News of the weird, pt 2
Kid+anger management issues+gun=predictable results...
Police in Jackson, Ohio, a small town near Columbus, are trying to figure out what to do with a 4-year-old boy accused of shooting his babysitter.
The child apparently became incensed on Sunday when 18-year-old Nathan Beavers, who was looking after him, accidentally stepped on his foot. Cops say the enraged youngster ran to a nearby closet, grabbed a gun that was stored inside of it, and fired it at his temporary guardian.
The victim suffered wounds to his arm and side and was treated in hospital, but his injuries were thankfully minor. Another teen was also slightly hurt.
Beavers was watching the child at the mobile home of the boy's grandmother when the incident occurred. Several other teens and a few additional kids were also present.
Authorities have revealed that when the babysitter stepped on his foot, the child boldly announced he was going to go get a gun. Everyone figured he would come back with a toy.
Instead, he found the real thing, even retrieving a shell from a drawer and loading the weapon as he marched back into the room where the others were gathered.
The child is now in the custody of his parents. His father claims his son had seen others shoot a gun before, but he had no idea that the youngster knew how to load and fire the weapon. He maintains the little boy simply thought it was a toy and calls the incident an "accident."
Cops are now investigating, but agree the alleged culprit may be too young to be charged. His father has arranged from his son to receive counselling instead.
And probably get ready for a lawsuit, too. I hope he's realized that just leaving the gun around-- even unloaded-- is a pretty idiotic thing to do.
posted by "Ms. Cornelius" @ 2:30 PM
6 Comments:
Now this is just sad, at 4 years old, my hunch is that this kid learned this behavior somewhere….somewhere, 4 yrs old really narrows down the potential places. At this age the kid doesn’t have a fully developed concept of death and the finality of it. I am hoping social services takes a closer look at this one.
Yeah-- like I doubt that he has never seen someone load a gun before....
A mobile home, several kids/teens, and a loaded gun. No, I don't see how anybody could have seen the potential for trouble at all.
By the way, Tag! I'm tagging you with the 7 Things meme, if you're interested. My feelings will not be hurt if you opt out. :)
http://classroombiz.blogspot.com/2009/01/7-things.html
I think it should be against the law to leave a gun and bullets where a 4 year old can reach it. Also I agree with the first commenter completely - how does a 4 year old load a gun unless someone showed him how to do it? Where does he learn the words, "I'm gonna get my gun?" Hopefully CSP will get in there and check it out!
In California, both the parents and the grandparents would be liable for the damages in this case and both could potentially go to jail.
To respond to Firefly and Ivory: The Brady Campaign puts out an annual report card on gun safety in each state. The latest one I could find was from 2004, so at that time Ohio received a D+ for gun safety Stating, “ Oho does not hold adults responsible for leaving loaded guns around kids, does not require child-safety locks to be sold with guns, does not regulate possession of guns by kids and does not have any handgun safety standards.” MAN! And I thought NC was bad, we at least got a C and made it a law to hold a parent responsible for leaving a LOADED gun around children. Just to Note CA got an A-. The report states that CA will hold the parent responsible for leaving a gun around a child and DOES NOT specify loaded or unloaded. But looks like in OH there is no gun safety law to violate!! There is the matter of safety of the environment the child lives in, and this is where social services can step in. So yes, lets hope they do so.
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