A mother who left her 2-year-old son alone to die in a hot car has been sentenced to 35 years in jail. Mollie Shouse had fallen into a drug-induced stupor and simply forgot her child was there. It's sick, twisted, and every bit a murder as if she had stabbed him to death herself. She deserved even more time.
At first glance, this case seems like other tragic cases where a baby was left in the car because mom or dad was doing a different routine or was overstressed or was sleep-deprived. But this is different. This time the mother was on drugs, asleep, while her precious son slowly died in agony in the car.
There isn't punishment long enough in the world for this woman.
Inside that sweltering car, her little boy's skin was seared "against the hot plastic of the buckle between his legs," according to prosecutors. The details of what happened to him are sickening, awful, and beyond comprehension.
She was his MOTHER. She was supposed to protect him and keep him from harm. Instead she let him die a horrific and all-too-slow death inside a car that was upwards of 150 degrees. She might as well have put him in the oven.
Truly, the whole story makes me want to throw up. It makes me sick as a mom of children who depend on me and trust me to act in their best interests, my heart just crumbles at the thought of this little boy, suffering so terribly and waiting for him mom, possibly even screaming for her, while she did drugs.
This is a monstrous act. They can call it wanton murder, but I say it's far worse. It's just plain murder. Thirty-five years isn't enough time.
Do you think this mother deserved more punishment?
Image via Nina Matthews Photography/Flickr
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Comments 10
I live in Louisville, so this is a trial that has been followed dearly by all of the people who live here. The only reason why she did not get longer was because they convicted her of wanton murder instead of first degree murder. She got the maximum for her charge. I think she should fry. This is a horrible woman. Her child suffered because of her selfish ways. The prosecutor cried yesterday when they sentenced her during the statements she had to make FOR the child because he could not represent himself.
The loss of a child's life because they were left in a car to bake is tragic and infuriating no matter what the circumstances. But for a mother to purposely leave her child in the car to get high, is irresponsible and down right awful. These poor kids, what the hell is wrong with these people?! I swear... you need a license to fish, but not to reproduce...
That poor sweet baby boy! :( I say that they put this "mother" in a room or something like that and turn the heat up to 150 degrees and let her die the same way that this little boy did! RIP Sweet Baby
Before I say what I really want to I'll say this- this is child neglect and abuse.
Addiction is a disease. If anyone has a "legitimate" excuse for this, I would say qualifies more than most. Most people just forget- her mind was sick.