What is Wrong With People Like This?

[southerngale]

This happened locally and was on the local news. I can't believe how cruel this woman who gave birth is! Really makes me sick and we passed a law here in Texas (Baby Moses Law) so all she had to do was drop the baby off at a hospital but she chose to leave the baby for dead.

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A man taking a walk makes a shocking discovery.
He found a newborn baby abandoned in a ditch on the side of a road.
Someone abandoned the baby only a few hours after she had been born, and the child survived despite tremendous odds against her.
The newborn girl was in a ditch, suffering from ant bites so severe, her eyes were swollen shut.
The baby is in guarded condition at Christus Saint Elizabeth Hospital.
Law enforcement officers are asking for help in finding the mother, and anyone else with information about the baby.
The man who found the newborn might be a lifesaver.
Andrew Durham/Found Baby:
"I walk every morning and that is how I found her."
Andrew Durham tries to keep his pace up when he walks every morning, but Friday morning's discovery made him come to a complete stop.
Andrew Durham/Found Baby:
"The baby was lying in the ditch on her back."
Durham found a newborn girl, naked, covered with ants, and crying in a this ditch on Hillebrandt Road.
Andrew Durham/Found Baby:
"When you're not expecting these things to happen and you just walk up on these things, it's not a good feeling."
He immediately called his wife Gwen. She's a nurse.
She covered the baby and rushed her to the hospital.
Gwen Durham
"She was breathing and her eyes were swollen shut from the ant bites, but I think that she is going to be ok."
Neighbors say this area is a popular dumping site for clothes, furniture, old tires, and things people don't want.
Willie Pickens/Neighbor
"This is an area where people bring their old dogs, stuff they don't want. It's easy to get ride of here.
Neighbors say it's sad that someone would want to get rid of a baby, but the infant is lucky to be alive.
James Lowe/Neighbor
"He walks every morning, but I'm sure that the good Lord had a hand in brother Durham finding that little baby."
Andrew Durham/Found Baby:
"Before I got to it, I thought it was a bird."
Durham says he wants to keep in touch with the baby girl as she grows up.
He calls the fact that she is alive a miracle.
The "Baby Moses Law" in Texas gives parents immunity from prosecution if they turn over their newborn babies to a hospital or licensed emergency medical service provider, such as a fire station.

If you have any information about the abandoned baby in Jefferson County, call the sheriff's office at 835-8411 or call Jefferson County Crimestoppers at 724-tips.

[firefighter16]

Makes Me think that even though there can be great evil in the world, there is someone watching out for Us.

Thanks Boss.WWJD

[breeze]

I don't see how someone could live with themselves for doing
something like that!

[Lindaloo]

I agree firefighter. It is always the little children who suffer at the hands of someone they know.

[Miss Mary]

I don't know either how someone could have such utter contempt or no feeling for human life. All I can say is it must start very young. Children must be taught to think this way or ingrained with it. When I had children I wanted to instill a respect for all races, people, etc. (no racist views whatsoever) and a love for all animals. Well, you know what I discovered? Children are that way anyway! Watch kids playing at a park sometime. A child playing alone digging in the sand looking longingly at a new child walking up - hi, my name is ....... and then they often just begin playing. Doesn't matter what race they are, all kids can see is another playmate. I remember my girls doing this all the time when they were 2 and up. Same with animals, if you illustrate love and respect, your kids will do the same. When hiking and we see a snake, we don't torture it, we just go around. That's just one example. I ran over a baby bird with the lawnmower in the yard a few weeks ago and felt terrible (what was a baby bird doing in the middle of the yard?). I had my dark sunglasses on and promptly took them off. My daughter knew I was upset, she was too. Sorry to get so deep here (and watch Widremann will sabatoge this topic) but I just had to reply. When I hear disturbing stories like this, I always wonder what this person's childhood was like. Kids are just good, starting out. It's when people abuse them, manipulate them, that they go wrong. Just my 2 cents.......

[GulfBreezer]

Miss Mary, I applaud you and your convictions! To see life through the eyes of a child is the way that God inteneded us to see. No color, no hate, no insecurities, no lack of trust. Children's well-being strictly depends on his/her surroundings and the adults that instill what values and morals this child will display as they grow into adulthood.

