19 kids? Seriously? If they can't feed them, they don't need to be having them.

So for all these people who can't even feed one kid without being on the dole, should we take that kid away from them?

What a sick country!

Yes....we should! Actually, people who can't afford to feed one kid shouldn't have one kid, either!

According to the story, it is a "blended" family. Some are his, some are hers.

Mo, the story is sensational enough, you don't need to embellish it!

Deputies said the children, who ranged in age from 8 months to 14 years

Mo, I think there may be just a bit more than dyslexia going on. What part of this story did you not read? This appears, according to the official, a blended family situation. Some are hers and some are his. Got it now?

hey mo its a combined family as in both partys had their own kids . and for the sub this is the greatest country in the world. its the morons who give it a bad rap

When i seen the headline on msn's homepage i thought of the duncan's. lol

Deleted...couldn't save changes.

This is an extreme case and lets leave it at that. Before you decide for regular check ups and cameras in your own homes.

Let's not be paranoid either. The government IS NOT installing cameras in nobody's home. It's up to you to take care of your children.

Most of the time cases like this go unnoticed, because the parents come home before the cops when they leave their kids alone. This is not unusual, especially if the parents have to work, and they have a child 14 or 15 years old. They think that the "older" will be responsible to take care of all the others. Sure! A 14 or 15 year old is STILL a child, and only thinks about playing, not taking care of ANYBODY else.

The fine folks on the right don't believe in abortion and staunch Catholics don't even believe in any form of birth control. I lived in a town of about 10K in South Dakota and they placed teen mothers on a pedestal--so much so that herds of teen girls became 'parents.' By the way--that was the whitest community that I've ever seen on the mainland of the US. I say we stop paying incentives for having more children than people can afford, pay people not to produce children when they don't even have a clue how to raise a child. Just remove those children, find them a home where they will be loved and given attention. People--open your hearts and take children with skin color different than your own or special needs child.

No easy answers here. First, the lady could have terminated the pregnancies if she wanted to, please leave the Planned Parenthood unavailability litany out of this: Bowling Green HAS a Planned Parenthood Clinic. Second, where's the Dude??? They are his responsibility as well, even more so as Male methods of birth control are easier and cheaper. Third, this is a problem of two sorry individuals - ESPECIALLY the man in this case - nothing more - no need to add more regulations to the ones in place.

Neither the State, nor Planned Parenthood, nor Operation Rescue can filter out these types of messes all the time. Let's just hope the Kids find good homes and get their lives back.

If these parents asked for help, would you of helped them?

Maybe that is what needs to happen. Not use others money to look like a hero but dig deep into your own pocket.

Yes we would of helped as we have been helped in our time in need and not by any government hand out, we call them hand me downs and second hand stores.

Dems and Rep scare me. You guys are absolutely NUTS!

Oh wait the same thing happens in Mexico try Canada oh wait the same thing happens there oh well send a post card from whatever utopia you find

Let them have the abortion, but if it is paid for by the taxpayers, tie their tubes and be done with it. Problem solved.

Leaving these kids alone for such an extended period and not providing them with enough food are obviously wrong. That said, leaving younger siblings alone with a 14 year old older sibling to look after them for a short period is not a problem to me. Many 14 year olds out there baby sit for younger children who are not in their family all the time. I know I baby sat for my next door neighbor's little girl a number of times when I was that age. While leaving these kids alone for so long is obviously not acceptable, I see the real crime as being not leaving them with enough food. These parents definitely should lose custody of these kids. The real shame is going to be that the kids will almost definitely get split up. This will prove to be very traumatic, particularly for the younger children. It is bad enough that they are having to be taken from their parents due to their parents being unfit, losing their siblings on top of that is definitely going to create even more emotional problems for these kids. Also, it may prove difficult to find foster families for so many kids so some of them may end up in some state run group home. This is not something I would wish on any child. It thoroughly disgusts me when irresponsible parents bring kids into this world, particularly large numbers of kids like this, and then fail to meet their obligations to take care of them.

The world would be better off if these people had used 18 condoms instead. Why do I have to pay taxes and have less money to raise my family only to see it go to public school, medicaid, welfare, and probably prison for irresponsible worthless people like this?

Why don't you give these people huge amounts of money so they can afford a Nanny and food so they can become a politician or a ceo.

Instead we will condemn the parents and take it out on the children.

It should be illegal to split the children up. What did they do to you?

Ask the children if they would rather be split up and live in a good home or be poor and live or die together?

MDB, I soooo agree!!! Who is the gov to say how someone chooses to live??!! If the children were comfortable there then leave them! I mean, foster care isn't going to better their life-duh.

MDB123

If these parents asked for help, would you of helped them?

Maybe that is what needs to happen. Not use others money to look like a hero but dig deep into your own pocket.

Yes we would of helped as we have been helped in our time in need and not by any government hand out, we call them hand me downs and second hand stores.

Dems and Rep scare me. You guys are absolutely NUTS!

Well, first you have to understand the difference between a Democrat and a Liberal--and then a Republican and a Conservative. While I won't yield to the Ayn Rand School of thought that is far from being a decent citizens that it makes me vomit. The answers are always the same--no healthcare? You're dead. No food? Starve. Works real well in Africa, doesn't it? The concepts in that myopic world are completely opposite to the teachings of Christ and I remain amazed that most Tea Baggers call themselves "Christians." Christlike? Hardly resembles everything I've ever read.

I dig in my pocket and it makes me feel good

were living in the Bowling Green home with no food or working air conditioner

Wait, what?

Now it's *child abuse* if you fail to provide air conditioning for your kids?

I don't know how I ever managed to make it out of childhood having such abusive parents!/sarc/

Don't anyone come by & pt out the obvious....but it was 101 degrees out!....b/c that's called a *heat wave*, not the normal temp in KY, & you deal w/ it, not run down to Home Depot & steal a cartload of air conditioners for a temporary situation.

Good grief, if that's a crime against children, then why isn't CPS giving out central a/c grants to every family w/ a child?

sandtrich - digging in your pocket makes you feel good. Digging in my pocket makes me feel good also.

BUT, the GOVERNMENT digging in MY pocket to pay for this behavior makes me SICK!!

Why are you people talking about abortion? Abortion is legal and the woman moved from Chicago and they went to Michigan for a family emergency. She had access to abortion, she obviously didn't want one. So why are you even bringing abortion into it?

Love your neighbor as yourself.

While everyone is veering off course the facts are that the parents essentially abandoned the children. How long were they gone? Kids begging for food? With nineteen kids in one house it would seem the 'parents' were doing their level best to run AWAY.

This is exactly what the Republicans/Koch Bros etc want for all of us and this is what their world will look like if they get elected. Too poor to have the power to do anything. This is for real.

hope the kids get to stay together...black or white isn't and issue...they are american kids...

Jail is not an option for these two. They would get food and a realatively clean place to live. They should be spayed and neutered and put in the woods to fend for themselves.

Wow! Some jumping the gun there, huh? Lots of people with some very heartless ideas about children and adults in a bad situation. I'm not going to defend anything represented in the story, but I'm also not willing to just swallow the story with so few details. But surely, even if exactly as reported, this is not the rule with people, so to blame "these types" for government support programs is disingenuous and ugly.

God help the children, God help us all.

Now let's get rid of that sinful birth control. Then tell people they should not have kids. Sound like a solution to me,

I don't see in the article where it says they are on welfare? There are several posts saying they are collecting all this money from the government? Where was that in the article? It was a stupid idea to leave their children alone - for sure. One of the parents should have stayed behind to take care of their first priority - their children. I wouldn't even leave my dogs alone for any extended period of time - let alone children. But to assume they are on welfare is a big jump? And to the people who are saying this makes a good case for abortion - that's a big jump too. So, these children should have never been born? Maybe ask the kids how they feel about that? That's real nice - "hey, your parents should have aborted you" bet that would make them feel better. If they are such a burden on society (not mentioned in the article anywhere) maybe they should just be shot now? What's the difference? Kill them in the womb or wait a couple years to see if you can afford them or not? Abortion is legalized murder. To Mo 563393 - "this is what happens when abortion is illegal" - really? The oldest is 14 - abortion was legal when that child was born. The parents chose not to kill their unborn child. It's too bad they didn't choose to take better care of the child - but who knows what the true circumstances are? This article left out a lot of details.

