‘They were gonna’ take him anyway’: Parents charged for abandoning child at Missouri courthouse – KCTV

Report on Child Neglect Incident in Chillicothe, Missouri: An Analysis Through the Lens of Sustainable Development Goals

Case Summary

A report from Chillicothe, Missouri, details a case of child neglect involving Jeremy Lamp, 36, and Jessica Lamp, 31. The couple has been formally charged after allegedly abandoning their son at the Livingston County Courthouse. This incident provides a critical case study for evaluating local challenges in achieving several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Chronology of Events

1. Jeremy and Jessica Lamp attended a mandatory drug screening at the Livingston County Courthouse with their son.
2. A Children’s Division employee administered the tests. Jeremy Lamp’s result was negative, while Jessica Lamp tested positive for methamphetamine.
3. Officials presented the parents with several options to ensure the child’s safety, including temporary separation or placing the child with a relative.
4. The parents reportedly rejected all proposed solutions and subsequently abandoned the child at the courthouse without provisions such as food, clothing, or infant care supplies.
5. Chillicothe Police located and apprehended the parents later the same day at a local medical center.
6. Both individuals were charged with child neglect. Jeremy Lamp reportedly stated he believed authorities “were gonna take him anyway,” while Jessica Lamp provided no explanation for her actions.

Relevance to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This case directly intersects with multiple SDGs, highlighting critical gaps in social support systems, public health, and justice.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse. The mother’s positive test for methamphetamine indicates a direct failure to meet this target, posing significant health risks to both herself and her child.
• Child Welfare: The abandonment of the infant represents an immediate and severe threat to the child’s physical and psychological well-being, undermining the core principles of ensuring healthy lives for all.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. Child abandonment is an extreme form of neglect and abuse. This incident underscores the ongoing need for robust child protection mechanisms.
• Access to Justice: While the parents were interacting with the justice system, their actions demonstrated a breakdown in trust and cooperation. The response of the Chillicothe Police Department and the Livingston County Circuit Court represents the function of institutions to protect vulnerable individuals and uphold the law.
• Recidivism and Rule of Law: The parents’ prior criminal records (assault and child endangerment) point to systemic challenges in rehabilitation and crime prevention, which are essential for fostering peaceful and just societies.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Vulnerable Populations: The child in this case is placed in a position of extreme vulnerability, facing profound inequality in terms of safety, opportunity, and care compared to his peers. This highlights the necessity of social safety nets to protect the most disadvantaged.

Legal Status and Historical Context

Current Charges and Legal Proceedings

• Charges: Both Jeremy Lamp and Jessica Lamp face charges of child neglect.
• Potential Sentence: A conviction carries a potential maximum sentence of seven years in prison per state statutes.
• Next Step: A bond hearing was scheduled for July 21.

Prior Convictions

• Jeremy Lamp: Previous convictions include assault, driving while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident, and possession of paraphernalia.
• Jessica Lamp: Previous convictions include child endangerment.

The reported lack of remorse from the parents, combined with their legal histories, suggests deep-seated issues that present a significant challenge to the social and judicial systems tasked with upholding public welfare and achieving sustainable development outcomes.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses issues that are directly connected to the following Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: This goal is relevant due to the mention of substance abuse, which is a critical public health issue.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: This goal is addressed through the themes of child neglect, violence against children, and the response of the justice system.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the following specific targets can be identified:

1. Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.
   • Explanation: The article explicitly states that one of the parents, Jessica Lamp, had a drug screening that “came back positive for methamphetamine usage.” This directly points to the issue of narcotic drug abuse, which this target aims to address. The involvement of the Children’s Division and the subsequent legal actions are part of the broader system of intervention related to substance abuse.
2. Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.
   • Explanation: The core issue of the article is the abandonment of a child by his parents. The article states the couple “elected to just abandon the child without clothes, food or infant care, at the courthouse.” This act is a severe form of child neglect and abuse, which falls under the umbrella of “all forms of violence against” children that Target 16.2 seeks to end. The parents were subsequently “charged with child neglect.”
3. Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
   • Explanation: The article details the response of the justice system to the crime. It mentions that the couple was located by “Chillicothe police,” taken into custody, and formally charged. The article notes, “both parents have been charged with child neglect,” and that “State statutes indicate that if convicted, each parent could be sentenced to a maximum of seven years in prison.” This demonstrates the application of the rule of law to address a crime.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article contains information that can serve as qualitative or case-specific examples of indicators used to measure progress:

1. For Target 3.5 (Substance Abuse):
   • Implied Indicator: Prevalence of drug use. The article provides a specific instance of this with the report that “Jessica Lamp’s came back positive for methamphetamine usage.” This data point, collected through a “mandatory drug screening,” is a type of information used to measure the extent of substance abuse in a population.
2. For Target 16.2 (Violence Against Children):
   • Implied Indicator (related to Indicator 16.2.1): Number of reported and substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect. The entire incident, from the abandonment to the parents being “charged with child neglect,” represents a documented case of violence against a child. The article also notes Jessica Lamp’s “previous convictions include child endangerment,” providing historical data on the issue.
3. For Target 16.3 (Rule of Law):
   • Implied Indicator (related to Indicator 16.3.2): Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population. While not providing statistics, the article shows the justice process in action: the parents were “taken into custody” and a “bond hearing has been scheduled for 10 a.m. on July 21.” This highlights the process from arrest to pre-trial proceedings, which is a component of monitoring the justice system’s efficiency and adherence to the rule of law.

Summary Table of Findings

Source: westernmassnews.com