Judgement and conclusion are based on the facts as presented. If what is known doesn't add up, then you call a spade a spade. Of course any situation we read about here or elsewhere may have aspects or conditions we are unaware of, and so the observations we make are based on limited knowledge of the actual event(s).

Knowing that, it is in the context and magnitude of the available information from which we would pass such judgement, and so on the face of it, we offer our opinions, however condemning they may seem, because the available facts allow for no other conclusion. If, in fact, the babysitter in this case was not doing what she was supposed to be doing, which is to watch over and supervise the child, then she is negligent, and on the face of it, deserves a high level of criticism. If more information is made available upon which to condition such judgement, then it would seem both prudent and fair for us to change our minds about the matter.

Based on what is known to us, if it had been my child, I can gaurantee that the babysitter would be feeling pretty horrible, and most likely from a hospital bed if I got my hands on them. I have little tolerance for mistakes that place my family at risk of harm.

Assumptions, no, conclusions based on a limited amount of information, yes. Judgement, well, if we didn't offer up our opinions to one another, I suppose we'd have no discussions.

So based on the information provided, I would think that a conclusion of irresponsibility and/or stupidity would indeed be germaine and relevent. If we knew more of the circumstances or they whys and wherefores, it would likely be a wholly different story we'd be reading about, even though the outcome was the same.

Honest mistakes that put my family in peril will get a person in dutch with me almost as much as deliberate acts would. I tend to give most people a lot of leeway, but somethings I just can't afford to tolerate. If there's one thing I would strive to demonstrate to any new member on this forum with regards to the topic of survival, it is that, first and foremost, you need to be accountable for your actions. Without this, you will forever remain at the mercy of your enemies and beyond the assistance of the most magnanimous among us.