The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police say. (1 Viewer)

[Stephen50right]

Re: The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police s

I don't know that Amanda Hawkins is mentally ill. According to the Houston Chronicle, which somebody cited earlier in this thread:

The windows of the SUV were partially down some of the time the children were in the vehicle, Hierholzer said. The temperature dipped to about 60 degrees overnight before climbing to about 85 degrees at noon Wednesday, according to online weather data. But the humidity topped out at 96 percent, meaning 85 degrees could have felt like 105 degrees, according to a heat index chart. Family of South Texas siblings left in car had CPS file - Houston Chronicle

I don't think this 19-year old mom was thinking about the heat index. (Obviously, she wasn't thinking about her babies much at all--like whether they were hungry or needed to go potty/have diapers changed, or anything else.) But 85 degrees in Kerrville is pretty balmy.

And we don't know what was in the CPS file yet either, but CPS rarely removes children from the home. Here, I think the mom and kids had been staying at grandma's house after Hawkins and her spouse had been evicted.

We are all going to have to wait for more information and learn how the charges have been upgraded from endangerment.

That is decent analysis.

Of course we all know her lawyers are likely going to plead that she is mentally ill in some manner, regardless of whether or not it really is true.

Whatever happens legally to the mother, we should hope that lessons are learned from this, and not have those two poor innocent children die in vain.

 

[nota bene]

Re: The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police s

From "Inside Edition":


The [September CPS] investigation came about two months after Hawkins lashed out at potential detractors, taking to Facebook to address those who criticized her parenting abilities.

“If you want my mom to check up and ask questions about if my daughters are taken care of that is messed up. You can ask me yourselves or leave us alone! We are great here,” Hawkins wrote on July 7, 2016. “Focus on something else. My daughters have everything they want, and need, plus so much more … How dare someone question if I take care of my kids.” Mom Accused of Leaving Kids in Car for 15 Hours Allegedly Said, 'They'll Cry Themselves to Sleep'

 

[_Sal]

Re: The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police s

I don't know that Amanda Hawkins is mentally ill. According to the Houston Chronicle, which somebody cited earlier in this thread:

The windows of the SUV were partially down some of the time the children were in the vehicle, Hierholzer said. The temperature dipped to about 60 degrees overnight before climbing to about 85 degrees at noon Wednesday, according to online weather data. But the humidity topped out at 96 percent, meaning 85 degrees could have felt like 105 degrees, according to a heat index chart. Family of South Texas siblings left in car had CPS file - Houston Chronicle

I don't think this 19-year old mom was thinking about the heat index. (Obviously, she wasn't thinking about her babies much at all--like whether they were hungry or needed to go potty/have diapers changed, or anything else.) But 85 degrees in Kerrville is pretty balmy.

And we don't know what was in the CPS file yet either, but CPS rarely removes children from the home. Here, I think the mom and kids had been staying at grandma's house after Hawkins and her spouse had been evicted.

We are all going to have to wait for more information and learn how the charges have been upgraded from endangerment.

Here are details on CPS in Kerrville: Child abuse case load at CPS targeted by Austin - hccommunityjournal.com: Home

From "Inside Edition":


The [September CPS] investigation came about two months after Hawkins lashed out at potential detractors, taking to Facebook to address those who criticized her parenting abilities.

“If you want my mom to check up and ask questions about if my daughters are taken care of that is messed up. You can ask me yourselves or leave us alone! We are great here,” Hawkins wrote on July 7, 2016. “Focus on something else. My daughters have everything they want, and need, plus so much more … How dare someone question if I take care of my kids.” Mom Accused of Leaving Kids in Car for 15 Hours Allegedly Said, 'They'll Cry Themselves to Sleep'

Nota, she fried her babies to death, removed them from the car in an unconscious state and bathed them :shock:

there were already questions about her ability to care for these babies even from her friends, she is NOT in this alone...she is 19 years old...a cat would have done a better job, a goose did in this very thread

if you need to think that a 19 year old that was operating at that level of ignorance is an able mum, well I can't argue that point with you

what exactly do you think should be done here?

what do you think I am saying should be done with her?

