Hot Topic (3/1): Breastfeeding Mother Charged with Endangerment
Should she be charged? Was she endagering her child or just trying to keep the child from going hungry? What about the cell phone use while driving, should that be allowed?
Breast-feeding, cell-using driver charged
Ohio police cite woman with child endangerment
KETTERING, Ohio - Police in Ohio say a woman has been charged with child endangerment after another motorist reported she was both breast-feeding the youngster and talking on a phone while driving.
Police in the Dayton suburb of Kettering say the caller told them he saw the woman Thursday.
Officer Michael Burke says authorities used a license plate number to track down 39-year-old Genine Compton.
He said the woman told officers she was breast-feeding and wouldn't let her child go hungry.
Burke said the legal concern is that Compton had a child in her lap while driving, not that she was breast-feeding in public.
He said the child was under 2 years old.
Police say the woman faces up to 180 days in jail and a $1,800 fine if convicted of the misdemeanor.
I think there are obviously 2 ways to look at this. The baby was hungry and needed to eat, but at what risk? Pull over and feed the baby mama. Imagine if another car lost control, mama would have been slower to be able to control the car, and the baby could have been killed. All babies are hungry at some point when we are driving, isnt it much safer to pull over and take 15 minutes to feed the baby? Pump ahead of time if you are going to be travelling and offer the baby a breastmilk bottle on the road if you cant take the time to pull over. Talking on the cell phone is illegal while driving in my state because so many fatal accidents have occured while driving and talking. I do agree that mom was reckless and endangered that baby. It breaks my heart that she may have to do jail time, but better she learns her lesson now than learning it when she kills that baby or someone else in an accident and has to say goodbye at the funeral in handcuffs. Shut up and drive safely, the life you save may be your own! Breastfeeding is the most natural way to feed a baby, but hold on to the baby and hang up the phone! I think I just wrote some new bumper stickers.
she should face charges. she could have pulled over and breastfed! and using a cell phone at the same time!?!?! really? What an idiot!
While driving on the streets is not a good time to breastfeed your baby. Sorry, she had a really dumb excuse. She didn't have to let the baby go hungry. Pull over and park the car, for Pete's sake; then, breastfeed your baby, if you think it's going to "go hungry."
Wow, people are ridiculous! LOL
"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests." ~Patrick Henry
She absolutely should face charges. The injury that child could have suffered from even a minor accident in that situation is overwhelming. The dumb b*tch should have pulled over and fed her child if it was that urgent to do so and she certainly didn't need to be on the phone in addition to. She could have seriously hurt herself, her child, not to mention anyone else on the road.
Yes, she should face charges! It's easy - pull over and feed your child, then resume driving after baby has eaten. I did that many times when DS was a baby. Anytime I traveled, I would have to pull over (sometimes more than once) and feed him. Part of life - yeah, it takes you longer to get somewhere, but at least you're all safe and not putting yourselves - and others on the road - at risk.
Love is the expansion of two natures in such fashion that each include the other, each is enriched by the other. -- Felix Adler
Well I am definitely a breastfeeding advocate but not like that!! We want to keep our children healthy AND alive! That is wrong.
Now about the cell phones. I do think they should be illegal to talk on while driving because some people can't handle it. I had a cell phone before I had a car so I am able to work both the cell and the driving at the same time... but some people can't.
Was it more important to get to her destination than the safety of her own child. And I would say no! I breastfed my oldest child and I would never do it driving. How did she talk on the cell phone, feed her child,and drive at the same time without causing an accident. I say she should be charged for endangering her baby but also everyone else on the highway.
Eight Year Old Girl Given "Catastrophe Award" By Teacher
- Cafe GroupAdmin
on Mar. 1, 2009 at 6:02 AM