4 mth old baby dies in arson attack

[Lizzylou]

So Awful
Just terrible, the poor Mother

some people say this kind of thing has always gone on but i believe our society is regressing. We are becoming so brutalized and numb to violence, and yes, i blame TV and computer games. Then the backlash is religios fundamentalism which also makes society regress. I can't think of anything worse than this incident.

I kind of agree, but I think it's also to do with experiential backlash (sorry made that phrase up ). The kids last night in the Beslam documentary were so brutalized (obviously) and had such violent impulses towards terrorists. If you equate that back to kids who experience other brutality you can see how the process works with at least some Islamic terrorists etc. I fully believe we are creating a new generation on terrorists out there in Iraq. I don't think society is necessarily regressing, but that we creating this destiny.

But back to the issue in hand, if the Mum did this, then OMG- she must need some serious psychiatric help!

It's poverty brutalizes more than tv or video games..

i have just read on itv teletext they have arrested the mother!?!?!?

Message withdrawn

milosmum - have seen that as well story here

i had read earlier in the week it was cat wire that she was tied with not phone wire........ its just terrible....

That poor poor baby, I keep praying that he fell unconcious from the smoke and didn't suffer anyone who could hurt an innocent baby or child should roast in hell...

so so sad, what possesses people to do these sick things.

Anyone else noticed it's all bad things happening to kiddies in the news?

I feel sick now. How can anyone want to harm such a tiny innocent little thing???

the mothers been arrested on suspicion of murder. why in hell did she do that to her own baby, how could she? I hope she's haunted forever for what she's done.

Message withdrawn

If she has done this she must have been ill.

It doesn't say on the BBC website that the mother has been arrested - it's another, different, 21 year old woman. Another woman in her early 20s had previously been arrested.

Red, on sky news they're saying the mother has been arrested on suspicion of murder. They also say that another woman was arrested

red - that story on the BBC hasn't been updated since 8.45 this morning......there's quite a few places reporting that she's been arrested

Message withdrawn

Right. I'm not saying that's not a recent development - I'm just saying that it doesn't say that on the BBC - and they were very careful on Radio 4 earlier to stress that the second arrest WASN'T that of the mother. Very bizarre and horrible if she is implicated.

The mother

jesus christ what on earth is going on in this world!!!!!

I had seen the story about the mother being arrested on the front page of the Newcastle newspaper. I'm not sure about the legal part of it but sometimes once a person has been arrested or charged they no longer say who it is until the case comes to trial for fear of predjucing the case.

I thought about the re-housing bit as well - I can remember another north-east man who set fire to his house killing the children inside - he appeared on one of those appeals begging the public to catch the arsonist

Forgot to add he did it so the council would re-house them.

I know it's no excuse but you should see this place. It really is a slum. It isn't fit for dogs never mind women and children.

She may be very ill with PND or psychosis.

Message withdrawn

I don't know about the planning. It doesn't sound like she/they thought it out very well at all - it's full of inconsistencies. Maybe something happened to baby and she paniced, asked her next door neighbour or a friend for help and they plundered into this..The charity that housed them apparently helped with parenting skills too.

To give you an idea about Cowgate, mp DP is a community filmmaker and he had a meeting last year with a group of filmmakers who were going around the world making films about children growing up in deprived areas. They went to refugee camps in Palestine, Africa, Afganistan..and then to Cowgate.

Message withdrawn