I have done some reasearch on the Eastenders story of Kat and Ronnie

[katrina1987]

I was curious has there actually ever been any known stories, because when I wrote my complaint into Eastenders they stated that they had done thourough research and found facts about this, so I thought id have a look myself to see how true it was. Are were they blagging it to get the ratings higher? So hears what I found

Infant stealing more common
It is a variety of the more common crime of simply snatching an infant, experts say. Attackers are women of childbearing age who typically have lost a baby or can’t have one, mental health professionals say. They feel empty and fiercely long for a child — or another child — to cement a shaky love relationship.

This is a link for another story I found:

https://www.totalcriminaldefense.com/blog/2010/07/02/woman-fakes-pregnancy-attempts-to-steal-a-baby/

I found 100's of various stories. I haven't put this on hear to offend, upset, cause any arguments. I just purely wanted to see if what Eastenders was saying was true and had a look for myself.

Although I haven't found an exact story that matches the Eastnders one they are similar in various ways, If the thread becomes nasty, spiteful or anything like that I will get it locked straight away

 

[v2007]

at the link.

This lady had a miscarriage and then faked the rest of her pregnancy then attacked an innocent family, forged documents etc in order to get a baby.

She clearly used extreme ways to get what she wanted/needed.

Ronnie isnt like this, she just saw an opportunity and took it.

V xxx

 

[katrina1987]

at the link.

This lady had a miscarriage and then faked the rest of her pregnancy then attacked an innocent family, forged documents etc in order to get a baby.

She clearly used extreme ways to get what she wanted/needed.

Ronnie isnt like this, she just saw an opportunity and took it.

V xxx

Oh yeah I know that, I just wanted to see what stories were out there really. Most of these stories I found were based in the USA. Still horrible to think though it really happens in different ways.

 

[MrsGlitz]

I've not read your link but I know that infant stealing happens. I just don't think it's appropriate (or a common enough occurrence) to show on soap, especially when they could have highlighted the SIDS and raised awareness of it. Frankly I expected better from Eastenders who, in my opinion, are usually very good at handling sensitive storylines.

Also, Ronnie was about to take the baby back, it was almost like she was lost in a trance until he cried then she remembered that wasn't her baby.

 

[v2007]

She was going to return him??!!

V xxx

 

[Dirtykittyxx]

The thing is that the ronnie storyline can happen in real life! I had a stillbirth about 6 years ago and my cousin had a baby girl around about the same time has well! Dont judge me, but I 'stole' my cousins baby for about ten mins or so. I wasn't convinced that the baby was mine or anything but in those first few hours you are in shock and in denial and you just want to hold any baby to fill that void and gap! I realised what i had done and gave her back almost straight away.

I am upset by the eastenders storyline myself but not because its giving a bad name to angel mummys but because i can actually relate to it and i have done something similar in real life myself. The people who say that it doesn't happen, it does happen and it is more common than we think.

I joined a stillbirth support group a few years ago and nearly all of the angel mummy's said they thought about taking a baby or were convinced every time they saw a baby it was their angel and wanted to care for it to fill the empty void and space inside. People deal with grief in their own way. And IMHO Ronnie is dealing with her grief/shock/denial in her own way. Bearing in mind that she has lost children before and losing another one in extreme circumstances and everything that she has been though, she was bound to snap sooner or later.

So in my opinion the ronnie storyline isn't far fetched at all, if anything it sounds like they have done they research in to it well.

 

[sequeena]

The thing is that the ronnie storyline can happen in real life! I had a stillbirth about 6 years ago and my cousin had a baby girl around about the same time has well! Dont judge me, but I 'stole' my cousins baby for about ten mins or so. I wasn't convinced that the baby was mine or anything but in those first few hours you are in shock and in denial and you just want to hold any baby to fill that void and gap! I realised what i had done and gave her back almost straight away.

I am upset by the eastenders storyline myself but not because its giving a bad name to angel mummys but because i can actually relate to it and i have done something similar in real life myself. The people who say that it doesn't happen, it does happen and it is more common than we think.

I joined a stillbirth support group a few years ago and nearly all of the angel mummy's said they thought about taking a baby or were convinced every time they saw a baby it was their angel and wanted to care for it to fill the empty void and space inside. People deal with grief in their own way. And IMHO Ronnie is dealing with her grief/shock/denial in her own way. Bearing in mind that she has lost children before and losing another one in extreme circumstances and everything that she has been though, she was bound to snap sooner or later.

So in my opinion the ronnie storyline isn't far fetched at all, if anything it sounds like they have done they research in to it well.

 

[MrsGlitz]

She was going to return him??!!

V xxx

The impression I got was she was in some sort of "trance", once Tommy woke and started cryin she immediately snapped out of it and said "I'm so sorry" and kept repeating that and "We're going to take you back to your mummy.". She got outside, crossed the square then saw Kat get out of the taxi and at the same time Jack came back and said "There's my son" so she then felt trapped I guess. It's odd but you really got the impression she didn't deliberately do it. Honestly, once she realised she didn't have her own son she was mortified.

