Native2u

I found this article this morning. I know that there was another thread about teen obesity. I thought you guys might want to read this, if you haven't already.

There are pictures also....if you are interested.

http://news.aol.com/article/mother-o...peaks%2F544624

CBS News
posted: 1 DAY 15 HOURS AGO
comments: 599
filed under: Crime News, National News

(June 25) -- A mother is being charged with neglecting her obese teenage son, raising issues about whether the government has the right to intervene in one's family life.
Born and raised in South Carolina, Alexander Draper grew up to reach a dangerous 555 pounds by the age of 14. That's when law enforcement stepped in.

"The first and foremost concern is Alexander's health," Lt. Shea Smith told "CBS News."
Alexander's mother, Jerri Gray, was charged with unlawful neglect of a child for allowing him to become obese.
"There have been opportunities to get Alexander some treatment over the course of the last several months and unfortunately some of those things have not been taken advantage of," Smith said.
But Gray, released from jail Monday on $50,000 bond, says she does not have enough money to get her son the treatment he needs.

Alexander is in the custody of the Department of Social Services, who in a statement to CBS News said they only intervene when "health care professionals believe a child is at risk of harm."
"Obviously her son is certainly in need of some medical attention," Lt. Smith said.

Jerri Gray and her defense attorney, Kim and Grant Varner, appeared on "The Early Show" Thursday to discuss the situation.
Asked how his weight gain got so out of control, Gray said, "Well, a lot of times it had to do with lifestyle. A lot of times I had to work fulltime second shift or fulltime, third shift. And I wasn't home a lot."
Gray told guest host and "Britain's Got Talent" judge Amanda Holden she had been monitoring her son's diet, but that there were times she had to purchase fast food, when she'd have to sleep between shifts.
Asked if there are steps she could've taken earlier to have helped him not reach that level of weight, Gray said, "When I had a second shift hob, I would've rather been home, so that I could've spent more time focusing on preparing more low-fat type-meals."
While Alex is under state care right now, Gray believes her son needs to be with her. "Mentally he needs to be with me. We both need to be included together in whatever program that they have to offer so that we both can benefit from it. So as our lives go on together, then we will have learned how to control it and keep it under control."

TheFour

Back to another post. I dont believe in government getting involved in personal affairs. The lady kills herself to provide a roof and food. She admits that she cant monitor food intake because she is working so much. Why do we need to waste tax payers money prosecuting this family?????? Then tax payers money to make him thin. I just dont get it. What the hell is wrong with this nation!

__________________
Erik

April 09 Surgery--Weighed 430
June 09 Weight 360
July 09 Weight 343


"Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid of standing still"

suebry05

14 years old over 500 pounds!!! I think if she bought less food she could probably cut down to just 1 job!! too much food in the house!!!

thats my smart ass statment of the day!! and Im sticking to it...

__________________



Surgery 12/09/08
TT Gym rat club member #141

TheFour

Susan

That would be a good tee shirt

"Less food=Less work"

__________________
Erik

April 09 Surgery--Weighed 430
June 09 Weight 360
July 09 Weight 343


"Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid of standing still"

bezobraz

I can't imagine 14-year old over 550 lb. Scary, scary, scary ....

If mother is working 2nd and 3rd shifts she might not be physically and mentally capable to take care of a child with such severe problems.

I am sure it is way more then unhealthy food in the house, or fast food for dinner. This boy probably has all kind of health and mental issues. I don't think separating him from his mother is a good idea.

I hope this family will get help, not punishment

__________________

313/305/164/180/145
Highes/pre-op/current/Goal/Dream

Surgery: 5/5/2008, 100 lb lost October 27 2008, Wonderland Desember 22 2008

4 months out 232 lb (9/4/2008)
5 months out 221 lb (10/5/2008)
7 months out 200 lb (12/9/2008)
8 months out 198 lb (01/6/2009)
10 months out 186 lb (03/07/2009)
12 months out 179 lb (05/05/2009)
15 months out 168 lb (08/28/2009)

Baja Big Dog

Its getting to be a scary world out there, I put myself in this situation, and the thought of my mom in jail for feeding me.....well its just not good thought in my mind, but now that he is the hands of child protective services, Im sure the weight will simply drop off!!


Oh and Im sure welfare will be involved soon, since Im sure that after being incarcerated, she probably lost a couple of her jobs, the government strikes again!!

suebry05

I would like to see updates on this kids story... and will kind of prove the theory (here comes the flaming) that you can not always control what yoru kids do , eat, say.... we all would like to think so but not always possible

Single parents out there have the hardest job out there- trying to keep a roof over there heads, food on the table, and a sense of pride- its tough being married and having someone to vent and share the stress with- let alone single... my heart breaks for this women


I also dont think the kid going into child protective services is gonna help him lose weight- but I do think an intervention is needed here- and this women needs help!!! so to the old USA- stop sending our freakn money over seas and lets help our own people out here who are struggling!!!

__________________



Surgery 12/09/08
TT Gym rat club member #141

Native2u

I'm kinda thinking that they "jumped the gun" and arrested the mother and put the son into the hands of Dept of SS. I won't understand "why" the Dept of SS didn't jump in and try to give the mother some help, not food stamps....but like a cooking class or something for the boy to learn what is healthy and what isn't. I know I'm going to get flamed for that comment and this one also. In my eyes also the mom is responsible for healthy foods in the house. I agree that all kids will find sweets somewhere and will get them if they truely want them (friends house, saving their $ to buy them, etc).

Baja Big Dog

Went shooting this morning, one of the guys we shoot with was late, he called and had been in an accident, a couple of us drove over to the accident, unreal...this douche bag illeagel, (we assumed, couldn't really verify, since he didnt speak English!!), driving a car registered to someone else, had no license, no insurance, no nothing, but my buddies totaled out car, and a hurt dog, the cop writes the guy a ticket, and sends him on his way, and the cop tells my buddy to call his insurance, and hopefully he had uninsured motorist, since we will NEVER see this guy again, the cp claims its all he could do!!

And they arrest this woman for over feeding her kid...really makes you wonder sometimes, but if we are patient, Im sure some of the TT experts will chime in why this action was justified, we are on stand by!!!

Native2u

You've got to be kidding me!! They let that a**hole go? WTF??!! They should have arrested him on the spot, IMO. If he caused that accident, he should be made to show-up in court or something. (I know that the dude would just go south, after the court hearing...but at least they could have made it harder on the jerk)