children and guns.

[mirmartinez]

On the way home, a local news channel was reporting on a shooting.
A child (accidently) shot his younger brother.
Its a tragedy, for all involved.
However, this got me thinking of why this type of "news" is not uncommon.
To lower the occurrences of these incidents, do you think it would be alright to charge parents with manslaughter when their children use their guns, if they were left loaded and unlocked.

 

[dcentity2000]

This is an incredibly intricate and complex issue and I couldn't possibly deliver a verdict on it in anything like a general sense I'm afraid



Rich::

 

[tink_n_pooh]

I am a proud NRA member... and I say that if a parent leaves their guns loaded and unlocked in which anyone could get a hold of them... yes they should be charged. I don't know if they should be charged with manslaughter or if there should be some sort of "assisted" charge for them but I do think they should be punished.

I've always lived in a home with guns. Guns should never be stored loaded - ever! No responsible gun owner would ever leave a loaded gun where someone else can get their hands on it. It amazes me everyday how many stupid people there are in this world

 

[freckles and boo]

As horrid as it is to "repunish" parents after they suffer such a tragedy, I believe that there needs to be consequences for not storing firearms safely, especially when children are in the home.

 

[2girlsmom]

We are also NRA members, and my husband shoots competition, and is teaching my 8 year old to shoot targets (right now with an air rifle-bbgun). But we don't keep our guns out nor do we keep them loaded, and the girls handling the guns is ALWAYS in very controlled settings, like a range, for example, and in the direct supervision of their father.

 

[Castlebound]

Yes, I think they should, but I also think it could be hard to prove. A child is anyone under the legal adult age of 18. My parents have guns for hunting and by the age of 10 I could load and shoot a rifle. Even though I knew how to get to the guns and how to load them, I also knew that I was to NEVER touch the guns without my dad there with me. I've always been for the most part a rule follower, but not every kid is. Sometimes no matter how much planning and thought we put into things tragedy still happens.

We had a family friend who lost a child when her oldest son accidently shot her youngest son. Her DH was a policeman and he did everything right. His gun was unloaded and locked away and the bullets were in a different location also locked. Their older son knew how to get to all of it even though they never told him. He decided to show off the gun to his friends and accidently shot his brother.

 

[Jenvenza]

I said no - because I dont know if manslaughter is the right thing to charge them with. But I do think they should be charged with something - but I don't know what. This is a very tough question and after being at work all day - my brain just isnt working well enough to think of a good answer!

 

[MAKmom]

You need an other in a poll.

But I said no to manslaughter.

I do think they should do jail time but not for manslaughter

 

[sha_lyn]

This is an incredibly intricate and complex issue and I couldn't possibly deliver a verdict on it in anything like a general sense I'm afraid



Rich::

Too many variables and "what ifs" to answer

In general yes I would say some charges are warranted if a loaded gun is easily accessed by a child

 

[vanillamickey]

I said no, but that was only because the question wasn't really specific (no offense). I thought you meant charge the KIDS with manslaughter, not the parents. Otherwise I would've said yes.

 

[sha_lyn]

I said no, but that was only because the question wasn't really specific (no offense). I thought you meant charge the KIDS with manslaughter, not the parents. Otherwise I would've said yes

On the way home, a local news channel was reporting on a shooting.
A child (accidently) shot his younger brother.
Its a tragedy, for all involved.
However, this got me thinking of why this type of "news" is not uncommon.
To lower the occurrences of these incidents, do you think it would be alright to charge parents with manslaughter when their children use their guns, if they were left loaded and unlocked.

The OP specifies charging the parents

 

[C.Ann]

Yes - the parents should face some sort of punishment.. I'm just not sure what kind of punishment that would be - especially if it was one of their own children that was killed..

 

[amyhughes]

I would think negligent homicide, however you have to prove it was intentional with that. Manslaughter eh, that's a slippery slope. What would be the cut off age, relative status, what evidence would be required to show probable cause? What about intent. I think it's a deterent sure, but at the same time proving it could be a whole nother matter entirely.

 

[Pigeon]

Yes. I'm not normally a big fan of punishing parents for something their kids did. But I'm tired of hearing from gun owners about how safe it is to have guns in the house. If you own a gun, and you don't store it "safely" you ought to go to jail in a situation like this.

 

[vanillamickey]

The OP specifies charging the parents

I didn't read the post before I voted.

 

[John Smith1]

Yes. I'm not normally a big fan of punishing parents for something their kids did. But I'm tired of hearing from gun owners about how safe it is to have guns in the house. If you own a gun, and you don't store it "safely" you ought to go to jail in a situation like this.

 

[TheGoofster]

I guess my question would be if would you stop at guns? What if you have rat poison hidden away some place in a high cupboard, and your child finds a way up there, and eats some. Should that also be considered manslaughter? What if one of your kids is fooling around with a kitchen knife and accidentally stabs the other (I've seen it happen), should that also be enough to get a manslaughter charge against the parents.
Don't get me wrong, I think any parent who doesn't take extreme measures to secure a gun (as well as educating their kids about it) deserves some kind of punishment (what I'm not sure), but I just don't see how you can charge them with manslaughter. Too many variables, and possibilities to consider.

Some years ago, our neighbor was in a hurry,and backed his car right over his little child. I honestly can't remember if the child died or not, but I wonder how that would fit into this as well. Carelessness on the part of a parent causing (or leading to) serious injury or death to their child.

 

[stacyp9]

On the way home, a local news channel was reporting on a shooting.
A child (accidently) shot his younger brother.
Its a tragedy, for all involved.
However, this got me thinking of why this type of "news" is not uncommon.
To lower the occurrences of these incidents, do you think it would be alright to charge parents with manslaughter when their children use their guns, if they were left loaded and unlocked.

No. The other children in the home already lost a sibling. What is to be gained by taking away their parents too?

 

[GeorgeG]

I think manslaughter is inappropriate for a parent who is no doubt already suffering the loss of a child or friend. I do believe they should be held accountable, though.

We tend to focus a lot of energy on punishing when we should focus more on education, not only for the children, but for the parents. Firearms education has become almost a taboo subject in recent years as though people just should not have guns, period. That's another argument, altogether, though.

Years ago, guns in the house were a lot more common and most children started learning at an early age not to touch them without direct supervision and to have respect for both the guns and the parents who instructed them. Unfortunatley, both those concepts have become outdated in a permissive and anti-gun society. Yes, there were always isolated gun accidents, just as with any other dangerous tools or items found in most homes, but nowhere near what we see today. As long as we are allowed to have guns, parents need to take more responsibility for keeping their guns safe and educating their kids, and kids need to respect what their parents tell them.

If a twelve-year-old gets ahold of the car keys and accidently backs over a sibling, that would not be a manslaughter charge even though the end results are the same. Did you lock up your car keys tonight?

That still isn't the same as leaving a loaded gun laying around, though. The parents and the children need to be educated and develop both commonn sense and respect.

 

[ALittleDisneyFan]

Oops. I wish I could change my vote. I thought you said charge the sibling with manslaughter then I re-read and you said parents.

I do believe parents should be charged with SOMETHING. In this day and age when these stories come out it should be yet another reminder to keep your guns locked away, safe, and unloaded!