CaerRaven

19 kids? Seriously? If they can't feed them, they don't need to be having them.

CaerRaven,

Abuse can occur regardless of the number of children.

There are "parents" that have only 1 child or maybe 3 children. Yet, they are abusive.

Lets face it, not everyone that can produce a child, is fit for parenting.

Throw these 2 negligent parents in jail.

nwnative, what a foolish post...

Yes 25W....the parents, no doubt (though some think we're gullible enough to think otherwise) have been collecting hundreds if not thousands a month from our pockets via the Federal Govt. to pay for their vices (as I speak the 'Chapter 8' housing a block away manages to afford unlimited fireworks) cigs/ alcohol..you name it...under the guise of "their children"...AND NOW we get to pay for 'the children' AND thier incarceration.

Welcome to the welfare state of Obama.

Scar Tissue,

I don't knwo about KY, but in my state, there are grants for some to receive AC window units. (This came after the number of elderly and children who died due to issues from the heat.) AC window unit is bought in bulk by the grant, and those who've received the grant get one.

8 months old? How is the baby even feeding or how about the diaper changing/cleaning? I have 2 young boys and it melts my heart when parents abandon their kids, kind of punishing them for being alive. :(

Yes Phil,If you can't take care of them you should not be blessed with them.Parents are providers of their children until the age of eighteen.Not the State or Goverment.The one who chose not to use a contaceptive or have an aborition.

This is one case where a good ol fashion bullwhip would really be appropriate.

Lorrie's post is great! I can't believe pro choice people are saying these kids are better off dead, and then condemning conservatives for their views on pro life. Maybe you pro choice people should let these kids know "Hey, you never deserved a chance. Your Mama shoulda killed you before you were able to take your first breath" What is this world coming to????

These two have shown no regard or best interest for their own children. Talk about selfish and uncaring breeders. They should be ashamed of themselves.

I couldn't have imagined taking off and leaving my children for a week with no food, money, a/c or adult supervision. And allowing those children to live in filth.

The idiot parents deserve to be accountable for their actions and lack of reasonable care for their children. I hope the Judge gives the parents the maxium penalty allowed..

It's sad to think what those kids have been through over the years. And those poor children still have a hard road ahead of them. I wish them well.

Those pitiful excuse as parents will only further destroy and emotionally scar those children, if they ever get custody again...

The concepts in that myopic world are completely opposite to the teachings of Christ and I remain amazed that most Tea Baggers call themselves "Christians." Christlike? Hardly resembles everything I've ever read.

Sandtrich: Where does this article mention christians? Is this just more liberal crap to blame christians because liberals don't want to give enough money of their own? I'm amazed that some democrats actually support the teachings of Christ in feeding the poor, but then say "these children never should have been born. It's better if they got an abortion". How twisted is that?

Newbe have you dug into your pocket for these kids? I'm sure there is a fund for them. There are also several families in every town in america, then there are entire countries with starving people. Will you donate $10 to each of them(families/individuals)? I know you can do it...you've as much said so... oh you can't? well, there are higher powers, pray, and then when these people continue to starve, then maybe the collective(government, certainly not the religions because they just build things like crystal cathedrals) can help them. So as you treat the least among you so do you treat me.....are you ignoring them or using the powers of the many to help the few or just not that concerned about it.

Hhhmmm, 19 kids left alone to fend for themselves, these parents should spend time in jail to contemplate the error of there ways and all there kids to be put into foster care. Its sad that they will probuly have to be split up and live away from each other. It figures that politics has found its way into this article shame we should be focusing on the problems with the kids not if its the fault of rep or dem.....

Wow people are stupid. "If you can't afford them don't have them"? In case some of you have missed it, in the past 4 years our country has been faced with a recession, with thousands of people losing their jobs, homes, etc. I know one family that went from making over $100k a year to less than $15k one year when both parents lost their jobs. Since most people don't have a functioning crystal ball, they had no idea there would be a couple of years that they couldn't afford everything they needed for their 2 kids on their own. Situations can change, and to assume everyone that needs assistance had kids they couldn't afford at the time is not only insulting but shows a lack of understanding of todays economy. That being said, I know very few people either now or before the recession that could afford 19 children, but that doesn't mean they aren't out there.

Mo-563393 I think all those of you who are crying out for an end to abortions are looking kind of silly. You don't think all these children were wanted? Planned? How many of you are Licensed Foster Parents? I did 30 years and absolutely beleive in Abortion. Look what happens to the children people are forced to have.

Based on your remarks you don't believe in abortion by CHOICE you believe in FORCED abortion like China. Personally that's disgusting.

Abandonment by a Government, endangerment by economic ruin?

justoneguy

Yes 25W....the parents, no doubt...are collecting thousands a month from our pockets via the Federal Govt. to pay for their vices...and now we get to pay for 'the children' AND thier incarceration.Welcome to the welfare state of Obama.

Justoneguy,

What a ridiculous post.

GOP supporters are always whining about the financial costs of helping the poor. It is an obtuse point of view to think that every child and/or parent that collects government assistance (welfare) is on the dole because of their own personal failings. It is shortsighted to think that all dependent families are misusing the funds that are given to them. Because of the thievery of the GOP, what about the child whose parents lost their jobs, and are in need of government assistance? Because of prescription drug abuse in the gated communities in the suburbs, what about the children who are in foster care and who are in need of government assistance?

What you should be complaining about is the greediness of the haves.

Check the facts.

The cheating of the fortunate is taking more money out of your pocket than the "welfare crowd."

"Obama's welfare state?"

The welfare state is at the top of the pyramid.

IRESPOND-2315268 This is not unusual, especially if the parents have to work, and they have a child 14 or 15 years old. They think that the "older" will be responsible to take care of all the others. Sure! A 14 or 15 year old is STILL a child, and only thinks about playing, not taking care of ANYBODY else.

Gee, and to think most girls make extra money babysitting at age 14-17 and its not illegal for them to do so either in most states.

Back in the 70's that is how I made money and not only that at the age of 14 I sat for parents of a baby 9 months old who was born w/ 1/2 a brain, had another daughter 4. The baby had to be turned from side to side every half hour. Had to be fed using a tube through the nose every hour, and had to check it every 15 minutes. If it stopped breathing I had call 911 & administer cpr. This wasn't the only special needs child I sat for at that age. And there were a couple of emergency that occured that were handled probably better than some adults could handle.

How old do you think most life guards are a neighborhood pools? They are teens responsible for saving lives.

It all depends on each individual as to whether or not they have the maturity to take on certain responsibilities. Maybe if parents today wouldn't coddle their teens today they would not be so irresponsible.

We don't know what happen in this case. Maybe these children were taken care of until both parents lost their job and unemployment couldn't support a family this size. Maybe they just hit on bad times. Hilliary was right when she said it takes a Village. I ask where were the neighbors? Why didn't anyone pitch in and help this couple? Because society today are just too self centered.

you can say "dont breed'em if you cant feed'em" all you like but as long as you continue to refuse to do anything about the working poor who do follow your advice and cannot survive people will have kids for the bennies. When you do everything "right" and dont have kids but cant get healthcare, food aid, student aid or even apply for low income housing that charges a rent you can afford why not have a kid get all the bennies ontop of an 18% raise in the form of the child tax credit

This would be known as a GOP Planned Parenthood... Only thing missing are the righteous pedophiles...

why are you assuming the couple "fell on hard times" having no money has nothing to do with abandoning 19 children and telling no one about it. last i checked it is free to stay home and watch your own kids. it was a stupid judgement call- no amount of money fixes stupid

25 Walker, What facts are you talking about that the Republicans caused this problem? In Chicago the Democrat deal is public aid and keep'm voting Democrat. Give them public housing,don't do a damn thing for their nieghborhoods other than try to contain it. Sit on their hands while the nieghborhood shoots the hell out of each other. Thank God an eye witness came foreward and an arrest was made for the shooter who killed a beautiful 7 yr old girl,recently. This is a Republican caused situation in Chicago,how? I only spend the money I can afford to. And by that have as many kids as my wife and I can raise. You know a conservative way of life. You put the political spin on this post so tell us how it fits in? I think there's a better chance that these parents had the cash to take care of these kids better than they did. There would have been child support from her kids or Social Security if the father was MIA. Food pantry's, church groups,etc. They didn't need to go hungry,but they could also buy pet food with public aid so that was a problem,of many. They would have had more assistance if it," wasn't for the presciption drug abuse in gated communities" LOL, 25W that was a good one! Want to hear another? Maybe you can use this as it fits your way of thinking? Quote, Chicago Sun Times columnist,Mary Mitchell," The reason Social Security is in trouble is because white people are living too long. They are collecting benefits that were paid in by the working class blacks!"! Fact is 25Walker, these parents thinking they could pull off a 19 kid household had a," it takes a village to raise a child" mentality. They're for sure Liberal's and probably voted Obama, and not to straighten out their household either! But to maintain their f--ked up lifestyle!

why are you assuming the couple "fell on hard times"

Maybe because many people "with" money are impoverished in this country and only have a couple of kids..

