Five Years?

Seriously!?!?

An emotionally troubled Milwaukee woman who drowned her infant son and attempted to commit suicide shortly after a La Causa caseworker left the child with her for an unsupervised visit was sentenced today to five years in prison.

According to court records, the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare was ordered not to leave the baby – 5-month-old Will Johnson – with his mother unless she was taking “all medication as described.”

Arkisha Johnson, 30, told several people that she was not taking her medication, according to a criminal complaint. She told at least one person that she lied to a caseworker about taking medication. Johnson became increasingly suicidal in the weeks before the Oct. 26, 2007, murder, family and friends told police. It is not clear what, if any, attempts Johnson’s caseworkers made to verify her claim about taking her medications before Will was left with her.

While I agree that the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare deserves some blame, that does not diminish the guilt of the mother.  Five years for intentionally killing a person is not justice.  It’s a travesty of justice.