Dubbed "Vodka Mom" in scathing Nancy Grace segment, MN woman burns self to death

[Kimberlyd125]

Respectfully, that is not true.

What, in my post, is not true?

 

[Soulmagent]

I'm still trying to understand why karma hasn't visited NG. Not saying I wish it upon her...but ????

I saw this show and the pouring of the 17 shots. It was all for drama of course. Not many people out there that doesn't know a shot is an oz and a 1/5 is 17 ozs. Unreal.

ETA: I feel for her other children...such a tragedy.

I took a screen shot of Nancy and the vodka bottle. I have a feeling NG happened to have that bottle already. I noticed she cannot even get actual photos for her other little dramatic scenes ,such as the baby buried in the hole stabbed by scissors . She uses the white cut out preschool looking graphics . Not for the vodka bottle though..humm...

 

[jjenny]

Respectfully snipped. I didnt say he was more. I think his fault is equal because he knew she was significantly impaired, i.e. drunk. Co dependency wouldnt excuse him I dont think unless we consider her being a sufferer of the disease of alchoholism. If she suffered from that disease, well then that brings another level to the entire situation...Did NG mock someone who was overwhelmed by her disease? Was this mom in the throws of her addiction and no one was intervening and it led to the death of her son? And then NG mocked her and as the weeks went on she decided she had no options other than suicide?

We also dont know if the DA brought charges in order to force her into some kind of managed care...perhaps they would have dropped the charges.

Force her into managed care? Is that in the DA's job description? Please.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Had they dropped the charges it would have been a travesty.

JMO

 

[not_my_kids]

Force her into managed care? Is that in the DA's job description? Please.

Actually, depending on the jurisdiction, the prosecutor's orders from higher up, and the current focus of his administration on community corrections and non-correctional sentences, it may in fact, be part of his job description. Seriously, more and more the social services and criminal justice are merging in ways that most people are not aware of. Situations like pressing charges to encourage a non-correctional rehabilitative sentence is not unheard of, especially in semi-shaky cases where a jury might be unwilling to give a person that they feel is "sick" a jail term.

 

[believe09]

What, in my post, is not true?

That she is solely responsible. Why would dad leave his infant with a significantly impaired caregiver? How is that even reasonable? He can shoulder his fair share of this blame. I am actually surprised that the court of public opinion hasnt been breathing down his neck as well.

 

[Melanie]

That she is solely responsible. Why would dad leave his infant with a significantly impaired caregiver? How is that even reasonable? He can shoulder his fair share of this blame. I am actually surprised that the court of public opinion hasnt been breathing down his neck as well.

I'll admit, I don't know all the in's n' outs of this case, but was this woman a closet drinker? When my son was born, and if I'd been drinking a 5th of vodka, my husband would have made me get treatment, or left with my son. Personally, I don't know how one drinks vodka, let alone a 5th. Tastes like gasoline to me.

In any case, I do agree - if the father was living with her, knew she was drinking that much, he should have taken measures to make sure his child was in the most safe and loving environment possible.

IMHO -

Melanie

 

[believe09]

I'll admit, I don't know all the in's n' outs of this case, but was this woman a closet drinker? When my son was born, and if I'd been drinking a 5th of vodka, my husband would have made me get treatment, or left with my son. Personally, I don't know how one drinks vodka, let alone a 5th. Tastes like gasoline to me.

In any case, I do agree - if the father was living with her, knew she was drinking that much, he should have taken measures to make sure his child was in the most safe and loving environment possible.

IMHO -

Melanie

In his statement, he apparently said he came home and found her drunk on the couch with the infant. He apparently said she shouldnt do that. It seems likely at that point that he went to bed, but those details are unclear.

 

[Seek&Find]

Respectfully snipped. I didnt say he was more. I think his fault is equal because he knew she was significantly impaired, i.e. drunk. Co dependency wouldnt excuse him I dont think unless we consider her being a sufferer of the disease of alchoholism. If she suffered from that disease, well then that brings another level to the entire situation...Did NG mock someone who was overwhelmed by her disease? Was this mom in the throws of her addiction and no one was intervening and it led to the death of her son? And then NG mocked her and as the weeks went on she decided she had no options other than suicide?

We also dont know if the DA brought charges in order to force her into some kind of managed care...perhaps they would have dropped the charges.

You didn't say it, but your posts have solely pointed to the husband's or NG's culpability. Not one has examined the choices Toni made. Seems inconsistent to say,

We should be frothing at the mouth-he let his son die too.

and then not once address the one primarily responsible for Adrian's death, Toni.

<RSBM>
I know I keep banging this drum, but where is the outrage regarding Dad's inaction? We should be frothing at the mouth-he let his son die too.

And, the post you snipped did address dad's mistakes. It does not say codependency excuses his actions/inactions, just that it could play a role in explaining them. (IMO, codependency isn't ever an excuse, maybe an explanation...)
In fact, it suggested that the larger family system here should be examined, if all involved and everyone reading about it wish to learn the lessons here.

 

[believe09]

You didn't say it, but your posts have solely pointed to the husband's or NG's culpability. Not one has examined the choices Toni made. Seems inconsistent to say, and then not once address the one primarily responsible for Adrian's death, Toni.

And, the post you snipped did address dad's mistakes. It does not say codependency excuses his actions/inactions, just that it could play a role in explaining them. (IMO, codependency isn't ever an excuse, maybe an explanation...)
In fact, it suggested that the larger family system here should be examined, if all involved and everyone reading about it wish to learn the lessons here.

