Could one find a clearer example of gender bias and the female sentencing discount than this? Brenda Nesselroad-Slaby is not being charged with any crime. Let’s review:
1) Brenda Nesselroad-Slaby left her toddler daughter in her car (in heat which reached 100 degrees) for eight hours while she worked.
2) According to police, the dead girl, Cecelia Nesselroad-Slaby, had been left in a hot car on at least three other occasions.
3) Security video shows that Brenda Nesselroad-Slaby was able to remember (twice) to unload the doughnuts she brought for meetings at her job, but nevertheless left her daughter in her car seat. The event is pictured.
4) According to press reports, she previously “had been told by a former administrator at her 5-year-old daughter’s preschool that the younger sister shouldn’t be left in the car by herself.”
5) Clermont County prosecutor Don White, who will not be prosecuting Brenda Nesselroad-Slaby, was asked whether the woman’s other daughter–the 5-year-old who she hasn’t killed yet–should be allowed to remain in the family’s home. He actually replied–with a straight face on national television–”I have no reason to believe that she won’t take care of this child.”
To learn more, click here and see below.
No Charges After Toddler Died In Car
Associated Press, 9/4/07
BATAVIA, Ohio - No charges will be filed against a middle school administrator whose toddler daughter died last month when she was left in the back seat of her mother’s SUV during a heat wave, a prosecutor said Tuesday.
Leaving the child in the car for the work day was “a substantial lapse of due care” but did not meet the definition of reckless conduct necessary for prosecution, said Clermont County Prosecutor Don White.
Brenda Nesselroad-Slaby, 40, is assistant principal at Glen Este Middle School, about 20 miles east of Cincinnati. Authorities said she left her 2-year-old daughter, Cecilia, strapped into a car seat for about eight hours on Aug. 23 while she was at work at the school.
Temperatures outside reached about 100 degrees.
www.GlennSacks.com, Glenn Sacks
Loading ...
33 users commented in " Outrage–Woman Leaves Her Toddler in Car for 8 Hours on Hot Day While at Work, Child Dies, She’s Not Charged "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackHello Gary, wlw radio station
My name is Tammy from Tennessee and I was told today by my friends Katrina and Ted Tracy about this “so called mother” leaving her child in the car and not being charged for it.
You mean to tell me that the Laws in Ohio protect parents who kill their children. This woman has repeatedly left her child in the car numerous times and they are letting her off??????????
She cared more about her damn doughnuts then her helpless child “strapped” in her hot car.
And not ONCE did she think of her child, (being that she is around children constantly, you think that would remind her) being left in her vehicle inches from her damn doughnuts……..
As a parent, I find this story not only sad, pitiful, but mainy UNJUSTIFIABLE and someone needs to be held accountable for this poor child death.
Obviously since the 5 year old brother drew pictures of the baby in the car seat, it would lead you to believe that this poor child probably lived in that damn car.
This woman was warned by police several times about leaving her daughter, yet this poor child is now dead………..
WHAT JUSTICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for listening and my friends really love to listen to you………….. You might want to tell your viewers that there is a website called (Kids in cars.com) that so far this year 145 fatalities of children.
p.s. Don white is a freaking idiot!!!!!!!!!! Has no reason to believe she will hurt her other child???? you’ve got to be kidding…. He must be having an affair with her to have such lapse in judgement…… Is the husband still with this woman and is she mentally ill????
either way she deserves the same treatment that her poor daughter didnt deserve…MAYBE WORSE…………
my name is chris from north carolina. You know this lady had to of done this on purpose. There’s no way you can forget there’s a child in your back seat. If your an expirenced driver you adjust your mirror so you can see EVERYTHING behind you correct?. My mom is 70+ and sometimes she forgets what she had for breakfast the day before, she had her niece which is only 2yrs old, now mind you she has’nt had a toddler for 38 yrs. and she didnt forget that there was a child in the back seat. This lady should be punished to the fullest!!! For her friend that said she trust her 100% your a flipping fool or just as crazy as her. for the judge he must not have any kids and he’s just an ass.
p.s. sorry for the missedspld words………
The video I saw on this woman this morning left me with a very cold feeling. In it she says “I must be the most incompetent woman in the world” and then “I try to do too much, too much”, or something to that effect. She did not appear to be distraught or in shock. She did not mention her poor, poor child and I can not imagine what this little person experienced and the guilt you must feel (I could cry just thinking about it now).
But something does not add up and if she has a history of leaving her children in a car or being an incompetent parent I think the DA really needs to re-evaluate his decision. It is not ok to have a lapse in memory and I also cannot see how you forget you have a child in your car - no matter how freakin busy you are. I have a 4.5 yr old and she has fallen asleep in the car many times and NOT ONCE have I left her in a car.
