Mom gets seven years for infant's death
HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) - A Hampton woman will serve seven years in prison for killing her 11-month-old daughter.
Carliece Hamrick was found guilty of felony child abuse and murder in Dec. 2011.
According to a search warrant, Hamrick admitted to police she shook her daughter, Natalynn, as she put her in her car seat. The incident happened on January 29, 2011 in an office parking lot in the 2000 block of Cunningham Drive.
Police said the mother then drove to the child care provider and dropped her daughter off. Natalynn's child care provider called 911 after the girl became unresponsive.
The baby was taken to the hospital, where she later died.
7 years.....that's it?! I don't get it. It makes me ill.
Amber, any thoughts on the American penal system and how it's possible to kill a baby, your very own baby and only spend 7 years in prison?
Sarah,
How unbelievably sad.
Parenthood can be incredibly frustrating. Especially when you add the additional stresses of working full time on top of it.
I know that I have been incredibly frustrated with my children, and have often done things that I never imagined in a million years that I would do when I'm calm. Like spanking.
I'm anti-spanking (to me it is hypocritical to tell my child "don't solve your problems with violence and aggression," but then turn around and hit them when I'm angry), but I have at least 5 times lost my cool and spanked them. I was angry or frustrated or overwhelmed and in those moments did not have the where-with-all to walk away and calm down to rationally deal with the issue. I reacted, and did so badly, and in a way that I regretted.
Once was so frustrated with them goofing off in "time out" chairs that the thought crossed my mind to put them each in a closet for time out (they won't be laughing then!). Then I realized "oh my god, that is probably what those people arrested for locking their children in closets thought!" I felt so scared and ashamed at my mere thoughts.
Incidentally, none of these issues ever occurred in the first three years of Thing 1 and Thing 2's life. What was special about those years? Superman was a stay at home dad. Which meant: I wasn't always rushing to get them dressed and get them out of the door in the morning while trying to be on time myself (heck, most mornings they were still in bed when I left). Life just seemed so much less stressful and more organized back then.
Why do I bring all of this up? Because while I don't know this particular woman and her particular story, I do know that often the baby shaking deaths are not about intentional abuse but rather momentary lapses in control.
Is 7 years in jail long enough for a deliberate and calculated murder of a child? Absolutely not! I'd sentence that person to life in jail without the possibility of parole, if it were up to me.
But if this was a mother that was just at her wit's end and lost control and made a terrible, terrible mistake that she will have to live with for the rest of her life, I suppose I actually sympathize with her a tiny bit. If she truly did not mean to hurt her child, but was running late and trying to get an uncooperative almost-toddler to quit crying and/or squirming (who hasn't been there) and sit in the seat...and just snapped (I'm crying just thinking of the possible scenario)... That is different to me then being a neglectful and abusive parent and I suppose I feel they should be sentenced differently.
Of course I morn for Natalynn, because a loss of a child for whatever reason is tragic, but I just don't agree that the mother has to be in prison for the rest of her life to pay for an isolated mistake (if that is indeed what it was). I'm pretty sure she'll be imprisoned by her own guilt for the rest of her life.
Amber,
I agree that Ms. Hamrick will likely be crippled with her own guilt for the remainder of her days, which she has earned. As a mom I have been brought to my knees with frustration, however as, a mother it is my responsibility to keep my composure and to protect my children. My world is a supportive one; I have a husband who is available to relieve me when I'm stressed, my mom is available to babysit BTM and MLM if we both need some "kid free" time. Perhaps if Ms. Hamrick had a better support system little Natalynn would be safely in the arms of a close friend or family member.
Sarah,
You bring up a good point. So many parents today do not have good support systems. It's very sad for them and their children. I feel very blessed and lucky to have the support systems I have. I wonder what kind of mother I'd be without them?
Carliece Hamrick was found guilty of felony child abuse and murder in Dec. 2011.
According to a search warrant, Hamrick admitted to police she shook her daughter, Natalynn, as she put her in her car seat. The incident happened on January 29, 2011 in an office parking lot in the 2000 block of Cunningham Drive.
Police said the mother then drove to the child care provider and dropped her daughter off. Natalynn's child care provider called 911 after the girl became unresponsive.
The baby was taken to the hospital, where she later died.
7 years.....that's it?! I don't get it. It makes me ill.
Amber, any thoughts on the American penal system and how it's possible to kill a baby, your very own baby and only spend 7 years in prison?
Sarah,
How unbelievably sad.
Parenthood can be incredibly frustrating. Especially when you add the additional stresses of working full time on top of it.
I know that I have been incredibly frustrated with my children, and have often done things that I never imagined in a million years that I would do when I'm calm. Like spanking.
I'm anti-spanking (to me it is hypocritical to tell my child "don't solve your problems with violence and aggression," but then turn around and hit them when I'm angry), but I have at least 5 times lost my cool and spanked them. I was angry or frustrated or overwhelmed and in those moments did not have the where-with-all to walk away and calm down to rationally deal with the issue. I reacted, and did so badly, and in a way that I regretted.
Once was so frustrated with them goofing off in "time out" chairs that the thought crossed my mind to put them each in a closet for time out (they won't be laughing then!). Then I realized "oh my god, that is probably what those people arrested for locking their children in closets thought!" I felt so scared and ashamed at my mere thoughts.
Incidentally, none of these issues ever occurred in the first three years of Thing 1 and Thing 2's life. What was special about those years? Superman was a stay at home dad. Which meant: I wasn't always rushing to get them dressed and get them out of the door in the morning while trying to be on time myself (heck, most mornings they were still in bed when I left). Life just seemed so much less stressful and more organized back then.
Why do I bring all of this up? Because while I don't know this particular woman and her particular story, I do know that often the baby shaking deaths are not about intentional abuse but rather momentary lapses in control.
Is 7 years in jail long enough for a deliberate and calculated murder of a child? Absolutely not! I'd sentence that person to life in jail without the possibility of parole, if it were up to me.
But if this was a mother that was just at her wit's end and lost control and made a terrible, terrible mistake that she will have to live with for the rest of her life, I suppose I actually sympathize with her a tiny bit. If she truly did not mean to hurt her child, but was running late and trying to get an uncooperative almost-toddler to quit crying and/or squirming (who hasn't been there) and sit in the seat...and just snapped (I'm crying just thinking of the possible scenario)... That is different to me then being a neglectful and abusive parent and I suppose I feel they should be sentenced differently.
Of course I morn for Natalynn, because a loss of a child for whatever reason is tragic, but I just don't agree that the mother has to be in prison for the rest of her life to pay for an isolated mistake (if that is indeed what it was). I'm pretty sure she'll be imprisoned by her own guilt for the rest of her life.
Amber,
I agree that Ms. Hamrick will likely be crippled with her own guilt for the remainder of her days, which she has earned. As a mom I have been brought to my knees with frustration, however as, a mother it is my responsibility to keep my composure and to protect my children. My world is a supportive one; I have a husband who is available to relieve me when I'm stressed, my mom is available to babysit BTM and MLM if we both need some "kid free" time. Perhaps if Ms. Hamrick had a better support system little Natalynn would be safely in the arms of a close friend or family member.
Sarah,
You bring up a good point. So many parents today do not have good support systems. It's very sad for them and their children. I feel very blessed and lucky to have the support systems I have. I wonder what kind of mother I'd be without them?
Cant handle this topic. Spanking when angry cannot lead to your child's death. Shaking can. We are all told this in the hospital. I have no sympathy for this mom. Children are defenseless. While we all have lapses in judgement and, daily, are not the parents we want to be, I draw the line of forgiveness at accidentally killing your child with your own hands.
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