Can be. But in the scenario described at the beginning of this article, what is the point of punishment here. Does this person need reformed? Can society dole out any more retribution/revenge/punishment than he's already experiencing?

Willful neglect is awful, a crime, and should be punished. In some cases it's probably necessary for a court to determine if the neglect was willful or not.

But I simply can't imagine the lifelong self-inflicted torment a parent would experience in a situation like the one described. Prison or death would be a respite I think.