 

[nota bene]

Re: The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police s

Nota, she fried her babies to death, removed them from the car in an unconscious state and bathed them :shock:

there were already questions about her ability to care for these babies even from her friends, she is NOT in this alone...she is 19 years old...a cat would have done a better job, a goose did in this very thread

if you need to think that a 19 year old that was operating at that level of ignorance is an able mum, well I can't argue that point with you

what exactly do you think should be done here?

what do you think I am saying should be done with her?

That is up to the court to decide. I keep checking to see what the upgraded charges will be. Involuntary manslaughter at the least, but I rather expect more.

As for the goose, the goose wasn't drinking/drugging. This mom was at a party, so I think it's safe to assume that she was "partying." This isn't an excuse, and I could also be wrong. Perhaps Amanda Hawkins was sipping tea.

What happened to those precious babies is a tragedy that shouldn't have happened. But it did. And as I've previously mentioned, CPS doesn't remove children from the home except in the most extreme of circumstances. My guess is that because Hawkins and the kids were living with the grandmother, grandma was able to assure investigators that she would make sure they were well cared for.

I live in a medium-sized community that seems like NYC in comparison to Kerrville, Texas, and our MHMR and CPS and juvenile services are grossly underfunded and therefore understaffed and constantly in a state of triage. I don't know how large the staff of Kerrville's CPS is, but I can tell you that its mental health services provide those services to multiple even smaller counties than Kerr County and is unbelievably overworked and underpaid. This I know first-hand.

If you or anybody else reading this post really want to do something, vote for increased funding in bond elections. Accept that YOUR taxes will go up. If you are financially comfortable, donate money to organizations that award grants.

 

[Erod]

Re: The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police s

Unfathomably and indefensibly impossible to comprehend.

 

[ALiberalModerate]

Re: The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police s

Common sense says it's not debatable. Rational women love their children, that is a fact...and it is also a fact that drug addiction causes irrational behavior. What this mom did was irrational, and that's putting it mildly.

But I'm not going to disagree with ya that it could have been meth or something other than cocaine or heroin...I just think cocaine or heroin are the likely suspects.

A sociopath doesn't need a drug habit to do unconscionable acts.

 

[nota bene]

Re: The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police s

A sociopath doesn't need a drug habit to do unconscionable acts.

You're calling this 19-year old a sociopath? What do you know that the rest of us don't know?

And the larger question is this: Every year parents forget about a kid in a car or don't factor in the heat index when it's 85 degrees. Are they all sociopaths too?

 

[_Sal]

Re: The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police s

That is up to the court to decide. I keep checking to see what the upgraded charges will be. Involuntary manslaughter at the least, but I rather expect more.

fair enough

As for the goose, the goose wasn't drinking/drugging.

This mom was at a party, so I think it's safe to assume that she was "partying." This isn't an excuse, and I could also be wrong. Perhaps Amanda Hawkins was sipping tea.

you are missing the point...the goose is "supposed to be functioning at a low level" at least a lower level than human capability...and yet..........the goose was functioning on a higher level than this mum....that is the point of the goose insertion...the goose raised her gosslings through a tough challenge

What happened to those precious babies is a tragedy that shouldn't have happened. But it did. And as I've previously mentioned, CPS doesn't remove children from the home except in the most extreme of circumstances. My guess is that because Hawkins and the kids were living with the grandmother, grandma was able to assure investigators that she would make sure they were well cared for.

which is exactly MY point....grandma may well have convinced CPS that she would "look out for the kids"......SHE DIDN'T and obviously mum couldn't....COULDN'T

what kind of a functional human being leaves two babies in a car to cry themselves to sleep...WTF

mum was beyond incapable...and there were others around who KNEW that

no?

I live in a medium-sized community that seems like NYC in comparison to Kerrville, Texas, and our MHMR and CPS and juvenile services are grossly underfunded and therefore understaffed and constantly in a state of triage. I don't know how large the staff of Kerrville's CPS is, but I can tell you that its mental health services provide those services to multiple even smaller counties than Kerr County and is unbelievably overworked and underpaid. This I know first-hand.

which was the point of a few people in this post...blame and torturing this woman is ridiculous...more than mum let those babies down including the cuts to social services

If you or anybody else reading this post really want to do something, vote for increased funding in bond elections. Accept that YOUR taxes will go up. If you are financially comfortable, donate money to organizations that award grants.

