Once again, we have been made aware of the sad story of a woman and her children living in terrible conditions.

This time around, as was reported in Monday's STAR, it is Nelta Saunders and her children, 13 year-old Luke Leslie, five-year-old Odia Gardener and 15-month-old Roy Rose, who are living in a dilapidated one-bedroom shack in Seaforth, St Thomas.

The tale of their suffering and the danger they are in from the elements (especially during a hurricane season) is saddening, but there is also a healthy dose of anger.

After all, Saunders, who is nearly illiterate, seems to have bred herself squarely into a corner to make an all too familiar story.

We cannot help but note that the three children have different last names which would indicate that they have different fathers. Once is a mistake. Twice is carelessness. Thrice is madness.

We accept that, many times, a woman in Saunders' position does not have much of a choice in whether a condom is used or not, or even in her sexual partner (if such a word can be used in some rather forceful circumstances). But the health clinics do provide birth control pills free of cost to all who would partake.

In other words she has had options; she has had a choice, just like many other persons whose suffering is presented to the world. Which is not to say that the situation is not grave. But to breed oneself, male or female, into a position of stress and physical danger is in large part self-inflicted suffering and it is difficult to sympathise fully with someone who consistently reproduces their own misery.