Obese Kids: Criminal Neglect by Parents?
You are what you eat.
But are you also responsible for what your children eat?
A South Carolina woman recently lost custody of her 14 year-old son after being charged with criminal child neglect when the boy’s weight hit 555 pounds. The arrest warrant for mother Jerri Gray alleged that she placed her child in “an unreasonable risk of harm” by allowing his weight to become “serious and threatening to his health.” The boy was put in foster care.
When the same issue arose in Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, New Mexico and Indiana, state courts ruling in the cases of morbidly obese children declared they were in fact victims of neglect.
“It’s unfair to blame solely the parents when there’s a myriad of other factors influencing a child’s weight,” argues the director of a university weight-management center, pointing to genetic predisposition, socioeconomic status, and environmental factors including access to parks and playgrounds.
A child welfare expert responds, “I think I would draw the line at a place where there are serious health consequences for the child and efforts to work with the family have repeatedly failed.”
The attorney for the South Carolina mother says convicting her on criminal charges for her son’s obesity will open a Pandora’s Box of issues way beyond the immediate issue.
“What about the parents of every 16 year-old in Beverly Hills that’s too thin? Are they going to start arresting parents because their child is too thin?” the attorney asked. “If your 14 year-old goes down the street and gets pregnant or breaks the neighbor’s window or steals the neighbor’s car, can the parents now be held criminally liable for that child’s acts as well?”
Tell us what you think: Should parents be criminally responsible for their obese children? How far should the law go in holding parents directly responsible for any of their children’s behaviors?
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Of course it's someone else's problem....
As the mother of two young children I certainly feel it is my responsibility to provide them a loving home, a good education and teach them about growing into responsible contributing members of this world. Hand in hand or hand in mouth as it may be in this case is teaching them how to be healthy, how to enjoy the foods of the world and how to take care of themselves.
When a parent or care taker knowingly contributes to their child’s ill health, weather it is by over feeding them or starving them, it is absolutely a matter of neglect. Food in this country is so undervalued because it is so easily accessible. On every street corner, in every mall and nearly every public building we are bombarded with difficult decisions, sweet treats, fatty foods, and nutritionally poor processed calorie infused temptations.
Ultimately we, the guardians, set the stage for our children’s future. To point the blame at the person next to us seems to be all too common of an American characteristic. While certainly no person or culture is without flaws it is a sad state to see a child’s life endangered by carelessness.
Serena Rebechini | 3 months ago
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Who Is Responsible
For every action, there is a reaction; this is true in every case, weather you claim responsibility or you pass it off to the next person, there is still a responsible party in every matter. A parents responsibility is not yelling as the child walks out the door behave yourself. It is too late, parenting is like coaching, you must have prepared for the game in practice long before the game. The game will play itself out according to the practice habits you have instilled. If they didn’t walk out of the house with the right mind, what would give them the ability to make the right choices when the time comes. The responsibility has to start somewhere. And when that happens we will grow as a human kind.
Nicholas Cornwell | 3 months ago
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How about taking responsibility?
I have been on this site for mere minutes and think the title says it all: Responsibility Project. Take responsibility. When a 14 year old weighs 555 pounds, who is responsible? I would venture to say that each case is different but that a poor example of using food as a drug is likely a common thread in these situations. I wish there were a simple answer to solve childhood obesity but it’s always going to have to start in the home and we know, adult obesity in our country is a true epidemic. Until parents take responsiblity for their use (or misuse) of food, our children will suffer.
Criminally liable for your child’s obesity? That may be going a bit too far. It’s a reactive solution not a proactive one.
Amy Nakos | 3 months ago
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Parents need to accept help that is offered
This mother doesn’t need to be arrested she needs help and education apparently. For a child to weigh that much at such an early age indicates a problem indeed.
If child welfare wants to step in and work their services, fine – and the child should be seen by a reputable pediatrician and have a full battery of tests done to get to the bottom of this problem. I think the point being brought up about your child being too thin also should be brought into play – however, we live in a society that claims you can never be too rich or too thin. Well, maybe not too rich, but too thin? Definately… so should parents of children and teens that are too thin be arrested – I guess so if they are going to contine to arrest the parents of obese children. Again, education and help are the key.
Sherry Jones | 3 months ago
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SingleMom of 3 daughters
I found out the hard way.When I was growing up I was over weight just as I am now.School had alot to tribute to that problem. Now, I have three totally different body shaped girls. Ages 11, 7 and 4. As I watch my 11 year old struggle through the harsh facts of life like boys. Has anyone actualy sat down with the children and find out how they really feel. Maybe it is not the parents. Because the school, friends, and emotions have alot to figure in. Lets face it that the children are in school for about 8 hours a day, sleeping for about another 8 sleeping, another 4 to 6 hanging with friends. I feel a whole lot more is to blame. And besides with the price of food keeps going up, money going down.
Ruby Bishop | 2 months, 4 weeks ago
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mom of a son with a disability....he is obsessed w
I have an ongoing challenge with my 288 lb son with Fragile X syndrome and food. I am a nutrition conscience person who has locks on our refrigerator, yet he is subject to outside influences such as other family members, day hab, etc…
Hard to keep under control…
I need HELP!
jill Andres | 2 months, 3 weeks ago
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Who's responsible for what
In the U.S. we live in a society where entire swathes of the country are convinced that applying discipline is child abuse, and that neglect is discipline (such that I have openly been screamed at when I’ve questioned it).
I won’t do anyone’s homework for them, but in case after case politicians and the courts have stripped parental control over their children. It’s one thing for othres to want to help parents, it’s another to usurp the ability of parents to be parents in the name of personal beliefs.
Responsibility has to go hand-in-hand with the power to act. Many states have made being a disciplining parent a grounds for losing custody, while at the same time making parents financially and criminally responsible for those children’s actions.
It’s bad enough that the second a child leaves the house and is beyond immediate parental supervision, that a myriad of other societal influences try to garner attention: T.V., movies, music, friends, all giving off messages that parents don’t know what they’re talking about. It’s worse when teachers—state employees—do the same when it comes to promoting their own values rather than those of the parents in the classroom.
Solution? Either let parents be parents again—by restoring their full, traditional parental control over their children—or, if non-parental forces are going to give children more and more autonomy in the law and in decision making, then it is they that should bear the burden (or, at the very least, offer parents help as to solve the gross inequality between parents’ powers and responsibilities).
Stewart Tylere Hart | 2 months, 3 weeks ago
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responsibility
It is so easy to blame parents. Has an yone considered the food additives like MSG. Read how it is now in all our foods and the effects
Doreen Lawrence | 2 months, 3 weeks ago
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stop child neglect
stop child neglect. you parents need to stop child neglect not only because it is illegal but it effects your child . there are plenty of people that want kids but can not have them you all should not judge your child on there weight or judge them period now i dont know what you or your family went through but never should you judge or neglect your child ………………………………………so as of today your child is more mature than you are because they ignore you are they make there self successful and soonerf or later you are gonna need them so think twice before you neglect
niya miller | 2 months, 3 weeks ago
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Singlemom of 3 daughters
I am a 12 year old girl and l am fat and all the boys but two don’t make fun of me. i feel wat our irls feel and i am sorry.
Savanna Kisicki | 2 months, 3 weeks ago
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