This woman who left this poor baby to die is one of the examples of just how screwed up we have allowed things to become. The "Baby Moses Law" is a wonderful alternative that this woman could have chosen. It is just a sad state of affairs that we even need that law.

This baby girl is in my prayers and this man who was used as a testament to the power of God will be blessed.

[azskyman]

A similar law exists here in Arizona. It exists for the purpose of assuring the child is not left by the side of the road, in a trash receptacle, or some other place where he/she will go unnoticed.

Back in Illinois a few years ago, a young woman had a baby and simply wrapped her up and left her outside of the neighbor's front door in the wintertime. She died from exposure. The case made national news on 20/20 or something like that. I remember the day that happened. We sat in the conference room of our newspaper office looking at photos of this precious angel...and debated whether we should run a close up photo of her on the front page. We did.

The girl was eventually prosecuted, but that doesn't replace this angel's life.

[rainstorm]

the proper punishment for someone like that is sterilization to make certain they never have a child again, but of course that would be cruel and unusual.

[Lindaloo]

While on vacation we were swimming at the motel. There was a 5 year old little girl there swimming with her grandmother. In walks another 5 year old with her Father. Those two struck up a friendship quickly and were the best of buds in just a few seconds. If only the world could be like those two little girls.

I hope they catch this "mother" and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.

Great post Miss Mary!!!

[Stephanie]

We have a similiar law here in NJ which I think is WONDERFUL!!! I wish that young lady took advantage of it. I'm glad to hear that the baby will be okay!

I absolutely agree with you Miss Mary (as usual!) that children are taught hate. My feelings about animals are as strong as yours too - I would;ve been devastated too if I did the same thing to the baby bird! I my opinion, animals are as innocent and vulnerable as an infant or young child. That's why I'm such a believer in trying to help animals through laws, etc. I believe it is up to us to protect them in a world that we've created, just like we have to protect our children.

I'm babbling too!

[sunny shine]

This is just sickening. There are couples everywhere who want children and can't have them (including myself). That baby could have been given to a loving home and did not deserve to be placed in a ditch!!! Did that woman realize when that baby grows up into a young woman that she will have to face the horrible truth that she was placed into a ditch by her own mother because she was not wanted? The good thing out of all this is that the baby will recover. ANT BITES how terrible!!!

[southerngale]

I called the hospital to check on the baby and they wouldn't give any information. I pray she's okay.

I was in the same hospital last year giving birth to my baby girl. I remember the first time I saw her....complete joy and utter awe for what God had created. Life is so precious and I am so deeply saddened by the actions of this monster. It has really upset me. The road she was left on is not a busy road. It's a miracle she was even discovered a few hours after she was born. I can't even imagine that poor little baby covered in fire ants, as if the trauma of delivery isn't bad enough for a newborn.

I can't tell you how many times I've picked up my daughter and just hugged her thanking God for her and my 2 little boys. I wish I could hug that baby girl since her birth monster obviously hasn't shown her any love. Maybe I'm too sensitive, if so, so be it, but this has really gotten to me and my heart aches for that little baby girl. I am praying for her and asking if the rest of you will also, please?

[Lindaloo]

You know I am in southerngale!!!

[therock1811]

That type of law exists here in KY as well, while not statewide it is definitely a step in the right direction. That lady needs to be prosecuted, and while I will pray for that baby I don't know that I'd forgive the mother.

[southerngale]

The baby is still in guarded condition.

[Stephanie]

The baby is still in guarded condition.

Thanks for the update! The baby has my prayers too!!

[pojo]

we most recently had a mother do that to her Baby. The baby was put into a plastic bag and thrown into a dumpster. The mother is an Oshkosh West High School senior. The judge is pushing for a harsh penalty.

[JetMaxx]

This is just sickening. There are couples everywhere who want children and can't have them (including myself).

I know what you mean Laurie...my stepsister Maria and her hubby have tried unsuccessfully to have a baby for seven long years

This story is beyond horrific....and so sad.

[wx247]

Southerngale... prayers from my end. That is terrible. I hope the baby pulls through.

[j]

Another sickening story....absolutely no excuse for a child to not be given the chance to live, born or un-born. She is a coward and to abandon a baby like she did is attempted murder. So sad when like sunny shine says, there are woman all over this country that can't have children, and everyday, woman such as this one, treat the gift of God, as though it was a burden from hell.