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Child cruelty is something I do not take too kindly to. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, placing a child in any type of danger is absolutely intolerable.

Being a responsible parent requires time and mass amounts of love and effort. Of course, things can get tough and struggles are inevitable when it comes to parenthood. Being a parent can be hard – physically, emotionally, and financially. Some have had to rely on installment loans every so often just to meet the needs of the little ones who depend on them for nurturing, protection, and love. It’s not always a joy-ride when reality demands that you adapt to change and make grand sacrifices. However, no matter how difficult parenting can be, it gives no grounds, no right to pose harm on a helpless child.

Seven month-old Baby Found Under Bed

The 7-month-old baby that was reported missing over the weekend has been found and in good condition. Seven-month-old Shannon Lee Dedrick was found hidden under a bed in a 2-by-3 foot cedar chest.

According to CNN, authorities believe the baby’s mother, Crystina Lynn Mercer, gave her daughter to the child’s paternal aunt, Susan Baker, sometime around Oct. 31, 2009. The next day, they reported the child missing and some 75 volunteers scoured a kilometer radius around the home for evidence. The baby, who was missing for a total of five days, was hidden for 12 hours with no food or water, except for a little blanket that was found in the box with her. Police found baby Shannon Dedrick Wednesday night alive and well.

Justice for Shannon Lee Dedrick

Both Mercer and Baker have been taken into custody and are being charged with a third-degree felony on interference of child custody. They were also charged with several misdemeanor charges for making a false report of a missing child, a false report of a crime, and contributing to the delinquency of a child. The child’s father, James Russell Dedrick Jr., was also taken in for questioning, but was later released without any charges.