The Hernando Times ran a very sad article in the paper this morning about a young woman named Nicole Batiste who pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter for the death of her newborn baby. This young woman will be sentenced next month for a crime that should have never taken place. Does she deserve the punishment of jail time? That will be up to the judge to decide in January. This unwanted pregnancy could have turned out to be good news if this young woman had dropped the baby off at a hospital or fire station. No questions would have been asked of this young woman and the baby would have been put up for adoption. The Florida Legislature wisely passed legislation in 2000 for desperate mothers to drop off unwanted newborns within 3 days of birth without prosecution. Its too bad this young woman did not follow the law. The Hernando Times needs to be commended for printing the information about this law, along with helpful agencies, adjacent to the article.
2 comments:
If the woman is mentaly ill,then that which the florida legislature passed in 2000 would not apply to her,for no sane person could or would do such a thing unless some type of diminished mental capacity does obviously exiest.For her nightmare on either position will remain with her for the rest of her life.mercy to some degree depending on the facts cannot nor should not be percieved of as weakness by the judge or states attorney. James McLain
Hopefully, her court-appointed attorney discussed the possiblity of pleading diminished mental capacity in this young woman's case before she pleaded guilty to agrravated manslaughter. The judge has a very difficult decision to make in this case & hopefully he will take into consideration the burden this young woman faces for the rest of her life.
Post a Comment