My head is swimming a little bit. This is a 3-bedroom house, for 2 adults (when they're home), 19 children, 9 dogs, and one cat?! Oh my...

That said, my sister and I were allowed to be at home by ourselves when I was 11, and I started babysitting shortly after that. A 14-year old is perfectly capable of watching younger children. The amount of time the parents were gone is what makes the difference, as well as the total amount of children (which is a tough order for any ADULT to handle) during that timeframe.

The lack of food is what appalls me. Not so much the air conditioning as many families have to go without it, but no food? For 19 kids and all of your pets? If you're leaving because of a family emergency and are planning on leaving your kids behind, wouldn't you at least want to make sure that your cupboards are stocked before you leave? And granted, the parents asked the neighbors to check in on the kids, but, wouldn't the proper route have been to explain the emergency to a neighbor and ask them (or friends) to come stay at the house during their absence?

This story does have a lot of holes in it, but some simple deductive reasoning fills in some very clear blanks.

All right now people, welfare has been around longer that Obama has been around. And politicians did not put a gun in that thugs hand and tell him to shoot that 7 year old he did it him self......This story is not about politics its about a family who had 19 kids shhhheesssshhh stick to the topic and leave your politics to the articles that need it......

First thing I want to say is......UH....WOW PEOPLE!!! From the few facts given in the article there is an awful lot debate over some hot button issues. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good debate, but let's try to stay on topic here.

I find this to be disturbing and unfortunate, just like everybody else here who didn't post about Abortion, welfare and Obama. What I am having a hard time wrapping my head around is that the parents of these 19 children asked the neighbor to look in on the kids, but the article said the neighbors probably didn't know how many kids lived there at the home.....HOW DO YOU NOT HEAR 19 CHILDREN INSIDE A HOME OF YOUR NEIGHBOR?? I have three children living next to me, and I can hear the kids playing, crying, fighting, laughing, etc. Also the article says the kids resorted to begging neighbors for food at times. Seems to me the neighbors should have called a long time ago. Or maybe this could have been prevented if the neighbors reached out to the parents after the 2nd or 3rd time the children came to them begging for food in the past. This is a perfect example of how much things have changed over the last 3-4 decades. Knowing your neighbors used to be important....people used to actually knock on their neighbor's doors and have conversations with each other. That would have been helpful in this scenario.

IDK - the whole thing is just awful for those kids. Hopefully they have family somewhere that will take them in (that is a little more responsible than their parents) so they can at least stay together. Insult to injury if these kids are all in different places with no access to each other.

Irresponsible parents provide a reason for killing any of these kids and any unwanted kids before they're born. Wow! Did I read that right? That is a long and very sick reach by any moral standard. "...life, liberty and ..." (except for unborn voters!).

the 19 kids, the 9 pooches, and 1 cat had the time of there life! now dat sounds like a house party! lol.

There are two things that I find odd about this story. The first, the freaking out about a lack of air conditioning. My God, how did the human race survive all those thousands of years without it? How did I survive the first 29 years of my life without it? When did absence of air conditioning turn into criminal neglect? Should we start arresting parents who take their children outside when the temperature rises above a certain level? There's no air conditioning in the great outdoors...

Second, when did it become negligent for teens to look after younger siblings? Once again, as family structures have changed, people seem to forget that this was common throughout most of human history, except for the very rich who essentially had their children raised by slaves or servants. To think that I used to supervise younger children from the time I was 13 through most of my teen years when the adult parents were absent...and to think that my parents allowed teens to take charge of me as a tot!

That said, it sounds as if the two adults cited have pretty bad judgment, first in somehow ending up with 19 children between them (although we can't tell if all of the children were biologically theirs- I wonder if some were children of ex's who may be unrelated but in-house). Why were there 10 children when the police checked the last time, but 19 this time? Then, it was terrifically stupid for both of the adults to leave. It would take something akin to an army sergeant to keep 19 kids organized, fed, and clean. I feel sorry for these kids. Hopefully they have some other family members who can take them in and give them enough structure and love to grow up healthy, or perhaps they have other parents who can get it together and look after them, instead of being raised by the state?

There are a total (so far) of 4 stupid people involved in this story. The woman and man of this household and the father and mother of the kids who wasn't theirs solely (Meaning the woman had kids before this guy...where are the fathers? The guy had kids before this woman...where are the mothers?). Unless the latter are dead, then they bear some of this responsibility. How long did you go without seeing or knowing the well being of your kid? For people saying "if this was a black family", the story didn't say what race the family was! For the ones who automatically think that this family was living on welfare or government assistance, was Kate + 8 on government assistance? What about the Duggar family and their 21 kids? Stop assuming that everyone is on some assistance if they have a big family! The other thing I want to comment on is the air conditioning. How do we know that the a/c didn't go out because of a storm?

Not to be a b*tch but I'm pretty good at it... We were left home alone without AC, brother was 14 littlest sis was 5... we never had AC growing up... and we lived. We did however have food and water, and there were only 4 of us. I don't get the whole no AC = bad parenting.. the rest I get. I just don't think the AC needed to be added... c'mon schools are closing because they have no AC... no school when I grew up had AC and you know what we lived.

Where did you grow up, Ethiopia? What school doesn't have A/C? I've never been in one that didn't and I"m probably old compared to you lol. 19 kids home alone, no parental supervision, no food, water, OR air conditioning? That screams child abuse and neglect and these children's 'caregivers' need some serious prison time.

Wow this is not about politics but what is best for 19 kids! Get over it both sides. Secondaly the AC issue is not parental neglect. What is wrong leaving that many kids with no food. a 14 year old can watch a couple of kids for a while like 4 hours but not for days. So that is bad. Even with the missing info in this story it is clear these two are NOT fit parents. To all of you crazy SOBs who say if you cannot feed them don't breed them that is sooooo stupid. My case is a good example. I work two jobs and still barely have enough to feed my family. I love them, I provide as much as I can. When I had the children I could afford them. How in the world were I to know that years later the economy would tank and you just cannot seem to find good work. Don't be so judgemental! No we don't get welfare and no we don't have cable tv, no we don't have smart phones, we have a car that is over 10 years old. So please please stop making such blanket statements. By your statement I am as bad of a parent as these two. Yet I ensure my 7 year old always has someone to watch her, I ensure she has food every day even if I don't (and yes I may get my food from a food bank), I ensure the 17 yearold has food. I provide love, a place to live and the very occassional treat. I am so annoyed with both sides getting this hollier than thou routine. Get over it as life is not that cut and dry.

In regards to the babysitting issue-sure, a 14 year old is certainly qualified to be a baby sitter...but at that age it's typically for one afternoon/evening at a time. A day max. And not for 18 other children at once. In addition to not being left the appropriate supplies to care for the others (i.e. food).

Not having air conditioning is not a crime. The author of the article probably threw in that detail to further sensationalize things (as if the rest wasn't bad enough). Seems they left for an family emergency...at the expense of creating one back home in their absence.

Lynne-I would say that I've been in more schools that don't have A/C than ones that do. Last month of school was always super hot and unpleasant in class. And the ones that do seem to have window boxes, but only in the administrative offices. A good 10 degree temperature gradient at least between the office and the rest of the school. It's cooler than outside...but not by much.

