Danbury Woman Released From Prison After Drowning Newborn – What Lesson Can We Learn?

Last week, NBC Connecticut reported that a Danbury woman who received an 18-year sentence for drowning her newborn baby girl in a toilet was released from prison after serving just 10 years.

My first reaction was probably your first reaction too. RELEASED?! Are you kidding me?Leave her in prison! In fact, that's too good for her. Since I had such a strong reaction, and wondered why she was being released, I read the article from NBC Connecticut further.

The article stated that Panna Krom was a 17-year-old Danbury High School student. Her parents are from Cambodia, and do not approve of premarital sex. Again, your reaction here is probably the same as mine, but don't you also think that there is something so incredibly wrong when someone chooses to murder an infant over the wrath of her parents.

Being a child of Italian immigrants, I get this whole philosophy. I grew up in a house where my brother could do whatever he wanted, but me -- not so much. To this day, many years after being in high school, I cannot imagine ever being in the situation of a high school student having to tell my parents that I was pregnant. Just the thought of that makes me cringe in fear. That is not an exaggeration. If you have grown up in a strict household, you know exactly what I mean.

Please understand that I do not in any way, shape or form condone this action. I would rather die myself than harm my own child or any child, person or animal, but what made this even a choice in this young woman's mind?

I have always told my two boys that they could talk to me about anything, and that nothing would ever make me love them any less. I have tried really hard to make sure that they know that I am always on their side no matter what -- No matter what! If you are a parent, make sure your kids know they can talk to you. If Panna Krom was able to talk to her parents, today there would be a 10-year-old member of their family probably in the 5th grade. Whatever prevented her from talking to them is the reason this little girl is not here today. Before anyone thinks that I'm blaming her parents, let me say this, SOMETHING prevented her from talking to them. She may have a mental illness, she may have been raised to strictly. I don't know what it is, but it is not the act of a normal person. If she were able to talk to them or anyone, maybe someone could have seen the signs of a child with a mental issue, a young woman struggling with fitting in at school, a 17-year-old that just needed mom or dad. I don't know what happened, all I know is that something possibly could have prevented it.

Panna Krom says she wants to help young women who may find themselves in a similar situation. I don't know her personally, but I do believe that those who have already walked the path can offer much insight.

I pray for her baby girl and the Krom family. It is an awful, awful thing to live with. I hope that this little girl did not die in vain and that something, anything, good comes of this.