How many more of our children will have to meet a tragic end at the hands of a sexual predator before the justice system begins a one strike and you’re out policy?  In yet another terribly tragic case, an eight year old girl is dead.  Cherish Perrywinkle was abducted and killed several hours after her mother accepted a ride to the dollar store for her and her three children.  The accused, Donald Smith has a lengthy rap sheet of convictions for sex offenses against children and was only released from prison only about one month ago.  This case is doubly tragic because the girl’s mother hand fed the little girl to the predator when she allowed him to take Cherish to McDonald’s to buy food for the family.  Smith instead took her to his van and drove off.  Her young life was ended hours later.  While it’s never generally helpful to be judgemental, as it turns out, Cherish was born during a one night stand between a sailor and exotic dancer, stripper actually.  That in and of itself is not the tragedy.  That could happen.  But as it also turns out, in the custody case between the father and mother, Rayne Perrywinkle, the evaluator wrote, “that neither parent was perfect”.  In addition, the evaluator noted that Ms Perrywinkle had some really troubling issues, “including eviction, a lack of money and some admitted mental health issues that led her to make poor choices.”  The evaluator was spot on as Perrywinkle allowed a complete stranger to walk off with her young daughter.  What parent in her right mind, would allow such a thing?  And while she is grieving and most people would feel badly to say it, she is at least partly to blame for allowing that predator, a complete stranger, to have access to Cherish.  Let’s face it, some people aren’t meant to be parents. It’s not about the parents, it’s sad for the children.  Nine hours after her disappearance, Cherish’s body was found a few miles away, near a church.  Smith is now sitting in jail without bail, awaiting his Court Hearing.  Chances are he may never be free again, but isn’t that truly the meaning of closing the barn door after the cow get out?  Why is our justice system doing such a poor job of protecting our children?  While I completely understand the importance of voting rights and same-sex marriage, equally important are the rights of those who are most vulnerable; our children.  What about our children?