This is a week, that to me was filled with bad news.

For me personally, it was the stress of expanding my writing business. I found myself hitting a brick wall.

No matter how hard I was trying, it seemed like I could not find that solution.

For the community, it was confronting the news that a child had died.

And though the facts are still under investigations, it appears that this death was particularly tragic.

The police are investigating the possibility that the child was abused and murdered.

To me, that piece of news was particularly hard to swallow. Not because of the news, but because of the words said afterwards.

I know, that as people, we have a tendency to jump to conclusions. We hate an absence of information.

As such, we jump to conclusions. And the comments I saw proved it.

There were the ones that were ready to grab pitchforks and torches and hand out their own justice. Grab a rope, why bother with a trial?

Give the person responsible a taste of the pain.

It was troubling. Without knowing the facts, we were ready to hand out “justice”

But where was this quickness to hand out justice when the child was alive? Where was CPS to remove this child from the home? How can friends and neighbors not know what was going on and do something?

As a society, we seem to be quick to judge after the fact, but awfully slow in doing things to prevent BEFORE the fact.

But, I also saw one comment that gave me hope.

“May they both find peace.”

At first, I was confused. This person was concerned by both the soul of the departed child, and the soul of the mother (note: at this time, it is not certain if the mother is the guilty party)

I would like to believe that a mother, if of sound mind, would never put her child in harm if she is in her right mind.

The demons that must plague a person for them to commit such a crime must be intense. We do not see what demons are in her mind.

How often in this age, do we show compassion for those that need it most?

I do not know the story beyond what people have read. But, I have to say, compassion must be given.

We do not have the facts. It is possible that who we think responsible is just as much the victim.

Until then, the mother will be scorned and derided.

She will face more demons. The thoughts of her dead child, and the scorn of the public. Even if innocent, she will be forever haunted by demons. She will never find peace, innocent or guilty.

So, the person hoping they both find peace was very wise.

I hope that we all find peace.