Mum of murdered teenager not to be investigated for negligence

[cornishdreadhead]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...308958,00.html

This is about the mother who left her 15-year-old daughter at Anjuna, in Goa, while she and the rest of the family went travelling. Apparently, she thought her daughter would be safe, because she left her with a 25-year-old tour guide.
Personally, I think this is not just naive, but shockingly negligent. Quite apart from anything else, why was she taking her 15-year-old daughter on a 6-month holiday to Goa instead of keeping her in school?
Apparently the 15 year old was last seen at a bar in the resort. Fair enough, my mother knew I had the occasional drink with friends when I was 15, but going to bars in a foreign country which is not necessarily as lawful/friendly as the UK? Fuckin ridiculous, if you ask me.
Anyway, enough of my ranting, what does everyone else think?

[gogs67]

A 15 year old that already had a history of drug abuse? Seems a bit negligent to me! Saying that, in the culture she was left in, 15 is not young compared to the UK, it's a difficult one to judge on!

[cornishdreadhead]

Notice also how the mother is supposed to be 43, but looks about 60!

[vegcurry]

Rather than passing comment on her age and appearance, perhaps you could put yourself in her shoes and consider how she is coping with the death of one of her children.

[xrodolfox]

Consider how she is coping with the death of one of her children.

What that woman did hurt her quite a lot more than the state or authorities.

Most of my friends were drug users (and occasional abusers) well before 15, and chances were that their parents would've left them behind on a vacation because the kid wouldn't go with the rest of the family. Seems rather reasonable in certain circumstances. Still a bad decision. But that's hindsight.

The mother and family needs support, not ridicule nor legal action taken against her. Reprimand, for sure... but there's time for that still.

[vegcurry]

I totally agree xrodolfox

[Roxy]

What a sad, sad, unfortunate story

[harpy]

This article in today's Guardian made some valid points about the way this type of case is reported, I thought

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/mar/12/6

[gogs67]

This article in today's Guardian made some valid points about the way this type of case is reported, I thought

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/mar/12/6

But that's always been the way the tabloid media have worked,probably from the early 80's onwards, and now, with news freely available on so many other formats, sensationalism has taken a more sinister turn to sell papers!

[harpy]

Yes, and blaming mothers for everything is certainly nothing new! (I feel entitled to say that, as a non-mother.)

Leaving a 15-year-old unsupervised mightn't be the best decision but (a) it seems unclear that she was left unsupervised and (b) I'm not sure how the mother's presence would have prevented this crime unless perhaps they had been together every minute of every day, which doesn't often happen with 15-year-olds and their parents.

There seems to be a suggestion that the local authorities have been slinging some mud to divert attention from their own alleged omissions, doesn't there?

[sandra]

I wouldn't leave a 15 year old child in those circumstances..............I think the mother was irresponsible.

[harpy]

Perhaps she was, but if so I'd say she's suffering for it now, without everyone having a go at her as well.

[sandra]

This is true Harpy. I think though if it was me I would feel that any criticism I received was rightly deserved.
There is a reason that children are not deemed 'adult' until they are 18, it is the parents responsibility to insure their safety at all times.
I do feel very sorry for the mother of course, and would not wish to add to her grief but I'm sure nothing could make her feel any worse than she does already. She will regret her actions for the rest of her life, poor woman.

[cobweb]

ooh, it's tricky - at 16 you can leave home and get married with parental consent, can't you? - and that's only a year (or less) older than this girl.

It's hard to imagine travelling round whilst your 'child' is left behind like that, but, there again, i remember being left at home for whole weekends by that age on my own, that's how i wanted it, too - was already working by then and preparing to leave home. I couldn't be told anything by my parents and was just lucky nothing so serious happened to me.

[Fungus]

well, I know any 15 yr old would want to be away from their parents ..
But I dont think thats the point; this was in a totally foreign country afaik and in a bad area and left alone for a long time, I obviously dont know how certain people react but I know most people wouldnt really be responsible enough.
But then again, she was staying with people and I dont think we should be questioning peoples' actions when whats done is done I guess.