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5-year old Idaho girl dies afterIdaho playmate gets gun

A 5-year old girl visiting with friends in eastern Idaho died after being shot by another 5-year old in what police say is an accidental shooting.

Read more here: 5-year-old Idaho girl dies after Idaho playmate gets gun | Fox News

I have little doubt that the child who shot and killed her playmate didn't do it on purpose.

But that doesn't change the result that we're looking at.

Whoever owns that gun and failed to secure it needs to pay a heavy price for the death of this 5-year old which resulted from that carelessness.

This to me is a good example of why gun laws need to be consistent on a federal level. So sad
 
Florida has those laws. They are just about never enforced.
 
This story got me thinking..

Should people be charged when a Child finds its way into a neighbors swimming pool ?

Because drowning accidents kills more kids than gun accidents

I go back and forth on the issue. I had a neighbor sho lost their 3 year old in another neighbors pool about 15 years ago.
Pools are called an "attractive nuisance" and are covered by most insurance policies. Unless you are a renter. You have to buy renters insurance for a specific rider for a pool.
 
Most gun owners are hyper-aware about gun safety and teach their kids from an early age what a not to touch a gun if they come across one [at home or elsewhere] and go tell an adult.

What gets me are these toys that look just like the real thing. That's bound to be sending a confusing message.


they may look like real guns, but there is a huge weight difference.
 
Same mentality of the guy that sues McDonalds because he's fat
 
Gun owners in this situation should face a child endangerment charge.




I'm going to guess that whoever is responsible for this tragedy is going to pay for it in a criminal or civil court or both.

The article did say that the police are continuing to investigate, so we may eventually hear more on this story.
 
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Or maybe we should just accept that accidents happen.
Kids should know that guns kill people.
The kid that picks up a real firearm is the same kid that would have fell off a cliff in the caveman days.




Well the 5-year old that killed the other 5-year old in this case definitely knows that now.
 
If anything there should be licensing for being a parent.

This extends beyond regular citizens tho....I have written before about the local cop here that left a loaded gun in the glove compartment, left 7 yr old son and 3 yr old daughter alone in van to go into store.

7 yr old found gun, took it, and accidentally killed sister.

This cop knew better. It's not a matter of 'not knowing' and it certainly has nothing to do with training.


Not only that, they didnt even want to bring charges against him. That same week, a Hispanic couple in Yakima had a gun legally hidden beneath their car seat. Their 3 yr old found it and killed himself. They were charged immediately. Both parents.

After no charges were brought against the cop, public demand grew and they did bring charges on the cop. I was one of the people that emailed the county sheriff asking why no charges. "Different jurisdictions" was the answer. OK, I'm sure there is some truth in that. The cop was eventually brought up on a manslaughter charge, I dont remember which one.

The Hispanic couple was convicted. the cop got a hung jury and was not re-tried.
 
This story got me thinking..

Should people be charged when a Child finds its way into a neighbors swimming pool ?

Because drowning accidents kills more kids than gun accidents

I go back and forth on the issue. I had a neighbor sho lost their 3 year old in another neighbors pool about 15 years ago.

People are charged for that. Even when fenced.
 
All that I'm going to say is that an easily accessible swimming pool is a death trap for a lot of people.

It's an 'attractive nuisance.' Even if properly fenced. So are my horses, even behind no-climb wire fencing and hotwire. It depends on the state but we are told that there is no absolute way to protect yourself if a kid climbs your fence (even with a locked gate) and dies or get's injured.

this is why pools can be a liability when selling a house.
 
they may look like real guns, but there is a huge weight difference.

The cop shooting your kid pointing it at him has no idea what it weighs.
 
I'd really like to add that this story is one that supports the need to allow concealed carry. When I had concealed carry, my weapon was always on my person until bedtime, and essentially right back on my person in the morning. The weapon would never have been available to child during normal child hours, it would be on me, secure.
 
It's an 'attractive nuisance.' Even if properly fenced. So are my horses, even behind no-climb wire fencing and hotwire.
It depends on the state but we are told that there is no absolute way to protect yourself if a kid climbs your fence (even with a locked gate) and dies or get's injured.

this is why pools can be a liability when selling a house.




Lawyers have to make a living, eh?
 
Unless there's a sick individual involved, no one wanted this to happen. So it's an accident. [doesn't mean someone isn't at fault]

Of course no-one wanted this to happen. But leaving a gun that can be picked up by an unattended 5yr old, is NO accident. An accident by definition is an unforeseen event. Basic gun safety would stop this from happening.

Paul
 
Lawyers have to make a living, eh?

True enough, but if people had ever regularly taken responsibility for their carelessness that causes injury or death to another or another's property, lawyers wouldn't be needed.

I'm reasonably sure that if a neighbor's 75ft half dying tree that you'd complained about often, asked that they get it trimmed to not be over your property, drops a huge limb on your car, and your neighbor is uninsured and refuses to pay for car or clean up... you'd be finding a lawyer and be glad they were about.

It's really stupid to blame lawyers for human behavior, both those that reneg and those that want to get unacceptably rich.
 
I agree the parents should have their firearms secured. However, asking how it could happen with a secured firearm is like asking how that child just managed to do what no adult seems to be able to, open that child-proof pill bottle, or drive the parent's car through the garage. Even at five I was getting into things my parents had well secured. My brother and sister never did, but I had a creative knack.

A little child's ability to bypass safe storage doesn't absolve a person of complete and total responsibility for this death.
 
This story got me thinking..

Should people be charged when a Child finds its way into a neighbors swimming pool ?

Because drowning accidents kills more kids than gun accidents

I go back and forth on the issue. I had a neighbor sho lost their 3 year old in another neighbors pool about 15 years ago.

I believe there are laws in many areas stating exactly how you must secure your pool. I would assume failure to comply could lead to civil and criminal charges.
 
I believe there are laws in many areas stating exactly how you must secure your pool. I would assume failure to comply could lead to civil and criminal charges.

With pools and horses, at least in some states, no matter what you do...you can still be held liable if they bypass your (up to guidelines) measures.
 
A little child's ability to bypass safe storage doesn't absolve a person of complete and total responsibility for this death.
I have yet to meet the 5 y/o who can defeat a basic trigger lock. Ironicaly, however, I have met the 5 y/o who can defeat most microvaults. Turns out they're fairly easy to crack.

....the microvault, not the 5 y/o, kids have hard heads :p
 
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