Karen Harrington jailed for life for the murder of Santina Cawley

I can never understand what drives someone to hurt a child.

Poor little Santina. RIP

A short horrific life filled with neglect and fear and pain. In full view of everybody. But don’t forget. Modern Ireland is great place for kids, much better then the bad old days….

I've a daughter that is 2 years and 3 months old. It was impossible to read any of the reports without imagining my little girl in that situation. It was the first time I've ever cried reading the news. My heart breaks for what Santina went through, and what her parents will forever be going through. That will never go away or make sense.

There have been a few very disturbing cases recently in Ireland. I think community has broken down. People have become very selfish, blinded, overworked or afraid. And keep assuming the government and corporations are going to help and it's all going to be ok.

Regarding the comment about the women's prison, I couldn't agree more. While I'm sure she'll get a really hard time from most of her fellow prisoners, the conditions of that women's prison, to me, are appalling: it's not a prison at all, it's a holiday home.

What does a life sentence constitute in terms of actual years imprisoned?

The kid was being dragged around from place to place while the father and his gf went on a session. She was in the fathers care in the first place after acquiring a broken femur while under the care of her mother. It seems to me that this little girl was failed by the adults in her life and it’s tragic.

you strike again from the misandrist pulpit. If the father did this what title would you put on this thread???????

its your hypocracy I find so obvious

Absolutely horrific story.

Those saying you cannot be blaming Tulsa, deal with them occasionally with work and they are absolutely shocking, totally inept and somewhat incompetent. Hopefully things have changed. But full blame lays with that evil b1tch. What the fcuk is wrong with some people.

Stories like this just want to make you go home and hug your own hugs and not let go.

RIP Santina.

Poor baby, the adults in her life absolutely failed her. I saw the mother around the place alot when this story broke first, quite disturbing how much she loved the attention she was getting. If she had looked after Santina like a mother should, she wouldn't have fallen into the hands of this evil person.

Was the child a shared custody case between the 2 parents?

The idea of a 2yr old child being in the care of a couple of pissed up and drugged up adults over a weekend, when they were obviously on the lash, doesn't sit right.

Why would the mother let her 2yr old go into this type of situation?

Ah right, I see it was a complicated case then.

Appears that ALL of the adults in her life let her down, not just the ones who were supposed to be looking after her when she died.

I really only knew of the case from what I read in media reports.

Reading those you'd think the mum and dad were super parents. I have no doubt they are distraught about their daughters death, but it would appear they weren't in the running for any parenting awards.

Any decent parent wouldn't be high and drunk whilst in charge of their 2yr old. You don't have to be a genius to know that. But for some modern parents it would appear they simply don't want kids to stop them having a very active social life, and indeed some seem to be a hindrance to them.

Truly despicably harrowing to think how any human could do such a thing to a beautiful defenceless child.

Potentially till your last breath!

Well well said. I’m sick to the back teeth of the lazy and obtuse and ignorant blaming of some very very good and fine people working like demons in their efforts to protect children. Like any organisation , mistakes are made. But this ill-informed rush to demonise Tusla for every child that has suffered boils my piss

I agree.....and just because someone may think Daddy and Mammy could be looked at with a critical eye doesn't mean they are taking away from the horrific act the Girlfriend carried out

Like, questioning what kind of father brings a two year old around with them on bender with them isn't completely irrelevant either. Or how the injury was sustained much earlier..........

Immature, disturbed, volatile, self centred. On and on it goes.

I think it depends on which class they are from.