SC Mom Arrested For Obese Son
The mother of a 555-pound fourteen-year-old (you read that right) was arrested in Travelers’ Rest, S.C. last month and charged with criminal neglect for letting her son get so fat.
Jerri Gray, the mother of fourteen-year-old Alexander Draper, says that she’s tried everything to control her son’s weight gain, but nothing has worked.
Obviously.
Now Gray is facing charges and her son has been ordered into foster care.
National child welfare advocates are watching the case closely, apparently looking to expand the legal definition of “child abuse” to include parents who let their kids get too fat – which we think is ridiculous.
South Carolina ranks poorly on obesity report cards, to be sure, which is something we’ve brought to light repeatedly in the past given the connection between obesity and chronic disease.
But bringing criminal charges against parents with fat kids?
Come on.
Comments
By Cooter Brown on July 24th, 2009 at 12:43 am
Nazis do-gooder scalawags!!! Big is beautifull, jest ax these womens: http://www.dimensionsmagazine.com
By Cooter Brown on July 24th, 2009 at 12:43 am
Not my bag, mind ye… but da gob-mint gots no jurisdictshum hear!
By Yon on July 24th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Its the glands. Yes, that is it, the glands.
By HammerheadSC on July 24th, 2009 at 8:11 am
I agree that we have bigger fish to fry ( no pun intended) but at the same time, slapping them on the hands and putting them on welfare and disability because they can’t work, thats not fair to me as tax payer. The genes on my family don’t exactly make it easy, but i eat well and work out 4 days a week to take care of myself. A little self control can be accomplished by all.
By bleaster on July 24th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Heck yeah bring charges. Not that the kid himself does not share blame, but ultimate responsibility goes to the parent(s) to instill habits and set an example for their kids. The amount of harm done to this kid is irreparable. And this isn’t all about just the weight gain. In these cases it is about the parent, and their need to feel like a victim. They try “so hard” to care for their child, to help them, and because they “love” them so, they are so pained at the child’s condition. But in reality they need to have the child dependent on them, regardless of the scarring it does to the child.
To put one’s own need for validation before their kids in this codependent manner is one of the most selfish things humans are capable of. So yes, throw the parent to the wolves.
By Not Sayin', Just Sayin' on July 24th, 2009 at 9:31 am
What next? Allowing people to have fat relatives committed in order to force them to diet and reach a more healty weight? What a crock of shit. DSS sucks.
By No problems here on July 24th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
I’m all for it. Parents need to handle this when the kids are young. It is criminal to let a 14 yr old get to the point where he almost can’t recover. If a parent purposefully made their child sick, they could be arrested, so why can’t it be criminal to make them so fat that they basically are sick or prone to have serious health problems the rest of their life. Unbelieveable. I hope this kid can get some help.
By gus w palinthrober on July 24th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
We hear a lot about the problem of hunger. We hear a lot about the problem of obesity. Which is the most significant problem?
By Not a Spurrier Fan on July 24th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
What next? The government wants to tell me what to eat, where to eat it, and how much to eat. They also tell me to not smoke, unless it is outside in the weather….. In fact, they have involved themselves in my “protection” to the point, where I don’t need to make decisions or take responsibility for myself. Hmmmm, sounds like a premise for a sci fi story, oh wait, George Orwell did that already!
By Uncle Remus on July 24th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Our nation has an obesity problem. Various schemes will be concocted to try to help the situation. I do not want the government in our lives like this. But our government is already so deep into our lives, when they try to solve one problem ,another problem is created. The gov subsidizes corn which ADM turns into “cheap” high fructose corn syrup, which I assure you this 555 pound boy consumes by the gallon. He didn’t get obese eating fruits and vegetables, which are healthy, help prevent cancer, and are not subsidized by Uncle Sam. (How much fast food, cokes, french fries, and potato chips did this boy consume?)
South Carolina once again proves it is home of the poor, the obese, and the stupid.
By K Trane on July 24th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
I’m not against this. I believe obesity is synonymous with laziness. It’s not tough to eat healthy on a low income. This kid needs help and he’s obviously not getting it from his real mom. Let’s see what the foster parents can do for the kid. Hell, he might even get recruited to play O-Line for Spurrier!
By Look out, I'm next on July 24th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
As a parent you have a responsibilty to your children, until they are 18 at a minimum. Letting your child get over 500 pounds should warrant the gas chamber, unless A:) he/she is 8 feet tall, or B:) has a non curable glandular problem
How in 14 years can you gain this much weight unless you are on a steady and I mean steady (every 15 minutes) diet of twinkies, burgers, sodas, fried foods, douhnuts, and a bottle of high fructose corn syrup to was it down with. I mean the guy that ate every meal every day for a year at McDonald’s didn’t come close to this.
So is it child abuse…absolutely, or better child neglect or endangerment, and until Mom can prove otherwisem charge her and remove the kid.
By DD on July 29th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
This is barbarism!!
For start, why does everyone assume that this is a cultural/nourishment problem? Obesity is a physical disease! The child is obviously sick, but it seems that the State is not claiming neglect based on lack of medical attention. If it did, why did she get no warnings or advise about such medical conditions?
It is obvious that the State has kidnapped this child, and to add insult to injury, is charging the mother for neglect.