Well, we heard how the next morning after the ‘accident’ and the police video was recorded she called the principal of her school and said she hoped to have everything cleared up soon and that she hoped things would soon be back to normal (or words to that effect).
Last weekend (Sept, 2,), her lawyer Croswell was interviewed and said that she was totally devasted and in shock, etc.
Tuesday (Sept. 4), when she heard that she was not to be charged he again was interviewed and said that she was relieved she was not going to have to face any charges and wanted to get back to work. She must have awfully good powers of recovery.
One thing I find hard to understand is how she can possibly want to go back to the same job where the accident took place. I don’t think I could ever look at that school again if it was me.
I believe Don White needs to be fired. Since when does leaving a child in a locked HOT car not a crime.?? It is here in Texas and people go to Jail!
And Brenda, I agree with everything you said. That woman wanted to kill her child.
Brenda Nesselroad-Slaby is a gross overweight pig, who cared more about eating donuts then she did about taking care of her daughter. She is getting away with murder. How in the world can anymore just assume that she did not do this on purpose. That is up to a jury to decide. Michael Vick tortured and killed dogs and he’s going to jail. She tortured and killed a little girl, and she’s not even getting a fine. And she can’t wait to get back to work, where her little girl died a horrible, slow, painful death. She is obviously a very dangerous person. Maybe she’ll keep eating her donuts, until she has a heart attack (disgusting fat slob that she is). Let’s hope so. She is stomach-turning. Also, she had left the child in the car alone on numerous other occassions, according to the bakery worker, she did it that same morning.
How in the world can her husband stay married to this stupid selfish cow. He has to be the world’s biggest loser.
Mark, Barbara and Mary - ditto from me on everything.
There are so many things that don’t add up. Had she been so scatterbrained that she had forgotten the baby in the car seat for an hour, well, still hard to believe but I could maybe buy it, but I can’t get my mind around 8 hours. My husband is of the opinion that she did remember after perhaps an hour or two but figured the child would be dead so decided to let someone else find her. What she didn’t reckon on was it taking 8 hours. You probably saw the video of her walking around the SUV, opening the front and back doors and the hatchback, then getting in to drive it to another parking place, but still didn’t notice the baby. It only took another teacher who parked next to Brenda’s SUV a glance in the window to notice the baby. Another thing - one teacher at the school called up a local radio talk show and told how she was a little late to the meeting. When she apologized to Brenda and told her that she had been late taking her own child to the sitter, Brenda gave her a right telling off. They then got to talking about difficulties with baby sitters which STILL didn’t trigger Brenda’s
memory that Cecilia was outside in the car.
Right from the first minute Don White said that it was just a tragic accident and this was before any evidence or police reports came out. Seemed like he had a personal agenda to make sure there was absolutely no prosecution. I don’t think we’ve heard the last of this and something is about to break regarding goings on at the Clermont County Prosecutors office from what I’ve heard.
She seems very gungho to get the same job back. Wonder if she’ll arrive in the
fatal SUV complete with donuts for a little back to work celebration? !*!****
Let’s not forget the day Cecilia was left in the sweltering heat, Slaby returned to the car at least FIVE times, and even moved the vehicle to a different parking spot during that same 8 hour period. Last I checked, you need to use a rearview mirror, sideview mirrors, and look behind you before you back a vehicle up (notice the vehicle was backed into the loading dock at the school)–still “forgot” she was in there, come on. Got too preoccupied, don’t buy it, afterall she arrived to school earlier than usual. “Losing her child” isn’t punishment…..afterall, she FORGOT her child was dying in the sweltering heat, left badly blistered. What makes people think she won’t FORGET the memory of this innocent child again, especially if she’s allowed to resume her “so-called” hectic schedule of being an Assistant Principal. Also, how many think she intentionally left this child in the car while picking up her precious doughnuts..exactly….
Remember, she was caught at least five other times leaving her child in the car days prior to this death and in extreme weather conditions, I wonder how many times she left that child in the car and didn’t get caught…..this is disgraceful, egregious, and despicable…think again before feeling this shouldn’t go to a grand jury. We’re talking about a child, not a Blackberry or iPod.
