In Hamilton, a mother has been charged with attempted murder after trying to murder her 8-month-old daughter. On the day of the incident, a social worker and a Children's Aid volunteer had taken the baby and her 3 year-old brother to the mother's apartment for a supervised visit. During the visit, the baby was cut in the upper torso and was rushed to the hospital, and treated for a “superficial” wound. Details from the original 911 call reported that the baby had been stabbed and was seriously injured.
However, the police claimed that the injuries were minimal and the little girl is expected to recover fully. The 28-year old mother was arrested at the scene and charged with assault, but later upgraded to attempted murder. Police and detectives from the child abuse branch are still in the process of investigating.
Conditions of Children
Although the children are in the hands of the Children's Aid, they are still experiencing maltreatment and neglect in one way or another. The 8-month-old for instance, is in critical condition, as she sustained injury due to the willful acts of her mother. She is wounded in the upper torso after her mother deliberately stabbed her during her supervised visit. Though she is expected to recover fully, the physical pain that she is going through will leave a mark in her childhood. On the other hand, her 3 year-old brother faces the most serious condition of all, as he is left with psychological damage after having to witness the violent behavior of his mother.
In addition, both these children do not have a stable environment to live in, nor do they have an available caretaker. Not only they are being passed around from Children's Aid to their mother's apartment, they also do not have a mother figure in their life to guide and support them. Therefore, with the circumstances that they face, these children are at risk of developing severe psychiatric and trauma problems.
Effects on the Children's Development
The children involved in this condition are the ones who will be suffering both the short-term and long-term effects. In this situation, an 8-month-old child had been physically abused by her own mother and a 3 year-old boy is left traumatized by the incident. Even though the 8-month-old child is unlikely to remember the incidence, she will still suffer the physical pain, as she is treated for her cut in the upper torso. The 3-year-old brother will most likely suffer the most psychological pains for the rest of his life, as he witnessed himself violence and abuse committed by his own mother.
This will affect him socially and psychologically, possibly becoming a victim of depression, attachment difficulties and low self-esteem. Because these children are experiencing neglect and are being inflicted by a primary caretaker, there is a high possibility that their development of secure attachment and communication will be disrupted. With lack of parental skills, stability and available caretaker in the family, it is inevitable that this experience will shape their behavior and mentality in the future.
