This happened less than a mile away from my house. It's pretty disturbing and hearing this woman on the 911 call was very erie.

I hope that one day, I am blessed with a family. I can't (and won't) understand how a mother could do this to her child. I believe that people really do have mental problems, but I'm sick of society allowing people to use them as a scapegoat for murder. If this woman is convicted, they will probably just send her to some mental hospital for the rest of her life. If I were that judge, I'd say screw the hospital and grab a branch. Depression doesn't make you want to kill your child, it makes you want to kill yourself, and frankly the world would be a lot better off without people like her.

What killed me is that Texas Child Protective services wasn't quite sure whether they would take the other children out of the home while an investigation took place. Excuse me? Better safe than sorry, I say.

The Texas Child Protective or whatever they call themselves isn't exactly the model agency though. There have been numerous problems with this agency in the Dallas area alone.

On my way to work this morning, I passed the apartment complex where the baby was killed and there are flowers all over the place.

While I share the disgust and outrage that all of you are voicing, I couldn't read your comments without feeling compelled to respond. I am a psychiatric clinician, and I perform emergency psychiatric evaluations in an emergency room. When we evaluate the risk posed by a psychotic or potentially psychotic patient, many factors are taken into consideration. Everyone in my field knows that, without a doubt, women suffering from postpartum depression (and potentially postpartum psychosis) are at the highest risk of any patients we see. You are all correct in asserting that depression doesn't make a mother want to kill her child - but psychosis (a complete break from reality) can and often does. Severe depression can be accompanied by psychosis, and the psychosis can develop very quickly and without warning. It is not easy to anticipate a psychotic break, even if you've seen similar cases before. This is the reason that screening for postpartum depression needs to be part of the discharge planning for every new mother and be incorporated into her new baby's regular well-baby checkups.

As for Child Protective Services, I cannot speak to that. They never seem to be very good in any state, do they? It's a tragedy and a travesty. It didn't need to happen. This woman needs to be held legally responsible for her actions to the extent that she is deemed competent. If she is found not to have been psychotic, I hope she fries.

I read this yesterday, but couldn't bring myself to blog about it. Perhaps because I have an 11-month-old daughter this story really shook me up.

Child Protective Services aren't very good in California either. But I know part of the reason. Most child agencies are very underfunded. And a large part of whatever budget that they do have goes to pay layer-upon-layer of supervisory bureaucrats that don't come anywhere near children.

I think they should kill the bitch. But first lets cut off her arms.

When I first read this story, I was in shock and tried to think of some possible explanation. As a mother of three, I can't imagine, even in my most trying times, actually going thru the motions of a crime as hideous as this. Yes, children (especially young ones) can bring you to the brink of many thoughts, but that is what separates humans from animals. She should get life - the inmates in prison will give her just due.

I believe this woman deserves the death penalty, there is no excuse for such a horrible crime. Just as it says in the bible eye for an eye!

When a woman has postpartum depression or psychosis she cannot be held liable for her actions. I had postpartum depression after my third child. I felt overwhelmed. After that I had 5 more children but never had the depression again. My daughter had postpartum depression and felt like killing herself and her two children. It wasn't really postpartum depression but the medicine she was taking that gave her hallucinations. She stopped the medicine and I stayed with her for a week. Luckily the symptoms disappeared. Her doctor said the medicine wouldn't cause hallucinations but my daughter worked for a pharmacist and he said it definitely could. I also checked the Physicians Desk Reference and it said the same thing.

Another daughter works for the Children's Protective Services in Texas. It is not easy to remove a child from his or her home. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Everyone knows there are bad parents but what about the foster homes?? Are they any better??And have any of you ever offered to be foster parents?? There aren't enough foster homes for all these kids. Have you volunteered for a child abuse prevention program in your home town? Do you support child abuse and neglect prevention programs with money if you're not able to give your time?

As the mother of a 10 month old infant, I can't begin to articulate how sickened I am by the heinous nature of this crime. The only thing I can think about is how that poor child suffered the last moments of her life. How a mother can commit such an evil act, and, ironically, in the name of God, against her own child is beyond my comprehension. And how a father could ignore the warning signs that resulted in the death of his child is equally despicable. I grieve for Margaret and all the children who suffer at the hands of evil caregivers.

Hey Mary,

When you had postpartum depression, did you happen to slice your kid's arms off? Or drown the rest in a bathtub? Or roll them down an embankment while they were strapped in the car?No? Oh, OK. So, if you were depressed and managed not to kill any of your children, then you know that these women have an idea of what is right and wrong. They SHOULD be held accountable for their actions.

I am a mother of a nine month old beautiful son and I praise God for him everyday.There are people out there who are dying to be parents and then you have some pathetic woman to do this to her own child. I hope she rots for the rest of her natural life. And I pray for the 11 month old in her last moments, she did not deserve this at all. Who gave Dena Schlosser the right to take her child's life.
LCA

Hey Catherine,

I am right their with you. I find no excuse not even mental for this or anyones behavior. I have 3 children of my own. I could not even imagine bringing any harm to them. I live in Plano and have a dear friend that lives in the building right across from where this happened. I drove their today to get my friend for lunch and knowing what happened in that apartment just made me sick. I will be so angry if she gets off to insanity. She KNEW very well what she was doing. I say no trial, why? It is a waste of time. Do away with her now. No, maybe let her sit in prison for awhile and let the inmates have their way with her. Make her suffer. I believe a tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye and an arm for an arm.

Today there was a private graveside serivce for baby Margaret Elizabeth. God bless you little one and now you are in a wonderful place where no one can ever hurt you. I know we are all angry. Lets pray for the older 2 sisters. God Bless!

I am disgusted by this mother and what she has done. I have two of my own children, and yes they can make me crazy. But not once did I think of bringing pain, agony, or harm to them. They are babies for God's Sake.. I think that insanity is too easy.. If you think about it, all criminals are insane. A sane person avoids crime and it's consequences. A sane person does not cause this kind of terror to anyone, not to mention their own flesh and blood. How could you look into the eyes of an inocent baby and inflict the kind of torture this mother has? Imagine the last moments and all of you pesimists might feel Margaret's pain.

As heinous as this crime is and in spite of the fact that I can not come close to imagining what would drive a parent--especially mother--to do such a thing, I do know what suffering from depression is like. It's a living hell, mostly because you know your pain and suffering is hurting your family.

I simply suggest this, that all of you holier-than-thou "mad mothers" look up the definition of psychosis. This woman is not shouting, "I'm crazy so I killed my child." She's not making excuses. It's the media and society, people familiar with such cases and recognize her symptoms for what they are. Stop being so cruel and judgemental, because we'll all be judged for that.

