You're welcome, Amy.

The mother is undoubtedly ignorant. You don't leave two- and three-year-olds alone at home for any length of time. She did an incredibly stupid thing, and her children paid the price.

But at least she had the wherewithal to be appropriately grief stricken about the death of one her children and the other in critical condition.

Beginning at 1:35, it's the aunt's reaction that leaves me feeling positively sick. She has no regrets about leaving the children alone. And she seems to think that since she doesn't know how the fire started -- which, oddly, she narrows down to two choices: either the kids did it or someone else "threw something in there" -- that's reason not to have any regrets about leaving then alone.

She even manages an amused scoff and seems to be actually flirting coyly with the reporter as she expresses more concern about her purse, because "that has my food stamp card and everything in it."

When I heard her say that, I felt positively ill. I wonder if "everything" happens to include vials of crack, since that's the only explanation I can think of for her total lack of concern for her own sister or her sister's kids.

I'm actually starting to wonder if...perhaps in her crack-addicted brain, she viewed the children as something of a problem, and she...

Ugh. I can't say it.

Another fine egg donor.

I'm actually starting to wonder if...perhaps in her crack-addicted brain, she viewed the children as something of a problem, and she...

Yeah, Patrick, I was thinking the same thing...

Ick. Just ...ick.

My god, what is wrong with that woman?!?! What is wrong with both of them that they think it's ok to leave 2 toddlers home alone to "drop some dude off" at home? Even the neighbors are more torn up about it then the aunt.

The neighbors were heros. At least they tried.

Some days, I think I'd like to be told I have some terminal disease, because then I could spend my remaining days ridding the earth of people like this. Unreal.

Off goes another donation.

Ironically, there was never any thought in having Amy post this video when I sent it to her. I only wanted her thoughts as to how these children's aunt could be so apathetic about the death of one of the children and the other in critical condition. She doesn't even have the sense to PRETEND to care.

But if she uses it to advance a good cause, so much the better.

She's more concerned about her foodstamp card and her "everything" in her purse. As Sara points out, the neighbors showed more empathy than she did!

I'd like to lobby for the euthanizing of incurable sociopaths like this.

I'm sory but people without teeeth need to be chemically castrated so they dont try and hit on the rest of us

Horrifying.

Mo4 writes: Some days, I think I'd like to be told I have some terminal disease, because then I could spend my remaining days ridding the earth of people like this. Unreal.

I've lately stumbled over this concept several times. It's bubbling up. I wonder if sexygenarian attendance at rifle ranges is up (much)?
--
phunctor
Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose

Mo4 writes: Some days, I think I'd like to be told I have some terminal disease, because then I could spend my remaining days ridding the earth of people like this. Unreal.

I've lately stumbled over this concept several times. It's bubbling up. I wonder if sexygenarian attendance at rifle ranges is up (much)?
--
phunctor
Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose

Supposedly the aunt is mentally ill and can't make sense of things.
No excuse for the mother though.

That aunt must have a heart of pure evil. The mother could very well be in jail for a long time, which she certainly deserves. But there doensn't seem to be a way to punish the aunt. I almost wish someone would kill her.

"Supposedly the aunt is mentally ill and can't make sense of things."

Where did you see that? Was it in the video?

The aunt is mentally ill? I hope that is true. I wouldn't of figured it, because she seemed so calm and rational.

Let's say for the sake of argument this woman IS mentally ill (which is probably not a stretch). WTF is she doing around children?

Drug testing is in order...

"Supposedly the aunt is mentally ill and can't make sense of things."

Crack'll do that to you. Don't even try to tell me she lost those front teeth any way other than a crack pipe.

It really warms my heart to think my taxes go to buy food for this psycho bitch.

Crack makes you lose teeth?

Hmmm.

Incidentally there was a little blurb in the paper today about a woman who became concerned that she would lose her children-apparently because the school had been sending letters to her home (conference reminders, etc.) and she thought that meant her children would be taken away from her. So she did the only sensible thing a mother would do in that situation.

Stabbed one repeatedly with a steak knife.

I've spent the last two years trying to get non-surgically sterilized-I have pretty compelling medical reasons to do so-but keep getting turned down by doctors. I think I may get knocked up, have the child, then batter it to death (or just leave it outside for a few days until it expires) and then see if the doctors would change their minds.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/6482834/Woman-stabs-child-and-herself-over-custody-fears.html

Here is the link if anyone is interested. Certainly an innovative and dynamic way of confronting problems.

Crack makes you lose teeth"

yes-not sure if it's the drug itself, or the hot pipe, but crackheads lose their teeth. Meth makes you lose teeth too.

I thought drug users tended to lose their teeth just from lack of proper hygiene and malnutrition, but I could totally be wrong.

I don't usually comment here, but I just wanted to say thanks to Amy for having mentioned Project Prevention a few times. The people who complain that it's "coercing" women to give up their reproductive "rights" or that it's somehow akin to eugenics are assholes and make me want to lock them in a building that's on fire and see how they like it. I don't actually know if these women were on drugs, but even if these two women were not, so very many child abusers are.

Tooth loss from meth/crack use occurs because of a combination of poor hygiene and the lack of proper nutrition. Also adding to the problem, addicts to these drugs are often dehydrated and don't produce sufficient saliva: without enough spit in your mouth over time, an individual is highly prone to tooth decay and periodontal disease.

There's always some hayseed deputy sheriff on the local news talking about how the chemicals used to manufacture meth rot the teeth. Morons. But remember, no one researches anything anymore.

She's more concerned with her purse than the lives of those two children. I wish I was surprised.

-Julie

Hmmm, I had always heard it was the heat from the crackpipe that is typically uninsulated glass or metal, combined with the acid in the drug. However it happens though, methheads and crackheads are always missing teeth.

Cocaine use also can cause bruxism (tooth-grinding), which can promote tooth loss. Personally, I think she just got into it with her drug dealer.