Bad: a 17-year-old mother was arrested on Friday after surveillance cameras caught her trying to smother her four-month-old to death to "make life easier." Worse: she admitted to attempting it three previous times. Worst: she's barely being charged. More inside.

Below is a video report from Dallas-Fort Worth's KDFW FOX affiliate about the arrest of Shantaniqua Nykole Scott, who is currently being held on $25,000 bail after surveillance cameras at the hospital she was at with her infant son caught her trying to smother him, first with a blanket, and then with her hand.

Here's where things get even crazier: according to KDFW, Scott admitted to three previous attempts to murder her child upon being arrested. When asked why she did it this time, Scott replied that she wanted to kill her baby to "make life easier."

And here's the most outrageous part of all of this: Scott has been charged only with "causing injury to a child," and—while the felony could bring a penalty as high as life in prison—it would likely be much harder to sentence Scott to a more substantial term than if she was charged with attempted murder (and, given the admission of three previous attempts, why the hell wouldn't she be?).

Thankfully, hospital employees were able to revive Scott's son, who was barely breathing upon being found, before he expired—and he's expected to make a full recovery.

[KDFW via Fark]