U.S. SGT. KATHERINE PAPKE of Anniston, Alabama was charged with manslaughter this week for leaving her four-month-old infant in the car while she was at work. See the Daily Mail’s report, which includes a police photo of the visibly devastated mother. Said her attorney: “She’s a working mother who just got off maternity leave. She thought she had dropped off the child at daycare. It’s important that people know that. No words can describe how she feels.”

Papke is a sergeant first class in the U.S. Army. She had left her daughters at school and then worked for five hours at the McClellan Readiness Center before returning to her car, parked in the heat, and discovering her son in the back seat. It’s a heart-wrenching story, an extreme example of the routine neglect of children in a world where motherhood is a secondary job. No woman can take care of an infant and two other young children, manage a home and work for the Army while retaining her focus. Millions of lesser disasters and forms of neglect happen every day, all at the expense of children who are moved around like burdensome packages. The Army — and feminists who have cheered for this — are complicit in this crime.

In news stories such as this, no one — not the police, not the family, not friends, not neighbors — says the obvious. No one states the simple truth that this is an insane, unworkable and dangerous model for family life.

Katherine Papke

— Comments —

James P. writes:

She looks like a lot of mothers. Does she look like a soldier? Not so much. Hard to imagine her storming Omaha Beach.

Douglas writes:

This morning during our staff meeting, a conversation was had that reminded me of your many articles, and after seeing your latest article posted I thought I would share it.

I work for a defense contractor having retired from the Air Force many years ago. I am on the staff of the company. Also on the staff are a few other retired military and one young female engineer. She is very good at her job and has two young children at home which her husband stays at home to care for. My boss’s secretary is out on maternity leave. Her recently born son had a congenital heart defect requiring surgery and forcing an extended maternity leave. She can remain out six months before we can terminate her, even though we would not. One of the guys was asking specific questions about her return because this is causing our boss to have a tremendous amount of work and stress which is starting to show. The female engineer setting beside me said quietly, “I guess we shouldn’t allow people to go on maternity leave.” She was upset that the guy was questioning the return. You see, the hold up is the doctor doesn’t want a child who just had open heart surgery placed in day care.

The thought I had is why would the person be working in the first place with a new baby, but no one seems to think this way anymore. When my wife and I had our baby, she stayed at home. We had to make do. We lived in a trailer, safe one, drove cheaper cars, and did what was needed to stay at home. My daughter stays at home with her children now, and they make do. This secretary has a new boat, drives a Mercedes, and has a nice home. But they say it takes two incomes to make it today forcing parents to both work. Ridiculous!

On the local news this morning, a lady was complaining that families pay hundreds of dollars in child care. They want some minimum wage person taking care of their child? What is their priority?

In a world gone mad the last sane person is considered the fool.

Laura writes:

The enormous cost of maternity leave for businesses is incalculable.

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