I am making a point, fwiw. I dont see Toni as being primarily responsible-I see her as being equally responsible. Dad's mistakes? Toni made mistakes too-no one had said she deliberately smothered her child. I dont understand why Toni and only Toni should carry this responsibility as far as the general public is concerned. He walked away from the drunk mother of his infant while this precious life was in her hands. She was legally impaired. Clearly she was not capable of being a responsible caregiver. He even pointed out to her it was not a good idea. Why is that the end of his responsibility? I really want to know.

As for Nancy Grace, I never said she was at fault for Toni's suicide. However, the show as reflected by the transcript is inexcusable. There wasnt a shred of "reporting" or fact finding that I could see which went above and beyond someone else's story as written. The theatrics were presumably given to Ms Grace to perform, and so she did. Then she made unsubstantiated statements, according to MSM, regarding the baby.

If people tune into Nancy for entertainment, then I can see why people would not expect more from her coverage of this story. If they tune into her for fact finding and a well sourced report on crimes in the news, this was not representative of that imo.

 

[otto]

This is what NG accomplished with her drama about interpreting accidental suffocation as murder:

"She was trying to build and get by and live with what happened," Hill said. "When she saw that, it broke her spirit in the worst way."

"Medrano's husband, Jason Medrano, told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that the show, as well as the Internet comments that followed it, were cruel.

"The things people said were horrible," he told the newspaper. "It shows that cyberbullying happens to adults, too."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/11/toni-medrano-vodka-mom_n_1665792.html

 

[katydid23]

This is what NG accomplished with her drama about interpreting accidental suffocation as murder:

"She was trying to build and get by and live with what happened," Hill said. "When she saw that, it broke her spirit in the worst way."

"Medrano's husband, Jason Medrano, told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that the show, as well as the Internet comments that followed it, were cruel.

"The things people said were horrible," he told the newspaper. "It shows that cyberbullying happens to adults, too."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/11/toni-medrano-vodka-mom_n_1665792.html

Well, that's what happens when you drink a liter of straight vodka when you are in care of a newborn. Bad, tragic things occur and then the public is going to find out and be angry about it. Sorry that her 'spirit' was broken, but what did they expect? Everyone was going to just sympathize and promise never to speak of it again?

If anyone was a 'bully' she was, imo. She was passed out drunk on the couch while her children got up and got ready for school by themselves. They knew mommy was probably drinking all night and I bet they were as quiet as mice, so she wouldn't scream at hem for waking her up.

 

[otto]

Well, that's what happens when you drink a liter of straight vodka when you are in care of a newborn. Bad, tragic things occur and then the public is going to find out and be angry about it. Sorry that her 'spirit' was broken, but what did they expect? Everyone was going to just sympathize and promise never to speak of it again?

If anyone was a 'bully' she was, imo. She was passed out drunk on the couch while her children got up and got ready for school by themselves. They knew mommy was probably drinking all night and I bet they were as quiet as mice, so she wouldn't scream at hem for waking her up.

Cyberbullying is what happens when a woman accidentally suffocates her child while sleeping? Cyberbullying is what happens when NG gets hold of a case?

 

[jjenny]

This is what NG accomplished with her drama about interpreting accidental suffocation as murder:

"She was trying to build and get by and live with what happened," Hill said. "When she saw that, it broke her spirit in the worst way."


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/11/toni-medrano-vodka-mom_n_1665792.html

I would think it would be hard to build up her life while facing criminal charges that could have ended up with her in prison for years. But maybe that's just me.

 

[otto]

I would think it would be hard to build up her life while facing criminal charges that could have ended up with her in prison for years. But maybe that's just me.

She was facing up to 10 years in jail. I still don't understand how anything that NG said about the case helped anyone. I can only see how she inspired cyberbullying, ridicule and persecution of a woman that was clearly already dealing with personal problems (alcohol).

 

[jjenny]

I have never suggested that anything NG said helped anyone. I just find it ironic that some try to blame this woman's demise on NG. If you don't like what NG is saying, turn off the TV.

 

[DairyGirl]

Cyberbullying is what happens when a woman accidentally suffocates her child while sleeping? Cyberbullying is what happens when NG gets hold of a case?

I don't know why you keep saying she accidentally suffocated her baby. That baby's death was no more an accident then if she put a bullet in his head. If a person leaves a bar after having a bunch of drinks and gets in their car and hits another car and people in that car die then they are a murdered. Those people didn't die by accident. They were murdered. No difference here.

 

[LinasK]

Interestingly, I can see both sides of this case. I totally agree that this woman had no business caring for her newborn while drunk, and the father should share in the blame for that. But apparently, she had remorse for her actions. She is an alcoholic, and that is an addiction. I also think that NG just piled on for this woman. The damage was already done, it wasn't necessary. I think the public would have been better served to educate them on the dangers of alcohol, caring for a child while intoxicated (think also Lisa Irwin case), and SIDS.
The woman probably already felt guilty enough and messed up enough, was facing prison, and the Nancy's comments were probably the final straw. Yeah, easy to say,"turn off the TV and don't watch her", not always so easy to do...

 

[txsvicki]

I quit watching her and don't like the idea of any criminal being driven to suicide. I do wonder though if the husband would have wanted the drunk wife leaving in his vehicle yet he left a newborn with her and must have rolled on to sleep without getting up to check. I guess the every few hour feedings were up to the mom. This reminds me od kyron horman for some reason.

 

[Beachgirl17]

This mother had 6 children and prabably had post partum depression and chemical dependence. Didn't help having her case on Nancy Grace and now her children are orphans.At least if she went to jail or prison she could have been helped. Being bullied by Nancy Grace didn't help.