Eight years ago, a woman named Dena Schlosser killed her baby daughter during what has been called a religious frenzy. Declared insane by the courts, she was sent to a mental institution in 2006. Since June, she's been working at a Texas Wal-Mart. That is until the public got her fired.
Because nothing sounds safer than having a woman recently released from a court-ordered mental institution than having her swinging in the breeze with no job, right? I have to wonder if the people in Terell, Texas thought any of this through.
It seems someone spotted Dena Schlosser, who now goes by the name Dena Laettner, working the checkout line at their local Wal-Mart. They snapped a picture, and it went viral. And after the hew and cry from the community, the woman lost her job.
I won't exactly fault Wal-Mart on this one ... much. People were telling them they were afraid to enter their store because of fear. The question is whether their fear is valid.
According to the cops, Laettner literally cut her 10-month-old's arms off in 2004, later telling a police dispatcher that God told her to. She was later diagnosed with postpartum psychosis, which is what prompted the insanity defense.
It's an unthinkable horror. I don't excuse or sanction it. I can understand why people were horrified to see her out and about and wouldn't want to associate with her.
And yet, legally, Laettner got off. She was not guilty by reason of insanity. What's more, she actually served her time, as ordered by the court. She had remained in the mental institution from 2006 to 2008, when she was released into an outpatient program and allowed to work. Laettner went back into the hospital in 2010 for more treatment.
But now the courts say Dena Laettner isn't a threat to society. She's got a legal right to be out and about and to work at Wal-Mart or any other place willing to hire her. In fact, if she doesn't work, I'm imagining she ends up needing public assistance, making her a burden on the system. Not to mention she has a lot of time to sit around, thinking ...
Is it so wrong for this woman to work? Hasn't she served her time? When does the punishment end?
Image via walknboston/Flickr
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Comments 56
I agree that she shouldn't be working with the public but I also agree that once a person does his/her time, they should be able to become a functional member of society again. My brother sent time a jail (non violet offense) and when he came out on probation, it was so hard for him to find a job, a place to live, or many of other things we all do everyday without a thought. Yes, he screwed up but he paid his time and no one in the system is willing to lend a helping hand to help them start over. Thankfully, he had family to help him but for so many, it's not surprise that they end up back in jail because they get stuck in some kind of limbo land on the outside.
I would not be afraid to shop at Walmart if she worked there, nor would I be afraid for my kids. I don't take my kids to Walmart (or any store) to get babysat. I really, really couldn't give two wits about a cashier's/greeter's/stock-person's past indiscretions or records, as long as they do their jobs and treat their customers well.
Have any of you judgemental people ever HAD Post Partum Psychosis? Do you have any idea what it's like to be THAT depressed and detatched from reality? This woman was failed by those closest to her who failed to help her until it was too late! She wasn't in her right state of mind. Do you have any idea how much guilt she must harbor now that she has been through treatment and IS in her right mind? She has to live with that every day for th rest of her life!
I had SEVERE PPD and I remember dark thoughts and feelings, and you are TRULY not present in your mind anymore. She has enough punishment in knowing she killed her own child. She deserves to live a life now that she has gotten the help she needed.
I don't see a point to further punish this woman. I think whoever tweeted it is harrassing her. People wouldn't have known it was her if the person hadn't tweeted the picture and information. If they wanted to stay away, fine. Do it. But stop punishing her. Can you imagine what it had to have been like when she came to? I'd have to be sent back in, too, if I were her. I'm guessing her living day-to-day where she used to have her baby was too hard. That would be my guess. But if she went back in, then the doctors would have not let her free unless she had gotten proper help. I don't know. I understand all sides of this, and it's all just heartbreaking.
I'm sorry I thought she should be locked up a lot longer than two years for chopping off her baby's arms!
I don't care about HER feelings when she is in the vicinity of children that she might just decide to reach over her counter, and stab in the eye with some scissors or a pen or some shit.
Procrastimom- and what about when you're just strolling along in walmart, and some random employee sees your kid, and snaps because they have blond hair like the one she killed *for example* has a freak out, and stabs your child... all in about 4 seconds.
Then you find out walmart KNEW and was WARNED about this lady & let her keep workin there. Hello lawsuit!
She needs to be out of the general population of children.
the4mutts - you must be really afraid to go out in public. Do you ever go to concerts? Festivals? Theme parks? Do you not take your kids to the grocery store, the playground, the mall? It's simply impossible to know everything (or even ANYTHING) about the people that are around you in public every single day, so why would I drive myself crazy with that fact?
A person who could do that is not going to recover and become sane. She should have gotten life without parole. That would keep her off the welfare rolls if people are so worried.