I think it's not possible for a reasonable person to believe that was the "first" time Katerra Lewis, or the homeowner, left those kids home alone. Katerra Lewis also has other kids--Police Lt. Sean Edwards confirms that twice in response to reporter's questions.
Lt. Edwards said KL turned herself in, and was cooperating, as far as he knew.
He also postulated that the women may have been counting on the kids falling asleep and staying asleep while they were out-- but he also acknowledged that the kids were all awake when the 2 women left. That means that none of the kids under age 8 had a reasonable, age appropriate bedtime, IMO. The kids probably just fall asleep wherever they are. Lack of appropriate parenting. Children left to raise themselves, with maybe a little food provided, and a video game system or movie for a babysitter. All too common in a lot of communities nowadays. And IMO, we can't "fix" this problem-- women having lots of children, no one properly supervising them, or raising them, and the adults too immature, selfish, and/ or criminal to care about the children. Every community in America has irresponsible adults like this.
The "no bedtime" thing is increasingly common, according to my elementary teacher friends who have taught public school for 20-30 years. Every year they each have a couple kids who routinely fall asleep during seat work time-- kids who are chronically sleepy. They say these kids often describe falling asleep watching a movie on a sofa or the floor on a school night. Many of these kids have never had a bedtime or a bedtime routine. The teachers report the sleepiness to the school social worker, and try to reach the parents to let them know, but they both say they have never once had a parent who they reached with the "falling asleep in class" news, that was the least bit worried about it, or took it seriously. Some were angry or annoyed with the teacher for "criticizing" them. And the sleepiness thing isn't serious enough to warrant a report to county social services unless there are other, more serious issues. IMO, the chronic "no bedtime" thing is a big red flag for a lot of inappropriate parenting behavior.
But again-- I don't think negligent or inappropriate parenting can be "fixed". I don't think it's a matter of a few parenting classes or some CPS visits-- it's a much deeper and broader set of social and emotional problems that lead to that.
I feel so sad for all the kids conceived and born into these bad social situations, to negligent parents. I wish there was something we could do.
