Brenda Slaby Killed Her Baby

(Union Township, Ohio) On Thursday, August 23rd, assistant principal at the Glen Este Middle School, 40-year-old Brenda Slaby (aka Brenda Nesselroad-Slaby), arrived at work about 7 AM, anxious to prepare for the opening day of classes the following Monday.

About 3 PM on that day, when the temperature was recorded to have reached 100 degrees, a passer-by noticed a child in the back seat of Slaby's car. The child, 2-year-old Cecilia Slaby, was pronounced dead in her car seat. The Clermont County Coroner's office stated that Cecilia died of hyperthermia. Cecilia had been in the car for more than seven hours.

Subsequently, Clermont County Prosecutor Don White stated that no charges would be filed against Nesselroad-Slaby since Cecilia's death was an accident due to a lack of attentiveness. An accident.

Call me flummoxed.

If a person drives down the highway not paying attention and causes a fatal accident, shouldn't there be some accountability for the death of a human being? I think so. As I understand, reckless disregard for human life resulting in death is a prosecutable offense in all jurisdictions.

Why Don White has decided not to present a case to a grand jury is beyond comprehension. A 2-year-old child is dead due to a combination of recklessness, inattentiveness, irresponsibility and lack of concern by the child's mother. Cecilia's death was not an accident and stupidity is not a defense.

District Attorney Mike Nifong got into trouble for blind, ambition-driven overzealousness. Mike Nifong was recklessly eager to prosecute the innocent Duke lacrosse players. On the other hand, Prosecutor Don White should get into trouble for non-performance of his public service job. Don White is recklessly ignoring a homicide committed in his jurisdiction. Anyone wanting to off a toddler in Clermont County has been shown how to do it with impunity.

Of course, I have to allow that Don White may be pulling a stunt to prompt public outrage and thereby direct more attention to the issue of children in hot cars. Yeah, maybe, but I don't think so. Any way I look at it, Don White should do his job and prosecute or submit his resignation.

Others are following the story also (see here, here, here) and reactions are anger and outrage. I feel the same. Also, Mark and Matt have been following the case closely with several informative posts. They conclude, as I do, that Slaby should face charges, pointing out that a claim of recklessness could easily rely on Slaby's observed history of leaving poor Cecilia strapped in a car seat alone in the car.

I encourage readers to check out the above links for more insight and information. My involvement with the case has been this one post whereas the other bloggers have been busy covering the story for a couple weeks.