No charges in shooting death of 3-year-old Paulding County boy

[groundloop]

Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution - AJC.com

No criminal charges will be filed in the death of a 3-year-old boy who shot himself with his father’s gun, the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.

Around 7 a.m April 26, young Holston Cole found the .380 caliber, semi-automatic pistol and shot himself in the chest inside his family’s Camp Circle home, near Dallas, according to investigators. The boy was taken to WellStar Paulding Hospital but did not survive.

The Sheriff’s Office consulted with the Paulding District Attorney during the investigation, Henson said.

“Detectives confirmed that this was an accidental shooting and that charges will not be pursued,” Henson said.

Read more: http://www.ajc.com/news/news/crime-law/no-charges-in-shooting-death-of-3-year-old-pauldin/nrLxQ/

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So apparently there's no legal requirement to safely store deadly weapons, it's perfectly ok to leave a loaded pistol where a 3 year old has easy access to it.

[Coventina]

1. The deaths of curious toddlers is a small price to pay for the right to leave guns around.

[TeddyR]

2. Some states have safe storage laws

Many do not. However, most states have laws that permit prosecution of the adult in these circumstances but many prosecutors decide not to press charges because of the fact that the adult is (presumably) traumatized by the child's death.

[Arkansas Granny]

3. I don't understand why charges aren't filed in cases like this.

A child is dead due to negligence. Why no charges?

[EL34x4]

4. Perhaps authorities felt that adding criminal charges

On top of a dead child weren't really necessary as a punitive measure.

[Coventina]

5. That would be erroneous reasoning, if that was their decision point.

A citizen is dead, due to the negligence of another citizen.

The state is obligated to treat the offender impartially.
"The offender has already suffered enough" should not, and must not, be part of the equation.

[ManiacJoe]

6. I understand your position,

but it would seem that many folks don't agree with you.

[Coventina]

8. No doubt you are correct.

And, I'm just as sure that those that disagree would feel very differently if their own child died due to the negligent care of a weapon at, say, a neighbor's house.

Same exact carelessness, same exact result (a dead child).

[Journeyman]

7. What if the child had shot out a window, instead, and put the bullet through your child's brain. . .

would you be so forgiving that the reckless, irresponsible gun owner, who didn't care enough for any other life that he'd take the minimum steps to secure his weapon, had "suffered enough" because a child was already dead? Both are citizens, human beings, not a possession, and both -- we all -- should be accorded the respect and consideration due anyone under the law.

[skepticscott]

9. There are no "accidents" with guns

Only recklessness, negligence and a blatant disregard for the rules of gun safety.