Each year hundreds of children are killed when they are intentionally or accidentally left unattended inside vehicles. Most of the time this happens during the warmer months when temperatures inside vehicles can reach scorching temperatures resulting in death by hyperthermia. These incidents are shocking and horrible tragedies that can easily be prevented through awareness and education.
A highly publicized case here in Las Vegas that resulted in the death of a four-year-old boy last month is a little more complicated. The child, the youngest of eight, was left inside a family vehicle for 17 hours. The fact that the family cooked and ate dinner, watched movies and went to sleep, despite the fact that the child, who also had some special needs, was noticeably absent is rather disconcerting. He was found dead in the car by one of his teenage siblings the following morning.
Since the incident took place, the parents have gone to the media to spread the message that it wasn't their fault. They claimed to have made an earnest, yet unsuccessful, effort to look for him. They've also shifted from placing blame on their 19-year-old son to blaming the kid himself because of his propensity to seek out sleeping spots behind furniture. When that came up the first questions that came to my mind were do they feed the child? Or bath him? Also, if they were really worried about their missing child wouldn't they have searched until he was found?
Since their little media tour a number of reports since 1988 were released by the Child Protective Services revealing allegations of physical abuse, neglect and sibling sexual abuse. Though none resulted in charges, the fact that 21 reports were made against the parents over a 20-year span is shocking. So when the parents were arrested yesterday for second degree murder as well as other child abuse charges, it was no surprise to me. In fact, I celebrate the fact that the District Attorney has worked so hard to build a case against the couple. Though they are partly responsible for the death of this child for not acting on previous reports, I also appreciate the fact that Child Protective Services finally removed the other minor children from the home and a judge has refused the couple's recent attempts to regain custody of the children.
Of course, the family does have sympathizers, as usual, that believe that their acts were honest mistakes and that the death of their child is punishment enough. They also site the fact that the family has too many kids to keep track of. That's a pathetic excuse if I ever heard one. If you can't handle multiple children, then why have so many. What do you think?
On a side note, HotMomma and I would never, ever go about our routines without considering the whereabouts or safety of Z-Dub or any of our future kids. It's our number one priority 24/7.
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