They sat in the bathroom for around three hours; Clara crying, and Jim trying to console her. Eight months later, Lilly was born. They had not fought over the name, for Clara did not care. Not an hour after Clara gave birth, she wanted to leave. Jim insisted they stay, for Lilly was unbearably premature.

"It doesn't matter. Come on. We're leaving," Clara whispered hardheartedly. Jim quickly signed the release papers for Lilly. He promptly became conscious of Clara's hatred for children. When he picked up Lilly, Clara yelled at him for 'spoiling her.' When he fed her, Clara complained yet again. "The child does not need more food."

When Jim was at work, Clara typically went out with friends and left Lilly at the house alone. Her mother did not physically harm Lilly until she was four years old. Lilly had been running outside and slipped and fell into the dirt, getting her shoes dirty. Her mother jerked her up, dislocating her shoulder. She screamed at the small, four-year-old child and picked her up, hurling her against a wall.

Whimpering softly, Lilly spoke up. "I'm sorry, Mommy. I did not mean to—"

"Shut up, you ungrateful child! I hate you! Your father does too." Clara shrieked. Lilly was sent to her room without dinner. When her father came home, he found her and gave her a piece of bread and some milk.

Clara came in the room when he was giving her food and shouted at him for hours. After the fight, Clara took her rage out on Lilly. She screamed at her and hit her relentlessly. The child had learned not to try to apologize or give reasons for anything. She just went to her 'happy place.' Clara beat her and yelled all night, only stopping because she got tired. Lilly sobbed and held her doll all night. She did not know it at the time, but she had a concussion and three broken ribs. She had blood matted in her hair and dried on her limbs.