What do you get EACH year per child on your income taxes? Plus welfare, food stamps, medicaid. These folks got it down pat. Don't have to work, get a $20+ grand tax return, travel and stuff the kids in the house with the dog feces and living the dream. I work two jobs, pay my bills, and if I had a family emergency in Michigan, I would have to count my pennies to make sure I could go. I don't have 19 children, 9 dogs and a cat to leave behind either. And I have a legitimate disability which I refuse to claim until I absolutely cannot drag myself into work anymore. So apparentley, these idiots have no sense of responsibility which would first be to the children, the second the poor animals, and third then go check on the family in Michigan. I'd like to know what that emergency was. Maybe legit, but it could be just as colorful as the rest of this mess.

Sick. That is what this is. And as long as we give out free money every spring in tax returns, and the more kids you have the more moolah you get, then it isn't going to stop. EVER!

yes, please stay on the subject, abortion? This is far beyond that issue at hand,

19 welfare babies. Now we get to support them.

This is what happens when people in Red States are allowed to breed.

I think male babies should have reversible vasectomies at birth. Then when they are adults, if they can prove that they are financially and emotionally responsible, and have a www---ooo---mmm---aaa-nnn that will endorse him as potential father material, then he can apply to have the vasectomy reversed.

Either that, or men need to learn to keep their pants zipped.

I think you're looking for some attention so I'm going to give it to you. What oh earth are you talking about with your 'pro-choice' comments? Pro-choice is for women who make the horrendous decision to have an abortion can do it in a safe manner. DO you think that is abortion were illegal that it wouldn't happen? If so, then you are WRONG! WWW-OOO-MMM-EEE-NNN & some men fought for it to be legal so that there are guidelines to preserve a woman's health & life. Too many girls were showing up in the hospital with gang green & other issues from getting botched, unsanitary abortions. Some even died. There are circumstances whereby abortion is the only choice. It is a very difficult decision to make. For your comments, you should have to live as a woman for some time. Then you wouldn't have such a filthy view point of how women are to act. Also, it takes 2 to make a baby... MMM-AAA-NNN!!!

wow Jerry-kinda sounds like you knocked a chick up (maybe more than once) and she made the choice to keep the baby!! This story has nothing to do with peoples choices to have children aka "www---ooo---mmm---eee---nnn" it's about 2 dead beats! Not all "www---ooo---mmm---eee---nnn" have children to fufill anything! You cant fix stupidity plain and simple!! And these 2 are just flat out stupid!!!

Jerry, I am a www-ooo-mmm-eee-nnn, but your comment is hysterically funny. And I agree that some women conceive to fulfill their womanhood. They want the romantic pregnant part of the experience, not the day to day struggle of loving and caring for the most precious thing on this Earth.

Jerry, you crack me up!

"No one, (especially www---ooo---mmm---eee---nnn) should be allowed the right to conceive until they show they are willing to give up their lives to the ones they've conceived. "

Whom besides women can conceive? If you have I hate to tell you but you're a woman. Why shouldn't a man be completely willing to give up his life for his children? Mother- Father equal responsibility.

Typical red welfare state. Seriously, folks. If conservative principles worked, Mississippi would be the top earning state. Instead it is the worst. Kentucky is down there as well. And don't say we need more religion either. Seventy percent of Americans identify themselves as Christians so that isn't working either.

What we need is culture and education.

I agree that people who are unable to care for their children should have them taken away but I also believe that allowing dysfunctional people to keep procreating is wrong. Mandatory sterilizations should be implemented. No one needs to be having more than two. I don't care how much money you have.

im a woman and ill decide if i want a abortion or not,im not against it or for it.i do belive they should have rules to abortions,because too many young women have abortions like its birth controll!however their may be times a woman decides its the best thing to do,im one of them,and you know its not a easy thing to do either!what it comes down to is not if im a male or female that should have rights,it comes down to,how much should the goverment controll your life,and that my friend should be less much less..............as for the people with 19 kids dont put them in jail,hangem hangem high!

The problem is our welfare system rewards them for having more children but does not control how the money is spent. There should be limits as to the number of dependents that can be claimed.

Jerry, you actually made me laugh!!!

I didn't get on my high horse and get pissed off: I actually laughed at you. I am a "woooo mmmmm aaaaa nnnnnn", who has birthed three children, one of which had Turners Syndrome and passed on. You still made me laugh.

It's about choice! If you don't think the "mmmm aaaa nnnnn" most times is involved in that choice, then you are delusional. We should each have the choice to make our own decisions, although I'm on the side of most that you should be responsible with it and not use abortion as birth control. It takes TWO to conceive....and hopefully, two to raise a child in this world.

Tanya - 3884098 gang green???? Really? You sound like an idiot. Learn how to spell, it's gangrene.

people like marinmom,lynsepug and jerry are the epitome of a big part of whats wrong with things today!

WHAT THE F*&* MAKES YOU THINK YOU HAVE ANY RIGHT TO DECIDE OTHER PEOPLES LIVES?

Where as these kids should be taken away as they were not being raised but were abandoned, and Punish them for it. They have proved they are unfit to be parents. You 3 need to worry about your lives and quit trying to control other peoples lives. If we were to see you i know there are things about each of you many of us would not like. Maybe WE should be able to decide what you can drive, what you can say, what you can wear, what you can eat, what you can drink, and when and on what you may spend any money. We will also decide what you are allowed to watch if we let you watch tv. We can decide when you are allowed to work and what you will do, how long and if not done right we can decide if you should get to eat.

IN OTHER WORDS, MANY MANY OF US ARE GETTING TIRED OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU TRYING TO CONTROL OTHER PEOPLES LIVES!

You cant stop people from reproducing. Who would make that dicision? is there an apeal process? where would it stop. They'll come after you next.

There wouldn't be any freedom or liberty for ANYONE in this country.

The Religious right tries to Micromanage the Bedroom, the "Secular" left tries to Micromanage the Gun Cabinet, the shopping cart, the Gas tank, the Bugs in your Lawn, where you can pray, etc..

Both are WRONG. Both.

lynseypug

I think male babies should have reversible vasectomies at birth. Then when they are adults, if they can prove that they are financially and emotionally responsible, and have a www---ooo---mmm---aaa-nnn that will endorse him as potential father material, then he can apply to have the vasectomy reversed.

Either that, or men need to learn to keep their pants zipped.

I totally and absolutely agree. No mmm---aaa---nnn should be allowed to conceive a child with a www---ooo---mmm---aaa---nnn unless he can prove that he would be a fit father, not someone who let's 19 children, who didn't ask to be conceived, sweltering away alone, neglected and abused. Enough of the "pro-choice" nonsense. No one gets to have the right whether or not to conceive a child unless he - or SHE - can prove that he - or SHE - can provide fully for that child. The man had better keep his pants zipped up and the woman had better keep her skirt down. Children aren't major household appliances that make mmm---eee---nnn or www-ooo-mmm---eee---nnn feeled "fulfilled." Like I said, if you want something alive to feel "fulfilled," get a spider plant.

By the way, for you man-hating women who say I must've had I child I don't want to care for, I've never had a child. I'm responsible enough never to have had one because that child deserves a life parents can give him/her. In other words, a life you "pro-choice" parents could never give to a child. No child should be born because his/her parents "wanted" them they way they want a wall-mount, HD TV set. What you pro-choice parents want doesn't matter diddly squat because you don't care about children. None of you should ever be allowed the choice to have children if you want them only because you "want" them. "Want" them for what? I can't imagine how a single child would feel who was brought into the world with the "joyous" news that you "wanted" them. If you didn't "want" them, you'd off them.

Children don't have the "right to choose" whether or not they want to be conceived. Because of that, their rights are paramount, so, therefore, no one, a mmm---aaa---nnn and a WWW---OOO---MMM---NNN should be allowed the same "right to choose." The "parents" who tortured these children should never have been allowed to have them or to take possession of them. No more "right to choose" or "pro-choice" for those who can conceive children. Either show you can care for them the way they deserve or get yourself a cat so you can feel "fulfilled." By the way, abuse the cat, and it's off the hooskaw for you.

Hey Jerry and lynseypug, What else of mine do you want to control? will you tell me when i can take a sh*t too??

Do I get to control anything of yours?

WHAT THE F*&* MAKES YOU THINK YOU HAVE ANY RIGHT TO DECIDE OTHER PEOPLES LIVES?

