We all remember what was reported with this situation, and how ridiculously heartfelt and gut-wrenching it was to hear, and unfathomable it was to even process. Well, the Attorney of the boy’s mother is depressed over the whole matter, but isn’t anyone who is faced with possible time in the clink? Should this be considered any different? Should her personal experiences over the past year mitigate the event for which she has now been indicted? Finally, should justice be tempered with justice here? If so, what about the victim? I would love to read your responses.
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"Her attorney, James Ellenson, said his client wants to reach a plea agreement with prosecutors and hopes they will consider what he called “mitigating circumstances.” He cited a number of miscarriages the woman had, including one following an ectopic pregnancy that resulted in a hospital stay in January 2022. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a pregnancy develops outside the uterus, often in a fallopian tube. Ellenson said the miscarriages resulted in post-partum depression.
“We’re looking forward to working collaboratively with the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office to resolve the charges,” Ellenson said, adding that he is hoping for “something that is fair, something that is just.”
Ellenson has requested a trial before a judge instead of a jury. A trial date of Aug. 15 has been set.
The felony neglect charge is punishable by up to five years in prison. The misdemeanor charge of recklessly storing a firearm is punishable by up to one year in jail.
Ellenson has said the mother believed her gun, which was legally purchased, was secured on a top shelf in her closet and had a trigger lock. It is unclear how the boy got the gun and was able to take it to school on the day of the shooting."
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To put things into maybe a different perspective, I recall a thread on this community awhile ago, in which a substitute teacher left an illegally carried handgun sitting in their bag in a school classroom for at least an evening/overnight, before it was found by somebody else the next day.
I also recall some members of the community stating they would return the gun to the sub without tattling on her to anybody because no harm no foul, basically, everybody makes mistakes.
So just sayin’, let’s look at the difference between that, and this, and possibly a 5 year prison sentence.
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I recall it distinctly. The resounding difference here is, something did happen, and someone was harmed as a result; how now can this be mitigated? The person’s body may heal, but the event will forever loop through their memory. All she has to do is press re-wind in her memory and experience the whole trauma all over again, Will she return to the classroom? Will she trust herself in the presence of a child again? How will this affect her personal outlook on “family?”
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If she truly had the gun hidden with a trigger lock and the key in another place than I don’t think arguing depression is necessarily a very good tactic in this case. It opens the door to the fact that she may have left the firearm unsecured on a regular basis due to her mental state.
If the kid found the locked gun and the key without her knowledge or even if she locked it diligently every night but for some reason accidentally left it out on this night then I think their should probably be some leniency given in this case. Especially since prosecutors in many places are letting violent criminals who commit crimes with guns back on the street without even a slap on the wrist in many cases.
One important lesson either way is that kids can be very observant and curious so an actual safe that is as child proof as possible is a much better idea than counting on a hard to reach hiding spot.
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Other than not having it to begin with, what can be safer than a real safe!
This whole incident really sucks! Emotions run wildly! Two young women have each faced devastating experiences, whose lives are forever changed whatever the final outcomes. And each will have outcomes, and each will be very, very difficult to deal with going forward. No amount of money will assuage what has happened for the one; and no amount leniency will take back what the other is found responsible for. A Judge could sentence her to 1 dark day in jail, but she could still be charged with the felony, which would put a serious damper on all her hopes and dreams. The child also will have a difficult road ahead, and this is crushing as well. It’s all bad, in my opinion. It makes me want to put my face in both my hands but I feel that it will melt between my fingers. It’s really, really sad.
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Even a “real safe” could accidentally be left open or have its key found or its combination discovered or guess. Things happen. Just sayin’
As for all the rest, well, that is why if you may recall I was not in the group of “no harm no foul” in the other (intentionally illegal) scenario…because something like this that is unable to be taken back could easily result and we need those situations to not happen as much as possible
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Gun fired, shot someone.
Gun didnt fire.
I think enough difference.
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I am against single mother of a 6 yo, let alone one with psych problems, going to prison. What does this accomplish? How is the 6yo care going to be better during this time?