As a mother of an 11 month old child, and a woman who exchanged her lucrative and rewarding career at a University to care full-time for our child, I am enraged, disappointed, and astounded by how the Brenda Nesselroad-Slaby case has played out, in addition to the sympathizers who feel that “guilt” will be punishment enough and that this was an accident brought on by a woman who was too preoccupied, but clearly alert enough to get $60.00 worth of doughnuts out of her Mercedes SUV. Being a parent is no longer a privilege and honor and child advocacy has been an afterthought as demonstrated in the devastating, heinous, untimely death of Cecilia. Both have now been exchanged for fancy legal terms like “Reckless Conduct” and “Substantial Lack of Due Care.” As a taxpayer and citizen of Ohio, I am ashamed by how this case has been investigated and handled. I am appalled that Slaby has been on paid leave since the death of this child and that she plans on returning to her $77,000/year contracted job. For those of you who may not know, Slaby may legally be entitled to return to her job overseeing and caring for other people’s children, an abuse of the Law and ridiculous by all standards and means. I guess finding her lifeless child who was blistered by the extreme heat, isn’t compelling enough for her to resign her position. Shameful and disgusting.
I also find it interesting that Slaby is being represented by none other than Clermont County Commissioner, Scott Croswell, who is (and the drum roll please) a minion of Don White, the Clermont County Prosectuor who found no evidence that Slaby was reckless or endangering a child, thus didn’t forge ahead to prosecute or reinvestigate. I hate playing the race card here, but let’s see if this situation would have been handled similarly if let’s say the offender was a woman of color and/or someone from a lower socioeconomic background.
http://massdiscussion.blogspot.com/2007/09/clermont-county-prosecutor-prosecutes.html
JP: You are too right - please read above. Of course, Mr. Bittner was a man trying to work two low paying jobs to support his family and lived in a trailer park. Enough for Don White to prosecute him for exactly the same crime as Slaby.
Sorry, I shouldn’t have said ‘crime’ in relation to Slaby, I should have said unfortunate accident.
I can’t believe she is not being charged. I would prosecute this woman to the fullest extent of the law. At this point I just hope that the baby fell asleep and died in her sleep. I have two children and won’t even leave them in the car when I drop off a movie in the slot outside let alone leave them in their in intense heat. She is beyond careless. Take to the gallows.
Brenda, thank you for highlighting this link–this is egregious. I am just beyond words and disgusted by the Slaby case. And, sadly, I don’t think this child quietly passed away in her sleep, as we all hope and pray. She was found blistered, it took EMS hours to even get a temperature on her body.
Additionally, I’m outraged by the TODAY show for airing Slaby’s interview with investigators and interviewing her dingbat sympathizing neighbor who classified Slaby as “any other mother like you or me who made a mistake.” I will no longer watch the TODAY show and find it offensive they are not producing quality journalism…they have reduced themselves to nothing but a disappointing and ridiculous fluffy reality show.
Sorry, forgot the interview page.
I first heard of this at a forum I go to, but evidently the poster left many things out. Most of the people on there felt this poor Mother had suffered enough, she would be guilt ridden for the rest of her life, everyone except me! I told them all she needs to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, this is blatant neglect, and inexucasable, especially since she worked at a school. I had no idea that she went out to her SUV several times that day, that makes this all the more unbeleivable! I say lock her up and throw away the key.
I also think that the other child needs to be taken out of the home, asap, this woman has severe problems.
i suppose every parent here is perfect, and never made a single mistake!!
Although I would not call this a “simple” mistake, I agree with you justme. How easy it is for others to sit in judgment. It is sad when others can feel no compassion for this grieving mother who suffers the most now. I have a one year old little girl who is my life. I would like to say I could never ever do the same thing. What is the benefit of all this anger towards this mother who punishes herself more than any justice system could. Why don’t you all just grab your torches and storm down to yell and scream outside her home!? Or you could use some common sense and compassion and realize the justice system is better saved for the murderers and rapists. Its called empathy people…try and have some.
if you notice in the picture above where she is getting out doughnuts and juice she is parked on double no parking lines…she must have had to get back in her car AGAIN and move it to an actual parking spot right? if i have counted correctly she had either gotten into or walked past her car 7 times and never noticed her daughter but another teacher walks by ONCE and sees her in there? are you kidding me? this is murder plain and simple. if this had been a single welfare mom or a woman of a different race i wonder if she would be getting off so easy. i doubt it. oh and how about her little stint on oprah yesterday? kill your baby get on tv. what a world what a world. and if that mother is reading this, i hope you burn in hell.
this is to ”justme08”. of course we all have made mistakes. everyone does BUT this isnt about a mistake. this is about a woman who outright neglected her child resulting in the childs death. a mistake is something you do and then you learn from it. well she has done it several times before. the first time was an accident. the second was a mistake and the third in my opinion was a well thought out plan.
TO ”neva_se”…
the justice system is for murders and rapists? HELLO what do you think she did to this little girl. murder!! if it was on purpose or involuntary ITS STILL MURDER. i think this mother can be as sad as she wants of course, but i also think she should be doing it in a 8 x 9 cell.
