I am writing in regard to the article (BDN, Dec. 15) titled, “Court: Neglect cause for permanent removal of child.” It said under Maine law, the state is obligated to take every possible measure to reunite a child with the parents when a child is removed from their care, unless there are “aggravated circumstances” such are rape, incest or abuse.

Why is this a law? If any child is removed, that is cause enough to be an “aggravated circumstance.” It bothers me how easily children are given back to the parents, just because they are the birth parents. If they harm and endanger their child, how could they have any maternal instinct to protect them? Have the courts ever heard of the saying, “Just because you give birth doesn’t make you a mother or a father”?

What’s wrong with society? These types of articles are more frequent than other crimes. I would like to see some stricter laws passed to protect the children and also animals that are abused. This is a vicious cycle that is passed down to each generation of children and will never be broken; unless it is somehow changed, which starts with the parents.

Sandy Smith

Carmel