3-year-old girl shoots self in head

[rscalzo]

Detroit toddler reportedly in critical condition; parents questioned
The Associated Press

updated 11:08 p.m. ET, Sun., April. 6, 2008

DETROIT - A 3-year-old girl found a gun in a bedroom of her home and shot herself in the head Sunday, police said.

One of the girl's parents apparently owned the gun, and at least one parent was home when she shot herself Sunday afternoon. Police questioned the parents and took the gun, the Detroit Free Press reported.

The girl was taken to Sinai Grace Hospital, then transferred to Children's Hospital of Michigan. The Detroit News reported she was in critical condition

 

[dwarven1]

Oh, no. Why can't parents understand that kids that young will play with anything, even a loaded gun? Man, I'm sick just reading this.

 

[KimberCT]

Detroit.

 

[rscalzo]

Not having kids, I was used to placing my duty firearm on my desk or at times hanging the duty belt in the closet.

Now when I return back home and stay with family, I have to think about storage due to many coming in and out. It's really something you have to get into a habit with and one slip up could be devastating.

 

[jdubois]

I don't even leave pens around where my son could get at them, let alone a loaded firearm. This situation is foremost tragic for this poor little girl, and secondly more fodder for the gun grabbers.

 

[FPrice]

I wonder if she really shot herself or.....

 

[Garys]

I wonder if she really shot herself or.....

Sad that we have to be so cynical, but that's the way things go...

Gary

 

[MassMark]

I don't even leave pens around where my son could get at them, let alone a loaded firearm. This situation is foremost tragic for this poor little girl, and secondly more fodder for the gun grabbers.

Exactly - more ammo for The Brady Bunch...Rather than focus on the terrible parenting skills, the focus will be on evil guns. It' s lose-lose all the way around.

 

[K-DUB]

[sad2] So sad!

I don't know many 3 year olds that can crack a safe combination, or reach a tall shelf 6 feet high. This will probably turn out to be a case of criminal negligence on the part of the parent(s).

 

[gene]

I am thinking first off an illegal gun and stupid parents!
Sad, Sad, Sad!

 

[drgrant]

With a 3 year old the bleeping parents should know better. There
is pretty much zero reason for this kind of crap to happen- it only
emboldens the antis.

Of course, the media will be quick to trumpet such a tragic
accident involving a "politically incorrect" firearm but if the
same parents let their kid wander about in rush hour traffic and
she got hit by a car the story might be buried 3 or 4 pages in, in a
corner somewhere. While it's an equal tradgedy to you
or I, the media doesn't consider that kind of negligence nearly as
newsworthy.

All kinds of children die from parental negligence, and 99 out of 100
times it's usually not a firearm, but something more common, yet
that doesn't garner the same media attention.

-Mike

 

[abiffmaster]

I am not sure why parents think that if the "hide" things that kids won't find them...

That's what kids do. They are little treasure hunters.

 

[jkelly]

I am not sure why parents think that if the "hide" things that kids won't find them..

That's what kids do. They are little treasure hunters.---

I can not ever remember myself, or my siblings, going through anything of my parents without their permission/instruction. But I don't think my parents kept firearms in the home either.


Respectfully,

jkelly

 

[abiffmaster]

scenario....

Little Johny and his brother are playing hide and seek. Johny Hides in the closet and bumps against something... What's this he says... A rifle cool!

 

[MaverickNH]

I've got a ritual:

1. Remove gun from GunVault in bedroom and holster up.
2. Walk to door and put hand on knob
3. Look back to confirm safe is closed and nothing got left out on the desk.
4. Exit room

With kids at home, one can't afford a mistake. We watch Eddie Eagle frequently, but mental and physical barriers are needed for gun safety around young kids.

 

[jdubois]

I can not ever remember myself, or my siblings, going through anything of my parents without their permission/instruction. But I don't think my parents kept firearms in the home either.

Wow, you were a well behaved little kid. I used to head for my dad's desk pretty regularly when he wasn't around because he had lots of neat stuff in there. We also used to rummage through the garage attic and find all kinds of good stuff, like my dad's rifles that he "didn't have". It's lucky for us that he didn't have any ammo with them or we'd have certainly given a good try at hurting ourselves.

 

[PaulD]

If I didn't have a 3yo running around, things might be different. I do however and I like having her around. So, all guns are kept in a safe and no round chambered.

These parents should be found guilty of manslaughter.

 

[Nickle]

Sorry, I only subscribe to the STUPID PARENTS part of this. Up here, we don't HAVE to lock our stuff up.

My kids were taught very early on to keep their mitts where they don't belong, and they KNEW all guns were potentially dangerous, if mishandled.