“HELLO”… the very definition of murder; the unlawful killing of a human person WITH MALICE aforethought. There was no malice in this woman’s heart. She is a human being who made an awful mistake. You don’t think the pain she has to live with knowing her actions caused her daughters death is punishment enough? Anyone who doesn’t obviously doesn’t try to understand the degree of anguish she has to feel. “She can be sad all she wants”? What a gross understatement. And saying she can do it in a jail cell, well that is just cruel. I empathize with this woman because of the love I have for my own 1 year old daughter. How sad it is that there are really all these people with so much hate and vengeance.
i am furious at this woman for the love i have for my own 1 year old son.
i agree with jp
no i dont think its enough. she should be charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter in violation of R.C. 2903.04(A) and one count of child endangering in violation of R.C. 2919.22(A). just like the man in the bittner case was done in 2000 for the same crime and locked up. and i am not full of hate and vengance, i just dont think letting her off scott free is good enough, im sorry. i know she is hurting in a way hopefully non of us ever has to endure but she has done it before! i just dont know how someone can be that utterly careless MULTIPLE times and still have it treated as an accident. it just doesnt add up im sorry.
I was watching the show opera the other day and seen this lady on there and ppl where trying to make her fell good about this, i have a 14month old lil girl, and i don’t know about other moms but there is no way in hell that i could ever leave my child in a car nor anything else that is ur kid how do u forget i don’t care what anybody has to say about this she need to go to jail, i would love to see her stay in a car for 8 hours in the heat, and im sure when she open the door to her car to get those fucking donut’s that the kid was calling for her mom, and you telling me that she could not see the top og her head nor the top of the car seat,fucking bitch should die to, if i ever see this lady it will not be nice, i hope she cant sleep at nite cause of her fucking loser self. when i heard of this i almost cried cause i thought of my lil one OMG I HATE THIS LADY I CANT EVEN SAY WHAT I FEEL CAUSE THERE IS NO WORDS FOR THIS, THIS LADY NEEDS TO GO TO JAIL, SO THIS LIL GIRL COULD REST IN PEACE….
AND FOR THE POLICE THAT LET HER GO SHOUOLD NOT BE WORKING CAUSE THEY CLEARLY DONT CARE FOR THIS CHILD
Ok, let me just start by saying, sometimes accidents happen, I have heard and read the story, BUT, (I by no means claim to be a expert of this,) however, by the looks of the picture that you have posted on the site…it looks to me like she would have had to back up the SUV, to get as close as she did…most people who back up a car, look out the back window while being turned around in their seat. I know personally I dont use my rearview mirror to back up to something like that…I turn my body as far as I can and look out the back window to better judge the distance. So, if she would have backed up like majority of people, she would have SEEN her daughter sitting there in her car seat…I don’t know about anyone else, but my personal opinion is that this should be investigated just alittle bit more…I mean my god,,, I have a two year old daughter and a four year old son…I am not saying it would never happen because I cannot predict the future. But I can say, that for this instance, IT SURE THE HELL WOULDN”T HAVE. HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE YOUR BABY GIRL SITTING IN THE CAR AS YOU ARE BACKING THE CAR UP!
I’m so glad I can say that I’m not even from the same country as you poor excuses for human beings. Who the hell are you to judge? You were not there. YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED! I know you have all hd a lapse of judgmnt that has put your child in harms way, but luckily things turned out o.k. You are all just as bad as the protesters infront of the Anthony’s house, torturing those poor grandparents who are grieving the loss of their grandchild. It’s disgusting, you all disgust me.
Most of these posts disgust me as well but I will say this, I respect the right to each person’s opinion and this is such a terrible tragedy that I can understand ones passion when debating it. However I don’t understand what jojo12 is trying to convey when saying such things as,”f***ing b**ch should die too”. I feel sorry for any child who has a parent with such a lack of class and intellect that they can’t articulate a point without sounding like complete trash.
What a tragic, horrible accident…and to be compounded by angry, hostile, hateful comments.
It’s a baby she can have another one.
This was an accident and simply that. Many of us have forgotten to do something very important and lucky for most of us it didn’t cause a fatality. She got into a routine day in and day out which normally didn’t include dropping her daughter off at daycare; It isn’t a matter of not loving her daughter or being a neglectful parent. At that moment in time, as with every other day prior, she was in work mode as her kids were normally safe at daycare or with her husband. So all of that being said you can tell I feel for this woman but that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t be charged for taking a life. Accident or not her actions killed another human being, 3rd degree murder is a crime regardless of sympathy.
Leave A Reply