Were there any consequences for the characters who neglected the baby in Trainspotting?

If you find this disturbing in the film, please do not read the book.

It was pretty disturbing in the film but definitely well-done to show the tragedy of the situation. A ballsy move on the director’s part, and a memorable one too. I read the excerpt from my friend’s copy of the novel today but didn’t get a chance to delve in too deeply. I just thought that it was interesting that they didn’t really touch upon the characters getting in legal trouble for child neglect or even being afraid of getting in trouble in the film. The book seems to deal with their fear of being in trouble with the cops as some of them already have criminal histories but I don’t think they ever do face any consequences besides the emotional ones… I know the plot isn’t necessarily supposed to be a morality play as much as a pragmatic narrative but I couldn’t help but have a special distaste for all of the characters (even Renton) after they all basically participated in the death of baby Dawn. Just my $0.02 but other feelings/interpretations about what went on there are welcome.

In the book, Allison is named ’‘Lesley’’. The Allison from the movie is a mix of two other characters. (a few characters were left out of the book, including ’‘Second Prize’’ who also participates in the grand finale of selling the heroin) Nevertheless, not much is said of her in the book after that part. The reader learns that she moved back with her parents.
Under those circumstances, we’re left to assume that cot death (used as justification by the involved party in the book, although not in the movie) was accepted by the authorities as Dawn’s cause of death.

Sick Boy is obviously the father, and while no one ever faces any legal consequences from the baby’s death in the book or movie, Sick Boy’s extremely disturbing advent later in the book may, or may not, have been caused by this psychological trauma.

This actually happened to a co-worker’s daughter/granddaughter.

J was in severe denial about her daughter’s addiction. She actually believed that her daughter was in some sort of rehab program that only accepted cash (for sure!) and she gave her daughter money for this.

I have no idea how she managed to keep her daughter when she was born. I didn’t really know many details of J’s daughter except for the few details she’d mention. Because I always looked skeptical of her daughter’s sobriety, she didn’t tell me much. Maybe she sobered up long enough not to get caught when she delivered, but I really don’t know.

Anyway, J told me that she would come visit her daughter and new granddaughter and that for some strange reason the daughter sometimes wouldn’t wake up when the baby cried and she was concerned that her daughter was just too tired to take care of the baby alone. The baby was also very small and had a pesky diaper rash that wouldn’t go away.

Less than a week later, J had to take time off work to attend her granddaughter’s funeral due to SIDS. I’m thinking the baby was still newborn enough to not show enough signs of neglect. The daughter was never charged—though to me, it seemed a bit obvious what was up.

AN

@keobooks I’m so sorry to hear about your coworker’s granddaughter. :( Just goes to show how dangerous delusions can be – especially when someone’s (i.e. a dependent child) safety is involved. I guess a valuable lesson to be learned is that if you think something is up, it probably is! Sometimes it’s better to alienate and piss someone off than let their destructive behavior go unchecked. I don’t even have kids but I can’t imagine ever being so f*cked up on anything that I could ignore a baby for days on end (or even an hour!). To most people it’s probably unfathomable and goes to show how powerful addiction can really be.

Are they going to make a film of the follow up to Trainspotting? It’s far more lighthearted, I suggest reading it, it’s called Porno.