While the original news report is pretty persuasive, subsequent brief local reports indicate the possibility that there may be more, or less, to the story than appears.

Interviews with neighbors found several who attested that they are familiar with the children, observed them regularly, and that they are unconvinced that the children were being mistreated.

The original report is based entirely on what one police officer said, and while he apparently is convinced, it is not known whether he has experience with children, or with any similar cases.

The only description of the inadequate feeding of the children comes from the children themselves, and specifically from questioning by the one officer who apparently gave the story to the news media. Questioning children of this age, and getting answers that can be trusted, is a job for experts(??????) and few parents will assert that they always believe their own well managed kids. No indication has been given that the officer involved has any experience or training in handling the interrogation of children in cases of this kind.

The officer said that the children were "in intensive care" but the hospital has not confirmed that, so far as local media have reported.

That officer says that "a doctor" told "a police officer" about their medical condition; but neither the doctor nor the other officer has been identified. No attributable medical opinion has been released and so far as has been reported the hospital has as yet provided no official "medical assessment" to the police or to child welfare investigators.

The woman was not arrested, and no comment from the husband has been released as of the last reports heard. It does not appear that authorities are making any particular effort to have the husband interrupt his two-week(?) business trip to attend to the matter.

It is entirely possible that the situation is as described in the first reports; but I would suggest waiting for further results from the investigation that is in progress before assuming that everything has been said about this case.

Given the seriousness of the reported condition, it is appropriate that the two "emaciated" children and the other two children have been placed in temporary custodial care. The care facility has a long-established reputation for "trying very hard" to do what's best for children in their care. Unfortunately, when parent's fail, or when such failure must be investigated, there are far too few really good ways to care for the victims.

It is unfortunately true that cases of the sort described are not particularly rare, and concern for what may have happened certainly is justified. Concern and caring for our neighbors, and support for those officially involved, are certainly obligations we all share.

John