About the 8-yr-old who shot his dad

[TerryJ2]

I knew this had to have more going on that just mental issues on the son's part--there was something going on in that home. I'm glad that the atty's are trying to work it out. This item caught my attention:

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Police reports say the boy told a state Child Protective Services worker that his 1,000th spanking would be his last.

http://news.aol.com/article/deal-offered-to-boy-8-in-murder-case/260733

 

[gcvmom]

Yeah, I thought the same thing, too. There had to be some kind of horrible abuse going on -- not that it justifies a murder, but children that age aren't driven to do things like that unless something or someone pushes them there.

 

[Steely]

When I was 16 I was in a psychiatric unit for suicidal thoughts & depression. This was back in 83 when you kept the kid in the psychiatric unit for years. Fortunately that was not the case for me because ins ran out - but anyway - my point is that there was a kid in there that had killed both of his parents. It was a HUGE case in Dallas, that had every person up in arms about the cold blooded nature of this kids actions. However the judge chose to hospitalize him for his punishment, rather than send him to jail - which had our community even more up in arms.

This kid was THE most gentle kid on the entire unit. Sweet, kind, cute..........had all the girls wrapped around his little finger. For a long time I did not know why he was there - and when I found out, I could not believe it. It was such a disconnect for me, because I knew him to be this sweet kid, and then to hear he had actually shot both his parents blew me away.

The more I got to know him though, I realized he had been severely abused - and one day he just snapped. He snapped to protect himself and his brother, and just took one of his dad's guns and blew both his parents away.

I always admired that judges decision, because to my knowledge this kid went on to be a productive member of our society. He actually had to change his name to BE successful because the community put so much judgment on him, that his name was known throughout - but he did go on to live a normal life.

I pray that the judge in this case will have the same insight, mercy, and wisdom that that judge had.

 

[Ropefree]

Oh that part about the 1000 spankings at age eight...One every third day since the day he was born? Or was that "just" swats?
And grandma 'knew' something was going to happen. What about the neighbors?
How long do we let the neighbors hit the child next door and assume that it is a
sensible home?
Oh and lets not forget that the gun used was accessible to the child...who was taken hunting and could fire a gun...and was being "trained" to control by striking a blow when another was wrong?
Does the child "know" right from wrong? Oh please. Hit anyone in that courtroom
heading for 1000 times .

 

[TerryJ2]

Steely,
good idea to change his name. What a burden to carry for the rest of his life.

Ropefree, I thought it was interesting that the kid had access to a gun, too.

 

[WhymeMom?]

Guess I'm waiting for the full story to come out..... they never had any problems with the boy before, so seems odd he would just do this for no reason...... still don't get what was going on with the family...... mother and father divorced? or never married? or just not living together? why was the boy living with father or was he just visiting? Haven't really been following the story, because it was just so sad.......

 

[Abbey]

Guess I'm waiting for the full story to come out..... they never had any problems with the boy before, so seems odd he would just do this for no reason.

Lots goes on behind closed doors. I was, and still am a master of masking these things. I grew up in an abusive household and never told a soul.

I haven't followed the story, but could see how someone would just snap regardless of your age. After years of abuse you feel you have no option. It's either them or you.

Very sad for all involved.

Abbey

 

[Star*]

I try not to judge - because I don't want to be judged - BUT.....

I suffered horrific and torturous abuse at the hands of my x - So did Dude. I thank my lucky stars that I never put into motion going to the pawn shop that last day - buying a gun and ending his abuse. I just put two very damaged people in a van and drove away.

I'm heartbroken when I read people feel they had no other choice. I also know that fear - and had I been 8 years old? Hard to say. I hope this boy gets help.

 

[Lothlorien]

I was a bit taken back by his statement about him getting "his gun." Then while looking through the photos, one of the photo captions stated that the father had consulted the priest about giving his son his own gun. WHAT???? Why does an 8 year old have his own gun?

Holy cow...that freaked me out. So, even if he had his own gun for hunting purposes and so on, why in the world does the child have total access to it???? I grew up with guns in my home. I understand the NRA and all that...but doesn't the NRA promote gun safety and keeping guns locked up and out of the hands of children?

I'm still reeling from that one. I have an 8 year old child. Every time I hear this story, I feel a sick, vomitus feeling in the pit of my stomach. The child clearly planned this out, but how can they, in good consciousness, charge this kid with 1st degree murder? He's a child. I just can't wrap my brain around this.

 

[Abbey]

Again, I don't know the full story. But, I grew up in a household where there were guns in extremely easy access. Shoot...my dad slept with a 45 under his pillow. He probably still does. That's not to mention the various 12 gage shotguns that were kept around the house. I'm trying to remember the age we were given our own...it must have been around that age of 8. It was a thing of pride.

We'd prop various things up on a fence, or the best was a 2 liter bottle on a frozen pond and try to hit them. Or, there was 'fishing' with a 22 in the local creek. (Ok...we were a bit bored in SD.) Point made, though, was I'd say, "Mom...going shooting." Ok! Have a good time! There was never a thought about letting your kid having access to a gun. No locks on the gun racks, plenty of ammo. We were actually allowed to carry rifles on a gun rack in our pickups to school. Imagine that today. Nobody even questioned it.

That was back in the day, though. You'd think people would have more sense now. I'm not sure where this family is from, but I can GUARANTEE YOU that there are thousands of households in this country that still function under this train of thought and tradition.

I'm not surprised he had access.

Abbey

 

[gcvmom]

I'm not sure where this family is from...

It happened in Phoenix, AZ.

 

[TerryJ2]

but doesn't the NRA promote gun safety and keeping guns locked up and out of the hands of children?

Yes, but just because you can lead a horse to water doesn't mean that parents have any common sense. I'm sure it's only one of many mistakes they made.

 

[BusynMember]

We don't have guns, but I'm not against owning them. I *am* against having them out with easy access especially when there are kids.
I never thought that the kid just killed them because the father said "No Nintendo." I figured there was severe abuse to push a child to do something that horrible.

 

[KTMom91]

I used to work in a gun store, so I have a healthy respect for guns and the safe operation of them. I don't think children should be using weapons without parental supervision. Keep the guns in a locked safe.

Like WhyMeMom and others, I'd like to hear the full story. In any case, I hope that little guy gets the help he needs. It's clear that he needs something he isn't getting.

 

[Lothlorien]

Abbey, my dad slept with a gun under his pillow too. He had a gun cabinet with shotguns and a rifle. I knew where everything was and could have probably had a gun up and running in no time. Thing was, I was scared out of my mind to even touch one of them. I used to hear on the news about kids shooting other kids on accident, while showing one of their parent's guns off. It terrified me.

Yes, nowadays it's vastly different. Because of those accidental shootings being so publicized in the news, it is more commonplace to lock a gun up. This dad had a few nuts and bolts loose to allow this child to have free access to a gun.