Four-Year Old Shooter to be Tried as an Adult?

[OrdinaryTa]

LANDOVER, Maryland (AP) -- A 4-year-old boy who shot and killed his sister and wounded his brother understands what he has done, his father said.

"He knows," Gregory Thigpen Sr. told The Washington Post for a story in Monday's editions. "He's very remorseful. He was apologizing to me."

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/South/09/29/children.shot.ap/index.html

CNN is at pains to say that the child will not be tried as an adult, but their headline is ambiguous about who is to blame: Father says 4-year-old shooter understands.

It appears that the adults left children alone in a house where there was a loaded gun. A four-year old's "understanding" has nothing to do with it.

[Ilsa]

1. The parents need to be hauled off to jail. n/t

[bowens43]

2. The child will not be tried at all the parents may be tried.

from the article:

"The 4-year-old cannot be held criminally responsible but charges may be filed against the parents or others who left the gun within reach, police said. The mother, Jennifer Brice, also could face charges for leaving the children at home without adult supervision. "

[Bandit]

3. I suggest the father also knew what he was doing by leaving a loaded gun

in the house with small children. He should pay the consequence not some four year old child. The gun really made this a much safer house didn't it? :crazy: I would also suggest the headline doesn't match the story. CNN made it plain that he would not be tried as an adult.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

4. the father should be tried for having loaded gun where child could get it

:grr: :grr: :grr: phucking unfit bastard parent!

[theboss]

5. The kid won't be tried

It's presumed the 4-year-olds cannot have "intent." The parents, however, are screwed.

[qanda]

6. They left the 4 yo in the house when they saw him with the gun

And he then shot through the door? What in the world is going on here? They left a loaded gun in the house with those kids. That is criminal!

[MissB]

7. When my 4 yo hits his older brother, he knows too.

But just because he knows that what he does is wrong doesn't mean that he could understand the ramification of firing a weapon. I can't see how a 4 year old could understand cause and effect.

I really feel for the 4 year old in this story. I can't imagine how awful the rest of his life will be. I hope he gets some very intense counseling. Can you imagine how he'll feel when he gets older and DOES really understand what he did?

The parents are idiots for leaving 4 kids ages 10 and under alone in a house. Stupid, stupid parents.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi missb!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[patdem]

11. '...the rest of his life..'..Can you imagine what his life has been like

thusfar? With a father like that...attempting to put blame on a 4 year old to take it off himself?? That is NOT a father THAT is a sperm doner!!!

[roughsatori]

8. They need to start locking the parents up in these cases

They are the ones that are guilty.

[spanone]

10. His father sounds like a psycho. Four years old??????

Yea pop, I whacked him. Almost missed him tho'. You know my aim ain't quite what it used to be but I shot the fuck out of the little bastard. whew. Big old goofy freakin world.