Maybe because their taxes are used to pay for this sh!t.

Mandatory sterilizations, accreditation to conceive, financial proof before child birth. It is amazing what I am reading on here. This is the very typical government control mindset of "one guys craps his pants and everyone is required to wear diapers". The idea of the pro-choice posters that all of these children were unwanted and the mothers were forced to give birth is entirely laughable. These children were wanted. Have you never heard of getting more welfare money for having more children? The bigger the family the bigger the checks. The children get too old to qualify, just have more. Image the earned income credit tax refund check this family pulled in yearly. This family is pulling in more welfare and tax refund money than a lot of us earn in a year working.

It is interesting that you think women who disagree with you are man haters. The only person here spewing ugly sexist comments is well... you. Fortunately for all the rest of us, you marginalized moron, your opinion on childbirth/rearing is unimportant as you have no children. That being said, I guess a "thank you for not passing down your idiocy", is in order. So, thank you. Now if you would be just as considerate in airing your totally unnecessary opinions I would be in your debt. Oh, and what is with the www--ooo--mmm--aaa--nnn thing? Thanks for the laugh!

Can I ask a question? Where in this article did anyone say that this family was on welfare? I did read that it seemed to be a blended family. You know, some of the kids were his, some were hers and probably a couple they had together.

I love how judgmental people can be when they think they KNOW something. I think that the police did what they should have done, investigated, removed the children and hunt down the neglectful parents. Now allow the legal process to take place, please.

Oh and there is a cap on how much you can receive in welfare payments for children. Children are not taken off of their parents cases until they either reach the age of 18 or graduate from High School. There is also a cap on how long you can receive welfare. Go back and read the law that was put into place under Clinton and the Republican controlled Congress ( one of the actually smart things they did together). I have an idea, stop spouting the political talking points and start thinking and reading for yourselves. Yeah I do know stuff, because I pay attention and read! Also a refund check is capped at a certain number of kids. Go to IRS website and look it up!

Mandatory sterilizations should be implemented. No one needs to be having more than two. I don't care how much money you have.

Mitt Romney would love that statement in his mormon community, where every mormon has no less than 5 children.

sweltering away alone

Again....since when has it become a *crime* to let your children sweat in the summer?

There are millions of American homes that don't have a/c. It is not that common. It's only been within the last decade or so that all of a sudden a/c is a *must-have* when building a new home. Older homes simply were not built w/ a/c b/c it used to be considered a *luxury*.

I'm so going to remember this the next time I see whining that *some* low-income apt tower blocks have a/c. B/c apparently it isn't a luxury anymore, but a necessity, esp if you have kids.

Fans, hoses, sprinklers, kiddie pools, & bathtubs are no longer sufficient summer cooling methods for children? Nah, crank up the a/c & let em sit inside all summer & play video games. Then we can complain about how *obese* they are as well. Since going outside & playing in water is now not enough.

You must have a/c! How dare you allow your child to swelter?

And how dare you let a 14 yo babysit?

How freakin' pampered are the generations after me that ppl seem to think a 14 yo is still such a *baby* that they can't have the charge of younger kids?

I was 12 when I 1st started babysitting, back when $3 was considered decent pay for watching 3 kids for 6 hrs while the parents went out & partied, 50 cents/hr, & nobody thought it a *risk* to ride your bike home late-nite thru largely deserted suburban streets. It beat getting into a car w/ a drunk dad. Evidently my parents should be charged w/ child abuse for permitting me to do that?

I'd bet this wasn't the 1st time *home alone* occurred in this family, w/ enough older sibs to watch the littler ones that the parents didn't think it was a bad idea. (No one would be bashing the Duggars for doing it, even tho the principles are the same....w/ that many kids, responsibility has to be delegated to the older ones.)

And as someone already mentioned, maybe the parents thought they did leave sufficient groceries for the time they were going to be gone & the kids plowed thru them, or the parents were just gone longer than they expected.

40-50 yrs ago this would've been nothing to raise an eyebrow at & certainly no reason for neighbors to *call the authorities*. Neighbors would've pitched in to help out & expected the parents to return the favor for them in the future. I mean, it does say the parents asked neighbors to check in on the kids & the neighbors must've agreed to that request. Then they turn around & call CPS?

What a spying, nosy, unfriendly, un-neighborly, nanny state we've become.

Um

So you would consider the 1" layer of dog feces covering the floor of a room acceptable? Just like the good old days? Remember this was a small 3 bedroom....

19 children alone for a week with 9 dogs. Sorry - this is just wrong.

I'm probably as old as you are (I remember babysitting at 12 for 50 cents an hour) and I'm afraid someone would have called someone if 19 children were discovered alone in a house for a week (including an 8 month old BABY) without food. When I babysat I could always call my parents if I got more than I could handle. You watched 3 kids for 6 hours .... not 18 for 6 days - and you could call your own parents if something went wrong -

I'm not so sure many adults could have handled 19 kids much less a 14 year old or two...

"Mandatory sterilizations should be implemented. No one needs to be having more than two. I don't care how much money you have.

Mitt Romney would love that statement in his Mormon community, where every Mormon has no less than 5 children"

When you make false statements like this, it makes you sound ignorant. I am a Mormon, and I do have 5 kids. But I can tell you that I am much more the exception, than the rule in any Mormon congregation I have lived in. Yes SOME Mormons choose to have larger families. So what? We live in a free country, and the church teaches personal responsibility as well. We are taught as a matter of doctrine not to "limit or offspring" but ALSO that we should not have more children than we can reasonably take care of ourselves.

Over the years I have lived in California, Utah and Arkansas and my family has always been one of the largest in each congregation we lived in. Families of 2 or 3 are FAR more common. Unless you have personal experience, please don't spread your prejudicial stereotypes.

@All I'm a A/C service man for a large H.V.AC CO. I go in some rich people homes that should have there kids taken away. I work in the Potomac Maryland area were the rich live. Some dirty,dirty homes

and kids running wild.

i am so tired of all the "let the 14 year old care for 'em all, its ok and not abuse" crap. did any of you grow up living like that? being the sole child care provider for young children day in and day out? i did and it screwed me up good. there is a huge difference between -i helped my mom here and there or i babysat on saturdays from 4-10 and basically being a parent to multiple children at age 14. if it was so ok for a child of 14 to be a mom in name why is is horrible when shes a mom in reality? raising other kids at that age id awful, you had no choice in their birth or number, you have no real power to do anything as they are not yours, it steals your childhood. how is that ok? how is it ok for a child of that age to try to go to school, make grades/friends then come home and get the kids, feed them, help them do homework, find a way to get food to feed them that night, make all the parent calls to the schools because you havent seen your mom in 2 weeks and food is running bare. you know all that being a parent stuff that you bitch about being so damn hard and no one understands you crap i hear you spew. try that at 14, when your a child yourself with your own problems and no parent to turn to, no spouse to support you, no grannie to get a break from the kids. you try keeping the lights on and worrying how you will heat the house when mom hasnt left you the cash to pay the heat and you have toddlers in the home at 14. that is not normal, that is abusive all of the children deserve better. the younger ones deserve a mature adult with the wisdom and patience to handle their needs, the teen deserves a support during those tumultuous times - they deserve a childhood

sez three-bedroom house. But yeah, Kentucky...

Are you dumb? This happens everywhere. There happen to be a lot of good parents out there. Yeah, even in Kentucky. Ignorant post!

Zuper...LOL..I know you can't help it. You've never actually been out of your parents basement, let alone to another state.

zupercram...a trailer is a 3 bedroom house in kentucky...

SHERYL-2336302 - Insert 25 cents to continue.

I'm married (not living with either of our parents, or have roommates) and have lived and worked in 4 different states. Also, I live in neighboring Tennessee, so it's a good idea to recognize a joke when you see it, since plenty of folks would say the same about my current state of residence.

More toothless 30- year old grandmas in the Housing projects of NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Detroit and Chicago than all of the south combined.

I also find it amusing that people who live in tiny apartments look 'down' on those in trailers. Most of those trailers are bigger and better equipped than an 'average' city apartment. (no, I don't live in a trailer. Don't live in an apartment either).

