Are we creating child murderers?  − 7 January, 2008

So, I am not trying to make light of a serious situation – another tween boy is accused of beating to death another youngster here in FL.It happened Friday afternoon in the town right next to mine – Lauderhill, FL. The boy’s identity remains confidential, though the victim was identified as 17 MONTH old Shaloh Joseph. Apparently, the boy was baby-sitting and the toddler started crying. The 12 year old then beat the child to death with a wooden baseball bat.Granted, when I was 12 years old, I was babysitting, however, I was quite precocious and the oldest child anyway. I know boys mature mentally a lot slower than girls generally, so leaving a 12 year old boy to babysit a 17 month old is questionable, at best. What was the mother thinking?What amazes me in today’s world is why so few people take advantage of hiring a babsitter. Every where I go there are screaming kids that would be much happier if they had been left home with a sitter. Are parents that cheap? Or that paranoid? I don’t understand it. Perhaps because I am not a parent?Here in FL, another 12 year old boy, Lionel Tate, killed his 6 year old playmate, Tiffany Eunick, back in 1999. Apparently, Tate’s mother was babysitting Tiffany and went upstairs for a nap, at which time her son caused injuries to the child similar to if she had fallen from a 3-story building. What in the world was Tate’s mother thinking??? She was responsible for that little girl, not her son, and I think should have faced some sort of punishment for her negligence, which resulted in the death of Tiffany Euinck.These sorts of situations absolutely floor me. They are incomprehensible to me. How can this sort of thing happen? Are these parents not teaching their children basic right over wrong? Impulse control? To NOT be violent???Recently, I read an article detailing neurophysiology research on the teenage brain – that they lack impulse control, which is why you often see a spike in violent, irrational behavior in the teens, but this boy was 12. He was still a child himself and not capable of the responsibility of babysitting.And these parents? They must be so proud – NOT. How can they not be liable for some responsibility for what their young minor child does? I know in small claims court if a 12 year damages your property, for instance, the parents are liable for the damages. Tate’s mother is a State Trooper for crying out loud, how is it that she could not discipline her son so that he didn’t kill a 6 year old?And this boy? The mother was identified as Guerla Joseph – and the victim was Shaloh Joseph, so I am guessing there is some sort of relationship – at the very least, the baby’s parent(s) trusted the household enough to leave their baby there… or maybe they didn’t know/care about the details of who was watching the baby?I just don’t understand it – how are we raising kids today in America to do things like beat toddlers to death and have shooting rampages in malls? There is obviously something wrong, and we are blind, fatuous fools not to be addressing it.

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