The bicycle. That brought me to tears.

[Robb]

Questions and sadness remain for Toms River family whose neighbor's child fatally shot their 6-year-old son

The two houses stand just 70 yards apart, on a quiet cul-de-sac found at the end of a leafy street in Toms River.

Up a small embankment, in a low-slung rancher fronted by a trickling fountain, lives Ronald Holt, a doting 44-year-old father and local drain cleaner. For years, he has shared a comfortable life on McCormick Drive with his wife, Christine, and with her teenage son from a previous marriage. And in 2006, they gave birth to a son of their own — a bouncing, blond-haired boy named Brandon.

And soon, they say, Brandon was always running about the court — always playing, always quick with a smile.

Up another sloping lawn lived the Senatores — until recent weeks, that is, say neighbors. Just two doors down from the Holts, and new to the neighborhood last fall, they’d brought three new children — ages 4, 8 and 12 — to the picturesque suburban street.

(snip)

This is the tale of two families whose lives intersected — violently and permanently — on April 8 in Toms River. While playing "pretend shooting" games with Brandon Holt and other children, authorities and neighbors say, the Senatore’s 4-year-old boy bounded into his father’s bedroom, grabbed an unlocked and loaded .22-caliber rifle, walked outside to his yard and hoisted the weapon. Suddenly, one shot exploded, from 15 yards away, discharging a bullet that hit the head of 6-year-old Brandon, killing him, authorities say.

Read More: http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/07/questions_and_sadness_remain_for_toms_river_family_whose_neighbors_child_fatally_shot_their_6-year-o.html

[madokie]

1. If that happened to my grand child

I would be 'fit to be tied.' Enough.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Heartbreaking article, but what should...

be done with the Senatores?

A little kid can't be held responsible for not knowing what a real gun can do and what is the proper penalty for assholery that allowed the incident to happen?

Jail may be likely for him, but seems like such a trivial, but easy, answer that accomplishes little. I would lean more toward taking away Senatore's guns and hunting licenses and seeing him on the road speaking about what can happen. he has to feel some guilt over this-- let that guilt out and help other families to never see this sort of tragedy.

The elder Senatore, though might benefit from a good ass-kicking.

[truebluegreen]

5. Jail may be likely for a 4-yr-old?

[TreasonousBastard]

7. Nah, just for the father-- kids...

they may take away or make wards of the state somehow. More'n likely serious counseling will be in order for when the kid is old enough to realize what he did. He knows now, but with a child's understanding.

I've heard of felony charges against minors who deliberately caused harm where they served in youth prisons, but never anyone as young as this.

[n2doc]

6. The father should be jailed for child endangerment, at the very least.

And of course they will likely lose everything in a civil lawsuit. Doesn't bring the kid back, though.

[TreasonousBastard]

8. I don't know where destroying that family is the right thing to do...

Isn't one destroyed family enough?

The father was an asshole to leave guns and ammo where the kid could get it, but is that a reason to add to the tragedy?

He should pay something, but jail and every penny he has may be counterproductive.

[n2doc]

9. So being a family member is enough to evade the law?

If he had put a loaded crossbow in his bedroom and that had been used instead, would you feel the same? How about a poison dart and blowgun?

We certainly don't consider people's families when we put people away for other violations of the law. It is sad for them but perhaps others will consider his example and store their guns properly.

[TreasonousBastard]

11. Missing my point-- he should pay, but jail time may not be the best way.

[marions ghost]

19. You have got to be kidding

--jail time is the ONLY way to stop this insanity.

[BlueJazz]

23. "jail time is the ONLY way to stop this insanity". Actually No...there is another way.

I DO agree with your thoughts though...I'm just pointing out something else.

It would certainly be possible to put fingerprint recognition software and hardware on all firearms that would make it impossible for a child to accidental kill or maim another.

I wish that were the law.

[marions ghost]

25. I think jail time is more immediately effective

--look at the numbers of weapons in this country. Can't get that high tech stuff on them for quite awhile.

No, gun owners must be held responsible for ANYTIME their weapon is used to kill.

Period. That would immediately stop this. And the jails would not fill up. People would actually think about leaving guns laying around. You have to speak their language. Go to Jail makes them perk up and pay attention.

