"Hot Sauce Mom"

[Adaline'sMama]

I searched to see if there was a thread about this already, and I have not seen anything. It seems to be all over the place right now, and Im really interested to see what the jury will decide. The videos can be triggering for victims of abuse, so please use your own judgement about viewing them. Clicking the first link will start the news feed which will show the video.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/hot-sauce-mom-jessica-beagley-charged-child-abuse/story?id=12796871
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/157866



The argument that her defense lawyer makes about how this is no different than "sprinkling hot sauce on your childs food" or "letting them eat Mexican food" just makes me ill.

[cameragirl]

No different? She's causing physical PAIN for the child. The cold water from the tap in Alaska has GOT to be seriously cold. I can't imagine dumping hot sauce down my child's throat. What if they aspirate while she's doing that?

[insidevoice]

Goodness!  That's more chilling, in many ways, that someone who simply loses their cool ans hits a child.  She's putting a great deal of thought into how to cause intense pain and discomfort to this child... 

Obviously, I'm not saying she should smack the kid instead, but at least I can understand when someone loses it and spanks then regrets it, I can't stomach the idea of someone putting this much thought into it. 

[dakotablue]

I....wow that just is so horrible. I don't understand, she even says it doesn't work, so why other than to hurt the child do she do it? it so methodical....no way not abuse.

[Imakcerka]

I've noticed other peoples comments on other sites.  As if this isn't a bad thing.  I'm really troubled by the amount of people I know who think there is nothing wrong with this.  I'm sorry but that mom is a demon.  She needs to work on herself.

[Adaline'sMama]

ITA- I've seen comments all over the internet about how people think this is better than hitting a child, but IMO, it is so much worse. This woman is a monster. Who could stand by and watch their child scream in pain or be freezing cold and still yell and scream about how "this will teach them". I am going to be uber pissed if the jury rules this case non-abuse. I feel like if its ruled as abuse it will set a precedent about this type of behavior.

[_ktg_]

While I agree what this mom did was abusive, I am more stunned that she did this in response to her being on a repeat appearance of a TV show for "Angry Moms" per the urging of the producers to get her on tape punishing her children.

[cameragirl]

These children were adopted out of an orphanage, right? Punishing them with ice cold water and hot sauce isn't exactly reinforcing the permanency, good behavior, or other things that they should be learning. I can't imagine doing this to my own child, let alone to children that have been neglected and left in an orphanage.

[dakotablue]

She was found guilty....You know the part that just stays with me, in everything 'defending' herself she blames the child. Her Lawyer blamed the child. How on earth could this not been seen as the intentional abuse it is?

[cameragirl]

Reading this article made it even more insane. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44320824/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/#.TlxJRF3Ayso

[Shantimama]

I hated seeing how she keeps the hot sauce in her bathroom. That means that this happens frequently enough that she keeps it in there for abusing her child instead of in the kitchen where it might get used as you know, food.

The lawyer's argument is horrible. Saying that anyone who puts hot sauce on their child's taco must be abusing their child is like suggesting that everyone who washes their child's face must be drowning them.

I am so sad for that little boy and his siblings. 

[cameragirl]

She's claiming it was all a ruse to get on the Dr Phil Show. That is in some ways even more demented. While I don't agree with it, the worst I got was washing my mouth out with soap. I can't even fathom dumping hot sauce down my daughter's throat - especially not for show.

[Shantimama]

Ugh - abusing her child to get a little TV fame? That is twisted and wrong in just too many ways 

[tireesix]

Kids opting for hot sauce on their taco is different to being forced to have it.

I also think I would prefer to be smacked tan have hot sauce, I mean, a smacking hurts but hot stuff in the mouth burns and it burns all the way down (I am not a hot food fan, I love the taste, can't take the heat) and nothing seems to help it.............

[Cyllya]

While I think this is abusive, I can see why people who are okay with spanking would be okay with this too. The hot sauce is probably more painful than spanking (and the pain won't fade as fast), but it's less demeaning, doesn't have an weird sexual connotations, and if I'm not mistaken, is less likely to cause injury. Yeah, the premeditation aspect is creepy, but according to pro-spankers, spanking is supposed to be premeditated too. They say, "Never spank in anger." The hot sauce is harder to use in a fit of rage. So if you want to inflict physical pain upon your child as a punishment, isn't hot sauce the more logical choice?

(Though if this becomes a popular discipline technique--God forbid--I suppose in like 20 years, BDSM people will be pouring hot sauce in each other's mouths....)

Many pro-spankers use the argument that they're hardly causing the child any physical pain but rather the punishment is the emotional pain that comes from the idea that their parent would do such a thing to them (they don't refer to it like that). They'll say they "barely tapped" the child. But I can see them doing the same thing with the hot sauce. "Oh, it's not that hot. Stop that crying or I'll give you something to cry about!

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by Cyllya 

While I think this is abusive, I can see why people who are okay with spanking would be okay with this too. The hot sauce is probably more painful than spanking (and the pain won't fade as fast), but it's less demeaning, doesn't have an weird sexual connotations, and if I'm not mistaken, is less likely to cause injury. Yeah, the premeditation aspect is creepy, but according to pro-spankers, spanking is supposed to be premeditated too. They say, "Never spank in anger." The hot sauce is harder to use in a fit of rage. So if you want to inflict physical pain upon your child as a punishment, isn't hot sauce the more logical choice?

It's my understanding that hot sauce poured in a child's mouth can actually cause the tissues in the tongue and/or throat to swell, and I believe it's caused at least one death. )However, I can't remember where I heard that, and can't find it on Google, so maybe I'm misremembering?)

I can't speak for anyone else, but I was spanked sometimes as a child, and I'd far, far, far rather get a couple smacks on my butt than have hot sauce poured in my mouth. The pain from a spanking was over in a few minutes, but I feel the burn from hot sauce - even when I choose to eat spicy food - for a half hour or more.

[youngspiritmom]

After reading all these posts on MDC, I'm not gonna watch the videos. Sounds horrible and I can't stomach that. This is TOTALLY abuse in my book. This is wrong. Those poor kids. I wish I could take them home and tuck them into bed.