The top headline of the Tuesday, June 25th edition of the Charleston Gazette-Mail read: “Mother charged in newborn’s death, Husband of Hurricane woman cites postpartum depression as factor.”
The article stated that a 16-day-old baby girl had been transported to CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital in Charleston where the baby was determined to have suffered bruising around the throat, on the back of the head, and around the left eye. The baby’s right arm and six ribs were broken. The infant was pronounced dead after taken off life support on Sunday. The child’s mother, Brooke Kessler, has been charged with death of a child by parent or guardian and was listed as being jailed at the Western Regional Jail in Barboursville. The cause of death, accidental or homicide, has not been officially established.
Eventually, thoughts of this tragic event will eventually fade. While it is difficult to imagine that good can come from such tragedy, the impossible is possible. Diseases which were once untreatable have become treatable.
Medical researchers report that postpartum depression symptoms occur in one of every seven births. There is reason for hope that postpartum depression frequency shall become increasingly rare.
I look for the day in which every headline is good news.