I bet that you think this post is about Britney Spears or that poor soul in LA who gave birth to 8 children. Hmmm . . . I haven't touched that one yet. There must be something wrong with me because the blog fodder is sitting there awaitin' some fun.
Nonetheless, this post IS about someone from Lousiana (but not poor Britney) and IS about someone who shouldn't be allowed to reproduce (but not the so-called 'Octo-mom").
Read on . . .
NEW ORLEANS–A Louisiana woman is accused of trading two young children in her care for a pet cockatoo and $175 in cash.
Donna Greenwell, 53, is charged with aggravated kidnapping. Also charged are Paul Romero, 46, and Brandy Lynn Romero, 27.
Greenwell allegedly called the Romeros about a cockatoo they were selling for $1,500. After hearing the Romeros were unable to have a child, she allegedly offered the five-year-old boy and four-year-old girl for money. The Romeros couldn't afford it, so she agreed to trade the kids for the bird, plus $175.
But she had no authority to put the children up for adoption. She's not their mother.
There you are. Adults behaving badly!
Tell me, who names their child Brandy Lynn?
Oppps . . . I guess that isn't the central point of this silliness is it?
OK. Back on track. Sort of.
So the price of human life has been reduced to $ 175 and a Cockatoo. I just can't imagine why someone who think this was a good idea. $ 175 and a Cockatoo? Dear lord, I am speechless!
I bet someone named Brandy Lynn lives in a trailer park and eats moon pies and pepsi for dinner . . .
Darn, there I go again, fixated on the trivial bit and missing the big picture.
One has to wonder in all of this where the parents of these poor kids were in all of this. If they left their kids in the care of Donna 'I've Always Wanted a Cockatoo' Greenwell on a regular basis they must be a few pickles short of a jar. A fine, up-standing childcare specialist just does not up and trade two toddlers for $ 175 and a cockatoo! Clearly there are some serious issues.
I no longer know what to say . . .
Do you wonder what someone who will buy 2 kids for $ 175 and a cockatoo might look like? How about what the person who will sell them looks like? Do you wonder?
WOW - for once words have just failed me.
Oh, the inhumanity!
I missed this story! "A few pickles short of a jar" pretty much nails it for this sorry bunch. :)
Posted by: annie | February 28, 2009 at 06:08 AM
But Jerry, it might have just been one heck of a bird. You never know.
Plus $175 is nothing to sneeze at nowadays. You can almost get three trailer payments out of that.
I think the proof of your pickle theory is that they did not seem to worry, for a moment, that someone might see a couple of new kids around those two rocket scientists and think, "hmmmm i don't even remember Brandy being pregnant. I wonder if she stole them kids at Walmart." Which of course she didn't. She paid for them fair and square.
Posted by: Diana | February 28, 2009 at 08:21 AM
Don't remember the exact quote, but it's from the movie Parenthood and goes something like this, "You need a license to fish. You need a license to own a gun, but any idiot can have a child."
Posted by: Kim | February 28, 2009 at 08:48 AM
Hilarious - and extremely sad! What in the world were they thinking? "Few pickles short of a jar" - I'll have to use that one sometime!!
Posted by: Chiocciola | February 28, 2009 at 06:51 PM
I heard about this story on the radio on my drive in to work. Unbelievable. Kim said it best about giving out licenses.
Posted by: girasoli | February 28, 2009 at 08:23 PM
And of course out here in California, we are living (and will be paying for) with the saga of the Octomom - talk about issuing licenses!
Posted by: Marcia | February 28, 2009 at 10:24 PM
Can you imagine these folks raising kids . . . any of them? It boogles the mind! Marcia - don't get me started on octo-mom . . . heads should roll over THAT one!
Posted by: JDeQ | March 01, 2009 at 08:19 AM
I think it was on Hee-Haw where they used to say "truth is stranger than fact." This saga (and those photos!) make me feel as if I've wandered into an episode of Hee-Haw...
Posted by: sandrac | March 01, 2009 at 07:35 PM
You watched Hee Haw? Dear lord - it is a sign of the Apocalypse!
Posted by: JDeQ | March 01, 2009 at 08:49 PM
Despite being a social worker for more years than I care to admit, the depth of inhumanity never ceases to amaze me. Kim is right. Parenting should require a license!
Posted by: sheri | March 02, 2009 at 06:44 AM
Sheri - it is a sad thing that those who should never have kids often do and those who would make amazing parents sometimes can't have them.
Posted by: JDeQ | March 02, 2009 at 08:52 PM