16-year old who drowned her son is charged with murder

[Bodi]

The girl gave birth on the toilet, and merely failed to take action to save the life of the newborn (said action being fishing it out of the toilet and doing... whatever the hell else a person has to do to get a newborn started breathing. Clear or suction its mouth, deliver the placenta, tie off and cut the umbilical cord, whatever).

That is why there are these people called "DOCTORS, NURSES and MID-WIVES" that train for these situations so that we don't have to! This isn't brain surgery... it is picking up a phone and letting trained professionals help you

I'm about 2 and a half times that girl's age, and really smart, and even I wouldn't . know exactly what to do if I delivered a baby outside a medical setting.
So how do you expect her to know?

See above

She may not have been fully conscious and was probably not entirely rational or coherent in the immediate aftermath of the delivery; I'm not sure that failure to save someone from drowning is even a crime.

It is rationalization such as this that flabbergasts me to no end.

She is guilty for not taking precautions, necessary steps since she WAS pregnant that would ensure that she would have a safe delivery. She willingly decided to not have medical staff or parents help her and she willingly jeopardized the babies life... this is why she is guilty

Originally Posted by 1069
Failing to call for assistance also is not a crime.

Yes it is... it is called Negligent Homicide. You are wrong. She is guilty.