Scary local news story

[EsmeraldaX]

Boy, 4, suspected of knifing pal after beaning with whiffle ball
By Marie Szaniszlo
Thursday, July 8, 2004

State social-service workers are investigating the family of a 4-year-old Whitman boy who allegedly attacked his 10-year-old neighbor with a butcher knife during a game of whiffle ball.

The incident occurred Monday as the boys played in the back yard of the two-family Victorian-style house where the boys live. At one point, the 4-year-old missed the ball, and it hit him in the head, according to the older boy's mother, Leslie MacIver, and the younger boy said, ``Hold on. Wait a minute,'' and ran into the house.

A moment later, he returned with a large butcher knife and tried to stab MacIver's son, Christopher, on his back and both sides of his neck before nicking his left arm, she said.

The cut is no more than two inches long, and didn't require stitches. But the thought of what could have happened, particularly given Christopher's size, convinced MacIver to call police.

``To keep the peace, you don't want to say, `Don't play with that kid because he's dangerous,' '' MacIver said. ``But (Christopher's) not a normal-size kid who can fight his own battles. (The younger boy) could basically have killed him.''

Yesterday, the 4-year-old's mother declined to comment. The state Department of Social Services is investigating the report, the second it has received about the family, said spokeswoman Denise Monteiro.

In the two years they've lived in the house MacIver's uncle owns, nothing about the 4-year-old has stood out until last year, when his parents separated and his father died of a heart attack a week later at the age of 37, MacIver said. On Monday, she said, she overheard his mother telling police he's talked about seeing angels.

``I think he needs help,'' MacIver said. ``Somebody needs to step in before something awful happens.''

Thankfully no one was seriously hurt. HOW DOES A 4 YEAR OLD GET AHOLD OF A BUTCHER KNIFE???????!?!?!???!?

 

[EsmeraldaX]

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=34799

The link, from the Boston Herald site.

 

[luvwinnie]

Wow. Hopefully this kid can be helped.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

When I was about 13, I was babysitting the little boy downstairs (he was about 4 or 5) and he came after me with a butcher knife once (he got it from the sink). He used to bite me quite a bit too. None of his brothers were ever like this. It's scary to think of where they get these ideas from.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

Our area has had some awful news lately. A little kid somehow ended up getting run over by his grandmother. I'm sure it was an accident, but so tragic all the same.

 

[DukeStreetKing]

Sorry, but I have the image of "Chucky" in my head.

 

[Eeyore1954]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
HOW DOES A 4 YEAR OLD GET AHOLD OF A BUTCHER KNIFE???????!?!?!???!?

Easy ... in most houses you walk into the kitchen, open a drawer and pick one up. Or go over to the knife block/rack and take one out. I don't know of too many families who keep their kitchen knives under lock and key?

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by Eeyore1954
Easy ... in most houses you walk into the kitchen, open a drawer and pick one up. Or go over to the knife block/rack and take one out. I don't know of too many families who keep their kitchen knives under lock and key?

I don't know too many who keep butcher knives in drawers so low that a 4 year old could reach them.

Actually most of the people I know with toddlers keep cabinet doors tied with these special plastic locks so kids can't get at things like knives, household cleansers etc.

I hope this kid can get the help he needs.

 

[mickeyboat]

4 year olds are amazingly quick and resourceful. We keep our knives on the kitchen shelf and teach the kids that they are dangerous. If my child wanted one, it would take no time at all to drag a chair to the counter, climb on top, grab the knife and be on her way.

We have had this discussion before, some people believe in locking everything up, some people feel comfortable teaching their children to stay away from things that are dangerous. It's a matter of parenting style and not everyone will agree.

This boy seems to have other problems other than being able to reach the kitchen knives. I often wonder what would posess a child to do something like this. I hope he gets help.

Denae

 

[Pin Wizard]

How frightening! I remember when I was little and we moved to a new house, there was a kid across the street with problems. He seemed like high school age, but I'm not sure. We were told NEVER to go to that house, and whenever the kid was out, we had to run in our house. I remember seeing a police car there a few times, and they once took him in cuffs! Don't know what happened. But it wasn't too long before they moved.

 

[edcrbnsoul]

It doesnt take a 4yr old long to get a chair and climb up to reach a counter.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Having worked with emotionally disturbed children for years I need to say that there is a possibility that this child can be helped BUT I at least hope that he is put in a residential school that deals with behavioral problems. Unfortunatley, behavior and social emotional problems have been surfacing at much earlier age and have become much more severe. I used to work in a behavior classroom 10 years ago. At the time the kids were bad but not anything that could not be handled. Now the studentswould have been placed in that room are in a general education setting, the students that were in residential placements are in the public school setting and the students in the residential setting are often beyond help! It is sad for the child that goes without saying but others he may hurt also need to be kept out of harms way.

 

[Robinrs]

My sister keeps a butcher knife in her kitchen and I told her to put it in a place my son can never reach it and he's 11! I have always had a strange fear of them and think I would've LOST it if I saw anyone coming after me with one!

 

[Bob Slydell]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
I don't know too many who keep butcher knives in drawers so low that a 4 year old could reach them.

We do. Our butcher block is in a low cabinet. DS has enough sense not to go near knives, however.

 

[N.Bailey]

Originally posted by DukeStreetKing
Sorry, but I have the image of "Chucky" in my head.

I have the picture of Gage from Pet Sematary in my head. What a shocking story!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

A reasonable 4yo is not going to go for a butcher knife to take out his aggression. However since this child has obvious issues I think keeping the knives out of HIS reach is probably the best thing. He is a disturbed little boy with problems & hopefully will get help.

As far as the knife placement we used to keep them on top of the refridgerator when the girls were little. Now the knives sit on the counter. They always had a healthy respect for them. In fact we would go out to eat and they would tell the server to take the knife away from them or they would give us their knives. We never told them to say/do that but they just did it.