Who was the father? If it was an adult, statutory rape has been committed. She could have gone to Planned Parenthood for advice, they're in the habit of covering up child abuse and statutory rape cases.

In any event, say a prayer for the dead child if you are so inclined.

Because it's possible and highly effective to readily force people to do things they should be doing. Oh wai-

In this thread...Typical republican hurfblurf... laissez faire about absolutely everything unless it concerns the bedroom.

Perhaps if the kid wasn't scared stiff by all the ridiculously highbrow, out of touch and unrealistic expectations on her behavior she might have actually reached out to someone.

For proof... show me a teenager (who isn't brainwashed by continual bible thumping) who doesn't want to have sex? The law is involved here because of valid medical reasons and risks to both baby and parent, not to legislate some fucked up sense of morality or force people to be responsible after the fact. You can't legislate the urge to reproduce away, if it were that easy this species would have become extinct long ago.

Calls to hold the parents in any way responsible for this are utterly asinine. Their lives will be hard enough after learning about this, not to mention the mother.

Thank you for your reasonable post. It gets old hearing the posters who have all the fucking answers all the time. I'm also amazed at the prudishness exhibited regularly in comments. Thought this was supposed to be NYC.

Is she one of those fat fucks that always look pregnant?

Not to detract from the horrified mental state of a pubescent girl stuffing her just-born (probably very-premature) fetus into a plastic bag and stuffing it behind a bed - but tell your kids about condoms.

Weeping Jesus on the Cross, basic knowledge of "why condoms are good" at 10 and your kids might not need to go through this tragedy.

I think the problem is people don't use them, not that they don't know about them. People know why condoms are good, do you think that stops a 14 year old kid to think? Damn, I know some 30 year olds who still try to evade condom use! C'mon!

aw... poor baby =( and here's I'm referring to both the infant and the 14-year-old.

She was probably terrified to tell her parents. This is tragic all around.

"If you're 14 years old, you're a baby yourself."

Completely agree. Girls at that age often can't go to their parents for help for a slew of reasons from abuse to sheer embarrassment. They would rather stay silent, thus risking their health and if it goes to term, that of their baby.

That's why I get livid at right lifers. They chip hammer chip away at reproductive counseling and health services as well as privacy laws for kids - as if the world is a perfect place and all young girls can have babies, adopt them out to perfect straight families and go on with their lives.

And then cry up a mighty river when such tragedy occurs.

You should be more angry at dead beat parents than at right-lifers. I'm pro-life but this is an issue of responsibility, parenting (or lack there-of) that needs to be addressed, long before reproductive counseling and health services. Parenting/responsibility needs to come first.. these things are completely avoidable. Such a shame.

I was once a 14 year old girl and can completely understand the dynamics. Even "good parents" often can't deal with a pregnant kid. Even "good kids" who make a mistake can't tell their parents.

From society's perspective, I think It's much easier to help one child in trouble with one person who cares then address the larger social issues of parenting across communities. Not sure how you propose to fix the parenting issue quickly and helping those kids in need today.

The world is full of parents who can't take care of their kids just as it is full of kids who can't talk to their parents. So, we can either simply blame the lack of parenting skills, hope for the best and not take responsibility as a society or do something that works. Giving young pregnant girls a place to go and seek counseling works.

Then the next generation will have a better shot of getting it right.

Sorry, I had to. I agree with you in principle, but what kind of legislation can be put in place for this - and how could it be applied to a wide-group of cases beyond these circumstances? This was already a minor, and I'd argue that the failure was societal for not recognizing the intuition and knowledge of ages we 'traditionally' consider to be incapable of sexual desire.

No- if a parent could prove that it tried to intervene in some way, tried to help.. fine.. they did their job and they shouldn't be held responsible. Proof is easy enough to obtain. Bring them to a counselor? cool. Put them on birth control, fine. Otherwise, the parent is completely responsible for the actions of these CHILDREN and they should be prosecuted. It is not legislating parenting, it is placing blame where blame is meant to be.. on the parent... how is it legislating parenting? Of course, a lawyer would find a way for anything.. and they could sue for that already.. and would be surprised if a charge like that hasn't occurred. I'm not talking about lawsuits.. I'm talking about charging who is truly at fault.. and in this case and in every case where a kid brings a gun to school.. the parent should be held responsible for being a negligent "parent"

Lizzie, at that point, you're legislating parenting. Can a parent then be sued because they didn't maintain the legislated diaper-changing regiment and the resulted chafing and sores caused grievous physical and emotional trauma? I think some lawyer will find a way!

I was once a 14 year old girl as well.. but instead of putting a bandaid on it, I say we should be making parents more responsible for raising their children and not leaving it up to society and taxpayer.. crazy, I know.

Her parents should be charged for this, not her. Perhaps it will give a nudge to the other dead beat parents to keep track of their children

“She’s just like any other average, young, 14-year-old girl."

Maybe I'm wrong, but the average 14-year old girl isn't having sex.

Pathetic all around.

Rocknrope, please! I was having sex at 14. And I'm OLD! So it ain't nuttin' new.

Wow, where the fuck have you been? I was having sex at 14, as was just about everyone I know.

"your vagine hang loose like sleeve of wizard"

Check out the Gothamist main-page. An Airplane! reference. 1980, bitches.

Oh, and it's been hours, HOURS, since I've heard someone reference Casablanca.

Didn't I see an ad for Shakespeare in the park on the subway today? How played out. C'mon theater, get with the times.