Do I think this is an excuse for her not to pay or suffer? No, but I am of the opinion that there's is nothing "man" can do to make her suffer anymore than she already has or will once she regains her sanity--if she does. However, I think people who are so severely mentally ill are the ones who should be locked up and possibly not ever released. If they are capable of murder at their worst moments, then you can't risk returning them to the streets for the simple fact you can't guarantee they'll stay on their meds or continue treatment.

NOTHING EVER BOTHERS ME... BUT THIS?! MY HEART IS LITERALLY ACHING AND MY STOMACH IS SICK FOR WHAT THIS BEAUTIFUL, PRECIOUS LITTLE BABY GIRL WENT THROUGH JUST PRIOR TO LEAVING THIS EVIL WORLD. I PRAY THE BODY SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY AND SHE DIDN'T FEEL MUCH PAIN. GOOD-BYE LITTLE ONE. I KNOW WITHOUT A SHRED OF DOUBT IN MY HEART THAT MARGARET IS RIGHT NOW IN THE PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD AND BEHOLDS HIS FACE AND WILL NEVER, NEVER, NEVER BE SAD OR UNHAPPY AGAIN. NOR WILL SHE HAVE ANY SORT OF EVIL VISIT HER AGAIN OR SHED EVEN A SINGLE TEAR THAT WILL ROLL DOWN HER CHEEK AGAIN. NOW SHE WALKS WITH THE LORD JESUS. WHEN SHE MET HIM I BELIEVE HE RAN TO HER AND HUGGED HER AND KISSED HER FACE ALL UP. WHAT SHE IS EXPERIENCING NOW IS SO AWESOME THE HUMAN MIND CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO FATHOM OR IMAGINE THE BEAUTY AND PEACE OF THAT PLACE. AS FOR THE MONSTER POSING AS HER MOTHER, I DON'T HAVE MUCH SYMPATHY AT ALL. I'M SORRY. SHE MUST ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE UNBELIEVABLE ACTIONS.

Dena Scholsser must absolutely stand trial for her actions. She should he held accountable for what she did when she can understand the enormity of the crime.

However, to everyone who says "I'm a parent and I can't imagine ever killing one of my children just because I'm sad", I say this: Of course you can't imagine it. A healthy, rational person will never be able to understand the irrational decisions made by someone suffering from a psychotic disorder; someone who does not think, feel or perceive things like a mentally healthy person does.

Symptoms of psychotic disorders can disappear with treatment and resurface without warning, so lets not be too quick to judge the guilt of John Schlosser, of Texas CPS or of the mental health professionals who treated this woman for her symptoms back when her baby was born and declared her stable.

We will never understand it. So, maybe we should focus, instead, on making sure that she is held appropriately accountable and on educating women, families and ourselves about the dangers of mental illness. We're all horrified, so lets do something to stop these crimes from hapenning.

good bye, dear one. I am so saddened that this world failed you when you needed it most.

little margaret elizabeth, dear, sweet, and oh so innocent little one. how you suffered none of us can even begin to imagine. we are so sorry--we are so so sorry for what has happened to you. if only we could have been there, we would have wrapped ourselves around you and protected you from such harm.

i will keep your soul in my prayers always, and i will never forget your name.

Ya'll women are some unstable creatures. My girlfriend is clinically psycho too, and quite frankly scares the shit out of me. Why are ya'll so fucked up all the time???

Death penalty. There is no excuse acceptable at all. An eye for an eye. Electric chair is the only answer

I am a registered nurse on the night shift in an ICU in the New Orleans area.I was surfing the web and ran across this site with the comments that have been posted.Yes, I think what has happened is awful, but where does anyone get off sitting in judgement of this pathetic woman. I have taken care of many individuals suffering from full blown psychosis, and believe me, at the time, they are OUT OF THEIR MINDS, totally disconnected from reality.So, lay off- society as a whole needs a thorough education on this issue.

It is very sad and disturbing what happened to that baby girl, but what disturbs me even more is the mob mentality that courses through most of these postings. Burn her! Kill her! What makes you any better than her if those are the only solutions you can come up with. What this woman needs more than anything is help. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.

I happened across this website and would like to add that maybe it would just be best to lock the woman up in a padded cell for a couple of years and treat her condition with the available medication and during her time of recovery glue pictures of her armless bloody daughter and pictures of her with the blood all over her ALL over the wall preferably up too high for her to reach. Then she can see on a daily basis what she has done. Leave her like this for at least two years Then when she is at herself and realizes what she did to her child, Tie her up and SLOWLY cut her arms OFF and Sing to her the song HE TOUCHED ME WITH EVERY LITTLE SLICE. Prevent her from bleeding to death and when her arms are cut off beat the hell out of her untill she is bludgeoned to death.

Thanks

I remember the first time I heard what this woman had done. I cried and my stomach was so very sick. My spirit mourned for this baby. I believe like many of you that she is with our Heavenly Father. I also believe that the spiritual world is far more complex than we can ever begin to imagine and that some depressions and psychotic episodes can be an expression of demonic enslavement. How great Satan must feel to see his handywork reaping additional evil with each and every horrible curse uttered about this very pitiful woman. I for one will pray for her to regain her sanity and to find some way to redeem herself. Certainly she belongs in a safe place. Safe for her and those around her. Dear Lord Jesus touch this woman and help her in only the way that you can. Soften the hearts of those who have eyes to see and ears to hear about her and give them the grace to say a prayer for this woman, this family, this world. Give us all knowledge and understanding of such unjustness. Help us to be peaceful. Create in us a desire to be more like you. Amen.

There is nothing a baby can do to deserve that kind of barbaric treatment. I was absolutely sick when I heard of it. I pray the baby went into shock immediately and didn't feel the incredible pain of having her arms cut off.

One day, this mother is going to wake up and realize what she did and she is never going to be able to forget it. For now, if in the midst of psychosis, she is most likely blissfully unaware. Once the medications kick in, she is going to have to face the enormity of what she has done to one of her own. That is severe punishment in and of itself, but I hope it doesn't stop there. I think she truly needs to pay for this crime. I don't think she should get an easy deal, whether insane or not. Just because she's sick doesn't excuse what's happened and what she did to this poor baby. I had post partum depression with both my children. Thank God it didn't turn into something more, but thankfully, I had early and aggressive treatment. I'm sorry Dena didn't, but just because she didn't does NOT excuse what she's done and I hope she pays the full price. Until we stop making excuses for these people, we will never stop hearing about these horrors.
What's up down south anyway? Something in the water driving these people nuts or what?

This woman doesn't need help at all, she should pay for her crimes...postpartum my behind...I had postpartum but it didn't make me do any harm to my baby....Dena Schlosser should never see the world again nor her kids....I pray that God grants Margaret Elizabeth love and peace and to her family she left behind, hope this woman Dena Schlosser who says is her mother, is miserable for the rest of her life....no pity for her, I cry for Margaret Elisabeth....

Abby Banks

Abraham was told to kill his son Isaac. He only stopped the murder because an angel told him not to kill the boy.

Maybe Dena didn't have an angel telling her to stop.