Nothing against Trailers. I don't live in one as there are these wonderful, rotating, phallic shaped things called Tornadoes. They EAT trailers.... at least the ones which get in the way.....

and yall thought life in the trailer park was luxurious?

Only double-wide, with the fake fire place and room for a waterbed.

Those people are encouraged by Mitch McConnell to keep producing future voting base for cheap labor to keep the elite class who matter to him in the life of luxury off their minimum wage. sorry, but callin it like I see it when it comes to those poor states. Those kids got lucky to be born in the usa but drew the bottom of the barrell place to be born in, and got shafted with the wrong parents. We dont have to look at third world countries anymore...just look in our own backyards/streets. I hope the kids have a chance to make something of themselves.

trailer stigma is something else i am sick to death of, you know you can own a trailer for less than it costs to rent an apartment? you can then use the money you save to dig yourself out of poverty. yes i was raised in a trailer until age 13, yes my parents were drunks and drug addicts but even they saw the benefit of doing that and we bought a home a real home using the money we saved living in one. were they still terrible parents- yup bad parents exist in homes and trailers and apartments. can you be an irresponsible parent and a responsible citizen- yup you can. functional alcoholism - look it up. I met a lot of good people in mobile homes, elderly people who downsized, young couples saving up to buy a real home- newly divorced people . all kinds. my neighbor was an elderly black gentlemen who was the closest thing to friend i had, he did not drink or drug it up or have 30 kids, didnt beat his wife. it was a financial move they made due to a medical bankruptcy- which his wife sadly did not survive. trailer parks are not just for white trash they are for everyone, black, white, old, young, crappy and saintly. sort of like your neighborhood but with less money.

Aggrevated. Thank you so much for your post. You have explained the human condition eloquently. This happens in all levels and walks of life. No one is "superior" to anyone else. sure wish people would remember that before they start to spout off.

I have a small store near a trailer park and the residents are my best customers. They are hard working and very nice.

joe-is that where you got your education, it says a three bed-room house. This wouldn't happen in China where you have to pay a hefty fine if you are to havr a 2nd child, if not they perform forced abortions. Well thats less people tha grow up and are allowed to come over here and take our jobs

Much longer then he or she should be...parents should be forced into a hot box without food or water for a week and see how it feels.

Sorry? These type of people? I don't disagree that the parents should not have left the kids alone. But, any time we get into condemning "these type of people", we have condemned without knowing the entire story/situation. And maybe it's not race this time, but economic status. Labels do not help anyone.

What cat said. And it isn't just in KY.

Like there are no rat infested hovels that kids are pulled out of in NY or Chicago every day? Please.

Now air conditioning is a right?

I believe "these types of people" was a reference to "stupid people" not referring to what state they lived in ...

NO AIRCON??? They should be horse whipped! AND a 101 degrees, my God man! hahahahaha, all BS

WorldTravel07---Um, excuse me? What the heck does that mean?! There are people like that EVERYWHERE. Just because someone is from Kentucky doesn't make them "dumb" or "stupid". People are ignorant no matter where they're from.

WorldTravel07: There are horsemen, lawyers, business owners, doctors, and people from all walks of life in Kentucky that have more in their checking accounts than you have in all of your assets combined.

WorldTravel07,

It bears repeating: Ignorance knows no geographic or political boundaries. Ignorance is not the province of a specific ethnicity, socioeconomic class, or creed. When you make blanket superlative statements such as, "All Polacks are __, all Jews are___, all Kentuckians are __— and should be sterilized," you move dangerously close to the Nazi agenda. (Anyone recalls Hitler's eugenics campaign, which was based on California's eugenics campaign?) Stereotyping people according to race, geography, or class accomplishes two things: First, it conveniently dehumanizes others so you can view them only through the lens of that with which you've labelled them. When they are subhuman in your eyes, you can justify all kinds of atrocities done to them. Secondly, it deflects your attention from your own flaws so you can feel morally superior and avoid a critical exploration of your own ignorance, which is showing right now. Wikipedia is standing by so you can look up the term "eugenics".

I thought that too...

Ha Ha Ha. Hilarious. Best comment by far!

Maybe they were cousins?

Which would explain why they both had to respond to a family emergency.

Helluva haul from WIC, SNAP, HUD, and whatever other government agencies pay people to breed like sewer rats. Wouldn't be shocked if it was close to 6 figures, all said and done.

There are only 4 states that don't have lifetime time limits on
welfare. 32 States including Kentucky have a 60 month lifetime limit
that an adult can be included in an Aid for Dependent Children case.
Florida and Georgia have 48 month lifetime limits and Arkansas has a
24 month lifetime limit. Welfare reform went into effect 16 yrs. Ago,
yet Conservatives continue to charge that people are having children
so that they can get Public Assistance for life. European Americans
are the largest group of people in America receiving Welfare and Food
Assistance, yet Conservatives continue to charge that African
American are the only people on Welfare. It is not clear if the two
adults in this case are people that look like Obama or Romney, but
for sure Conservatives will say that Obama and people that look like
him are the cause of all the Poverty, Welfare and Unemployment in
America.

Helluva haul from WIC, SNAP, HUD, and whatever other government agencies pay people to breed like sewer rats. Wouldn't be shocked if it was close to 6 figures, all said and done.

Are you @!$%#ing kidding me? Six figures?

Go do some homework. Even at that family size they'd be lucky to hit double digits & that, of course, would be if they received any type of assistance, to which *assumption* you leapt w/ no info whatsoever about it. Public assistance is not the huge haul ppl seem to think it is.

double digits? That's $10. Gonna guess you meant 5 figures, which is $10,000. ONE kid will get you more than that; figure HUD pays close to a grand for a section 8 apartment in a city, WIC is at least $150/month, then Food Stamps - another $150 or so... that's ONE kid. 19 kids? 6k/month plus housing, which is 12k/year. $80,000, not including whatever tax benefits, EIC and whatever else. 6 figures is a reasonable estimate.

fred the puppy, you have it all wrong. There was a time several years ago when I was 8 months pregnant with my second child, my husband was seriously injured and could not work. Our income was suddenly gone. I wasn't working at the time as I was about to have a baby. We went to welfare for some help, after all we have been paying taxes for years and we needed some help for a bit. They gave us food stamps, about $100, and they said they could give us only $325 a month in welfare. Well, our rent was $500 a month, food stamps only cover food, not things like toilet paper, diapers etc. Needless to say, we were screwed.

They actually told me I should get a divorce and they could help me more. Well, we got the welfare for one month and the food stamps. It took my husband about 3 months to recover during that time he got unemployment, which entailed going out and looking for a job while in extreme pain. We made it through though we did lose our apartment and had to get a smaller place that we paid for by the week. Welfare is not the cash cow that people think it is, and section 8 housing has a 4 year waiting list.

I would like to never be in position again. It was the hardest time I can remember.

Myrmicat, I am so glad that you and your family got through and are doing better. You used the program as it was meant to be used. Fred is spouting the Fox News and Rush talking points. He is spewing back all of the vitriol and lies that they tell and watch and see if he doesn't tell a lie about (just happening ) to be near a welfare office and seeing someone roll up in a BRAND NEW SUV, and getting out with designer this and designer that on and then he just happened to follow them into the grocery store and he saw them get lobster and steak and all of these other "goodies" while he stood there with his bread and milk and wished he could buy that.

The rwnj's will do an say anything at this point. They have been emboldened to be as nasty and sanctimonious as they can be. All the while thinking that they could NEVER be in that situation, because they work and that will never happen to them. I wonder how many of them got a rude awakening near the end of the previous administrations reign and found themselves LOOKING for some help because the bankers and corporations were allowed to run buck wild and RUIN Everyone's lives !!

Thank you, grandleymom! You said it better than I did.

Try reaching out to families like them.

The only reaching out to them should be done by the police... for their wrists... to put handcuffs on 'em.

Charity and enabling are two completely different concepts.

So to heck with personal responsibility huh? But WTF, that is the liberal way.

Mam, my husband and I HAVE taken folks in over a 15 year period and frankly, they have a mentality that someone else will deal with their choices. So I am sad to admit I would prefer parents who pop babies like pez candy and then neglect them, be sterilized;the children removed permanently.

The harm they have already done at this point is irreparairable for any of the children over 4 years old.

