Because as parents we make all kinds of mistakes.. and.. decisions that made sense at the time .. but in hindsight..were disastrous. Such as leaving my kids with my hubby while i went to work... and getting a call to come home... and.. the rabbit was over loved...(because.. he is not as good at judging what the children will do.. so many things to consider..) and.. the time.. my living room got flour puffed...(2 days to clean up that one...in every nook n crannie!)needless to say.. i am very careful how i plan my exits and how my children will be tended with the hubster!!! and the time i went to the pottie.. and my toddler wandered out...and...made a sugar beach in my kitchen...(within seconds)
(I am no more perfect..) Lord help us! Forgive as He forgave us!!! Life is so unpredictable! Its what keeps our eyes glued to the road... for what jumps out in the middle of the night.. or the curve in the road!
Who knows the motivation.. but they are forever going to live with this mistake.. it will never leave them. No amount of jail will touch what they are feelin inside their hearts. The brokeness.. and the what ifs.. The hole in their heart.. the... not knowing.. Thats the worst part. Whatever happened to their little girl... they are living with a LIVING hell. The kind that eats you up from the inside out. Its the conseqence of their actions as a parent.. Jail wont touch their mind. They will be dealing with it the best they can.. and forever be looking.. forever be replaying those moments... forever be seeing reminders that jog up memories of their little ones.. such as seeing another person's child.. or a favorite food she ate.. a flower that she liked.. a song will play.. children etch their ways into our hearts.. and those moments are locked in.. and... they are going to be locked into a human heart jailcell with those memories.. a mental torture.

Yes.. it was stupid. But, I think they understand that. They can no longer go back and redo.. hit replay.. make aright.. Im sure they wish they could 1000 times a day, everyday for the rest of their lives.

I remember a wreck where the gal killed her best friends... and.. she lived. The mental torture is.. a little bigger than you or I could do with our words...or with prisons.. It completely changes a person.. its the life changing moment that stops a person in their tracks...the defining moment. Unfortunately.. sacrifices are made before eyes are really opened up.
Would your eyes not be open to the danger of trains and cars had not a person you knew died to them... A deeper connection to it.. than had it been a stranger.. sort of like the invincibility factor. Some of us.. feel THAT safe.. and would never consider anything happening to us such as that.. 'not in my town...' 'never imagined it ever happening here'...

Not that I condone what they did... but.. I have felt those feelings before.. of feeling safe enough.. on a scale of 1-10 in certain environments to give up your guard for a few moments.. as when your children have imaginary borders.. and you begin to give them the trust factor... like when you are pumping gas... and debating whether you can leave them or not in the car..(just an example) There are many a moments.. Letting them cross the road.. Letting them out of your sights...
My three year old constantly tries to test my boundaries.. she wants independence she wants her own way.. she wants to do HER thing.. HER way. There are still some trust factors with her and HER capabilities as a child compared to my son.. at that age.. She has been pretty good about staying home and not wandering off but, as my other daughter has taught me.. there will be a day.. when she will simply walk away and go as far as she can... I did it. I did it in the care of my babysitter.. HER BACK WAS TURNED and i walked all the way home.. at three or four. I wanted to change my clothes after I had an pottie accident. Thankfully I lived to tell the story.. even through the beating I got later...


It wasnt okay. But, worrying about it wont change what happened. And what happened to her or where she is.. You can no more control that as they can.. and.. that will be determined in a later date.. and the parties will be judged. Lots of missing children get taken each day. Even in their own homes! There is definitely sickness.. and.. its unfortunate. Life is very fragile. And it teaches me.. to rethink and tighten up that rope a bit..Unfortunately..at a cost. But also.. you cannot live and define yourself as living in the lockroom. Somewhere you have to have a balance..and that is what is so foggy.

Im sure public retribution hasnt been easy either.

What happened to Maddie.. is very sad and.. I pray that she is safe. Until we know for sure.. I will always remain hopeful.