Kid dies, blame the mother

[Dymphna]

Just heard on the news. There was a house fire in DC. Mother works nights, 4 kids home alone. One kid died.

So, we have to blame the mother, right?

The kids were 15, 13, 8 & 3. They were all in bed when the fire started before 8 PM. One of the teenagers grabbed the 3-yo, the 8-yo died.

The reporter said that the Fire department said "This is another example of people not having a plan in the event of a fire."


HELLO! A 15-yo is old enough to be capable of watching these kids. (assuming average maturity on the teenager's part) All the kids were in bed by 8, so there's something right. Yet it is the family's (or the mother's) fault for "not having an escape plan"

 

[vraiblonde]

I'd be curious how the fire started. But yeah, a 15 and 13 are certainly old enough to stay home with little brothers and sisters. Poor Mom.

 

[Dymphna]

Originally posted by *archimedes*
There isn't enough information given for me to appropriately denounce the mother.

exactly, but they did it anyway. When I saw the report at 10:00 they'd just finished putting the fire out. They didn't know anything.

 

[Danzig]

And the father is.....................WHERE???




D.C. Jail??????




With his other babies momma???

 

[donbarzini]

Originally posted by cmcdanal
exactly, but they did it anyway. When I saw the report at 10:00 they'd just finished putting the fire out. They didn't know anything.

I wouldn't call it a denunciation. It sounded more to me like an admonition to everyone to make sure they have a plan A AND a plan B

 

[libragirl]

dont assume the mother is to blame. the oldest child was old enough to to watch the younger kids. accidents DO HAPPEN. at least she was working and tryin to support the family. a child is dead thats sad enough

 

[Toxick]

Originally posted by libragirl
dont assume the mother is to blame. the oldest child was old enough to to watch the younger kids. accidents DO HAPPEN.

I would agree - however:

if the 15 and 13 year olds were autistic, or otherwise "special" then the mother is to blame!



Seriously though - I find it very difficult to blame the mother in this situation. Like you said, she was out working to support her family, and the oldest 2 are most definitely old enough to babysit the younger 2 and the 8 year old should be old enough to get himself safely ready for school. It even says that the teenager grabbed the baby - probably just assumed that the 8 y.o. could manage, and is beating himself to death for it right about now...

And if they were all in bed, planning or not there's gonna be real trouble in a fire - I'm 34 years old, and I'd sleep through a fire until my skin started to blister.

Or until my wife kicked my burning ass out of bed.

 

[Toxick]

Originally posted by *archimedes*
Sorry, you are the parent, not your oldest child who is probably a retard regardless of the age.

If you leave your children in hands that you consider to be responsible - and it's not outrageous to believe that your 15 year old son or daughter is responsible - then you are not being negligent.

And there's no indication that the 15 year old was a retard. They had the presence of mind to save the baby. It's unfortunate about the 8 y.o. but there's no reason to believe that it was a lack of trying on the teenagers part. There's not enough info in the article to call the kid a retard.