CA - Linda Lee Smith imprisoned for beating death of 2yo daughter

I watched this story on Montel today. Linda said this in her interview about the fatal beating: " When he started disiplining Amy, I turned up the TV and went in the kitchen to do dishes." I can't find anything else on this case, does anyone else know about it?

http://my.brandeis.edu/news/item?news_item_id=103838&show_release_date=1

This is horrible. I can't imagine a loving parent standing by and allowing anyone to harm their child.

I noticed that the article says fathers are rarely charged. I think it should be the same, if mothers are charged for standing by and allowing abuse, then so should fathers if they don't do anything to intervene.

Another double standard, imo.

Something similar to this just happened in my family in the past 2 months. My cousin several times removed had 2 little boys with her husband and they separated afterwards. Sometime around Christmas, she allowed a new boyfriend to move in with her and the little kids (one is 2 and a half and the other is 5). She worked day shifts while the boyfriend stayed home with the kids and I guess he worked at night. Anyway he was messed up in drugs but no one knew it at the time. My cousin came home from work one afternoon and found the 2 1/2 year old laying in a playpen and not moving. For reasons I cannot fathom, she did not immediately call 911. I don't know how long she waited but it was some time. Anyway the baby died at the hospital 24 hours later, never regaining consciousness. The autopsy determined that the baby's skull was cracked from the base of his skull all the way to his front hairline. He had bruises and cuts all over his little body. His neck was bruised in such a way that the ME said it was obvious the baby had been held by the back of the neck and forcibly thrown into a hard object (a coffee table or the wall perhaps). Also he had a puncture in the bottom of his foot. The boyfriend was arrested within a short time after the autopsy reports came back. The LE was contemplating arresting my cousin too because she didn't call 911 right away (they think she was protecting the boyfriend--WTF!). He is being held without bail and the surviving brother was put in foster care. My cousin's dad (the baby's grandfather) has applied for and been granted custody of the brother. Unbelievable!!!!

If that mother went in and did dishes while the guy beat that baby to death then she should be charged as well. I swear, some women are so darn desperate for a man that they allow horrible things to go on in their home. They know that if they say anything the man will get ticked off and leave them. They don't think they can survive without a man around.


Kidz, what a horrible thing to have happen to that little guy. I'm having a hard time understanding why your cousin would leave her babies with someone that she didn't know that well. A lot of guys have 0 tolerance with children...especially when they are all drugged up. Your cousin isn't the only one who has done that though and she has paid a high price for her mistake.
I know how expensive babysitters are and as a single mother your cousin probably had to really watch her dollars. Just a shame that happened. Will your cousin eventially get her baby back?

Bobbi, I don't know if she will get her son back or not. But I don't think she deserves to, do you? She is 24 so not some young teenager and she made some poor and deliberate choices that may have contributed to her baby's death. I understand the whole single mom scenario (been there myself) and I know she has to work to make ends meet. But if she had only known this new BF 3 months or so, she didn't know him long enough to trust him. Even if she didn't know about the drugs, still that is pretty naive. And then to come home and find your child in a playpen and unresponsive? And you don't call 911? I don't think that is good mother material. I think I am a good mom to my kids and I have kids in my daycare too. The idea of someone not being willing to throw down their own life to save their child is unbelievable to me. I personally have been nearly mowed down by a car twice while running after my son. He is one of those kids who runs nonstop until they drop over in exhaustion. One time we were leaving the mall and I had my baby on my hip and bags in my hands (while DH sauntered behind, empty handed talking to DMIL gag) and I was holding the hands of my other daughter and son at the same time. My kids were always taught to hold my hands and not to move off the curb until I said go. Well he decided that he was 3 and he was going to cross the street whether I came or not. He jerked out of my hand and raced right into the path of a car. I was screaming on the curb while still holding onto my older daughter and my baby. How could I race out there for my son and sacrifice my other kids? I finally couldn't stand it and I dropped the bags and just ran. I was close enough that I punched the front of the car as it screeched to a halt by my hip. I do not generally believe in spanking kids but let me tell you, my son got a pink behind that day. Never again did he rip out of my hands. I would rather spank my son's butt than have him dead. Another time, same kid, we were crossing a busy street after coming out of a store and as we approached the parking lot across the street where our vehicle was parked, another car came whipping out of a spot near the road. They didn't even look, never hit their brakes. I saw him coming out of the corner of my eye and literally picked up my son and flung him through the air to the other side of me. I know I sound like I am tooting my own horn and I don't mean to. But the bottom line is, IMO, if you bring a child into this world, it is your responsibility to protect them no matter what. If that means throwing your body over your child's to take a bullet, then that is what you do.
Climbing down off soapbox......

Since when was good sense a soapbox? ;-)

I'm so sorry Kidz about your cousin's baby. As I watched the segment about Linda on Montel i had my daughter in my lap and my son was asleep at the other end of the couch and it made me sick to think of them being hurt so viciously. I try not to even think about them when I am on WS b/c I don't want to picture them being hurt like so many others. I would give my life to save theirs but thats the difference between being sane and crazy I guess.

Kidz.....no I don't think your cousin should get her baby back without some big time therapy and some big changes in her life. I didn't realize that she didn't call 911 right away after she got home and discovered her baby. Seems strange that she didn't know he was on drugs.

You did what most mothers would do to save the life of their child. Most of us would do anything to keep our children safe even if it means placing ourselves in danger to protect our child....without thinking twice about it.