Word on the web is that her family attended a church will a very strong minister. Women are just "jezebel's" to him. Also religious music was playing in the background.

I have heard so many different things about this horrible tragedy, but the truth of the matter is that there is no excuse for harming a child, none what so ever. If Dena was so depressed, why did she not kill herself? I cannot imagine the pain this little girl felt as she looked up into the face of the woman who was supposed to protect her. I can only hope that Dena realizes what she has done, and that our justice system will prevail and this monster will get the harshest penalty, if she doesn't than that is telling women that it is ok to maim our children, as long as they suffer from post partum depression. Women have babies every day, and we all have suffered depression at one time or another. Yet we did not harm or kids, there is no excuse for Dena, Andrea Yates, or Susan Smith, they should receive the same punishment they inflicted on their children instead of getting a place to sleep and 3 meals a day at taxpayers expense. I pray that Margeret is finally free from pain, and is with God.

In response to: ANOMAR's previous post.

"Family says 'Church a factor' in baby's death"
is the Headline of todays article, by Lisa Falkenberg (AP).
(Daytona Beach News-Journal.(print edition)

Father-in-law said: "I don't think there is any question that what we saw happen here is known as postpartum psychosis. But that doesn't mean there aren't dynamics in force to push this person toward the psychotic break".

"Dena Schlosser was dangerously consumed by a self-described prophet and his church, according to members of her family".

"I'm an apostle and I'm a prophet", Doyle Davidson, the 72 year old minister said.
Davidson is the founder of the Water of Life Ministries in the early 1980's in Dallas, Texas.

Davidson was involved in an excorcism recently that nearly killed a female member of his church but the couple refused to press charges.

He was charged with 'public intoxification', then failed to appear and was found guilty.

Davidson said.."God will clear my record"..(?)

Google search below address for 'his story'.
http://www.doyledavidson.com/news/index.htm

Also if you go to dentonrc.com (newspaper) and do a search on Dena Schlosser you will pull up many article's concerning this tragic incident.

FYI: The older children are currently in State custody.

Insanity Plea = The Devil made me do it!

(aka..Doyle Davidson's devil's made me do it)

You people who have commented seem pretty unforgiving. I admit this was tragic for this child and I am sure the child didn't deserve this fate but what about some compassion for this woman who is obviously suffering from some sort of mental psychosis, after all can you imagine anyone in their right mind putting a baby through such suffering.

There is a difference between postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. Alot of us are saying "I had postpartum and I didn't hurt my kids." I'm one of those who had postpartum depression. Fortunately, it was recognized early and treated before it developed into psychosis. Postpartum depression is common. It doesn't involve a break with reality. Postpartum psychosis does, though and it seems obvious that Dena was suffering with this when she decided to cut her baby's arms off. It seems Andrea Yates suffered the same condition. As I said in my previous email, it's sad that these women become afflicted in such ways, but it doesn't mean they should get away with murder. The more we use the excuse as a way to defend them, the more we will continue to see this sort of thing occur. I sympathize with their plight, but it ends there. They still need to face STIFF penalties for what they did and I would be enraged to hear if any one of them gets a short, easy sentence. I know they're sick. I don't care. They have no right to be amongst the free if they did something as heinous as these women did. The kids they harmed have NO life. Why should they get to walk around free for any length of time? They shouldn't. The only justification for a short sentence in my mind is self defense. If you harm, you pay. Pure and simple. If you harm and did it because it was either that or you die, that's one thing. Obviously, none of these children ever threatened to kill their mothers, therefore, there is no justifiable excuse. Also, from what I read, each of these women knew what they had done was wrong. Insanity defenses are based on the assumption that the perpetrator doesn't make that distinction, they don't know the difference. When they do know it's wrong, crazy or not, they're guilty!

I have two little boys 1 1/2 and 5 months and the only thing I can say is there isn't that much postpartum depression in the world that would make you do such a horrific act to your child.

It breaks my heart that the little girl lost her life that way, but one thing for sure and two for certain she will not have to suffer anymore. Remember this "God does not like ugly and could care less about pretty" and children are our gifts that he gives us that we are supposed to care for and nurture just as our mothers and fathers have done for us. That baby will not suffer any more Thank God, but as for the mother she's going to suffer for the rest of her being here on earth.

I have two little boys 1 1/2 and 5 months and the only thing I can say is there isn't that much postpartum depression in the world that would make you do such a horrific act to your child.

It breaks my heart that the little girl lost her life that way, but one thing for sure and two for certain she will not have to suffer anymore. Remember this "God does not like ugly and could care less about pretty" and children are our gifts that he gives us that we are supposed to care for and nurture just as our mothers and fathers have done for us. That baby will not suffer any more Thank God, but as for the mother she's going to suffer for the rest of her being here on earth.

Most of the post's here seem to be what I would call "action & reaction/ary"....

Why not focus instead on the principal's of...."Cause & Effect"?

God seems to have been present, in the background, in this case as well as in the case of Andrea Yates.

I wonder why this is so and if there is a latent connection contributing to the "Cause & Effect" that leads up to these sort's of "Action's & Reaction's".

Any Idea's....?

Post Partum psychosis, that's bogus.....Dena Schlosser needs to face her crimes for the so called human being she is supposed to be....tell me, how one can standing or sitting over her little Margaret Elizabeth hearing her scream as her so called mother takes the life out of her...it's sickening to see opinions of those who think we should help Dena, past surgery or whatever, she needs to face the music and deal with what she did.....who was there for Margaret Elizabeth in her last moments....and I pray to God that John Schlosser doesn't get his 6 and 9 year old daughters back, he should be held accountable for knowing the fact...may justice be served and Dena Schlosser pay ....death penalty would be the easy way out, no she should stay awake every waking hour and listen to her baby scream 24/7.....I am so sorry the Schlosser sisters and especially for Margaret Elizabeth for the world failed to protect you from monsters who was to nurture....many hugs and kisses to you Margaret Elizabeth ( I have a nine month old son whom I love with my own life and it hurts me when I have to raise my voice to him when I need him to behave.....).....

love you Margaret Elizabeth ...I said a little prayer for you every day,

Lindsay

is it possible for you to forgive this woman who has done this? could it be that if you cannot then you have something inside you that is the same as what drove her to commit this act? i dont know, i only know that there are many people who can condemn other people to death but cannot bring themselves to "flip the switch". just ask any of the hooded corrections officers who have to participate in the "death penalty".

to all those who try to support Dena, it is so wrong what she did regardless the sanity and the postpartum and her so called post surgery

the death penalty is an easy way out, she should have to face every day of her existing pathetic life coping with the facts of her horrible crime.....

Margaret Elizabeth did not come into this world to be killed by a monster.....

psycho or not, Dena needs to stand trial and take it like a human being, medicated or not

Mallory

to all those who try to support Dena, it is so wrong what she did regardless the sanity and the postpartum and her so called post surgery

the death penalty is an easy way out, she should have to face every day of her existing pathetic life coping with the facts of her horrible crime.....