I live in Canada which is practically a communist society compared to yours and kids still fall through the cracks, still don't have enough to eat, still suffer while backs are turned

 

[nota bene]

Re: The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police s

fair enough

you are missing the point...the goose is "supposed to be functioning at a low level" at least a lower level than human capability...and yet..........the goose was functioning on a higher level than this mum....that is the point of the goose insertion...the goose raised her gosslings through a tough challenge

which is exactly MY point....grandma may well have convinced CPS that she would "look out for the kids"......SHE DIDN'T and obviously mum couldn't....COULDN'T

what kind of a functional human being leaves two babies in a car to cry themselves to sleep...WTF

mum was beyond incapable...and there were others around who KNEW that

no?



which was the point of a few people in this post...blame and torturing this woman is ridiculous...more than mum let those babies down including the cuts to social services

I live in Canada which is practically a communist society compared to yours and kids still fall through the cracks, still don't have enough to eat, still suffer while backs are turned

I don't know that this young mother was entirely incapable. She surely was here, but there is no evidence yet that she daily neglected her kids or that she put them at risk. And we don't know anything at all yet about the grandmother's circumstances. But I'm trying to put myself in her position. Kid moves home with two babies, and I'm probably paying all the bills and nagging about picking up and etc. Daughter says she's taking the kids to the park. Sounds safe enough. How do I know that she's really going to hook up with a 16-year old kid and go party?

Hindsight is 20/20. Should I have told my so-called adult daughter not to take her kids to the park or out for ice cream or whatever? Should I have policed her by accompanying them?

And as for the goose, it's true that she's operating at a "lower level," but this means that she doesn't have to do nearly so much as a human mother does. Goslings are pretty self-sufficient in weeks, not years.

 

[ALiberalModerate]

Re: The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police s

You're calling this 19-year old a sociopath? What do you know that the rest of us don't know?

And the larger question is this: Every year parents forget about a kid in a car or don't factor in the heat index when it's 85 degrees. Are they all sociopaths too?

You can be 12 years old and be a sociopath. I don't know if she is or is not. My point was that people don't need to be drug users to do horrible things.

 

[nota bene]

Re: The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police s

You can be 12 years old and be a sociopath. I don't know if she is or is not. My point was that people don't need to be drug users to do horrible things.

And they can be very good people and parents too who for just a moment had a lapse in judgment, one for which they pay for the rest of their lives. Before I'm jumped, I'm not thinking of Amanda Hawkins here but, rather, someone I know well who lost a child because her 3-year old unlatched the back door and the baby toddled out, was sucked into a culvert, and drowned.

When you read in the paper the condemning "While the mother was elsewhere...," remembering that there is a human being behind the story is important. My friend was throwing on clothes and on the phone with the hospital, racing to get there for her mother-in-law's emergency. She turned her back for just a minute, and a minute was all it took.

 

[DA60]

Re: The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police s

This is not just bad parenting.

This is clearly an insane woman. Sane people do not do this...cannot do this.


I have said it before, people should have to pass a course, a mental exam and have a waiting period before being legally given a permit to have children.
And if someone has a child without a 'license'...remove the child until they get a license.

Yeah, I know it would be almost unworkable and it is not a perfect solition...but I believe the number one problem in the world is parents who have no business being parents.

And something has got to be done to stop women (and men) like this having/raising children.

Having a child should be a privilege - not a right.

 

[Ikari]

Re: The most horrific case’: A mom intentionally left her kids in a hot SUV, police s

From another Article:

Two Toddlers Dead After Mom Leaves Them in Car for 15 Hours

Okay, so we have a 19 year old (apparently unmarried) woman with a 2 year old and a 1 year old child, meaning she had the first child when she was 17 years old, and the second at 18 years.

She is also hanging out with a "peer" who was 16 years old, both spending all night at a third party's home leaving the kids in the car alone for 15 hours.

Anyone else notice that there are more problems with this scenario than just "heartless carelessness?"

Nothing that life in prison without parole won't fix.