The other children will be at risk to repeat the same pattern of the parents; burdening an already bloated social assistance system and creating more sociopaths.

With all due respect Mam, we now only help those who have shown (over time and with reference)intention to improve their lives, reasonable intellect, excellent work ethic and logical birth control practices.

I'm sure they would take any help you would give them ...but I seriously doubt that any of that would ever be seen by there kids ! How could they leave an 8 month old baby there plus all the others with NO FOOD !!Are you stupid or what ? the only help they need is right into a jail cell ! I wonder how long those poor kids have been abused like this !!!

You're funny!

Many people are trashy by nature, and do not care. Even if they were offered a better life on a silver platter, they wouldn't take it.

"...you have the option to let them out or let them die"? Let who die, the children? The children are locked up somewhere while the parents are in prison??

I'm sorry, but I can't make any sense out of this comment.

No you give the children the option when they grow up to let the parents out or let them die!

Oh, ok. "the adult should now be given the key..." kinda threw me.

YOUR'E NUTS!

I couldn't make sense of it, either, Charlie. It's not just you...

sparklystar

Lorrie's post is great! I can't believe pro choice people are saying these kids are better off dead, and then condemning conservatives for their views on pro life. Maybe you pro choice people should let these kids know "Hey, you never deserved a chance. Your Mama shoulda killed you before you were able to take your first breath" What is this world coming to????

There's an eternal misunderstanding in the tiny minds of the anti-abortion crowd. We who support Choice believe every woman should have a choice, that whether she carries a pregnancy to term is her business, between her and God and her doctor. This carries out what Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount, as told in Mark 7:5:

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's.

When we see a family of children this large who are abandoned to their own devices, we cannot help wondering if they were wanted. Giving birth to them is not enough, children must be fed, sheltered, loved, attended and parented, unlike what so many people seem to believe. Children are a lifetime commitment, forever 24/7. They aren't like puppies or kittens, to be thrown in the street to raise themselves as seems to have happened with this group of kids. There aren't any vacations from parenthood. Why did both parents leave them alone for more than a week? What were they thinking? No, you don't get a pass on that.

Were these children wanted? It doesn't seem very likely that they were wanted. Parents don't abandon their children without supervision when they're wanted and precious to them. Leaving an 8-month-old in the care of a 14-year-old for a week is too odd. What if the baby fell ill? This is deplorable and distressing, to say the least.

The Nazi's tried that. This country did sterilize mental health patients and the mentally challenged. Not that long ago. Read your social history.

Though it sounds horrible to say that a person needs a permit or license to have children, I tend to agree with you. Many humans have proven that they are way too irresponsible to have children or understand the concept of being a parent.

SNIKT

Too bad your parents didn't think the way you do!

@snkrt & tcola187...Just wondering, who would you trust to make the decision to "permit" or "stop this somehow"?

Well, my parents are loving and responsible people, so I would've been just fine.

You have to weigh which one is worse, keep hearing horror stories such as this, ruining innocent childrens lives and robbing them of a loving / responsible upbringing, OR do everything possible to educate people of the tremendous responsibility of being a parent BEFORE they make that decision, putting into place specific child care criteria and have outlined the consequences for NOT caring for your children.

It would make a huge difference being that the two responsible adults would have to take the necessary steps in order to have a child, rather, a "mistake" and then have the poor child neglected for his or her entire life.

Its a difficult line to draw, but something needs to be done. These stories are getting way too common given the countries economical situation, and it appears that children are suffering the most.

Thats why its a difficult line to draw, because trust me, I would never want the Government involved on that type of issue. Something needs to be done though to protect innocent children.

Yes, it is a difficult line to draw. This whole situation is very sad. I am glad to hear you would not want the government to get involved, I was afraid that that was what you were leaning towards.

My parents were financially solvent at the time of my birth. I was my mother's fifth child. After her sixth, my sister, she divorced my father. Then began our downward spiral, especially as we became teenagers. My mother never should have been allowed to have more than two. When you are young, you don't realize how much is involved and you don't have coping skills to deal with teenagers.

In the olden days, it was common for someone who had lost a spouse for example to farm kids out to other families. Sometimes it worked out. The problem nowadays is that we are so critical of mothers who give up their kids. We demonize them. We need to let them know that a good mother does what is best for her kids, even if it means giving them up.

The mother is in jail. She is in an (probably) air conditioned jail with a clean bed, showers, clean clothes, three meals a day, TV, books, (probably) a computer and has no repsonsibilities except to eat, shower, and potty. What a punishment for abandoning 19 children. If she is lucky she will be sentencedto the state of the art prison Obama had built in Chicago when he was in the senate.

Clearly these bozos wouldn't have passed a test to have any children.

Coco, the only computer privileges in prisons are those which are earned. Limbaugh doesn't know what he's talking about. Do some research on what's available in your state for prisoners. You'll probably be surprised by how few luxuries they receive. In my state they do have access to television, but it must be earned by good behaviour. Check it out for yourself.

BTW, air conditioning is necessary for survival in Florida where I live. Still, not all our state prisons are air conditioned and only 2/3 of the federal ones here are. It's too bad that some criminals suffer heat exhaustion every 108+F summer, isn't it? Oh, well, they simply have to put up with it, don't they?

robbie..so only the lady should be locked up, not the gentleman who is also living there. Probably the father of at least half of the kids.

robbie you are a typical man, probably from the south, who takes no responsibility for anything.

Where does robbie say that he/she is a man? And, why are you hating on this person for their comment? And, why would you say that people from the south take no responsibility for anything? I think you should change your screen name to "very old and grumpy".

Robbie is right. Being poor has nothing to do with it. It has more to do with the intelligence of the mother and the culture she creates for her family.

Men don't really care about women or children so women had better plan on doing it all themselves if they have children. Men do a good job of pretending to care sometimes, though. Most of them are only one or two jumps up from the Taliban.

mitch mcconnell the mother-f-er he looks like king james era. he is so horribly ugly. and a greedy bastard he wants all but the hell with the others, that are middle class and working poor. he has a government pay check, the best health care brought to you by the charming taxpayers and then when his ugly ass get kick out of office he immediately gets his big fat retirement, he don't have to wait until age 66 just like the rest of those crooked bastard that don't work for the people just themselves and corporate. mitch mcconnell thinks that the people in kentucky are inbreds and stupid people, but a person can only be stupid for a minute until the binders come off. so when he comes up for re-election lets see if the people are still stupid mitch.

Oh FFS. More child abuse, neglect and rape in any northern city than any southern one.

I think 19 kids, 9 dogs and a cat is a "family emergency" that needs attention.

only 13 were their children. the 6 others were cousins..

There already is FREEEEEEE birth control. Planned Parenthood among other organizations. The problem isn't access. The problem is that the ones who need to use it most don't because they just don't care.

Stop making excuses for these breeders. It won't be a surprise to hear the mother's pregnant.

@Michelle You can walk into Planned Parenthood (for decades now) and get free birth control. State medicaid services cover birth control, you have only to ask.Community clinics provide free health care. If you want birth control, there is a plethora of ways to get it at no or little cost.

The poor have had accessibility for many years now. I know, because I work in health-care. So, the case you make for free birth control for the poor...well, its been out there for years.

Pearl, The unfortunate thing is that the republicans ar trying to shut down Planned Parenthood !! Please people .... Vote Obama 2012 !!

Yeah, Pearl, we all know about Planned Parenthood. We also know that the southern politicians want to take it away. They also have downsized medicaid and will not opt in to the new monies for their states for medicaid.

Pearl, you do not live in the south with your statements. You work in health-care, big deal, you still know nothing about how people in the south can access or not access health care.

Did you listen to Mitch O'Donnell, health insurance for the poor is not the issue.

All of the women in the United States better start talking to each other. And, the men had better also pay attention.

@Johnm... I believe a more accurate statement is that the republicans want to stop using tax dollars to fund abortions. I haven't heard any argument to "shut-down" planned parenthood, just to stop using the public funds for abortions.

And.... when you think about it... the tax payers already fund free birth control, so asking tax payers to fund abortions is abhorrent to a great many of the people who pay taxes; and in all fairness, they should have a say also. I mean, can you imagine how you would feel if the Republicans used your tax dollars for something that was completely against your moral or ethical code? Like the wars in the middle-east, didn't feel good did it?