Margaret Elizabeth did not come into this world to be killed by a monster.....

psycho or not, Dena needs to stand trial and take it like a human being, medicated or not

Mallory

Mallory...

I am also certain that Dena did not come into this world so that, years later, she could kill her child Margeret Elizabeth.

But she did!

So why did she????

Understanding something is not the same as supporting it.

what is there to understand, this monster took a life, it was not hers to take....support and love is for Margaret Elizabeth not for Dena Schlosser, I am with Mallory.....

Some folks seek understanding and other's don't.

It's all well and good that you grieve for the one
that is no longer with us, but what will that
accomplish? Nothing that's what!

I ask what motivates someone to do such a heinous
act and you have no answer/s. Why is that?

Well maybe after you are finished with venting
your outrage you will think more about what's
behind these sort of 'human atrocitie's'.

Or, most likely, you will simply move on to other
human atrocities and continue to vent emotions and
never really think, about..."WHY"

I think that woman who called herself that poor little babies mother needs to have the same thing done to her......... post pardum depression is such bull shit..... i got depressed after having both my kids but the thought of cutting their arms off or even hurting them in any way never crossed my mind. i just wish someone would have gotten there before this happend to that poor baby... and there is an article that claims this woman as a "gental soul" well im sorry but there is nothing gental about that bitch...... i hope she gets what is coming to her in prison.....

Then I suggest that you volunteer to be "The One"
to 'cut off Dena's arms'.

Could you 'deal with that' Diane?

In fact, you could shove Dena's arm's down her
throat while you are 'at it'.

Could you deal with that Diane?

Or is it easier to let 'someone else' to do your
dirty work....

'S'

Then I suggest that you volunteer to be "The One"
to 'cut off Dena's arms'.

Could you 'deal with that' Diane?

In fact, you could shove Dena's arm's down her
throat while you are 'at it'.

Could you deal with that Diane?

Or is it easier to let 'someone else' do your
dirty work....

'S'

im sorry but so many texas mothers have been killing their children that im wondering if they are insane or not getting treatment they need and WHY ARENT THEY???? I had ppd with my kids and never once thought of killing or hurting them, so i think its not just ppd but heck maybe it is all cult related and im so surprised the fathers arent more involved. This womans mugshot even looks spooky like shes got a half smile on her face.....this woman called 911 so she wasnt as delusional as not to have known what she was doing and that leaves me to believe it was premeditated

im sorry but so many texas mothers have been killing their children that im wondering if they are insane or not getting treatment they need and WHY ARENT THEY???? I had ppd with my kids and never once thought of killing or hurting them, so i think its not just ppd but heck maybe it is all cult related and im so surprised the fathers arent more involved. This womans mugshot even looks spooky like shes got a half smile on her face.....this woman called 911 so she wasnt as delusional as not to have known what she was doing and that leaves me to believe it was not just mental illness but something more evil inside her. too many of these women use ppd as an excuse but guess what.... it isnt any different than a serial killer to me that is also just as sick in the head but they still deserve to get punished it wasnt a freak accident it wasnt a merciful way to kill anything or anyone its plain evil

Diane if you want to hold her down first, we can each take a turn cutting her arms off. For anyone to sit and say that this bitch should not be held completely responsible and should not be put to death is absolutely ignorant. If - and that is a big IF- postpartum depression is what actually caused this or even if it psychosis, who in the hell wants this cunt running around in 5 or 10 years after the mental hospital? So she can have more kids? People should need a god damn license to have kids!!!

Listen up people. There is a huge difference between post-partum depression and post-partum psychosis. I have never heard of anyone who is depressed hearing voices. When you are hearing voices telling you to do something you have a major problem and the other side of the problem is you don't know you have a problem. I know about child abuse. My grandson was a victim and he was left blind as an indirect result. This happened over 30 years ago. 24 years ago I started a crisis nursery for the prevention of child abuse and neglect in El Paso, TX. We try to reach out before the abuse occurs. We're not always successful but we keep trying. You cannot reach a mother who is having post-partum psychosis. She doesn't know how sick she is.

I realize there is a big difference between postpartum depression and psychosis. I still say that, regardless, a person who committs such a terrible act should NOT be allowed to go to treatment and get out any time soon. I believe that regardless of whether they get the treatment they need or not, they still need to pay the penalty for murder, which is exactly what this was. If I had done such a thing, I'd probably be spending the rest of my life in prison. If she goes to a treatment facility, which I agree she needs, once they deem her fit to be discharged, she should then go to prison. I don't advocate death for her as many here do. Mental illness is a mitigating factor, however she shouldn't have the quality of life afforded to persons who refrain from murder. Her daughter will never be able to live out her life. Why should Dena be able to do so with any quality besides what prison has to offer?

I'm surprised and dismayed at the ignorance and violent mentality in some of the comments posted here...those of Diane and Kelly, for example.
I'm not saying that Dena Schlosser shouldn't be punished for what she did. Of course she should be held accountable. And I agree that, if she is ever stable enough to be released from getting treatment for her illness, she should go straight to prison to serve her sentence. She certainly won't see her other children again.

But for anyone to say that they would just like to saw her arms of themselves makes them just as sick and depraved as she is...maybe even more. Dena Schlosser's horrific, violent act was the result of a psychotic break from reality.

All of you who say "burn her, kill her, fry her, chop her up", what's your excuse for being violent? Healthy, intelligent people would not sink to the level of a mentally ill murderer, so get a grip.

Also, Dena did NOT call 911 herself. A friend of the family did after John Schlosser asked her to check in on Dena.

You make a lot of sense, Lynette. I, too, wonder what is up with seemingly rational people saying such irrational things.

I would never want to hurt Dena. I just think she needs to be somewhere where she can never hurt another person again. I realize she may recover from her present illness, but I would never feel comfortable knowing she could hurt another child.

This woman was not rationally thinking, she couldnt have been, but that doesnt mean that what she did should be somehow deemed approtiate actions for a irrational crazy woman, all of you who say that well she was depressed or whatever, and she should get help and all that, i dissagree, i say she should ger the freaking electric chair, something very painful that lasts a while, thats sick what she did, and she should pay for it mojorly, can you oimagine the pain she put her child a BABY through and then freaking watched it cry and bleed, thats just too much for me, she should die herself.

i live in plano, a couple of miles away from the apartments where this tragedy happened. my friend's dad was one of the police officers that found margaret. he got a call that a lady cut off her daugther's arms. he went into the apartments and found the lifeless armless baby girl in the crib covered in blood. just picture that your mind: an 11 month old baby girl dead in her crib, no arms, covered in blood...this story was all over the news in plano. everyone mourned for margaret. i don't understand how people can feel sorry for dena. she obviously knew what she was doing. i just don't get how in the hell can you do that to your own child. and when they played the 911 call on the news the operator said what happened? and when i heard dena say in the calm evil voice: i cut her arms off. i broke down crying.
why are people mourning for dena i don't get why people want her to seek help and they want her to get healthy. and just beause she is "insane" doesn't mean she should get off the hook. she cut off her 11 month old daughter's arms off. i could never imagine killing a child, nevertheless my own, watching her suffer and scream covered in her own blood. the excuse of post partum depression and phycosis does not make it alright to murder your own child. dena should not be living. her daughter will never get to live out her life so why should dena get to live. she should receive a painful death as she did her own daugther.
god bless you margaret elizabeth. may you be in no more harm. you walk in the footsteps with the lord now. i pray for you always and forever.

