Yesterday a five-year old boy shot and killed his two-year old sister with a rifle made specifically for youth by Crickett Firearms. He had received the weapon as a gift. While the death is certainly tragic, what’s worse is that the shooting gets described as “accidental”
There is no such thing. In this case the gun was left in a corner of the room where the child had easy access to it. The mother was at home at the time, yet had gone outside. So, it meant that she had left her two children in a room with a deadly weapon without any supervision. Does that sound accidental or negligent?
When it comes to handling a gun the no.1 rule is this “all guns are always loaded – period!” A 5-year old doesn’t understand this concept, meaning that the excuse “thought it wasn’t loaded” doesn’t apply in any situation. Neither does not punishing the person responsible for the death, which usually the rationale is “they suffered enough.”
In reality it’s child neglect, which according to the American Humane Association types of physical neglect include ” inadequate supervision” and “failure to adequately provide for the child’s safety.”
Both apply as neither child got adequate supervision or got provided adequate safety. The police should have arrested the mother for child neglect and negligent homicide, which according to USlegal.com is the killing of another person through gross negligence or without malice. She also should have her son taken away from her.
Even worse is that if the mother in this case had gotten drunk or used drugs there’d be charges, since she was sober there were none, which doesn’t make sense. The mother’s mind is sound and most parents know better than to keep a gun within reach of children.
How is it that just recently in Sacramento, CA a family had their baby taken away by child protective services after leaving a hospital looking for a second opinion all due to not getting the proper discharge form? Fortunately the little boy is now back with his parents.
As for the accidental shooting that result in deaths it’s too common and that is why stiff consequences are necessary. When a fatal car wreck happens and it’s due to talking on a cell phone, changing the music on the MP3 or radio, drunk, on prescription drugs, sleep deprived or distracted the police are going to levy serious charges on the person responsible.
The same is necessary for those who are unwilling to accept the responsibility when it comes to owning guns.
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