8 replies to this topic

[Centurion]

http://www.timesonli...icle5140511.ece

No doubt some of you have heard about this but I'm sure a few haven't. The British and Irish press have been saturated recently with the story of an anonymous child known as "Baby P" who was brutally assaulted and tortured by his stepfather. Just as tragic as the horrible mistreatment of the child is the fact that all of this slipped through the net. I read about all of this a few hours ago and I was very close to tears. I'll spare you the graphic description offered in today's Sun newspaper of the torment the child endured, suffice it to say those responsible have very twisted minds.

I really just don't get how anyone could do this. Even ignoring all the rational considerations about duty of care and child protection, you can't help but wonder how someone could bear to hurt such a beautiful child. Take a look at the picture below, what's the first thing that comes into your mind? Other than profound sadness at what has happened, the basic urge is to care for the boy and protect him. For a mother and her partner to not only be missing those basic instincts but to have active desire to the contrary, surely they must have minds that are warped beyond comprehension.

Picture below:



I'm sorry if this post is a little incoherent, I've just always loved kids, seeing my (now 13 year old) nephew grow up was one of the most enriching experiences of my life and I find this whole thing very disturbing indeed.

[Shannon Vyff]

Horribly sad, so many times the child could have been saved and the professionals involved in the case all should not be at their posts any longer in my opinion.

[VictorBjoerk]

Did anyone read that Joseph Fritzl has now said that there was a 8th child in the cellar who he killed in 1986...

such a tragic story...

[Ben]

Horribly sad, so many times the child could have been saved and the professionals involved in the case all should not be at their posts any longer in my opinion.

It's horribly aggravating however it should serve as support for those professionals, who come into contact with children in P's situation, that they should not bow to pressure from the child's parents or elsewhere and be brave enough to make decisions that may upset people.

[Mixter]

Germany has well over 10 such public cases of violent abuse against children per year,
along with dozens of cases of killing babies shortly after birth by mentally ill mothers.
I gues the actual number of incidents may be ten times of that. The word crazy doesn't sufficiently describe it. :(

[VictorBjoerk]

There are a lot of non-violent abuse as well like feeding the children so extremely obese that they can't walk around and develop normally like in the case of Connor McCreaddie http://www.metro.co....p;in_page_id=34.

[biknut]

National health care sounds really great.

What are they going to do to the perpetrator?

[Centurion]

National health care sounds really great.

What are they going to do to the perpetrator?

We don't have a health service so much as we have a sickness service. proactive action is discouraged, if you check something out before it becomes blindingly obvious well then you're a hypochondriac. The NHS is useless. I walked into a local A&E dept once with a broken angle and got sent home wearing a tubigrip sock!

[Mr. Jingles]

Germany has well over 10 such public cases of violent abuse against children per year,

I lived in a German rehab clinic for a while (I was not a patient). There were more than a few girls who were terribly abused by their fathers. The staff regard it as one of Germany dirty secrets. The things I could tell you... but I won't.