Jennifer

I do not believe Dena should get away with what she did to her poor baby but I do believe that she was not in her right mind when she did it. Here in Texas people who do these things are tried and convicted if they are in their right mind or not. But I personally think that women with post-partum psychosis should get some help. Do you really think that once Dena comes to her senses, if she ever does, that she will be able to live with herself after what happened?

Did anyone ever compare cases? Take for example the college student who hid her pregnancy, then we she went into labor at a party - hid in the back and then with the help of her fellow college "sisters", killed the baby. Or the young high schooler, who though she had everything going for her and found out she was pregnant, killed her newborn baby in the shower. Then there is always the baby found in trash can during prom scenario. I believe that these girls, knew what they were doing. They were just uninformed. Either they were scared and thought they had no where else to turn, or they didn't want to take the responsibility of a child and end their party years. Now compare these to other mothers, who actually wanted their children and planned for them. I have read that most woman are fine after pregnancy, some get baby blues, other postpartum depression, and then a very few get the postpartum psychosis. Take for example the woman who drowned her children - I read that after her first child she told her husband she didn't want anymore. He said too bad, and kept getting her pregnant. I don't know the full case with Dena, but honestly if she needs help - help her in a psych ward. Once she is sane, then charge her and put her in prison. This is a trajedy. My heart does ache for this little one. I have two of my own with another on the way, if I ever start feeling stressed beyond the breaking point (I also have a mental condition) I let people know. I say: I need to get away, or don't leave me alone with the kids, or I call people and say come over here I need help. If that doesn't work or help, I leave them where they are, away from me incase I do get so stressed I may hurt them. Also, I have no problem calling my local emergency nursery or even 911 if I don't think I can handle it anymore (though it has never gotten to that point). I would much rather they be taken away from me then for me to take them away from this world.

many people have voiced hatred for this mother who cut off the arms of her baby. think about it for a minute, you have to be insane to do what she did. where was her family? obviously she must have shown signs of her illness. her family and child protective services are more responsible.

many people have voiced hatred for this mother who cut off the arms of her baby. think about it for a minute, you have to be insane to do what she did. where was her family? obviously she must have shown signs of her illness. her family and child protective services are more responsible.

Donna, I don't think you understand the nature of this type of illness. Again, symptoms of psychosis can disappear with treatment and resurface without any warning at all. There would be no way to predict that Dena might commit such a violent act, especially when she had never exhibited any violent tendencies before. Even if she had been acting strangely, she had never been violent in her life, so the idea that she would kill her child would never enter into the mind of her husband. Why should it? It is possible that there were no obvious signs of mental illness.

On the other hand, I'm sure there are other details that we still don't know; maybe she had been acting wierd. If that's the case, it was her husband's responsibility to get her some help, or call CPS again, or whatever. But if you just need someone to blame to feel better, then lets put the responsibility squarely on the person that committed this crime, insane or not.

Has everyone forgotten that she spoke to her mother the day before and her mother thought she sounded "euphoric" and knew something was going on? What about her husband calling the daycare and having them check on her? He knew something was wrong. If that doesn't show that she knew what she was doing and if it doesn't show that she knew enough to "hide" her intentions, what does? She knew she was going to kill the baby and she knew she couldn't let anyone know or they would stop her. Does that show that she is insane or that her "illness" stopped her from thinking rationally? I don't think so! In my opinion that shows that for AT LEAST a day before sawing off Margaret's arms her own mother was premeditating the death of her child. I don't think that proves insanity at all. She knew there was consequences and she knew that if anyone else knew what was going on, they would stop her. By looking at pictures of her after this happened, she looked like a coked-out freak. So unless coke makes you "temporarily insane" in Texas I am sure she will get what she deserves. Maybe someone should check and see if coke or crack makes you hear voices.

I don't know whether she was under the influence of any drugs or not, but to answer the last poster's question, coke/crack can cause hallucinations.

I'm not sure why anyone concludes premeditation in this case. Because the family was concerned about her doesn't necessarily mean she was already planning anything. She was euphoric, but she wasn't saying she was going to kill anyone.

I'm not sure where the blame lay. I don't understand blaming the family or the people who had already investigated her. They were concerned and the father had someone check on her. I'm sure if they knew she could kill anyone, they'd have acted more strenuously. I doubt highly they felt whatever was going on was going to lead to murder. They aren't fortune tellers. Blaming them seems misplaced. The only blame here is on Dena herself. She did it. She may not have understood what she was doing, but to conclude that anyone else should have forseen this, to me, isn't fair.

Again, she may be crazy, but she is still responsible, therefore, after she gets the mental help she needs, she needs to go to prison...forever.

Hey Mary,
Just because you hear voices in your head doesn't mean you have to listen to them.

Hey Catherine,

You're absolutely right. Just because a person hears voices doesn't mean they have to act on those voices.

Prior to my job now, I worked as a psychiatric nurse for almost 20 years in a state hospital. Most of the clients I had will admit to hearing voices and most of them knew these were just that, voices, and they rarely, if ever, acted on what the voices were telling them to do. These people fit the definition of insanity, and still, they knew enough to know not to act out. I realize Dena didn't have any real treatment, but even clients who haven't had any treatment usually refrained from acting on the voices. If voices were telling her to cut off her baby's arms, she DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT. She could have told someone, her husband, mother, whatever. I can't say how I'd act, but I would like to say if a voice were telling me to hurt my child, I'd question that voice! Over the years, I have seen people struggle with voices. I have seen people talk about what was being said in their head. I know sometimes people want to act on it, but because what they are hearing is crazy, they checked themselves into the hospital for treatment, instead, or they told someone what they were hearing. Blatantly psychotic people do psychotic things, but when they murder another human being, they need to pay the price. And, to me, the price is not a prolonged stay in a hospital, it's prison for life.

Has anyone seen any medical results that might help us to imagine Margaret NOT suffering as much as we think she could have? Like is it possible that she would have passed out from shock pretty quickly? It causes me severe pain to imagine what she could have gone through, and I really look hard for some kind of peace about that. I've even wondered - could Dena have drugged her first? Or bopped her over the head and knocked her unconscious? Wishful thinking, I know... but that is what I pray constantly for. I look for updates on that, but there is never anything. So, I suppose we will never know for sure - but I still hope and pray fervently for it.

