Babies behind bars: Children serve time with mothers in Mexicos prisons

[Judi Lynn]

Jan 5

In the Mexican state of Chihuahua, mothers serving prison sentences are allowed to keep children under 4 with them


Melissa is 18 months old: shy, chubby and well taken care of. She plays on a concrete slab during her mom’s morning Zumba class, giggling and mimicking the movements of the women dancing. After her afternoon nap, she watches “SpongeBob SquarePants” on a small TV set.

Melissa’s relationship with her mother is like any other child’s, except the Zumba class they attend together takes place in a recreation yard, and she watches TV in the prison cell she and her mother share with two other women.

Melissa’s mother, Barbara Sanchez, 27, was arrested six years ago for kidnapping. Barbara says she was unaware of what her husband did for a living, and that she never took part in the crime she was charged with, but she was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

“It’s the strength that God sent me to keep going in here,” says Sanchez of having her child with her. “When I found out I was pregnant, it made me very happy.”

More:
https://thelily.com/babies-behind-bars-children-serve-time-with-mothers-in-mexicos-prisons-b9ac797e8684

[hedda_foil]

1. I'm 100% behind this. The children need to bond with their mothers..

At that age, they don't notice or care where they are as long as they're with their mom. And it's got to be helpful to other women there as well. If mom is crazy, abusive or an axe murderer, exceptions can be made.