She needs to surrender any weapons in the house though. If legally it is done with felony+probation, it is ok.
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Neither defendants fired a gun in these two cases, though. The “gun fired” but guns don’t fire themselves, people fire them.
Yes, that is a difference. But, no punishment at all whatsoever vs 5 years in prison…pretty darn big difference. Just sayin’
Your next post is definitely one of the things I’m thinking of. What benefit to anybody is there for a single mother of a child of 6 to be in prison for 5 years over this? I mean, really…
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I’ve been robbed and sent that guy to prison for 5 years.
As for a situation like this, counseling needs to be involved for everyone involved.
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Hmmm let’s ask some sig owners
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Since you made this statement, what of the child now, how will his situation be disposed of? Being as he did take aim and pull the trigger, and hit his target? Though emotions run high because it being a heartfelt situation, but does it get a pass, grow-up in foster care/group home, or is he to be swept off of the board?
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Well, at least it will fire, can’t say the same for SCCY. Teheehe… What an anomaly.,or is it an enigma?
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I agree, but for different reasons counseling should be conducted with the expectations for different outcomes. One punitive, the other restorative.
One thing for certain, I do not envy the Judge that has to dispose of this case if there is a bench trial, or a jury that would have to decide…if it goes that route.
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I disagree, on that part. I think it should be all restorative and not punitive.
We shall give the mother the help and guidance she needs to improve her mental health, and help her attend to her kids needs, and we need to give her kid the type of help he needs to correct his behavioral actions and issues.
If this was a 12-13 year old punitive actions would fit, but this is a 6 year old that’s still developing.
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She bares full responsibility, IMHO. Responsible gun owners insure that their children do not have access to their firearms. Period. Get a f*****g gun safe & use it. This woman is an idiot that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent.
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I’m not so sure locking this parent in jail for 5 years and potentially sending her kid into the broken foster system is necessarily the best option.
I’ve seen kids permanently broken by defective parents and I’ve seen good parents broken by defective kids. Reports are this kid had serious behavioral issues so it’s hard to say which is the case here. I’ve also seen kids shuffled through the foster system who get even more screwed up and in some cases even more abused.
Another thing is that we here are in general well educated responsible firearm owners. But many people who come to realize they need a firearm to protect themselves don’t know what they don’t know. When they walk into a store the clerk sells them what they have on the shelf and usually offers them a box of ammo. I’ve never seen an obvious first time buyer asked if they need a safe to keep kids in their home from accessing the gun. And I’ve never seen them offered safety training. I’m sure it happens at some stores but not any of the ones I’ve ever been in.
New firearm owners need better access to information and training. And troubled 6 year olds need better support systems as well. Throwing either of them in jail for a few years isn’t very likely to solve the problem. But if the anti self defense crowd could get over their hoplophobia and stop waisting massive amounts of time and money trying to disarm law abiding citizens and instead put a small fraction of that towards promoting firearm safety training and mental health programs they just might save some of the lives they claim to care about.
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By your statement, respectfully, I perceive an abundance of emotion. And while, I can certainly empathize and offer that it is a situation rife with emotion, but heartfelt emotion cannot absolve one from the responsibility for the actions or inactions that has led to this outcome. Should she meet with a difference in living conditions for the stated actions/inactions, counseling can still be made available along the way. But let’s not stare at the carrots and cancel out the meat. Remember, someone was shot, and has been impacted in a way that will burden them for the rest of their lives, and not just a few years.
In other words, she can go to prison, and still get counseling for her mental, but somewhere in that counseling ownership of the events for which she would receive it may have to take place so that she may be better able to understand the events, her role, with the eventual acceptance of responsibility appertaining. And if not, then it will just be time in the clink. IMO, of course.
As for the child, I have no opinion to offer; I definitely would have to leave that to the legal system, child advocacies, psych specialists, etc. I can pray though, for the best outcome.
Here’s an unfair perspective to consider: What if it were your wife or loved one that were the victim? Um, what if it were You?