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Mother admits smothering her baby 52 years ago
bryemycaz
Posts: 11,738 Forum Member
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Melody Casson, 67, was just 15 when she smothered her son Wayne Harper with a cushion in a bid to stop him crying. She kept the incident a secret, claiming she had accidentally killed her son by falling asleep on him.
But, in February last year, Casson confessed that she had killed her son, telling a police officer: 'I can't take no more of the pain.'
It seems that she had no support at home, her father was ill. Her mother was in hospital and her sister was complaining about lack of sleep as she needed to be up early in the mornings for work.
Don't know if I can condem the woman as she has lived with the pain of what she did for over 50 years. She was convicted of Manslaughter and given a 2 year sujspended sentance.
The judge said it was a 'highly unusual case' and 'I accept you've felt guilt every day of your life for the last 52 years and I accept in your case there is real life-long guilt. 'You wanted to bring yourself to justice and that is what you have done. Were it not for that it would never have been known and it's right and proper you brought it before the court and accept public responsibility for what you did.'
She added: 'The punishment inflicted upon you will be lifelong, until the day you die, and nothing I do will alter that.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3169308/Mother-finally-admits-smothering-18-day-old-baby-death-just-15-feeling-guilty-day-52-years.html#comments
But, in February last year, Casson confessed that she had killed her son, telling a police officer: 'I can't take no more of the pain.'
It seems that she had no support at home, her father was ill. Her mother was in hospital and her sister was complaining about lack of sleep as she needed to be up early in the mornings for work.
Don't know if I can condem the woman as she has lived with the pain of what she did for over 50 years. She was convicted of Manslaughter and given a 2 year sujspended sentance.
The judge said it was a 'highly unusual case' and 'I accept you've felt guilt every day of your life for the last 52 years and I accept in your case there is real life-long guilt. 'You wanted to bring yourself to justice and that is what you have done. Were it not for that it would never have been known and it's right and proper you brought it before the court and accept public responsibility for what you did.'
She added: 'The punishment inflicted upon you will be lifelong, until the day you die, and nothing I do will alter that.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3169308/Mother-finally-admits-smothering-18-day-old-baby-death-just-15-feeling-guilty-day-52-years.html#comments
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However I'm bound to suggest, when it comes to our justice system, this is another illustration that there are certain favoured groups of offenders who are granted far more compassion and understanding than others. I understand the political dimension but that doesn't make it sit any easier with me.
she was a child herself, attitudes to single parents were much worse than they are today, there wasn`t the support or welfare we have now either.
and no one would be wiser if she had never confessed.
Indeed. I can only imagine the leniency applied if the child had been murdered by its father.
Your right if it had been a 15 year old father who did this and then hid it for 50 years. He would now be serving 25 years.
She didn't murder the child - it was manslaughter. She wasn't trying to kill her baby, but keep it quiet.
Yet this man, who was 29, only got 2 years for shaking his daughter so hard she died.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-27813592
There was mitigation in this case too and that is why the sentences are low. Neither he nor the woman in this report meant to kill their children, so the sentences reflect that.
And this man got a suspended sentence:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-21719752
If true, that's utterly disgusting!
I gather you don't share the compassion and understanding.
What political dimension?
But it isn't true - and I gave a couple of examples above. Sentences reflect the nature of the offence - and men have recieved suspended/low sentences for the manslaughter of their children just as this woman has.
She does not look that bad for someone who's almost 70!
I see 45-year olds who look far worse.
I also agree with the judge. She has suffered over 50 years of pain, it was manslaughter and she was a child herself at the time. The sentence is more of a token punishment really, as she clearly very much regrets what happened.
Does the woman have learning difficulties? My niece is 15, and has a baby sister and she knows that covering both a babies airways is a very bad idea.
You say she didn't mean to kill her child, but you only have her word for that.
I somehow didn't see your post until after I'd made mine.
I agree. She was no more than a child herself and didn't intend to kill her baby. I can't imagine what she's suffered. She's also confessed to it.
Seems she's damned no matter what, by some.
Why anything less?
What's all this life long guilt etc?
How can they say she's suffered any more than anyone else that has committed such a crime and served time in prison!
I, like you, can only base my view on the reported information. The court accepted that she had not intended to kill and they have heard the evidence. People do make mistakes in life - sometimes dreadful ones.
Do you think she would have been sentenced to more than two years if she had admitted what she did immediately after the baby died?
I don't. A fifteen year old who tried to quieten down their baby (in a very stupid way, of course) unintentionally killed the child. A tragic case - but she needed support and therapy at the time, not 30 years in prison.
If you confront the dreadful things you do and confess them, it often eases the burden, even if you are then punished. To bottle up the truth often exacerbates the guilt - it is why people feel the need to confess.
And why sentence her in the style of 52 years ago? We are much more aware now of mental issues and have moved away from more draconian sentences for crimes like this for a reason.
How could they possibly know after so long- the only evidence they are going on is her word. I think the court have just accepted in this case.
People who have done awful things also have a habit of trying to justify their actions and over time, they even start to believe their own justifications. I find it hard to believe someone who wasn't severely mentally ill could manage to accidently smother a baby to death. Normal 15 year olds would understand, blocking a babies nose and mouth will kill them. I think the court have decided to be compassionate in this case, since the woman showed so much remorse, and it's an old case.
How could you possibly gather that from 'I tend to agree with the judge'?
Simply that issues of crime and punishment are highly politicised.
only it wasn't murder really as In Evil killing of another