A couple months ago, Marie Lauradin did something horrible to her only child.
She took rum, sprayed it in a circle around her naked six-year-old daughter, poured some on the girl’s head, and then lit the rum on fire.
As the flames covered her body, she screamed in agony. Her mother and grandmother just ignored her.
It was a full day before relatives convinced the mother to take the girl to the hospital.
The girl thankfully didn’t die, but she has second- and third-degree burns covering 25% of her body. The scars will be with her for life.
So why did the mother commit this awful crime? She was just following the rituals of her faith.
The sentencing has finally taken place and there will be some justice for the little girl (who is now in foster care):
Lauradin, a 29-year-old Haitian immigrant, was charged with assault and endangering the welfare of a child. She faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
“She denies these allegations,” lawyer Jeff Cohen said. “This is my client’s only child. My client would not hurt her.”
Lauradin listened impassively as the judge ordered her held in lieu of $50,000 bail. She was also barred from having any contact with her daughter.
Frantzcia’s grandmother, Sylvenie Thessier, 70, was charged with reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child. She faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.
They say nothing about sending the mother to a mental institution where she belongs.
I can’t understand the mother’s mindset.
Why would a mother burn her child, even for religious reasons? How messed up must you be to put religious beliefs over common sense and human decency?
If you think this mother did something unspeakable and deserves all sorts of punishments, how is this different from the Bible story in which we’re told to admire Abraham for being willing to kill his son Isaac?
And how could any lawyer defend a mother who almost killed her child on purpose? I understand there are public defenders, but does he actually think she’s without fault here?
(Thanks to Alan for the link!)