I have been following the "Baby Grace" story, now tentatively identified as Riley Ann Sawyers and I have to admit I am shocked at the details and seemingly unemotional tale that the mother and step father are revealing to the police in this case.

"both beat the child with leather belts and held her head under water in the bathtub. She said ...... picked the girl up by her hair and also threw her across the room, slamming her head into the tile floor.."

The reason? Manners! This little innocent girl would forget to say "yes sir" or "please" everytime.

I know that growing up we always had to say "yes sir, no sir, or please and thank you". We were not beat because we didn't. It was an automatic thing. Our parents taught us as infants to say please when we wanted something, or thank you when something was given to us. Our parents also respected each other, and always said please and thank you when talking to each other. We learned by watching and listening.

I'm not saying that my parents were perfect, or that they never argued over something. It's just that they preferred to not have the children in attendance when they did.

Maybe if this little girls mother and stepfather had taken the time to be respectful to each other, they would have learned to "parent respectively"

If you want a child to learn something you need to do it. Be consistent and say your " please and thank you's" from infancy. Don't expect a child who has never heard these words, to remember to say them consistently at the age of two! Children do forget.

Baby Grace - Riley Sawyers - it wasn't your fault. You didn't deserve to die for your parents pleasure, nor did you deserve to be put into a plastic box and thrown in the water like a piece of unwanted garbage. Your grandmother and father obviously loved you and tried their best to find you in a society that doesn't listen to the tiniest voices.

You were a special little girl and now you're a special little angel. God doesn't expect your manners, just your heart.

UPDATE: According to media reports - The mother of this child is in custody AND pregnant again!