Let me slide away from the death/neglect part of this case for a moment. It can be assumed there was no father/husband in this woman’s life. Now, we can act like holy rollers and insult her all day long for it, but facts are facts. She either works...and takes the kid to day care, or stays at home and goes on welfare. Which do you prefer?
I realize that there are other solutions, like working at home, having family members babysit, etc...and I’d rather see people do them. But realize very few people LIKE taking their kids to day care.
Another false dichotomy (a popular form of "debate" around here) - as if those were the only two choices in her life. She chose to drop a kid she couldn't afford. She chose to work at Hooters which apparently doesn't have covered parking. She chose to use day care rather than other family to take care of the kid. She chose not to have a checklist of what to do in the morning. Etc.
All that aside, I feel slightly sorry for her and a hell of a lot sorrier for the kid. Moral of the story if you can't afford kids don't have 'em.
And yes the bear thing was one of the dumbest moves in the universe, but the idiot mother wasn't the one who suffered for it. What makes it stick in my mind is that my kid was about the same age at the time.