Poor Parenting

Early this year, I read about the parents of Benjamin Sargent leaving him strapped in his seat inside the car for 8 days with no water, food or change of diapers. I was shocked that any parent would be that careless, irresponsible and wicked.
What were the parents doing for 8 days that they didnt hear their son crying for help. I thought it cannot happen in this part of the world and dismissed it until today when an incident occured in central Lagos.
My car has been having some mechanical issues even after routine maintenance few days ago. So for these 2 days, yesterday and today, i went out using cabs. Well cabs can only stop at a distance and most times cant drive through busy areas. Today I happened to go to such busy areas, an open market so I did a lot of walking.
Along the way a child that could barely walk, ran past me into the main road and the mother was busy peeling pineapples for customers.
People shouted at the mother and another passerby ran and picked the child away from harm's way. The mother barely looked from what she was doing.When the child was deposited at her side, she drop what she was doing then and started beating the little boy. We all were shocked at her attitude and she only said the boy had been warned not to cross the road. Ha! Hello! We are talking about a 2 YEAR OLD boy that cant talk well and now being made to act like a grown up to know what is right and wrong. 'Na wah' meaning unbelievable!

  
Tracy Hermann and James E Sargent

Away from this part of the world. a five months old boy was shockingly left in a car seat for 8 days unattended to. The boy was BENJAMIN SARGENT. The boy was left in the car by his parents. Below is part of the report:

5-month-old Benjamin Sargent was dropped off at his parents’ house strapped into his car seat. Eight days later, he was found in the same position. Benjamin died from an infection caused by the feces in his diaper that eventually ate through his skin, resulting from lying in his own waste, which had not been changed or attended to in 8 days.  His ‘parents’, Tracy Hermann and James Sargent, not only neglected to change their infant son, but neglected to feed him as well.  The 5 month old baby boy only weighed 2 lbs. more than what he weighed at birth.
Benjamin Sargent died with his eyes open, fists clenched and strapped into a car seat after eight days without food or water.

Now what could distract two parents so much that they fail to even remove their son from his car seat, let alone forget about him for eight days?  Not 8 hours o! Tracy D. Hermann, 21, and James E. Sargent, 23, parent of the boy couldnt say it was the video games they played throughout the week and the loud music that drown out the cries from the baby who was starved of food and love and sitting in his own waste.

It’s the worst case of child neglect we have seen since the turn of this century, 

State’s Attorney Kevin Lyons made the above statement when he heard about the case.  Lyons said the death of Benjamin Sargent had rattled him and went on to say the parents simply left Benjamin in his crib, strapped in the seat, while they played video games, slept and ate.

When he was interviewed earlier, Sargent told the Police that he had moved the baby “once or twice,” but later conceded that he might not have moved Benjamin at all during the week.  Meanwhile the mother, Tracy’s last contact with her son was the night before police were notified. Can you imagine that?
She allegedly told police she “looked at the baby in the crib and presumed he was sleeping" so she said she stuck a bottle between the baby and the side of the car seat so that when he woke up, he could grab it and feed himself.

When hearing this in court, Lyons simply stated “In case the court had missed it earlier, Benjamin Sargent was five months old,”, staring directly at Hermann.  Tracy claimed that Benjamin was not her duty and that it was James’ responsibility.

Why did these two, Tracy D. Hermann, 21, and James E. Sargent, 23, were allowed to have children if they were not ready or matured enough for parenthood?  I am sure neighbors and friends even family knew they were not up to the task but they did not say anything. It was so horrible the way the boy died. According to the State Attorney, the action of the parents was brutal, heinous and indicative of wanton cruelty.

Both parents were charged with two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to maximum of 100 years for the father and 50 years for the mother.
Yes, they may have been sentenced but that will not bring back the innocent boy.
I pray parents whether in Africa or America will learn to care for their children especially when they are still young. I know being a mum is a calling, but we can call ourselves by praying for guidance from God and the Holy Spirit.

Its so unfortunate this happened but I know if it was in this Country, the boy would have not died. I know we can be careless like that woman at Oke - Arin market but the people around you will not allow the child to come to any harm. To us it takes a whole community to raise a child. We don't mind our business and are always very curious. Someone would have gone to the car to check if something is suspected.You may call us busy-bodies but we are always looking out for one another.