Sorry to say this, but some of the responses here stem from your state's conditioning. Not many up here have a use for trigger locks. Some of us keep our stuff loaded, some don't, but almost all keep them somewhere accessible, and never locked.

I keep my handguns in the dresser drawer (empty, mag handy), and the youngsters stay OUT of the room, PERIOD. I don't need a trigger lock, I've got a size 9 1/2 boot, that will proverbally go "you know where" if they break the rules.

 

[PaulD]

Sorry to say this, but some of the responses here stem from your state's conditioning. Not many up here have a use for trigger locks. Some of us keep our stuff loaded, some don't, but almost all keep them somewhere accessible, and never locked.

If my response was one of the ones you're referring to, what I do in this regard has absolutely nothing to do with what the law here states. I'd do it anyway.

IMO, the mini Gunvault is a great product.

 

[jdubois]

Sorry to say this, but some of the responses here stem from your state's conditioning.

I don't know about that. I don't like the stupid state laws, but I like to have my guns locked up. I also hate the state seatbelt laws with a passion, but I never fail to put my seatbelt on while in the car. That's just my style. Yours is different. Nothing wrong with that. As long as we're all making sure we're keeping our kids safe, it's all acceptable. What's not acceptable is allowing a three year old shoot themselves.

 

[theGringo]

I can not ever remember myself, or my siblings, going through anything of my parents without their permission/instruction. But I don't think my parents kept firearms in the home either.


Respectfully,

jkelly

What a "special child" you must have been. I found my Dad's revolver (no ammo) and his Playboys too. Before I turned 12.

 

[TomH]

It's the gun's fault.

 

[6hold]

I wonder if she really shot herself or.....

My thoughts also.

Is a three year old big, or strong enough to fire a gun? I wonder what type gun it was.

 

[wahsben]

Now these parents will probably become anti-gun crusaders even though their carelessness was the reason.

 

[bggsp]

They should pay...especially if they are not licensed gun owners. It is people like them that ruin this world. I wonder if they were or not.

 

[MichaelJ]

Terrible terrible tragedy. WOW this is sad. Again, bad parenting takes its toll.

 

[dwarven1]

Sorry, I only subscribe to the STUPID PARENTS part of this. Up here, we don't HAVE to lock our stuff up.

My kids were taught very early on to keep their mitts where they don't belong, and they KNEW all guns were potentially dangerous, if mishandled.

Sorry to say this, but some of the responses here stem from your state's conditioning. Not many up here have a use for trigger locks.

Actually, Rog, my response - calling someone leaving a gun where a three year old could find it criminal stupidity - is based on my remembering what I was like at three years old - if I could find it, I could play with it. I was a hellion... and yeah, you would have had to use that 9.5 size boot on my rear if you were my dad... frequently.

 

[Erebus]

Actually, Rog, my response - calling someone leaving a gun where a three year old could find it criminal stupidity - is based on my remembering what I was like at three years old - if I could find it, I could play with it. I was a hellion... and yeah, you would have had to use that 9.5 size boot on my rear if you were my dad... frequently.

Same here, my brother and I got into everything we could. And the boot was used. But we defied the boot from time to time just the same. The guns were kept well secured and we couldn't get to them. It is one of those things that one slip up can cause the worst of tragedies. A chance that should not be taken.

I don't have any kids but I have a nephew that comes over frequently. As a result I don't take any chances. If it's not on my belt it's in the locked safe.

<sarcasm>Rog, I'm glad you can be absolutely positive your kids will never break your rule.</sarcasm>

 

[Bruce for NH State Rep]

They should pay...especially if they are not licensed gun owners.

Might you have meant to say "especially if they obtained that gun through unlawful channels"? The way you put it, you seem to be accepting the premise of licensing requirements for gun ownership.

 

[Nickle]

<sarcasm>Rog, I'm glad you can be absolutely positive your kids will never break your rule.</sarcasm>

At this point, I CAN be certain. One is 30, the other turns 32 next month, and both have their own children.

Now, though I believe in "House Breaking" the kids, not child-proofing the house, we do have a tendency to make sure certain things are taken care of.

First off, kids are never left unattended, until they're big enough to be fully house broken (all of you nay-sayers didn't think about that part, did you).

Anything as dangerous as a handgun (even an unloaded one) is kept somewhere other than in plain sight.

And, like my father did to me, my kids weren't allowed to have toy guns. Guns are NOT a toy, so why in the world would I ever encourage such poor responsibility as they get from toy guns?

And, lastly, guns were never a mystery to me, or to my kids. They grew up with them, just like they did with REAL glasses and plates.