Last March, Arizona resident Shanesha Taylor was arrested after she left her 2-year-old and 6-month-old sons alone in her car while she went to an interview in a nearby building. At the time, Taylor was jobless and homeless. You might recall her tear-stained mug-shot that grasped the attention and compassion of thousands of Americans. Her story highlighted the difficult dilemma millions of single parents face on a daily basis: struggling to work and adequately provide resources such as child care for their children.
Perhaps that’s why Taylor’s arrest ignited compassion and a desire to help from other Americans.
One such person was 24-year-old New Jersey resident Amanda Bishop who was so touched by Taylor’s story she started an online fundraising campaign. Bishop’s intent was to raise $9,000 to bail Taylor out, but far more money was raised – nearly $115,000.
In court, compassion was once again shown to Taylor when Arizona officials decided not to prosecute Taylor so long as she agreed to certain conditions.
One court-issued mandate was for Taylor to deposit $60,000 of the $114,825 donated funds into a trust for her children’s childcare and college.
That didn’t happen.
Last week while in court, Taylor could not prove she deposited the funds. When the judge asked her to provide bank statements to determine if large purchases had been made, Taylor initially lied, telling the judge the money was in her mother’s account. Shortly thereafter her story changed again, when Taylor said she could prove she was in possession of $35,000.
Prosecutors moved to reinstate the original charge of two counts of child abuse against Taylor. Her trial date is Dec. 10 and if convicted, she will lose her children and face up to 18 months in jail.
The latest revelation of Taylor’s actions is disappointing on so many levels. Here are a handful of reasons:
She has squandered a wonderful second chance, an opportunity many never receive.
She has eliminated a financial resource that could help her children now and into the future.
She has failed to take responsibility for her improper actions and her failure to work. (Taylor has blamed the media for her inability to get a job, although Bishop, the New Jersey woman who started the fundraising campaign, sent Taylor dozens of opportunities from employers interested in hiring the out-of-work-mom).
She took back the still-unemployed father of her children after he “miraculously” resurfaced once Taylor gained access to the donated funds.
She has made some of those 4,053 regret they sent money to her. (Some have gone as far as blogging about their regrets and speaking out with various media outlets.)
She has potentially stifled opportunities others in her situation may have been afforded as well as individuals in need of second chances relative to criminal charges.
In my time, I have heard countless people complain about their situations – be it financial, criminal, and social, etc. Many of those people I have tried to help with my own personal resources or even by equipping them with information from social service organizations. Some of the individuals I have encountered benefitted from the assistance – whatever form it came in – and used as it a stepping stone to get them where they needed to be in life. Unfortunately, others, were not as committed to helping themselves. I have come to realize that those are the individuals who won’t make a positive change in their lives until they are good and ready. I can’t do it for them, certain social service organizations can’t do it for them – only they can make the necessary changes in their lives.
My mother used to always say that people don’t have to be kind to you. I’d like to take her comment a step further by adding that people don’t have to grant you an opportunity.
It’s sad and truly unfortunate that Shanesha Taylor didn’t use the opportunities she’d been given to enhance her life and the lives of her children. Whatever is to come of Taylor – even if she goes to prison and upon her release, we may never know. I just hope she learns from her experience and strives to become a better person.
I pray Taylor’s actions don’t thwart too many people from helping others – especially as the holiday season approaches.
Perhaps that’s why Taylor’s arrest ignited compassion and a desire to help from other Americans.
One such person was 24-year-old New Jersey resident Amanda Bishop who was so touched by Taylor’s story she started an online fundraising campaign. Bishop’s intent was to raise $9,000 to bail Taylor out, but far more money was raised – nearly $115,000.
In court, compassion was once again shown to Taylor when Arizona officials decided not to prosecute Taylor so long as she agreed to certain conditions.
One court-issued mandate was for Taylor to deposit $60,000 of the $114,825 donated funds into a trust for her children’s childcare and college.
That didn’t happen.
Last week while in court, Taylor could not prove she deposited the funds. When the judge asked her to provide bank statements to determine if large purchases had been made, Taylor initially lied, telling the judge the money was in her mother’s account. Shortly thereafter her story changed again, when Taylor said she could prove she was in possession of $35,000.
Prosecutors moved to reinstate the original charge of two counts of child abuse against Taylor. Her trial date is Dec. 10 and if convicted, she will lose her children and face up to 18 months in jail.
The latest revelation of Taylor’s actions is disappointing on so many levels. Here are a handful of reasons:
She has squandered a wonderful second chance, an opportunity many never receive.
She has eliminated a financial resource that could help her children now and into the future.
She has failed to take responsibility for her improper actions and her failure to work. (Taylor has blamed the media for her inability to get a job, although Bishop, the New Jersey woman who started the fundraising campaign, sent Taylor dozens of opportunities from employers interested in hiring the out-of-work-mom).
She took back the still-unemployed father of her children after he “miraculously” resurfaced once Taylor gained access to the donated funds.
She has made some of those 4,053 regret they sent money to her. (Some have gone as far as blogging about their regrets and speaking out with various media outlets.)
She has potentially stifled opportunities others in her situation may have been afforded as well as individuals in need of second chances relative to criminal charges.
In my time, I have heard countless people complain about their situations – be it financial, criminal, and social, etc. Many of those people I have tried to help with my own personal resources or even by equipping them with information from social service organizations. Some of the individuals I have encountered benefitted from the assistance – whatever form it came in – and used as it a stepping stone to get them where they needed to be in life. Unfortunately, others, were not as committed to helping themselves. I have come to realize that those are the individuals who won’t make a positive change in their lives until they are good and ready. I can’t do it for them, certain social service organizations can’t do it for them – only they can make the necessary changes in their lives.
My mother used to always say that people don’t have to be kind to you. I’d like to take her comment a step further by adding that people don’t have to grant you an opportunity.
It’s sad and truly unfortunate that Shanesha Taylor didn’t use the opportunities she’d been given to enhance her life and the lives of her children. Whatever is to come of Taylor – even if she goes to prison and upon her release, we may never know. I just hope she learns from her experience and strives to become a better person.
I pray Taylor’s actions don’t thwart too many people from helping others – especially as the holiday season approaches.
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