5-year-old boy kills sister with rifle he got as a gift

[cali]

Authorities say a 5-year-old child in Kentucky shot and killed his 2-year-old sister with a rifle he got as a gift.

Local coroner Gary White tells WKYT-TV that the mother said she had been outside on a porch for “no more than three minutes” on Thursday when the shooting occurred.

White also told the Lexington Herald-Leader the boy’s .22-caliber rifle was a present and he is used to shooting it. He said the rifle was kept in a corner and the family didn’t realize a shell was left inside it.

White says the shooting will be ruled accidental. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.

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http://www.freep.com/article/20130501/NEWS07/305010075/child-shoots-kills-sister-rifle-gift

Accidental??? Who the hell gives a 5 year old a rifle and who the fuck leaves it "in a corner"? These parents should be charged with negligent homicide. And yes, I realize they just lost a child. They killed the child.

[OldHippieChick]

1. Agreed

At the very least - child abuse resulting in death.

[Lizzie Poppet]

2. Left (loaded) "in a corner?"

If that's the case, I consider the parents guilty of negligent homicide.

[longship]

3. Left in the corner?

"Son, put your rifle back in the toy box where it belongs."

[avebury]

4. As I keep saying over and over again, until we start to hold

the gun owners criminally liable for incidents like this, children will continue to shoot/kill themselves or others. Apparently, loving your children is not sufficient motivation to protect them from incidents like this.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. I have no sympathy whatsoever for this family, they do not deserve any sympathy. At what point can society begin to hold the legal system complicit in these matters for failure to hold negligent gun owners accountable for these deaths?

[global1]

5. Who Gives A 5 y/o A Rifle As A Gift?.....

That is just plain irresponsible and unbelievable.

[Stainless]

6. The Gun Fulfilled Its Intended Purpose (to kill)

The moron who gifted the gun should be sterilized and prevented from ever having contact with children again.

[logosoco]

7. Wow. I look at my 5 year old grandson as he sits next to his three year old brother and cannot

imagine this happening. But they don't even have play guns. I would be a nervous wreck if I knew they would be around real guns.

As smart as they are, and as smart as my kids were, kids are kids. Adults have to make sure they do not have access to dangerous things. Especially items that only have one purpose...to harm or kill. Giving a 5 year old a real gun? What is the point of that? I don't know any lessons children need to learn about guns except to stay away and tell a grown up if they see one.

Poor family. I don't think I would be able to get over knowing this happened when it could so easily been prevented.

[kelliekat44]

8. Would love to see this in a 30 sec ad. nt