Christy Murrell lives in a rented apartment in Bowling Green, Ky. along with her four children and boyfriend. She supports the family on welfare checks along with her boyfriend Brian Pittman’s 3rd shift job at a bottle cap factory close to their home. Christy Murrell suffers from health problems (obesity and diabetes) along with an addiction to cigarettes, which never seem to be out of her hand. Murrell’s lifestyle is beginning to affect her children. Two-month-old Serinity Pittman was born with severe asthma and had to attend Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tenn., on a regular basis for treatment and her one year old half brother, Trey Murrell is treated on a weekly basis by an occupational therapist. The neglect received from their mother Christie is lessened by the love her boyfriend Brian Pittman has for the children. The children often just play by themselves except on special occasions such as birthday parties. The following story looks at the life of Christy Murrell and the effects that poverty has placed on her family. Christy Murrell, of Bowling Green, Ky., lights a cigarette as she watches television with two of her children, Destiny and Cheyenne (Left to Right.) No one is suppose to smoke on Christy Murrell’s property because her two-month-old, Serinity, was born with severe asthma. Murrell is a chain smoker, doing it outside the house as well in her bedroom, where the baby sleeps.