It was a birthday party for a 12-year-old girl. On a dare, a young boy kissed the birthday girl on the cheek. The result was beyond my imagination.
Two adult females at the party took offense with the innocent peck on the cheek. So they agitated other young girls at the party to attack the 12-year-
old girl. And they participated. The group beat the 12-year-old and sent her into a 3-week coma. Monique Baldwin, 37, and Kenya Keene, 25, were sentenced to prison terms this week for instigating the beating. Seven other females are also charged and will soon be sentenced.
Baldwin received a 30-year sentence and Keene will spend six years behind bars. In my opinion, they got off with a much lighter sentence than I would have imposed. They should have been charged with attempted murder and sentenced to life.
I recall the attack from earlier news reports. Baldwin especially deserves substantial punishment. She was offended with the young boy because he was supposed to be the "boyfriend" of her relative. When he kissed the birthday girl, Baldwin took offense and prompted others to attack the victim. When the beating was not up to her expectations, she too took part in the savage attack.
When the ambulance arrived, Baldwin and Keene - as you would expect - lied about the attack. That delay in the truth almost cost the young victim her life. Maybe in their neighborhood, this is the way things are settled. But in a civilized society, their actions were like animals. And they deserve punishment to fit their crime.
Other prisoners will surely have a way of sending a message to these two female thugs. I suspect that their crime will be well known once they arrive at prison. In this case, animals should be treated as animals.
Baldwin taunted the other children to beat the victim and said, "Don't stop until she bleeds." That gives you an insight into the character of these people.
Any adult who masterminds and participates in the savage attack of a child deserves society's scorn and punishment. A 30-year sentence will not bring justice. But it's a decent beginning.