Way To Go Texas

I don't know how many of you follow the news... but a local story for Houston has hit the national airways because of the absurdity of what happened. Last week, a major fire broke out at an at-home day care center that was caring for 7 children between the ages of 18 months to 3 years. Four of those children perished in the fire... which is tragic enough... but it gets worse.

As the story and investigation developed, we learned that the 22 year old lady running the day care center actually left those children alone to go to the grocery store... and at that she left them alone with a pot of oil heating on an electric stove! She returned home to find the house on fire, and then asked the neighbors for help.

Today the news broke that they would be filing charges against her for this, and at the close of the business day - it was reported that this woman has fled the country to Nigeria.

There is so much wrong with this story - and as a mother who leaves her children in the care of an at-home day care... I feel the need to put my opinion out there in the interwebs.

I can't imagine what the parents of the babies that were lost are going through - I mean you leave your most precious gift in the care of someone that you trust to look after them while you are at work... and the most unthinkable thing happens.

1) I'm not 100% sure that a 22 year old is mature enough to take care of 7 toddlers on their own... heck - I'm not even sure that I'm mature enough!

2) Really, in what crazy world does a person think it's okay to leave a child in a home alone?! Much less 7 of them! I mean I barely even feel comfortable taking a shower while my kids are awake... for the fear that something will happen to them!

3) So, idiot lady... you leave the kids home alone... but what in the heck were you thinking leaving oil (or anything else for that matter) cooking on the stove unsupervised while you left to go to the store!? I mean really, were you that hungry for something fried?

4) And to the State of Texas and the City of Houston... are you freaking kidding me?! You let the news break that this chick was going to be facing charges... and you didn't have her in custody already?! What did you think she was going to do? She's 22, and dumb enough to set these circumstances in motion... like a friend of mine said - I can't wait to see how the mayor explains this one away.

5) To the FAA... so, for me to get on a flight to anywhere outside of Houston - I have to go through a body scan and all sorts of other humiliating forms of security... but you can't prevent someone that is about to be charged with any sorts of crimes from skipping the country?!

Anyone else feel like beating your head against a brick wall at the colossal failure on so many levels? I'm heart broken for the families of the babies that were lost, and the three that still remain in the hospital tonight... I pray that no more babies lose their lives over this. I also pray that this woman pays a hefty penalty both on Earth and in the next life...

I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that even though I trust my babysitter completely - it was hard for me to leave my boys with her the last couple of days while this story gets more and more horrific. I know that she'd NEVER do something like that - but how can you truly protect your children if you're not the one caring for them? It's hard, being a parent today... on many different levels. It's a good thing that I know our Ms. Amanda better than these parents probably knew their baby sitter... and I know that she loves my boys very much.