In a Republic, such as ours, the majority gets the vote, but... the minority has a voice. That is truly how a democracy works.

@slightlyold... I apologize, I didn't realize that KY was considered one of the southern states. I thought it was more central, because of that whole civil war thing, when it was divided and wasn't considered part of the Confederacy.

You are correct, I do not live in the south, and am therefore am not aware of your special situations. That's the problem with posting on these sites, you will always offend someone, without really meaning to.

Okay, slightlyold: you redeemed yourself (in my eyes) with your latest comment about Mitch McConnell. That is something you and I wholeheartedly agree on! Sorry, about my earlier comment, just kind of struck me is all!

Obama/Biden 2012 FORWARD!

State medicaid services cover birth control, you have only to ask.

That's a joke, right?

You obvs have no clue how low the income eligibility requirements are for a means-tested program like Medicaid. In NY, for one person, your total monthly gross income cannot exceed $364 in order to be eligible for MA.

You don't *just ask*.

one person? There is NO excuse for one person to be on Medicaid, unless they are physically disabled. BTW, your figure is way off.

in NY, NET income of $735/mo for 1 person without children. If u have kids? $1159 NET for one kid, $1680 for 4 kids, $2549 for 9 kids.

There are sooo many children living without food and necessities right now. So much more the last couple of years than ever before. During thriving economic times, people had more to donate so these situations did not make the news as much. The food pantries were full, help from charities, utility companies, friends, relatives, schools, shelters, etc... were there to lend a helping hand to anyone with kids or senior citizens. The charities and people with big hearts have dried up. To many of the big hearted individuals who once gave so freely, are now on the other side struggling for their own survival. We have many families living out of their cars, camping in the woods, doubling and tripling up with relatives or friends. In my own middle class area, we have kids continually going door to door asking to borrow milk, cereal, hot dogs etc. We don't call it begging, they call it borrowing, and of course not repaid. They are hungry, the parents work but at jobs far less than before and putting in more hours, the families have more mouths moving in and to feed. Not enough to go around or fill the bellies till payday. I don't want to judge these people till I know more. What was the emergency? Were they looking for jobs? What kept them from returning for a week instead of a day, like she told the neighbors? Why so many kids? Where were the parents of the extra kids? Why authorities were called into this home just prior to the parents leaving and did nothing to help? Could authorities not see and smell the squalor then? Are there agencies that they could have referred them to for help? (Reminds me of the case where authorities were constantly in the home where Jaycee Dugard was being held captive and police never even noticed her. Why were authorities not checking out who these kids belonged to and why so many living here in terrible conditions?). Or are there so many desparate families in the Bowling Green area that a tragedy has to happen in order for red flags to go up?

Fred, I got to hand it to you. You are one of the biggest and craftiest baiters I have seen on here in a while. Now put those dollars into true numbers, HOW much does it cost to LIVE in NY and how much does it cost to live in Kentucky?

Tell ya what TROLL, the numbers wont even come close. You are a simpleminded fool aren't you!!!???

19 kids a blended family. If you split it down the middle that is 8 1/2 children apiece. That is probably 8 more children apiece they couldn't afford to begin with that the government is making us tax payers pay for. This is the pro life movement at its finessed.

They were living in squalor when the parents were there. I do not know how they could become a bigger burden on the tax payers. Parents this stupid are one of the main problems in this overpopulated copuntry.

And at what point are the parents held responsible for having so many kids? At what point are we no longer responsible for paying for their mistakes? Just keep heaping on the government aide no matter how many kids they have? Really? I have ONE child because I know that is what I can afford and still give her a quality life. Would I have wanted more? Hell yes. And would I have wanted her to have siblings, yes to that too. But, I am responsible enough to plan ahead for college expenses, tutors, dentist, braces, etc. Parents are the ones responsible for their kids. I am not responsible for everybody else's mistakes.

8 1/2 + 8 1/2 = 17. And you are calling someone stupid? Pot meet kettle!

Pro-life? I think not. Pro-stupid? definitely.

Its cheaper to pay for the welfare , then all other options. Its a matter of what costs the least. The costs of splitting them up then paying for foster-care, far out-weight the cost of helping the family out, before it gets to that point. Not to mention the social costs from dysfunctional families. Unattended kids, are kids that raise themselves, thats never good.

MsEddy

Im sure your television only receives FOX.That where you got your information on Democrats on welfare?Maybe Glen Beck told you that personally?Great truths spewed from there!

MsEddy, you better check your statistics. Most people on welfare are white republicans, especially in Mississippi, where they claim to hate welfare. Of course if you slap a Jesus label on it, it isn't really welfare, right? . Just like farm and corporate subsidies aren't welfare. Defense contracts and the military aren't welfare either, right?

If you took government money away from Americans, conservatives would starve to death. Free thinking liberals (those in the Blue states) support this country. The rest of you are either supporting the war machine or popping out more meat for the grinder. You are too dumb to know the difference.

I don't know about that. I seen an awful lot of EBT, and Medicaid in the 38 years of living around Jackson MS and its about 90% black now. Its why I moved away from there. Too many having more babies just to get that EBT up. That place is a big ghetto now. Yea, go ahead and say I'm racist but then even those who claim they're not have it in them too. They're just too stupid to admit it and face the real truth.

Jackson, MS is one city in the entire U.S., and from that you get that the majority of people receiving assistance are black???

19 kids a blended family. If you split it down the middle that is 8 1/2 children apiece.

LOL I'm no Math whiz, but even I can add & that doesn't add up to 19.

At any rate, it's irrelevant, since 6 of the children were cousins, which brings the blended family (Mom + her kids + Dad + his kids + Mom & Dad's mutual kids) to a grand total of 13.

Its cheaper to pay for the welfare

And just where in the article does it say the family is *on welfare*?

Too many having more babies just to get that EBT up.

Seriously? Good grief.

*EBT* is a card, not a program in & of itself.

Get educated. Get facts. See how little is doled out. Mississippi has the lowest public assistance standard in the country.

No, wait. Quit your job so you can jump on that *gubmint gravy train* yourself, then come back & tell us how high off the hog you're living now.

Nobody owes them anything, except free birth control. That's it.

When all these pro-life whackos start signing up to ADOPT all these unwanted kids they'll get some cred. Until then they're just hypocrites.

I will adopt, But thats not the way of our government. they wouldnt allow it. It would hurt their need to be big brother.

You ever see a person who wants children to get them? The State owns them.

Guess I'm a pro life wacko? But hey, the kids are not my family and not my responsibility. There are thousands out there who want to adopt. The thing is the welfare slugs get checks based on how many kids they have. That is why they keep having them. Disgusting that we have to pay for them. But the gimme crowd expects it. And the democrats promise it. And us who work are stuck with the bill..

They might be religious and don't practice birth control. Large families are common with very poor rural folk. Kids are used to work the farm, or help support the family by working. If they have a farm that is. Its the same in 3rd world countries, everybody does something to help out, from the day they can walk. Small families is a phenomenon of the modern world.

Freedom 4 everyone---- yeah, 75 years ago. People today do not have the farms anymore. These people know that the government will make the tax payers responsible for taking care of these children of stupid people. Look what is happening in Detroit and Chicago right now from people not just having children they can afford.

errrr. Really? First the woman has to ovulate, then they have sex and the sperm swims as fast s it can to the egg........... Geezzzzzz. Did you read the article? They were a blended family to start with.

use birth control or please lock them up!

Not true, I live on a farm myself.

What?!! Dis you say that people dont even have farms anymore??? WOooooow! Where do you think food comes from??

How do you have 19 kids in the 21st century?

Ask the Duggars.

okay so say religious reasons they can't take birth control...How in the hell do you explain the 9 dogs??? wtf??? The parents are wack jobs!

Initially, I thought this was another story about the Duggars.

Awww...I was gonna say that!!! :D

you're ignorant...

Banjos or rap?

@TheRealise @davefromphilly---People like you are a HUGE part of what's wrong with the world today.

LOL. Derrrr ner ner neeer neeeeer!

country

Just having 8 children is totally irresponsible.

Fourteen year olds should not be resposible to watch 18 children and a slew of pets!

Plus how's he gonna feed them with no food ! no money !?