October 2009 will be a month to remember for many Barbadians. It was the month a newborn was found abandoned on a beach by a 21 year old woman, interestingly a mother of two others. Thankfully the baby was found, just in the nick of time, and is reported by the QEH to be doing well. The newborn was found in a plastic bag similar to those distributed by supermarkets.
A lot has been written in the press and shouted on the talk shows about the matter of a mother abandoning her baby. BU is not about judging anyone but wrong is wrong. We live in a society where we adhere to mores and laws meant to protect citizens and the society alike from descending into decadence. It is hard for the BU household to understand how a mother who carried a child for 40 weeks would abandon it at birth. It is even harder to understand how the child would have been abandoned in the circumstances which Ms. Ellis is reported to have pleaded guilty to in Court last week. Why not leave it in the bathroom at the QEH, a Polyclinic, a Police Station or a Bus Stop?
In a plastic bag on a beach under cover of foliage?
In the weekend press did we read correctly former Chairman Joey Harper giving his expert opinion? To quote Harper: Former chairman of the Child Care Board David “Joey” Harper believes that subject to proper counselling and psychological analysis, Ellis should not be deprived of the opportunity to mother her child if she wants to. Did we read Mr. Harper correctly? What is the basis for Mr. Harper jucking his mouth into this affair? Frankly we are astounded a man who would have been Chairman of the Child Care Board would bullrush his way into this issue by making such leading statements, why the Nation would carry Harper’s opinion so prominently is beyond comprehension, yet they refused to publish General Secretary Lincoln Lewis Open Letter To Rickey Singh and Norman Faria. Does he know something which the public is not aware? How can he speak with such authority?
The following picture of the baby in a plastic bag maybe offensive to some.
There is the argument that Ms. Ellis maybe or have been mentally unbalanced through the affair which caused her to abandoned her baby. Many are forgetting that the 21 year old Ms. Ellis is currently the mother of two. In light of her recent actions should the other children be removed from her care as well? How can she be deemed unfit to mother the baby but continue while on bail to mother her two other children?
We understand as fellow human beings we have to find forgiveness and compassion in our hearts for Ms. Ellis. We also have a responsibility to deal with the matter honestly. Whether subsequent psychiatric tests show she is mentally disturbed or not, she has already demonstrated she is an unfit mother. To have given birth to three children while living under her grandmother’s roof further demonstrates irresponsibility.
Anonymous said
“Until the day that men can carry a baby and give birth they will never understand why this woman acted as she did”
+
Having a baby is a brain changing life
event. Sorry, to be blunt, but some
woman lose their mind as a result of
child birth or even their pregnancy.
Why? // October 8, 2009 at 9:12 PM
I may get a painting for what I am about to write… Unfortunately, most of the kids don’t have anywhere they can go, even if it’s temporary only, to rescue them from the ill-treatment (verbal/physical) of their parents/guardians, and at the same time the parents could re-think their uncalled for actions. Even though, there wasn’t anywhere to go in my youth, other than under the bed. Hahaha.
It was no use complaining to ANYONE, be it from top-down; they all sniffed the same air. Having said that, they might have been grown-ups, a few and far between, who would attempt talking with a parent.
With all forms of transformation in today’s era, there should be a positive change in this arena, but, it’s sad all around. I make no apology.
Sapadillo
And not even under de bed was a ‘safe harbour’ because the shoes, broom-stick and any other UFO came flying under de same bed.
But we in dead.
I totally agree that this woman should be found unfit to care for her children. Whether she has post partum depression, pyschosis or is otherwise mentally traumatized; she is now by all accounts unfit to raise her children. I understand that this must have been an awful thing to go through, if she is sane but what situation can be so grave to cause a sane woman to abandon her child? I cannot imagine what could drive a sane woman to commit such a horrible act.
I do believe that she needs help and yes we should show empathy instead of judgement but I say, get those children away from her as soon as possible and get her some good counsel or psychiatric care.