A court has heard how a mother waited six days before seeking medical attention for her two-and-a-half year old son, after she inflicted first and second degree burns on the toddler.
At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Carroll Moran handed down a two year suspended sentence to a 26-year-old Clare woman for the neglect of her son in September and October 2009, reports the Irish Independent. Judge Moran said the woman pleaded guilty and was entitled to a discount because of that.
Judge Moran told the court she was satisfied that the burns “were non accidental, that is, they were done deliberately . . . I cannot speculate about what might have happened, unless there is evidence before me, in this case we just don't know. For this reason the accused hasn't been charged with anything other than neglect.”
The court heard how the boy, now aged five, suffered burns to both legs on September 27, but was not brought to a doctor until October 3.
The mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police her son suffered the burns after he was wedged between his bed and a radiator while she was out of the house. But in his report, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon Peter Meagher said: "It is my firm opinion that these extensive mixed thickness burns were from a scald from boiling water.”
He states: "The explanation put forward by the mother has a very questionable validity.
"These burns would have been intensively painful due to their depth and should have been followed up by seeking emergency medical attention and the delay of a week before seeking medical attention is incomprehensible."
The defendant’s attorney, Mark Nicholas, said his client had told the Probation Service that at the time "she didn't think the burns were that bad."
Nicholas said his client, who is now seven months pregnant, was suffering from psychological issues at the time. He added she was in a zombie like state after the child suffered the burn wounds.
8 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.ADOHERTY | Jan 07, 2013, 09:54 AM EST
HORRIBLE SHE SHOULD BE BURNED LIKE SHE DID TO THAT CHILD ..I HATE ANYONE THAT HER CHILDREN .....THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR ABUSE ..JUDGE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF
WoundedKnee | Sep 27, 2012, 02:09 AM EDT
Don't be a dope, KathleenBerrio, it was a question not a comment. Didn't you notice the question mark? It is of interest because foreign migrants in Ireland account for one mother in four, and there have been a number of cases of child abuse by foreign migrant mothers. (And before you jump in with more stupidiites, that does NOT mean that Irish mothers never abuse their children). The other reason it is relevant is the fact that, as other posters have pointed out, this woman has been treated very leniently by the Irish court. Again, this would fit with a pattern in which Irish courts deal more leniently with foreign wrongdoers than they do with Irish. Indeed, one judge gave a much shorter jail term to one foreign criminal than he did to similar Irish criminals, on the grounds that it would be extra "stressful" for the foreigner to be in a prison far from his own country.
Searlit | Sep 26, 2012, 11:16 PM EDT
Why is there no protection of the innocent child? I feel ill having read this.
KathleenBerrio | Sep 26, 2012, 05:23 PM EDT
WoundedKnee what difference does your ignorant comment make ?
WoundedKnee | Sep 26, 2012, 03:17 PM EDT
Is this mother Irish or a foreign migrant?
WoundedKnee | Sep 26, 2012, 01:23 PM EDT
The mother is very obviously in need of intensive and immediate psychiatric treatment, and the toddler and new baby should both be placed in foster care with supervised visitation until she is emotionally and mentally willing and able to care for them properly again...this child will probably have emotional problems which also need to be addressed.
Helen Ferone | Sep 26, 2012, 11:05 AM EDT
She should have received a prison sentence, and the child taken away from her, and put in a safe home with love and proper care, and the same goes for the baby she is carrying. What was that judge thinking returning that poor child to her, and eveybody knows it will happen again
irishamerica46 | Sep 26, 2012, 10:09 AM EDT
Two year suspended sentence ?? Boiling water?? Is this a joke??I would call it attempted murder.Child welfare services need to take the child from her and also the one she's expecting.