Heard this on the news last night. I pray for this family.

If you left a gun in your car and one of your children accidentally shot another one of your children in the face + killed them is there really much more of a penalty to teach you a lesson? I don't know how somebody could possibly get over that as a parent outside of possibly one day spreading your story so others don't make the same mistake. I understand what you are saying but to me it was an accident and there is not penalty that's going to be worse than one of your kids accidentally killing the other.

 

 

I actually laid in bed last night thinking about this a bit more. I went back and forth on it.

 

Would/should a parent be charged in any of the following situations that resulted in a child dying:

 

1. Family owns pit bulls and lets them run the yard and house. One of them attacks and kills the owners' child.

 

2. Parent falls asleep smoking in bed and the house catches fire. Child dies.

 

3. Parents have a party and leave a lot of whisky sitting around. Small child gets ahold of it and drinks to the point of death.

 

Any charges here or do we just say living with the grief is enough?

I don't know the story but it could be different from the ones you share above. I think of my best friend. He's a realtor in Lexington and goes into some pretty rough neighborhoods alone in the evening. He has a gun + permit to protect himself if he has too. He too has 2 young kids. I have my realtors liscense on the side. First house I ever listed was a huge house with a ton of property in the middle of nowhere. I ended up giving the listing back because I felt like there was definatly drugs involved. Don't know what meth smells like but it burned your nose walking into the house. People moved back to Dade Co Fla... While I was in the middle of nowhere taking pictures of the house it was an eary feeling I haven't really had. If somebody had come out there on me I had nothing to protect myself outside of my insured hands (jk). Honestly though I thought that day if I stay in this business on the side I need a gun. I have a 7+4 year old. I haven't bought one yet and still haven't decided. If I get one I will put a safety on it so I can understand why if it didn't have a lock on it why people would say yes charge them. For me charges are to punish and teach a lesson. In this case I don't think you can punish any worse or teach an any bigger lesson. That parent lost a baby they knew long enough to be very attached too. The other child that shot it will carry that the rest of it's life. As a parent you not being around to help that child makes it even worse for the child. An absolute tragedy no matter what comes of it. I respect you a lot btw Clyde. Good conversation as usual.

The car was parked, the parent was securing the younger child when the 2yo got the gun. So the carseat argument doesn't matter here. I have heard here that there was a conceal/carry permit. I can't imagine a charge being filed.

I think it depends on each circumstance and what the actual conceal law is. If the kid was left alone to explore, then absolutely charge them. But from my understanding, the parent was securing the first child in the car seat and then was going to do a second. If the child picked up a scalding cup of coffee and poured it on himself would the parent be charged? I think as long as the parents obeyed the law (conceal/carry permit and that permit doesn't say it needs a trigger lock around children), I don't know how to charge him. Either way, terrible for everyone involved

The car was parked, the parent was securing the younger child when the 2yo got the gun. So the carseat argument doesn't matter here. I have heard here that there was a conceal/carry permit. I can't imagine a charge being filed.

 

I think many believe no charges should be filed because the gun was legal. Is that the best criterion? Can intangibles come in even though it would be difficult to do?

If this adult is not charged with child endangerment, then something is wrong with our legal system. Did the adult know the firearm was in the vehicle? If so, then putting that innocent child in that vehicle was their first mistake. If an adult puts a child knowingly in the same environment as a loaded firearm and the firearm is not locked up or in a secure place, then that is child endangerment. What a moron. Another senseless death that should not of happened.

If this adult is not charged with child endangerment, then something is wrong with our legal system. Did the adult know the firearm was in the vehicle? If so, then putting that innocent child in that vehicle was their first mistake. If an adult puts a child knowingly in the same environment as a loaded firearm and the firearm is not locked up or in a secure place, then that is child endangerment. What a moron. Another senseless death that should not of happened.

:thumb::thumb::thumb:

I find it interesting so many people are willing to give the parent a pass on this one. Seems to me it's a clear-cut case of child endangerment, just like in this example posted on the board just this morning:

 

http://www.bluegrasspreps.com/showthread.php?219381-Child-dies-after-being-left-in-a-car-outside-their-home

 

How again are these two situations different?

I find it interesting so many people are willing to give the parent a pass on this one. Seems to me it's a clear-cut case of child endangerment, just like in this example posted on the board just this morning:

 

http://www.bluegrasspreps.com/showthread.php?219381-Child-dies-after-being-left-in-a-car-outside-their-home

 

How again are these two situations different?

 

That's why I posted the examples of pit bulls/smoking in bed/alcohol. Nothing illegal happened yet a child died in each scenario. Should the parent get a pass due to their suffering?

I understand totally where people want to lock up the parent. I guess my mind just thinks different. I think about 1st off the parent is never going to be punished worse than a. losing their child and b. knowing their other child is going to live with this the rest of their life. If you lock the parent up then the child that is going to mentally sturggle when the figure out what they did is going to do it without that parents support. That puts the 2nd child in an even bigger mess not to mention it could end up being put in a foster home etc. I think something like so many hours of public speaking or communitty service speaking on the issue would save more lives + let the 2nd child have more stability. Just how my mind thinks on this case. No doubt the parent made a mistake but it was just that a mistake. I think they've suffered enough myself. I know a lot of jobs where you should have a gun handy in your vehicle. It was irresponsible but I can see when dealing with getting 2 little kids in a car how it could slip your mind.

I understand totally where people want to lock up the parent. I guess my mind just thinks different. I think about 1st off the parent is never going to be punished worse than a. losing their child and b. knowing their other child is going to live with this the rest of their life. If you lock the parent up then the child that is going to mentally sturggle when the figure out what they did is going to do it without that parents support. That puts the 2nd child in an even bigger mess not to mention it could end up being put in a foster home etc. I think something like so many hours of public speaking or communitty service speaking on the issue would save more lives + let the 2nd child have more stability. Just how my mind thinks on this case. No doubt the parent made a mistake but it was just that a mistake. I think they've suffered enough myself. I know a lot of jobs where you should have a gun handy in your vehicle. It was irresponsible but I can see when dealing with getting 2 little kids in a car how it could slip your mind.

 

Solid argument.

That's why I posted the examples of pit bulls/smoking in bed/alcohol. Nothing illegal happened yet a child died in each scenario. Should the parent get a pass due to their suffering?

 

For me I just think those are different scenerios. Those are more pleasures IMO where having to carry a gun for work is more to protect you on the job. That's why I see this one different. In the other ones the person is making a concious choice to put pleasure first. To me in this one it could easily be for protection not pleasure for an everyday job. I don't know the details that's just how I thought about it.

At the very least if the parent had a concealed carry permit it should be taken away for they have shown themselves as being very irresponsible ad cavelier in handling and storing a firearm safely .

I understand totally where people want to lock up the parent. I guess my mind just thinks different. I think about 1st off the parent is never going to be punished worse than a. losing their child and b. knowing their other child is going to live with this the rest of their life. If you lock the parent up then the child that is going to mentally sturggle when the figure out what they did is going to do it without that parents support. That puts the 2nd child in an even bigger mess not to mention it could end up being put in a foster home etc. I think something like so many hours of public speaking or communitty service speaking on the issue would save more lives + let the 2nd child have more stability. Just how my mind thinks on this case. No doubt the parent made a mistake but it was just that a mistake. I think they've suffered enough myself. I know a lot of jobs where you should have a gun handy in your vehicle. It was irresponsible but I can see when dealing with getting 2 little kids in a car how it could slip your mind.

 

 

It is my understanding that the child the fired the gun shot herself.