Teen

“He should get the death penalty for what he’s done,” were the words of a mother, Jennifer Cloninger, directed at her own son. What has he done to warrant that his own mother wish the death penalty on him? 

Last Friday, Cloninger’s son, Matthew Safrit, shot and killed his stepfather, Nathan Cloninger. In the process, he stabbed his mother as she tried to protect her dying husband from the wrath of Safrit. The family fight began over a car and quickly escalated to a murderous rampage. Safrit, who is battling depression, was high on drugs and alcohol when the incident took place.

Obviously, these were not the actions of a stable person. I completely agree that Matthew Safrit should be incarcerated and punished by law. After all, he did murder someone. Whether he was drunk and high is irrelevant, he did he crime; now he needs to be punished by law.

Lots of people get drunk and high and hate their step dad, but lots of people don’t use the family squabble as an excuse to kill their step father and stab their own mother. Of course, I’m pretty sure that mommy dearest was simply collateral damage. Junior was so engrossed in the throes of murdering his step daddy she just got in the way as Safrit tried to get to Nathan Cloninger. Safrit probably never even noticed she was between himself and his victim.

We grow our babies in our bodies, nourish them of our body, hold them in our arms and cherish then in our hearts. They may grow up but we never stop being their mother. When I look at my girls, I still see that newborn that I met on the day they were born. The love that I felt in that moment is always with me. Nothing or no one could ever alter that bond between my children and myself.

I don’t understand how any mother, no matter what her child has done, no matter how old her child is, wishing the death penalty on her own son. To me, that is the craziest part of this entire situation. As a mother myself, I would never wish the death penalty on my child. Isn’t that what a mother’s love is; unconditional love in the face of reason and all else? I’d say Jennifer Cloninger’s motherly love most definitely has conditions. Apparently, killing her husband is a condition for turning her back on her child.

Mrs. Cloninger, don’t talk to your son. Be pissed that he killed the love of your life. Shake your fists at the Gods in fury but don’t wish the death penalty on your own child.

I have a feeling there is more to this story than meets the eye. If I had to guess, Cloninger was the type of woman who put men above her child’s needs, her husband may have been a brute to Safrit and the kid just snapped. Or maybe Safrit is really just a mean, crazy asshole and he deserves to be locked up forever. He may even deserve the death penalty but I don’t think it’s right that his own mother is running her mouth on national news lobbying for his death sentence. I think his mom’s got her priorities mixed up. What about you?

Would you ever wish the death penalty on your own child?

Image via Zaldylmg/Flickr