The "Most Hated Mom"

Did anyone watch Oprah yesterday?

When I saw the commercials indicating that all mothers should watch so that they do not make the same mistake that "the most hated mom" made, I wanted to watch. I wanted to see what this mother could have possibly done to be described in such harsh terms. I set up my TiVo just in case I forgot to watch. I didn't forget to watch.

I think I had tears in my eyes within the first two minutes of the show. I don't know how this woman could survive. I would want to die.

Of course I put myself into this woman's situation. Me being her and Jocelyn being her daughter. I don't even want to describe how imagining the death of Jocelyn at my own hand, unintentional as it may be, would make me feel. All I could do was cry. This poor little girl. I just pray that she never awoke and was not scared, sick, and wondering where her Mommy was. Even if she never did awaken in her car seat that day, the image of her awakening and then dying would still be burned into my imagination, as horrible as it is.

I don't know how I feel about this mother. Yes, I guess it could happen to anyone. I want to say that I cannot imagine that I would ever forget that Jocelyn was in the car and leave her there (especially for sooo long), BUT I'm not a working mom of two. I don't feel as stressed as this woman described herself as feeling (but still, leaving your daughter in a hot car for 7+ hours...not thinking about it once). What she did was horrible, but I do not look at her as a child killer. I can't say that it's not her fault that her baby is dead. I don't think she needs any more punishment than she is already dealing with on a day-to-day basis. I'm sure she is in a living hell. God, how do you live with yourself again after making such a deadly mistake. I'm not sure I could...

I just keep picturing that poor little girl strapped in her car seat. Heatstroke. Gone. Forever. One major mistake by the person who loved her the most.

Makes you think...