235 posts)him. And that doesn't deserve the max? If she's crazy and not responsible for her actions, why is she being sentenced? If she's sane and responsible for her actions, why not the max?
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)marle35
(172 posts)when they can just read the news?