Accident By Design, er, Neglect

Accidents do happen. Sometimes they happen because of lax parental surveillance of their very young children's activities. But then, of course, no normal parent could be on duty, watching the actions of their vulnerable and curious young every moment of every day. It's why, in fact, things like backyard swimming pools and infants don't make for a good mix. It's why doting parents should think twice before buying their boisterous young kids of six, eight, twelve - whatever, motorized recreational vehicles.

Or permitting them to sit on their laps or beside them in a speedboat and steer it so that by the time they're ten the parents feel comfortable allowing junior to get out there on the lake and experiment with the exhilaration of speed, of life and death. It's why police, to their consternation, found on several newsworthy occasions, kids of ten driving their Dad's Ferrari on a busy highway; how else are kids going to get the experience they require to face life with?

If they survive.

Sometimes the kids survive, and they somehow manage to end the lives of other kids. Like, for example, when young children are given child-sized specialized, but very real, rifles by their parents who think eight is old enough - or seven, or six, or even five. Which was the age of a little boy in Kentucky who received a gift of a rifle last year, when, presumably he was all of four years of age.
The parents believing, no doubt that to become a crack shot as a hunter, early exposure is best.

According to Cumberland County Coroner Gary White the .22-calibre rifle was a Crickett. "It's a little rifle for a kid. ... The little boy's used to shooting the little gun", he explained. "Down in Kentucky where we're from, you know, guns are passed down from generation to generation. You start at a young age with guns for hunting and everything." Oh. Right.

"Accidents happen with guns. They thought the gun was actually unloaded, and it wasn't", said the coroner. So yes, accidents happen, they surely do. And although the parents thought the gun was not loaded, it actually was. Leaning there in a corner, a bullet left in it. The little boy casually picking it up, aiming it at his two-year-old sister. To give her an idea of how brave and beautiful her older brother looked, like a hunter.

Not too young at two to admire an older brother. All the more that he's patterned after her Daddy. What's that? File charges against the parents? For what, exactly? For being loving, caring parents, anxious that their children have exposure to the important, recreational, leisure opportunities in life? Everyone does it; charge these parents for wanting their little kid to be as entitled as all others?

Sad about his little sister. Without a doubt it'll be a very nice funeral, full service, neighbours coming out to the cemetery, to see the tiny coffin lowered into the ground, mother sobbing, father stoic, little boy wondering what happened to his little sister. Wonder if he'll still be puzzled as he gets a little older.

Abut those rifles; there are two types: Crickett and Chipmunk. Keystone Sporting Arms is said to have produced 60,000 of them in 2008. They come in all colours, including blue and pink. Isn't that cute? Evidently every one of those rifles sold.