A Special Place In Hell

Apparently, starving children has become the new in thing.  This has come up several times lately, and it's never clear why the child was starved, or chosen from siblings to be starved.  This is the worst case I've heard of so far, and it's in Missouri.

JOPLIN, Mo. - Two women face child endangerment charges after an emaciated three-year-old child -- who weighed just over 12 pounds, according to police -- was taken to a Joplin hospital July 1.

Joplin police arrested the child's mother, Beth A. Williams, 26, of Joplin, and her roommate Christina M. Haidle, 27, on July 21 and recommended first-degree child endangerment charges for the two after the child was taken to Freeman Hospital from the home.

Charges have since been filed by the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office.

A normal weight is between 25 and 38 for a girl of this age, ever slightly higher for a male child.  They rescued a kid who may not have been half the recommended weight.  So many things develop as a child grows.  It is likely this child will feel the outcome of this starvation for years to come.  Perhaps for the rest of their life, as eyes and nerves and organs were deprived of vitamins and minerals.

I'm just horrified.  This is so wrong that I don't even have words to express the depth of it.  This is why we should risk making a call if we feel a child is in danger.  Once upon a time, people knew this kid was alive and well.  What happened?  Kids don't shrink overnight.  We must be vigilant for those who cannot save themselves.