KY - Caroline Sparks, 2, shot to death by 5yo brother, May 2013

[Hejlena]

Charge the caregivers. This is negligence and endangerment. The end.

 

[CarmelEyesD]

I was raised around guns in New England. One of the first things we were taught was DO NOT POINT IT at anyone! The second was to not touch it without an adult present. When we were done, as in 'hunting, target shooting', we cleaned and put away our rifles, with an adult overseeing and double checking our safety at the time, and for the future-verifying it was unloaded and properly stored.

 

[cityslick]

Yea, I don't care how 'gun endoctrined' you are, I would think your average gun owner and 2nd amendment advocate would tell you that it is irresponsible to leave a loaded gun, child gun or not, in the presence of child and then said child does not know/understand how to handle a gun with live ammo. Using the excuse 'he didn't know there was live ammo in it' still puts culpability on the parents because obviously no one a) made that point clear to the child and b) didn't make efforts to secure the gun.

I hear the same thing all the time. 'My kids know how to handle guns since they are very young' but yet the same people who say this are the ones where incidences like this take place.

 

[Public_Hysteria]

This story is unbelievable. For starters, if you have a gun in the house, in an area easily accessible to young children, you really should be absolutely sure that it's not loaded. And if there's a gun being 'stored' in the corner of the room, it should be put away before you step away and leave the children in the same room, whether loaded or not. IMO, children as young as 5 are not old enough to completely understand the importance of gun safety, which means they should not be around firearms unattended at any time, for any reason.

I feel terrible for this little boy, he'll have to live with this for the rest of his life. Also for his family, who have to live through this horrible tragedy. My prayers will be with all affected by this senseless loss of life. RIP beautiful girl.

Hopefully this will make more think before giving guns as presents to children.

 

[Donjeta]

Even if children of five were old enough, apparently the loaded gun in the corner was also accessible to the two year old.

I am of the opinion that some ADULTS are not old enough to have guns in their home.

 

[matou]

I read that the parents bought the gun the year before, so the boy would have been 4 years old when he got the toy rifle.

 

[buffetoflies]

Children were left alone with a loaded gun.

Maybe it is not a crime in Kentucky but it should be.

Something very, very similar happened up here back in December. Loaded gun left where little kids could get at it (under a pillow/bed i think), the older one found it, and shot the younger one to death with it.

The dad in the case up here was charged with a felony.
http://m.startribune.com/?id=182243551

http://mikeb302000.blogspot.com/2013/03/minnesota-dad-goes-to-trial-for.html

Xiong, 31, was charged with second-degree manslaughter and child endangerment, both felonies, three weeks after his 2-year-old son, Neegnco Xiong, was killed on Dec. 5.

 

[EmmaliLucia]

People don't even give five year olds safety scissors anymore! Why are they getting guns?!?

 

[Soulmagent]

I read that the parents bought the gun the year before, so the boy would have been 4 years old when he got the toy rifle.

Even a childs rifle isn't a toy.

 

[Jan]

I can't imagine anyone giving a 5 year old a gun of any kind, much less one that could actually kill something or someone. We have never had a gun in our house and our children were never allowed to have or even touch a gun. They weren't even allowed to have toy guns. The rare exception might be plastic water pistols for playing in the yard on a hot day, and I even discouraged using those.

 

[MLO]

I seriously hope the parents are charged. That poor little guy. Imagine growing up knowing that you killed your sister, through no fault of your own.

My facebook has been over run with this story. So many "thank God we don't live in America". Gun violence just isn't something that we comprehend. We have extensive background checks. Anyone who has had a DVO or AVO cannot own or posses a gun for at least 10 years. Anyone who owns a gun has to keep it in a locked safe that is bolted to the ground or is made of concrete and weighs over 150kg. Ammunition has to be stored in a separate locked safe.

We DO live on a separate planet and aren't humans though, according to Virginia Citizens Defence League Phillip Van Cleave :floorlaugh:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/04/22/19/01/gun-advocate-mocks-australia-s-tough-laws

Despite only having military friends, we don't actually know anyone who owns firearms. It just isn't the done things here. My DH is infantry, so his specialisation is guns, but having a weapon in the house would never enter his head since we have 4 young kids.

 

[Donjeta]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/04/22/19/01/gun-advocate-mocks-australia-s-tough-laws

Mr Van Cleave then backed himself into a corner by saying "unless you can get rid of 100 percent of crime, it's not worth doing anything at all."

When Oliver pushed him on it the gun advocate changed his analogy to swimming pools.

"There are more drownings in backyards where they have swimming pools," he said.

"If they don't have a pool, there are no drownings in backyards, okay? So if the US has a very high number of guns, therefore, there's going to be more chances for somebody to be killed with a gun."

"That’s my point," Oliver replied.

:floorlaugh:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_...th-of-sister-2-was-made-for-kids-report-says/

According to authorities in Kentucky, there are laws dealing with handguns and kids, but not for the rifle used in this incident.

What? :waitasec:

Rest in peace, Little Caroline

The photo was cropped from a picture showing her with the five year old brother.
Some news outlets posted his photo too and I think it's wrong...

 

[LJKaust]

So beautiful, sweet and totally innocent

 

[MLO]

Donjeta, that article is hilarious and scary all at the same time, isn't it? It's probably one of the funniest news stories I've seen in our media.

 

[Elley Mae]

Maybe this summer some people that rarely get a chance to spend some time in the outdoors can make a trip to the appalachian mountains, or east tennesse/kentucky this summer. It will be a breath of fresh air and the scenery is spectacular. You will see people living on the edge of existence. People that have no electricity, gallon milk jugs filled with water from the closest stream that they carried it from. I saw the picture of the family home and see that they have electric, but there are lots that don't. Whether some people want to admit it or not it is a way of life for lots of people in this country, and around the world. It was a accident. jmo

 

[Donjeta]

You don't need money, electricity or running water to keep loaded weapons out of reach of children.

 

[MLO]

Maybe this summer some people that rarely get a chance to spend some time in the outdoors can make a trip to the appalachian mountains, or east tennesse/kentucky this summer. It will be a breath of fresh air and the scenery is spectacular. You will see people living on the edge of existence. People that have no electricity, gallon milk jugs filled with water from the closest stream that they carried it from. I saw the picture of the family home and see that they have electric, but there are lots that don't. Whether some people want to admit it or not it is a way of life for lots of people in this country, and around the world. It was a accident. jmo

We also have people who live in almost exact same conditions. They live in the centre of our country, in tents, with no running water, no electricity, medical care in a flight away, often no police in their community, or even within driving distance. They still don't let their children shoot one another. Why? Because they don't have guns. You can't kill someone with a gun if you can't access one.

 

[MLO]

You don't need money, electricity or running water to keep loaded weapons out of reach of children.

Exactly. I can't think of any reason that you would need electricity or water to unload a weapon. The only thing you'd need is common sense:twocents:

 

[CNNAnh]

Wao, this is a joke. How old is the mother? She should know that a 5 year olds is no way old enough to capable understand of handling guns (and this is a Real gun, and loaded).
The mother should be ashamed of herself. Little children don't understand many things, and we are adult suppose to know better, and prevent dangerous things get into our children's hands.
If adults have guns in the house, store them in some place high, put them in some place high enough that small children cannot reach.
If you really want to let children know about guns, buy them those water gun, the plastic one.
The mom, you should feel bad about this, it because of you not keep your guns out of their reach, that is why this tragedy happened. Hope this is a lesson for all mothers out there. RIP beautiful little one.