Dawn Torrence Ireland

[color=black:d1f005a67e]We had an Amber Alert this week for a 11 month girl, Harmony Jade, who had been reported missing from her crib. Supposedly taken through a window in the nursery during the night, along with half her clothes. Her dad came back from Iraq that night, her mom was home raising 1 or 2 other kids. The alert went on for days and we all prayed for little, Jade. I was telling Craig "at least they took half of her clothes with her, so they must intend to take care of her". Wrong.

They found the baby's body in the parent's attic yesterday. Apparently she was killed weeks ago, they haven't said how yet. The mom has been arrested, the dad is a wreck, you could hear the grandmother hysterical on the 911 call to report her missing.

This mom carried baby Jade for 9 months, took care of her for 11 months and then killed her. I don't understand how someone can be so cold and cruel to their own child, then to torment their husband and family and the entire community and worse, to live in a house with her baby's body that was starting to smell and the neighbor's were commenting on how there was an odd smell and no one could figure out what it was. And raising other kids there too.

I get that parenting can be hard, there were many days and nights I didn't think I'd make it through taking care of Shane... but I wouldn't have traded a second of it and would have done it for a 100 years with a smile upon my face. I get that sometimes parents are tired and overworked. But dear God, someone please explain to me why a woman who can do that gets to be a mom and most of us have lost our children and even a couple of us will probably never get to have more children. I just don't understand why God would give a child to someone capable of that, when there are so many of us who would love a child, who fought for our children, who still fight for our children.

She'll probably get out of any real jail time by claiming insanity or post-partum depression (not bashing PPD, I realize it's a real problem - but it's not an excuse for murder). My ex-husband and I looked into adoption a bit after Shane died when a co-worker's 14 yr old daughter got pregnant and she decided she wanted us to have the baby. She changed her mind a week later. It was pretty painful, but anyway, looked into the adoption thing a little bit and at the time we were told most adoption companies in the U.S. wouldn't take us because we were grieving parents and "unstable". Not sure how true that was. So this is our system here in this country - 2 people who had a home and a lot of love to offer a baby couldn't get one, but a woman who murders her own baby will probably spend a few years in a mental institution and then will get visitation with her other kids.

I turn 34 next week, Craig turns 40 soon. I have a history of infertility issues and 9 miscarriages, plus one very sick little boy. Craig has had a vasectomy. Add in my brother becoming a grandfather when I'm still trying to just have be a mom to earthly angels. Major baby self pity party here and we're not even trying for a baby, and won't be anytime soon (marriage comes first). But it really, really upset me to learn about what happened to Jade. I'm having a hard time understanding God's call on this one.

Ok, done venting. I know you all understand.

Dawn[/color:d1f005a67e]