Vignette | Comment (profession; years CDR experience) |
1a (bathtub drowning) | “This is a relatively frequent type of scenario. Almost always, the time exceeds what the responsible adult thinks passed. 4 y/o cannot be expected to know what to do or supervise the younger child.” (MD; 10 years) “Hard to believe that a 10-month-old could drown in that scenario.” (Paediatrician; 9 years) |
2b (motor vehicle accident) | “Unfortunate accident.” (Public Health Nurse; 15 years) “Parent driving impaired. He is negligent!” (Juvenile Worker; 19 years) |
3a (suffocation) | “This is a terrible accident, but it is doubtful that there is any carelessness or intent to harm the baby” (CPS Worker; <1 year) “Parents should have known risks.” (Juvenile Worker; 12 years) |
3b | “It's not illegal to drink in your home.” (Law Enforcement; <1 year) “A parent who has consumed intoxicants while caring for an infant does begin to show a pattern of neglect.” (Law Enforcement; 4 years) |
4b (all terrain vehicle (ATV) crash) | “The reason for the age limit is to protect unskilled operators from injury, due to lack of skills, and it is the responsibility of the caregivers to enforce the safety warnings.” (Law Enforcement; 5 years) “These ages are recommended. There is no legal age to ride an ATV on private property. Freak accidents happen. My son has been riding an ATV since he was 2½ years old.” (Law Enforcement; <1 year) |
5a (fire) | “Mom had extenuating circumstances and was unable to seek another caregiver for the children. This is a very harsh reality that many single parents face these days, and this does not appear to have been by choice.” (Public Health; 2 years) “No job is worth losing your children. Children should never be left unsupervised overnight.” (Other Child Advocate; 2 years) |
6a (hyperthermia) | “I cannot comprehend how a father (or mother) could ‘forget’ their baby in a car. Even though it was out of their routine, the baby should have been important enough to remember. While there was no intent to harm the baby, I do believe the father was neglectful.” (Law Enforcement; 16 years) “Tragic case of human error without malice or obvious disregard for child safety (neglect).” (Public Health; 10 years) |
7b (suffocation) | ‘Post-partum depression is a serious illness and the mother needs psychiatric help, not jail time.’ (Public Health; 2 years) ‘No excuse.’ (Law Enforcement; 2 years) |
8b (poisoning) | “Inadequate adult supervision.” (Public Health; 2 years) “Parents should have helped grandparents ‘child proof’ the home before they left. No intent on the part of the grandparents.” (Law Enforcement; 3 years) |
9a (drowning) | “A neighbourhood party or picnic is no excuse to neglect the supervision of a 3-year-old child. The amount of drinking or lack of drinking has nothing to do with ensuring parental supervision.” (Juvenile Worker; 17 years) “Sounds like supervision was adequate. Would be nice to have the blood alcohol levels.” (Nurse; 12 years) |