This story sickens me. I cannot believe the kid gloves this mother is being treated with. Pure and simple she was guilty of negligent homicide except by some miracle the child survived. She should be charged with child endangerment. Honestly you'd have to have the IQ of a rock to not know in this day and age that you never ever leave a child, especially one of that age, unattended in any kind of water. Even buckets these day have warning stickers on them as a child can drown in very little water. So she not only gets distracted while he's in the tub, but while the water is RUNNING!!! Quit treating her like a victim, you insult caring parents everywhere.

While this story is truly tragic and a miracle the boy survived, where's the questions about the mother leaving the child unattended in a tub with running water? What was so important that she could not stay with the child during bath time? We see instances on the news all the time now about parents leaving their children even for only a moment and the consequnces are tragic if not even fatal for the child. It is truly a shame that STUPIDITY! is not a crime. The media being what it is today only sees what it wants to see and addresses what it wants to address, well media and pre-occupied parents hear this: this woman should not just suffer the consequences of her son almost dying; she should have to face the scrutiny of questions from law enforcement the press alike and take the outrage of any parent out there doing the ultimate best for their children. Parents are asked routinely in hospitals about abuse if things look out of sorts; yet no one asks the questions when the children are injured about the possibility of neglect. This was sheer and unadulterated NEGLECT and is truly unfathomable.

Shame on the media for not asking the questions that every parent should be asking. Why did you leave a child in running water. Where did you go that was more important than watching your child during bath time. How many tragedies have you heard just like this to not make the same wrong decision. The list of questions could be endless.

Here we go again Media. Where are the questions about the NEGLECT? What parent in there right mind leaves a child in running water? Neglect is the worst form of abuse, because what ever the outcome this parent wasn't around to care anyway.....of course when tragedy strikes we want to play the victim role. The only victim is the CHILD!

Glad to see the media botch one again. Start asking questions that pertain to the reasons and not the outcome.

Anyone who has more than two kids can understand this sweet mom trying to do everything and run her home in an efficient manner. The first two commenters clearly did not take the time to read any of Mrs. Staker's blog to see what actually happened. 1) She did not leave the water running in the tub and stated that there were only several inches. 2) She walked down the hall to check on her older son who had been throwing up. 3) Upon retrieving something from another room she became distracted because she thought it would be nice to put away the clothes that her husband had folded.

She states very clearly that when she got back to the bathroom the water had been turned back on and had filled the tub. She knows she was negligent and will forever feel the guilt for that. She is not a bad mother in any sense. Just a busy one. Praise God that her beautiful son has recovered. Praise God that she has this story to share. Let it serve to remind us how fragile life is and that it could be anything, any innocent moment, a neglectful left turn, that could send our very own life into turmoil.

It's so easy for people to cast stones/pass judgement on others, isn't it?

Horrible for any mom/family to go through something like this and you know she feels guilty. Thank goodness for the miracle, they were given. They are truly blessed.