Those poor, poor, adults who can't cope -- no wonder they stomp toddlers to death.

Jacquielynn Floyd has written the most ridiculous thing I think I've ever read. Despite her protestations that she's not, she seems to be excusing the animal who repeatedly punched, slammed to the floor, and stomped on a 19-month-old baby. When he finally succeeded in killing the child, the mother (and I use the term very loosely) helped him cover up his crime and went with him to bury the body. She told the police he "didn't mean to" do it. I know accidents happen, but how can you not mean to slam a baby's head against the floor more than once, then stomp on her little stomach, then punch her in the face until she's dead? If the child had one blow to the head and no old injuries, I just might believe that the guy accidently dropped her. I'm sure it's happened before. It could even happen twice. My mother used to tell me about how she let me accidentally roll off the bed one day, and she was so upset and rattled by it that she let me roll off a second time. But this isn't a case of a well-cared for child being accidentally or even negligently injured. This is a case of a willful, angry, violent attack.

Jacquielynn says that it's clear that these people don't understand how children behave or the unique demands of being a parent. I'm not sure what she means by "unique" demands. Billions of parents over the years have reared children, and I daresay most of them have had comparable experiences. She says that the pattern of abuse is of immature parents who just can't cope with crying and dirty diapers. No, Jacquielynn, immaturity has nothing to do with it -- I've seen lots of immature parents, and though they don't always make the wisest decisions, they still love their children and would never in a million years torture them. No, Jacquielynn, these aren't victims who can't cope -- these are despicable, mean, unfeeling people who hate the children who are in their way, and so they decide to get rid of them and inflict as much pain as they can in the process. They deserve no "he just couldn't cope" sympathy!

"When adults can't cope, children die." The Dallas Morning News; July 12, 2014; p. 1B.