Suppose you were brought up to believe that you must obey God and you thought he was commanding you to do something. I would like to know what happened to Dena but so far I haven't heard anything. Also, I think I read somewhere that when she made the call the baby was crying in the background. Does anyone remember that? It is a heartbreaker and I know that all of you are practically traumatized by this incident. I can't get it out of mind and that was how I happened to find this site.

I am a mother of 10 month old Madison Grace and I suffered post partum for 3 months but it didn't make me do this horrible act against my baby Madison, to Holly, for whatever case this pathetic human being Dena Schlosser, she deserves to rot for the rest of her natural life. To stand over Margaret Elizabeth and do the heinous crime and stare into Margaret's eyes is unforgivable. Dena does not deserve any compassion of any kind, this is a human life she took, Who gave Dena permission to snatch the life of precious Margaret......and if Dena gets off on insanity, that is despicable, because calling 911 after the fact, she knew what she had done. Like Yates and Peterson, Susan Smith....Dena Schlosser should be locked up for the rest of her natural life with constant recordings of Margaret Elizabeth's last screams and never to have any contact with any human being but her pathetic self and the damn voices she claims to hear. Don't say poor Dena to us again, she doesn't deserve pity, just look at her picture ....and a gentle soul ......forget that.....that is all bull crap......to snatch life like Dena did....she belongs locked up...

Riley A

Responding (again) to Mary.
I understand what it's like to be raised to believe in God, with my whole heart and soul. I'm Episcopalian, from the south, and I have lived here all my life.(No, I'm not a backwater bible beater.) Granted, a short life, as I am only 22. But I was also raised to believe in Him as a loving and caring God, and to think that God would be telling someone to cut their baby's arms off...well, I would think that maybe God was a little off His rocker.

When I said I thought that Dena may have heard (in her own mind) God telling her to do this terrible thing, it's because I am trying to understand how something like this could happen. I am very involved in child abuse prevention and its important for me to know why, why, why people do these kinds of things! A sudden fit of rage is one thing but cutting off your child's arms takes time. It makes me sick to think about it.

Agreed.

Mary... thankfully the 911 call included the operator asking Dena if the baby was conscious and she said no. So, I do not think Margaret was crying in the background. However, we don't know how long before that call the sickening act occurred. Remember, Dena talked to the father, John, on the phone as he was en route in his car from work, then he called his friend who worked at a daycare and asked him to check on things. That person then called 911, and 911 called Dena. To Riley - I never said poor Dena. I do not feel sorry for her, I am sickened by her. I just want to know what experts feel about how the poor baby might have suffered - I pray it was only SECONDS before she went into a sort of shock... but I guess there is really no way to know. This is what I worry about the most. She would have bled out within an hour, but how long before she PASSED out? Please, let it have been fast.

I though I would update the facts about this case as we know them right now:

Dena was not at all raised in a religious home. She started attending this fundamentalist church after moving to Texas and learning that her mother was gravely ill.

Dena's husband asked a friend to check on her after Dena called him and admitted what she had done. There was no "baby crying" during the 911 call.

Dena was treated in both in-patient and out-patient facilities for her mental illness after her baby was born in January.

Dena is being treated right now with Haldol (an anti-psychotic) and will be evaluated by a psychiatrist to determine whether or not she is competent to stand trial.

The medical examiner reports that there isn't any evidence of other wounds on the baby, indicating that the baby would have gone into shock quickly from blood loss.

All these details are availabe online thru the Associated Press.

Each new detail is heartwrenching, but lets not forget that we don't know all the facts, lets not presume to know what happened here. And lets certainly not propogate the violence of this act by expressing our outrage through even more violent thoughts and comments. Dena will be judged according to the law once all the facts come to light and we can only have faith that she will face the stiffest of penalties. Hopefully, by then, she will be lucid and aware of what she did so that she can understand her crime and the payment for it. Otherwise, what justice is served in punishing her?

I'm not certain, of course, but my medical background makes me believe that the incredible shock of that assault would make the poor baby pass out just as a way to defend herself. Our bodies will do all sorts of things to protect itself and becoming unconscious is just one of the body's ways of handling horrific assault.

Every time I think of it, I want to put it out of my mind immediately and it wasn't happening to me. Imagine if we can barely deal with thinking about it, a person going through it, particularly such a tiny person, would just shut down...at least I hope so.

Hopefully an artery was cut right off, causing the body to shut down just as a result of the blood loss, but if not, I would definitely assume the trauma would cause the mind to say "I can't handle this" and just shut off.

This may just be my wishful thinking, but medically speaking, it makes sense. Bodies are really amazing at protecting themselves from trauma. People who have suffered horrible abuse very often disassociate (the mind goes somewhere else during the abuse) as a way to handle what's happening to them. Let's pray that happened in this case.

whatever little Margaret Elizabeth went through in her last moments is unthinkable and what Dena did is unforgivable. Dena can get all the help she needs but it should not be on Texas tax dollars. I really wish people would stop defending this pathetic Dena, lock her up and throw away the key.....the only help Dena should get is to be away from everyone ....Margaret Elizabeth, God bless the little ones, she did not deserve this at all. And for whoever thinks we should pity Dena, forget it......she knew exactly what she was doing to her own child....hearing voices, well she should have heard her little Margaret Elizabeth crying for help. Dena Schlosser doesn't deserve out sympathy at all. And there is nothing to understand about her....we need to protect her two other daughters from their father and their mother.

MacKenzie D

I agree the children need protection from Dena, but what has the father done? People want to blame Rusty Yates, also. Why? Haven't they suffered enough, losing a child or in Rusty's case, five? I don't understand blaming the fathers. The blame lay squarely on the people who did the crimes, the mothers. I'm not sure what makes us think these men were mind readers and should have known it was going to happen. I doubt either of them thought their wives could murder their children and if they did, I'm sure they would have done something to prevent it. They are mourning the loss of their kids and their wives, also; their lives have been permanently damaged. I understand everyone is angry and looking for blame, but put it where it belongs, on the perpetrators, not the ones who lost more than we could ever imagine.

The father should be held accountable for knowing the fact that his wife made a statement that Dena said "I am going to give the child to God".........the father knew his wife had postpartum and was disturbed, he failed to protect little Margaret Elizabeth....no both parents lost the right to be parents when they can't help themselves and harm their own children....No John Schlosser and Dena Schlosser do not belong being parents ever, grieving a loss, too late for that......

Manion

It's easy for us all to sit in judgement, isn't it? Again, the fathers' are NOT mind readers and plenty of people have postpartum and never EVER kill their kids, so to expect these Dads to know what their wives were planning is shortsighted and, I believe, way too judgemental.

