Driver who nursed infant found innocent of child endangerment
I called my husband, and he directed me to continue on, to drive to Michigan and nurse my child in the car. We did not feel we were breaking any law. It certainly isn't a primary choice as a form of feeding my child. I certainly had no intent to harm my child. I never would.
- Catherine Donkers
She placed that infant between herself and the steering wheel, between herself and the air bag.
- Sean Scahill
What could be more reprehensible than a mother willingly placing her infant child in danger- like, say, between her body and an airbag? How about doing it and then denying responsibility? How about doing it at highway speeds? And then leading the police on a chase? Oh, and to make it even better, you could claim religious justification, which, of course, relieves you of all accountability.
RAVENNA, Ohio (AP) -- A woman who belonged to an obscure religious sect was found innocent Friday of child endangerment for breast-feeding her baby while driving, but was convicted of three lesser charges.
Catherine Nicole Donkers, 29, was found guilty of violating child-restraint laws, driving without a valid driver's license and fleeing police while on the Ohio Turnpike in May.
Prosecutors recommended Donkers be sentenced to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine instead of the maximum one year in jail and $2,000. Judge Donald Martell said he would postpone sentencing to investigate Donkers "because I feel I need to know more about you."
So, what's to know? Ms. Donkers is an irresponsible twit who doesn't have an ounce of common sense. Granted, I'm not a mother, and the chances I will ever breast-feed a child are slim, but it shouldn't take a Ph.D. to figure out that one would be best advised to PULL OFF THE ROAD.
This might sound like much ado about nothing, until you realize that Ms. Donkers had placed her child between her body and her vehicle's airbag. If you've ever seen an airbag detonate, you understand how much force is generated. A detonating airbag could easily kill an unsecured child, and even if that child isn't killed it could suffer extreme trauma and serious burns.
On top of all of this, Ms. Donkers "justifies" her irresponsible behavior on religious grounds.
Donkers, who represented herself, and her husband, Brad Lee Barnhill, belong to a religion they say requires Barnhill to be responsible for punishing Donkers.
Donkers had said she did nothing wrong and was following her husband's orders.
"We are people who do not shirk from facing the consequences of our actions. I pray that this court respects my faith," Donkers said in closing arguments....
Donkers and Barnhill -- who lack a marriage license but claim to be married -- belong to the First Christian Fellowship for Eternal Sovereignty, which has a history of challenging the government.
The organization, which pledges allegiance to Jesus Christ, was founded in Henderson, Nevada, in the 1990s. Barnhill says he is a minister in the fellowship, which has 650 followers.
So your religion condones irresponsible behavior and child endangerment? Can you remove your anterior from your posterior long enough to realize that this is not all about you, Ms. Donkers? What IF you had been involved in accident? What IF the airbag had detonated? Could you have lived with the results- the almost certain death and dismemberment of your child?
Donkers said Thursday that for a short time she took both hands off the wheel to move the 7-month-old girl while the car drove in cruise control at 65 mph.
"I don't believe there was any form of recklessness," she said.
Ms. Donkers, for your willingness to recklessly endanger the life of your child, and for your complete and total self-absorption, you are lucky wiener of the latest DUMASS AWARD. Many aspire, few attain, and even fewer are more richly deserving of this "honor" than you.
May you be stripped of your parental rights and be forced to contemplate the monumental stupidity and recklessness of your actions. Frankly, though, honest self-assessment seems like a concept that escapes you. You are truly a DUMASS....
