Baby Lisa Irwin
It's a parent's worst fear. You go to sleep thinking all is right with the world only to wake up and find your baby is gone. It must feel as though you are trapped in some cruel dream from which you cannot wake up.
When my children were born, I pulled their bassinet right up to the edge of my bed, so I could watch them breathing. People teased me about it, and well-meaning relatives advised me that it was a mistake to allow my babies to sleep in my room. They were right, but I kept it up as long as possible. With this in mind, I cannot begin to imagine getting so drunk that I passed out on the opposite end of the house from my baby's room, and with a fan going full-blast to block-out noise, as Bradley reportedly did.
It is really easy to get suspicious of Deborah Bradley's actions the night her baby went missing. Now that I know she was drunk, I cannot help but question whether she could have done something to the baby and forgot. But I'm reserving judgement, because it would be a mistake to try and convict this woman in the media.
On the flip-side, I find it interesting that Bradley and her other two children were sound asleep when Jeremy Irwin arrived home at 4 a.m. and made the discovery. She wasn't running around trying to establish a wild story to explain Baby Lisa's disappearance or frantically acting out a scene for a 911 dispatcher. In addition, the police have combed the area thoroughly and found no sign of the baby. So just when would a drunken Bradley have had time to dispose of a body that skillfully, in such a short amount of time, with two other children to contend with? It's just not adding up.
Parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley
Although it is way too early to cast blame as to why and how Baby Lisa went missing, human nature pushes us in that direction. When Jeremy arrived home, the lights were on, and the door was unlocked. It is highly plausible that a very drunk Deborah Bradley went to bed without turning off lights and locking doors. It's also not unheard of for a new mother to be stalked by some sicko waiting for the opportunity to snatch away her baby. A home lighting up the night sky provides a perfect view inside. It would be easy to see if the occupants were asleep and aware of their surroundings; and with the father working a rare night shift, it could have been the proverbial perfect storm for a tragic crime to take place.
At this writing the police have descended on Baby Lisa's home armed with a search warrant. Why would they require a search warrant by the parents, and what, if anything, will they find?
Time will tell.