As a husband and father, I'm sure you really believe your kids will be safe with your spouse, their mother. This crime is unimaginable to all of us, none of us can even believe it happened, but somehow we assume that the fathers KNEW it was going to happen and just ignored it. Do we REALLY think John Schossler went to work that morning knowing his wife was going to murder his daughter and just said, "Ah well, I gotta go to work, so best of luck to them, hope she doesn't kill her!" That's just absurd. Again, easy for us to judge after the fact. I wonder how any one of us being in the thick of it all would have reacted. I think we'd have assumed our spouse wasn't a murderer. I think we'd have called often and checked in. I don't think any of us could have predicted such an atrocity, yet, somehow, the husbands were supposed to. Pretty hypocritical.

I don't agree in blaming the father. Men really do not know anything about what a mother goes through emotionally or with their hormones after they have a baby. Not to be totally sexist either, but there are a lot of women out there that say a bunch of crap just to get their husbands attention and after awhile men blow it off as they have their minds on other things.

My wife used to say all kinds of weird stuff when she was a stay at home mom (she couldnt figure out computers otherwise I think she would have discovered chatting). Once she got a little job those things went away because she got her additional social interaction outside the house as well.

When you're confined to a home watching kids 24/7 I think your brain goes a little wonky and things like a spider you killed that day become big issues whereas to someone who was at an office all day is thinking "big f-ing deal I had 25 calls to make today have 3 meetings tomorrow". So they tend to tune out a lot of the rambling on.

Can you blame him for that? Sounds callous, but it's true.

In many churches, baptizing a child or dedicating them in the church is referred to as "presenting themto God" or "giving them to God". It doesn't neccesarily mean, "I think I'll kill my kid".

Maybe John Schlosser had a funny feeling that something was going on. Maybe Dena had been acting strangely. Then again, maybe he didn't automatically take a phrase like the one above to mean that his wife would kill their child.

The point is, WE JUST DON'T KNOW. It's far to easy and hypocritical to make up our own judgements about whether or not Dena should get the death penalty or whether or not John Schlosser should get his kids back. Lets leave that to the courts, shall we? That's what they're there for.

It's not a matter of having sympathy for this woman or her husband, it's having the sense and intelligence enough to realize that your feelings of outrage don't justify condemning someone without even knowing all the facts.

Thanks Lynette and Laurie. Your comments make sense. The one I didn't understand was the fact that she had no other wounds - how does that lead to the comment that shock set in quickly? I really want to hear some evidence that she went into shock FAST, like even before the 2nd arm was attacked.

I just hope that poor baby Margaret only suffered for seconds or at the most a few minutes before shock or disassociation set in. I know babies feel pain like we do, or worse, but I also hope that because a 10 month old wouldn't be able to process the HORROR of the fact that her arms were being cut off... that perhaps the pain itself was not as horrific as we might imagine. Painful, yes - but not horrific in the same way as it would be for an older child or adult. I just hope. That is what haunts me about this whole story, just the unimaginable horrific way she was murdered. By her own mother. I cry daily, even after 3 weeks.

You are all loving, caring people to be so concerned about what happened to Dena's baby. There must be some way to make something positive come out of this horror. Think of all the other children who suffer from child abuse and neglect. Maybe each of us can do something for just one child or one family who may need a helping hand???

Yes, Mary... I agree. If all of us have been so deeply disturbed by this ONE example of horrid suffering inflicted upon a child - what a difference we could all make just by saving even one child. Granted, this one example is one of the worst... but it is true that children suffer abuse, neglect and yes, even are murdered, every day. It breaks my heart. I plan on starting a support group for mothers of infants and toddlers in my city. To my knowledge, there is not one in existence yet.

Post partum phychosis seems to be so sudden, that I'm not sure if this awful event could have been avoided by such a group - and also the Mom's have to want to take part - given Dena's history of being so submissive to her husband I don't think she would have taken advantage of such a support system. But many people would, and children can only benefit from parents who have a support system. For babies like Margaret whose parents isolate themselves - I pray daily - that God will protect them and at a minimum will not allow them to suffer as I pray daily he didn't allow Margaret to suffer and instead go into shock quickly. That is my hope for Margaret, because I know she is in heaven now.

We can all help though, simply by caring, noticing things that do not look right (ie. a new Mom of a baby perhaps not seeming to care about her child), and being a support system for close friends and family.

Way to go Holly!! You have the right idea. Let's all get out there and do something positive. Surely good can come out of the most evil happenings. We can do it!!

Wonderful idea, Holly! Some things that we can all look for as signs of abuse or neglect:

-Children who have obvious bruises, cuts or burns
-Unexplained or frequent injuries
-Children who are withdrawn or seem scared to talk to anyone, don't have any friends
-children who seem underweight
-kids who look unkempt, dirty, or who aren't dressed appropriately for the weather
-families with domestic violence or drug or alcohol abuse problems.

We can all help!

please, can someone share with us signs of post partum depression--suggestions about how to approach someone--broach the subject--offer support? thanks.

please, can someone share with us signs of post partum depression--suggestions about how to approach someone--broach the subject--offer support? thanks.

Holly,
I wanted to clarify what I meant by the assault causing the baby to go into shock...It wouldn't take much for the brain to say "Wait a minute, I can't handle this." and just cause the baby to pass out or otherwise "tune out." That's basically what shock is, too, the body's way of handling trauma. Shock sets in when the physical self can't handle what's going on. As a way to deal, the body sort of slows itself down and "separates" from the brain, for lack of a better word. This allows the body to sustain the trauma with the minimum of damage to the brain and body. It sort of slows all processes down as a way to slow down the damage.
It's like when someone falls through ice. All the body functions slow down, thereby allowing the person to stay under longer without dying. The heartbeat slows way down and the body can survive longer. This happens because the water is so cold and to survive, the defense mechanisms in our bodies take over. Shock is also a defense mechanism for the body. Disassociation is a defense mechanism for the brain. It's a way to save us from insanity. If we're going through something so traumatic we can't deal with it, the brain disassociates (takes a mental vacation, so to speak) so we don't snap completely. Pretty neat of the body to be able to do all this, actually. I'm betting the baby's body helped her handle this trauma by doing some of this stuff. I really think after a couple seconds, she just "tuned out." And if not, the blood loss would cause unconsciousness very quickly. It helps me to think medically, because otherwise, this is just too horrible to imagine...sort of my brain's way of handling this information.