I still don't think it's right they've covered it in this way though.

 

[MrsGlitz]

Dirtykitty.

 

[happygal]

The thing is that the ronnie storyline can happen in real life! I had a stillbirth about 6 years ago and my cousin had a baby girl around about the same time has well! Dont judge me, but I 'stole' my cousins baby for about ten mins or so. I wasn't convinced that the baby was mine or anything but in those first few hours you are in shock and in denial and you just want to hold any baby to fill that void and gap! I realised what i had done and gave her back almost straight away.

I am upset by the eastenders storyline myself but not because its giving a bad name to angel mummys but because i can actually relate to it and i have done something similar in real life myself. The people who say that it doesn't happen, it does happen and it is more common than we think.

I joined a stillbirth support group a few years ago and nearly all of the angel mummy's said they thought about taking a baby or were convinced every time they saw a baby it was their angel and wanted to care for it to fill the empty void and space inside. People deal with grief in their own way. And IMHO Ronnie is dealing with her grief/shock/denial in her own way. Bearing in mind that she has lost children before and losing another one in extreme circumstances and everything that she has been though, she was bound to snap sooner or later.

So in my opinion the ronnie storyline isn't far fetched at all, if anything it sounds like they have done they research in to it well.

 

[cupcake23]

Dritykitty

I've been thinking about the storyline and in particular looking at Ronnies mental health that leads her to taking Tommy (previous losses etc), yes the storyline is sad but I don't believe it is far fetched. She had an opportunity to relieve her pain and she did realise she made a mistake as no other child will replace the one she has lost, you see in the next coming episodes her dealing with the decision she has made.

I get numerous emails of incidences of women to be aware of, attempting to get into maternity units or homes, I'm not saying that all angel mummies go around stealing other peoples babies but it is more likely that a women who attempts/ steals a baby would have had a loss.

 

[MrsGlitz]

For me I don't think it's so much she stole Tommy, knowing Ronnie's history etc you could sort of understand them including that but more that she swapped them? I don't know...

 

[AP]

Its unnecessary for that part of the storyline. They simpily could have shown how difficult life can be afterwards. What angel mummies deal with. Focussing on SIDS and effects it has. But its being overshadowed.

Im not saying it doesnt happen, but its not common either.

 

[Jem_x3]

I agree, the initial idea of raising awareness for SIDs is being overshadowed by the uneccessary drama. I don't think it's so much that she took the baby or she has mental health issues, I just think someone who has had so much loss and the heartache it must cause you to lose a baby is not even something you would wish on your worst enemy. I just don't think this has been handled at all well or sensitively. It's not good viewing at all and I'll be glad when it's over to be honest.

 

[amie-leigh]

Its unnecessary for that part of the storyline. They simpily could have shown how difficult life can be afterwards. What angel mummies deal with. Focussing on SIDS and effects it has. But its being overshadowed.

Im not saying it doesnt happen, but its not common either.

i agree

 

[MrsGlitz]

I completely agree that the swap was unnecessary and I stand by that it's not appropriate for soap viewing. I was trying to say (poorly) that in some element I could have understood Ronnie stealing a baby, that happens and given all the trauma she's been through, on the whole viewers would have understood, I think. Swapping like that though?

I'm rubbish at trying to get across what I want to, especially when I am on my phone and can't read previous posts while I'm typing mine!

 

[indy and lara]

Its unnecessary for that part of the storyline. They simpily could have shown how difficult life can be afterwards. What angel mummies deal with. Focussing on SIDS and effects it has. But its being overshadowed.

Im not saying it doesnt happen, but its not common either.

Thank you Sandi. I am sure that it does happen but it is rare. I didn't feel like this and am not aware of friends feeling like this either. As I said on another thread in B&B about this, I had people remark that I was going to steal their baby after Bobo died, I also had people treat me as a freak and be concerned that I was contagious. It would just have been nice for Eastenders to treat the storyline as a sad but normal occurrence rather than turn it into a ghoulish spectacle.

 

[Laura2919]

Of course it happens but its not common. Eastenders have obviously researched into it, hopefully they dont drag it out too long. Looks like its over a good few days..

 

[Tsia]

the story will drag on and on until ronnie fesses up..

whats she plan to do?? bring up the baby as her own? shes in a pickle now.. shes damned if she does damned if she doesnt fess.
eiether way the actions in her 'daze state' will soon be the end of her.

look at me talking like its real. lol

what I mean is I hope the BBC have done very extensive research into this cos if its not executed absolutely correctly the storyline can cause heart ache for decades to come!

 

[MrsGlitz]

It isn't going to drag on now, there's a spoiler and basically it 'only' lasts until his funeral.