Saturday, May 16, 2009

Salt Lake Trib Public Forum Letter

"I have sympathy for the woman in Eagle Mountain who lost her children to the state for neglect ("Kids found in dirty home, Mom arrested," Tribune , May 9). From all that was reported, there was definite neglect on her part.

However, it appears that she was a victim herself. Her husband was in prison and she was trying to cope with responsibilities for the family. She needed help long before the state Department of Child and Family Services was called.

If she had gotten some help earlier would things have been different? In most of our neighborhoods we claim to be Christians, who have an obligation to help the poor and downtrodden. Did this woman have no friends? No neighbors who had been in her home and seen the circumstances? No priest or bishop? No one to talk to? No one to teach her, to bless her, to pray for her? This woman had no one to trust and ask for the help she needed.

Where was the real neglect in the first place?

Lynn Roe

South Jordan"

***AS PRINTED IN THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE***

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