[BlueJazz]

26. I think you have a lot more faith in the intelligence of Homo-sapiens than I do.

I don't even trust them to stop at a red light !

But..I agree with you...mostly.

[BlueJazz]

14. "We certainly don't consider people's families when we put people away"

That fact has always bothered me. It's seems so cruel to punish the innocents in a family because of the actions of another.
I write this NOT to change anything now but it seems like a good topic for a brain-storming session.

I've thought of a few solutions but on further reflection, thought...Naw, that wouldn't work or be fair to those that don't have family.

I got nothin'

[Gormy Cuss]

20. I don't like that our justice system takes little account of the effect on families

but as long as we're putting low level pot-dealing parents in jail I don't see how jail time for causing the death of this child should be treated any differently. If the neighbor child had died from ingesting this guy's drugs would anyone here be worried about Senatore's family?

Regardless of what is meted out as punishment in this case I do so hope that everyone in both families receives as much counseling as they need now and in the future --the kids in particular are going to need lots of support to get past this.

[Logical]

10. House arrest or weekends in jail is fair. Set an example. n-t

[TreasonousBastard]

12. That's acceptable, but I really want him to go on the stump...

in a hair shirt telling everyone not to be an asshole like him.

Good, old fashioned penance.

[Janecita]

16. The father should go to jail

He is an irresponsible jerk that should have locked his weapon.

[noamnety]

24. You may as well say no jail for manslaughter ever.

Yes? No?

[kestrel91316]

27. A 4 YO isn't legally responsible for anything ever.

His criminally negligent father, OTOH, needs 5-10 years in prison and a lifetime ban on possessing guns.

[onehandle]

3. Collateral Damage that Preserves Freedom! nt

[malaise]

4. OMFG - when will these senseless shootings stop

There are very few responsible gun owners.

[BrotherIvan]

13. That was my exact response: Oh dear Lord

When will it end? When will the cries of mothers and fathers be heard over the nutters? When will it not be ok to leave your loaded guns laying around for kids to play with or accidental discharge? When will people no longer claim to be "proud" gun owners? When will we finally say, LIFE is more important than a gun?

[malaise]

17. We are the dispensible 98% - only the gun manufacturers, the NRA and their goons have rights

Our deaths don't count. They do not care about dead children - their responses to Sandy Hook told us all we need to know. What's more the gun manufacturers and the NRA own way too many politicians

[freshwest]

31. +1

[adieu]

15. The simple and correct solution

is for the Senatore's head of household to voluntarily go out and advocate for proper firearm control at the home. Yes, there should be some sort of financial recompense, and perhaps some jail time, but as many have mentioned, that only steals from both families.

The Senatores must make this tragedy into a positive one for others. Help others avoid this possible outcome.

And the Holts have to also go out to make this real to everyone.

When I was a kid, I had a neighbor friend, slightly younger than me (I was 11, he was around 7) whose family had real guns. One day, we teased him enough that he pulled out his dad's real gun and pointed it at us from his backyard facing bedroom. We all scooted in doors and said, "Heck with that." And moved on to some indoor activities.

[Mass]

18. I can't readit to the end.There seems to be such a double standard for tragedies like this

It just makes me angry. Stupidity makes me angry.

If he had knowingly driven a car that did not have breaks and killed somebody, what would be his penalty? Apply the same here. Leaving guns unlocked and accessible to kids was dangerous and anybody with a brain knows that. How is it different from any other children endangerment case?

[enough]

21. As long was we're wondering if "we shouldn't hurt the family because the father did something bad,"

it seems to me it means we don't really think the father's crime is really a crime. Suppose the father had walked out into the street and shot the kid, we would not be wondering if he shouldn't go to jail because it would hurt his family.

Is leaving loaded guns around the house a crime or not? If it is, then he has to pay the penalty. By this light, I think the mother is also responsible. I hate to say it, but if this were treated as a "real" crime, maybe it would make people behave differently with guns in their homes. So far, nothing seems to be getting the point across.

[BrotherIvan]

22. Yes, this isn't a tragic accident

It was not unforeseeable. This is negligence that led to the death of a child. Plain and simple.

[xtraxritical]

28. I'm so sorry.

[Robb]

29. Kick. nt

[Skittles]

30. the mentality of people who keep weapons around children

it boggles my mind