I am a mother of a 10 month old son and what everyone's opinions might be regarding Margaret Elizabeth and should we help Dena/John Schlosser, the world has gone down the tubes....it's sick to think people are desperate to kill a 8 month pregnant woman for her fetus....you take a life of the unborn and then you want to raise the newborn, it's sick....I hate what these people think they can do to each other (all the killing and harming the innocent)....put all these sick pups on an island like they did in colonial times...and let the sickos, murderers, duke out on their own and without our tax dollars trying to help these people ....because all the drugs and medication are not going to make these people be normal ever again.....sick or not....there is nothing to really understand because these crazy people will do it again ...so let them do it to themselves or someone worse than them....the little 10 month old baby girl who died at the hands of her mother and the 8 month old fetus will never know what happened.....God please help the unwanted children out there and protect them from the sickos

Hunter

Thanks Laurie. Your comments make sense, and although we can never know for sure what Margaret went through, I for one will hold on to the belief that her suffering was brief. I appreciate everyone's inputs, as it helps me to know I am not the only one who was so deeply impacted by this insane, horrible tragedy. Together, we can do our very best to make a difference in the lives of children everywhere, and never just look away.

.I awoke to a phone call from a friend of mine who said open the paper..."SHE KILLED HER BABY", and I said WHAT, who did what??..
I felt sick when I read this story in our local paper the Elgin Courier news, first being a mother myself it sickens me to think any one to hurt a child at all, and to think this child in the care of her mom who she totally depended on did this to her.
Well, it was a wonder why we had this in our local paper, you see her mother and step father lived in the area for many years, and her mother was a friend of mine for years, Connie is a wonderful loving person that would have done any thing and "DID" for her daughter Dena and her granddaughters.
Connie had been suffering with parkinsons in the last few years, it was advancing when her and her husband Mick and son moved to Canada.
Before she moved Connie told me on many occasions that she was very worried about her daughter, she told me that she was involved in a Cult in Texas, and that she was not the same, she even went down there a couple of times to tried to get her out of it, but she said she was so brain washed.
I guess why I felt like I needed to write here is that I wanted to say here is that I pray for Connie and her family.
God Bless all that suffer.

What a world we live in!!! As a woman who has had two miscarriages and lived through depression, this story does nothing but sicken me. Depression is very hard to live through, but by no means should it ever be used as an excuse for such a horrible act. Some people would have done anything to be in Dena's shoes and be blessed with three beautiful daughters. God give them all strength.

Dena Schlosser and Lisa Montgomery should both be in the same prison cell with each other because they deserve each other. Both Dena Schlosser and Lisa Montgomery are pathetic excuses for a human being and I know a lot of us will agree that we do not want our tax dollars to pay for them to live it up when there are homeless and the poor who really deserve place to sleep and a meal (and I am not saying for them to be in prison.....I am saying we should provide means for helping the homeless and the poor to get a job and support themselves. ) But Dena and Lisa both sane or crazy don't deserve compassion from society that take innocent lives....and I don't want them to get the death penalty because it would be too easy for them....just let them rot for the rest of their natural born life.....

Riley A

We live in a "civilized" society and act accordingly, most of us.
Obviously, we can't just let these people rot somewhere, we must hold them accountable. We must put them in prison where they will have to spend their lives, wondering, maybe, how they could have done something good with themselves. I can think of no better punishment...
Suggesting we throw them to the wolves makes us no better than they are and it certainly doesn't protect us from the likes of them, either.

If Dena ever comes back to reality through treatment, and out of whatever mental haze she is in - she will automatically receive the WORST punishment she could get - her own mental agony, every single waking moment, over what she did to her baby. The death penalty would be more humane, in my opinion, because she could forever escape this reality. No, the most fitting punishment is to treat her illness, and let her cope with what she did. As a Mother, I think THIS would be worse than any physical torture I can think of. In a normal mental state, nothing could be worse than the knowledge of what she did.

I agree 100%, Holly.

I have never been a fan of the death penalty and that is one of the reasons why. The person, once dead, never has to face the reality of what they did, for one, and the punishment of being in prison with no real quality of life is over, for another. Death is sometimes too easy, and for convicted murderers, definitely the easy way out.
The other problem with the death penalty is what if after the execution, we find out we were wrong and the person was actually innocent? Unless someone confesses or the evidence is absolutely irrefutable, I say go with life in prison.

The only time I would advocate for the death penalty is when the person actually enjoys prison (there are people like that, unbelievably.) and has confessed to the crime or had some substantial physical evidence that was so damning, it could not be ignored.

I was dismayed to find that Scott Peterson was going to get death. He probably is guilty, but he denies it and EVERY piece of evidence is circumstantial...I would hate to find out years after he's executed that we were wrong about his guilt.

In any event, a lot of folks are saying we should put Dena to death. I disagree, because I think, once she wakes up and realizes what she's done, that will be the worst kind of punishment ever.

i have to comment about the post from dec.5th from ashley...I CANT BELIEVE YOU WOULD GIVE SUCH AN EXCUSE FOR THAT PSYCHO WHATS WRONG WITH YOU I HOPE YOU NEVER HAVE KIDS IF YOU EXCUSE SOMTHING SO HORRIBLE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU GET SAD YOU COULD HURT YOUR CHILD THEN WHAT THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR HARMING A HELPLESS BABY THATS BEING SLICED BY THE PERSON WHO SHOULD BE PROTECTING HER I FEEL NOTHING FOR THAT EVIL B!!!! I HOPE SHE ROTS IN HELL VERY SLOWLY....THIS GOES FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SAY AWWW POOR THING WAS JUST DEPRESSED YALL LET YOUR ARMS GET SLOWLY CUT OFF BY YOUR MOTHER THEN TELL ME ITS NOT HER FAULT !!!

The only thing that will be justice is for this woman to die. I'm tired of society trying to excuse this behavior. I really don't even think we need a trial. Let's just take to the chair now. It's more humane than what she did to this child. May God protect and bless those children that suffer.

My comments are about Doyle Davidson, the self proclaimed prophet that leads the church Dena attended. If you watch him as I have over the past five years on TV, you will become to understand how this guy does indeed try to influence those in his church. I have read "bios" of many of his people where he for example, told one woman that "God told me to tell you not to attend college. Three years later, he told her God told him to tell her it was time for her to go to college" Another, he told to gain weight. He constantly says things relating to "if you are going to walk with me" you have to do as he says. He says everything that comes out of his mouth "is God". If you could hear the outlandish things that come out of his mouth, you would know it's NOT God speaking. He is mean, pompous, arrogant, horrible toward women, egotistical, etc. He does not exemplify the love of Christ. He says showing love is to "correct you". His whole ministry is to bash other believers calling them "wicked, blind, followers of witchcraft and socery". Leading church groups, denominations are not "of God" according to him. He mentions ministers by name when he is unkind. I have never seen or heard anyone quite like him. One thing I do know is that he does not speak for God. He is an evil man. Anyone who would bad mouth their dead wife calling her "demon possessed" until "he cast the devil out of her" so she could go to heaven is a nut case. This is not exageration. I fear for the young people in his church as they are exposed to hatefulness and in some cases, vulgarity. In one sermon, he talked about men and women masturbating each other. He has two teenage granddaughters in the congregation. Can you imagine this? I can't. How anyone can sit and listen to this man is unbelievable.