As a mother of 2 toddlers, I hate to place blame (unless clearly negligence) on the parents -- this was indeed an accident (no one took these children, mother didn't murder, etc)
My children are 13, 5, twins 4 -- We have been in our current home for 2.5 years (so my children were around 11, 3, twins 2). We live in Arizona and the previous home had a pool (with all the safety procedures) and one of the most important things when looking for a new home was NO POOL. Due to the fact that I knew even as young as the toddlers were that they conspire together to get into mischeif (and I did not want the fear of them somehow getting into the backyard).
Well, we had only been in the house for 6 months and I was doing laudry, while my oldest was in her room reading. The toy room was set up as "baby jail" with baby gates at both doorways. I was putting away clothes in my room (which faces the back yard) and I could hear the girls like they were in MY ROOM! So as I am looking around I see one of their faces in my window and waving.
Alarmed, I stood at the "baby jail" in disbelief -- they had managed to clear the books of the "cheap" bookshelf -- and turned it over so they were able to get over and unlatch the baby gate. Now the sliding glass door has a top baby latch and a metal bar in the track -- not to mention being locked. From watching us, I assume, they knew to take the metal bar out and the chairs from the dining room table were moved to the kitchen counter -- where the latch was undone and the door wide open.
One of my twins, has since birth, been the "ring leader" as the little girl in this story was described and I when I heard that I could so relate -- I have always theorized that when you have kids that are this close -- ideas, mischief, etc that one may not have thought of -- believe me 2 or 3 will.
I thank GOD everyday that this happened AFTER our move -- I don't want to think about what could have happened -- and I am a great mother, who protects and loves her children -- but that would probably not be what the public perception would be of me.
This was a horrible, terrible accident -- I pray to God this wasn't the due to the neglect of a mother -- but an accident nonetheless..