I think these parents should face charges

[mack]

fox4kc.com/2015/01/19/9-month-old-dies-after-being-shot-in-the-head-by-older-brother-in-nw-mo/

A 9 month old boy was shot and killed by his 5 year old brother. The gun was on a shelf and loaded.

[wallyworld]

What a shame.

[daometjing]

This is heartbreaking. I don't understand how people can be so irresponsible. I feel so bad for the 5 year old.

[kbmama]

I don't disagree with criminal charges, but the guilt they will live with forever is way worse than jail.

[mishkaroni]

I'm sure they will but the guilt they'll live with is far worse than any charges and/or jail time they'll be faced with.

That poor 5 year old. Thanks to them, he'll be fucked up forever.

[bearfootz]

Just heartbreaking

[jbm]

That's incredible sad. I absolutely think the parents should face some sort of charges.

[ceebug]

It is just so terrible.

[bonzo2012]

And this is why I think gun owners should have mandatory yearly safety classes. And it should be like Drivers Ed, where we had to watch those videos of car crashes to ingrain how awful it can be. If it saves even one life per year from negligence, then it's worth it.

[lucilleaustero]

This makes me so angry. So so angry.

Yes, the parents should be charged. I am going to leave it at that because I have trouble being nice when this topic is talked about.

[Deleted]

I feel terribly for the 5 year old.

The parents...ehh...not nearly as worthy of my sympathies.

[mack]

Lock your gun up. WHy is that so hard??

[Mermz]

Jan 20, 2015 14:07:41 GMT -5 mack said:

Lock your gun up. WHy is that so hard??

But intruders.

[mack]

DH has a CC. I give him lots of shit. Like we don't need to pack heat to go to Target.

That said, he takes it out of the safe, puts it in the holster. As soon as we get home, first thing he does is go upstairs and put it in the safe. Which is on the top shelf of our closet and anchored to the shelf.

[mishkaroni]

Jan 20, 2015 14:10:08 GMT -5 mack said:

DH has a CC. I give him lots of shit. Like we don't need to pack heat to go to Target.

That said, he takes it out of the safe, puts it in the holster. As soon as we get home, first thing he does is go upstairs and put it in the safe. Which is on the top shelf of our closet and anchored to the shelf.

That's what a responsible gun owner should be doing.

Or like in my home, I never knew there was a gun. It was well put away.

[daometjing]

I don't agree that the the guilt the parents feel is enough of a punishment.Yes they had a huge loss, but it could have been prevented so easily. They need to be charged.

[athn64]

You should never leave a loaded gun just lying around. Gun safety is paramount.

I do feel for the 5 year old. What a terrible thing to have to live with.

[cheshirecat]

That's so sad. I agree that the parents should face charges. If the gun had been stored safely, this never would have happened.

[helenahhandbasket]

Yes, the parents should be charged, but I can't imagine anything you could charge them with would alleviate what they must be feeling.

If my actions led to my child's death I would not only be begging to jail, I can't imagine going on.

Also, that 5 year old? there are no words for how horrible this will be for him.

[Mags748]

This type of thing happens far too often. I am glad that DH keeps his guns at his parents house (he hunts on their land). But if for any reason he wanted them here they would not be loaded and would be securely locked with the keys hidden.

[AnnieHall]

I don't feel sorry for the parents at all. They are responsible for that baby's death. Leaving a loaded firearm out for a 5 year old to find is inexcusable.

We have guns in the home, we also have a 5 year old daughter and a 2.5 year old son. My 5 year old daughter knows that you don't aim a gun at anyone unless you have intent to shoot them. Guns are not toys. The parents of these two children failed on multiple levels and the baby paid the ultimate price for their negligence.

[Mermz]

Jan 20, 2015 14:37:39 GMT -5 pistolpackinmomma said:

Jan 20, 2015 14:09:31 GMT -5 Mermz said:

But intruders.

There are quick access safes that are still secure. We have a biometric safe that will only open for DH and I. Intruders are even more of a reason to lock your gun up. Part of being a responsible hun owner is keeping your gun out of others' hands. You are responsible for anything that gun does, IMO.

I was being sarcastic. I assume that's what they were thinking having it above their bed.

[Cherhorowitz]

They should absolutely face charges. And then I feel sad because these boys have gone through a major trauma and then their parents could go away.

In what universe do you keep a loaded gun out in the open with 4 little kids?

[twofold]

Those poor kids

I'm sure the parents feel terrible but where was the common sense?

[twofold]

Jan 20, 2015 15:05:46 GMT -5 @yellowwallpaper12 said:

Jan 20, 2015 15:03:51 GMT -5 twofold said:

Those poor kids

I'm sure the parents feel terrible but where was the common sense?

Common sense is not so common.

Unfortunately, very true. 

[squirrelgirl]

Jan 20, 2015 14:36:53 GMT -5 @scoutnumbers said:

People side eye me when I say I won't allow my children to play in a home with guns, even if I am given assurances by parents that the firearms are secured. I've been told on this board it's unacceptable to ask for visual confirmation on that, and I totally respect that, but the result is it is very unlikely my kid is playing at your house. I don't care how that makes you feel, we all have choices here. This is mine.

I will also be enrolling my children in a firearm safety and awareness course as soon as they are old enough. We've had basic conversations about "this is a gun, it's a very bad thing and if you ever see one, you run run run to a grown up right away."

God, I hate guns.

All of this. If you have a gun, it is up to you to keep it safe. I have child, it is up to me to keep her safe. Part of that is assuming that there may always be human error. So our kids can be friends, but if you own guns, they can play at my house.

[boozeplease]

This is why I honestly hate guns. I don't think no one should have them or anything like that but I will never have one. I think people have the right to own but should have to show some competence to do so. I don't think people should be allowed to have a gun just lying there. Whoever left that gun on the headboard should face criminal charges. If I went to a family members house and saw that I would take my kid and leave! Kids need to be kept away from guns period. DH calls them a tool but still kids should not be able to come across one ever. A competent adult using it for hunting or whatever is fine but when it comes to kids ugh.

I know some people have guns and hunt on the board and I mean no harm just these stories with kids piss me off b/c it could've been so easily prevented. Makes me sad.

[nymama]

The parents should most definitely face criminal charges. I cannot even process how awful this is for the 5 year old. Just thinking about it make me feel ill.

[sweetbrier]

The owner and the parent should be charged in my opinion, unless the gun was "hidden" and she didn't know about it. Her dad could have thought it was secure and hidden, but he should never have okayed grandchildren (or whatever relation) in the same room. It should have been locked up in a separate room. I could see the mom potentially not knowing about it, but if she did she is also responsible for leaving her children around it, especially unsupervised.

[sweetbrier]

Out in the open they should all be charged. But if it was "around" the headboard like the second article said I could see it being slightly more complicated