get your tissues

So, I was just watching the news and this was the story that caught my attention (i've bolded/italicised a couple things):


SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Police were called to an apartment on Fage Avenue Friday after getting a 911 call. Inside, they found 20-month-old Imani Jennings’s lifeless body.


On Saturday police arrested both the child's mother, Cherron Patterson, 18, and her boyfriend Anthony Weakfall, 15.

Police say it was Weakfall who viciously beat the toddler to death after she had a potty training accident.

"The boyfriend repeatedly strikes this child, and he strikes this child with a metal rod, he strikes this child with a cable wire, with a metal spring and also with his hands, and this goes on for a period of approximately an hour," said Syracuse Police Chief Gary Miguel.

Weakfall was arrested and charged with second degree murder, but will likely face a lesser punishment because of his age.



"There's a different sentencing structure. Usually for an adult, murder has a sentence of mandatory minimum of 15 to life, maximum of 25 to life. For a juvenile offender, it is minimum of 4 to life, maximum of 9 to life," said Chief Assistant District Attorney Rick Trunfio.


The girl's mother is also charged with assault and endangering the welfare of a child after police learned what had been happening to Imani while the two were at high school.



"What they have been doing for approximately the last two weeks is leaving a bowl of chicken nuggets and a glass of milk out for the child, and they would return after school," said Miguel.

Patterson told police both she and her boyfriend had beaten the toddler in the past.

Neighbors on Fage Avenue say they had no idea such horrible things were taking place in the apartment.

"I'm like in total shock. Like that is really crazy. How could somebody do something like that to a child? That's really crazy," said Doreen Davis, who lives across the street.

"I cried when I heard the news, but I didn't know them, and I wish that maybe they'd have came over, knocked on my door, asked me if I would maybe watch the baby for them while they go to school. I'd have been more than glad to do that," said neighbor Gwen Kearse.

Police say Social Services had not been involved with the child at all.

They also say they expect their investigation to continue for days as they collect evidence.



Now, my thoughts:
What is she doing dating a FIFTEEN year old?! And why on EARTH were they POTTY TRAINING HER AT TWENTY MONTHS!?!?!

I do not think that he should be treated as a minor. He, at 15, better know right from wrong and I think he should be tried as an adult. He needs to learn a very tough lesson from this. I have no mercy.

I can't believe that they would leave food for this little girl, like a dog, and leave her home alone and go to school.

I have one question for them: " WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"

I'm feeling such a mix of emotions: I'm enraged with this couple and I want to beat them myself && I'm so incredibly sad for this little girl. =[ Being a mom, I just do not (nor will I ever) understand how people can intentionally hurt their babies. It's just not fair....