Four-year-old boy shoots, kills self in home (DOE LEO)

[Janq]

As reported by KOB.com:

Four-year-old boy shoots, kills self in home

Posted at: 04/20/2010 5:33 PM | Updated at: 04/21/2010 5:20 PM
By: Taryn Bianchin, KOB.com

A four-year-old Albuquerque boy is dead after accidentally shooting himself Tuesday afternoon in a home near Gibson and San Pedro, SE.

Police say the nanny, Margaret Duran, was babysitting the boy, Luke, his two-year-old brother, Zachary, and her own young son while the boys' parents were at work.

Duran called 911 to report the incident shortly after 1 p.m.

The nanny reported the child was in a bedroom napping when he awoke and found the firearm.

The boy's father, Kenneth Daniels, arrived home a couple of hours after the shooting and was emotional as police broke the news to him. Police confirmed he works for the Department of Energy in law enforcement. Neighbors say the mother, Julia Daniels, is an occupational therapist for the Los Lunas schools.

Police do not know yet if the gun belonged to the father or if it was a department-issued weapon but say no one is going to jail and are ruling the shooting accidental.

The story with video can be found at; KOB.com - Four-year-old boy shoots, kills self in home

- Janq


Project ChildSafe - Putting a lock on safety in your community

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Bark'n]

Senseless and tragic and should have been... could have been avoided.

Absolutely no reason what so ever that weapon should have been unsecured!

Babysitter is going to suffer emotionally for the rest of her life because of the fathers carelessness.

I do not know if I agree with the decision to not file any charges.

Yes, the parents are gonna be haunted the rest of their lives because of their carelessness, but carelessness is what it was, and a young child is forever lost.

Damn it, there should be some sort of accountability for the negligence.

Even if ultimately the father is placed on supervised probation for 10 years and spared serving jail time, there should be a court proceeding, a determination made by a judge or jury, and some sort of permanent record and accountability for negligently and directly contributing to the death of another person.

That's just how I feel about the matter. I see too much death as it is. And seeing a child killed up close and personal through negligence is sometimes hard to stomach from an EMS providers perspective.

[Rustynuts]

Tragic, yet another example of LEO getting treated differently. Regular Joe would most likely be crucified.

[64zebra]

Tragic, yet another example of LEO getting treated differently. Regular Joe would most likely be crucified.

Do you have any proof of that? or is what you're saying completely unsubstantiated?
The story says they are ruling it accidental.
There have been NUMEROUS accidental shootings by kids/family of non-LEOs where charges haven't been filed and it was ruled accidental just like this situation.

[HuttoAg96]

I guess some feel the parents are going to suffer enough, and truth be told, the justice system can't punish them any worse than losing their child. HOWEVER - there is NO DAMN EXCUSE for a handgun to be unsecured with small children in the house. You bought a $300-$1000 handgun, spend another $50 damn dollars and lock it up when you aren't there. Even worse, in this case, the gun was unsecured IN THE SAME ROOM WHERE THE KID SLEPT.

What.the.&$!#.

[DZcarry]

Do you have any proof of that? or is what you're saying completely unsubstantiated?
The story says they are ruling it accidental.
There have been NUMEROUS accidental shootings by kids/family of non-LEOs where charges haven't been filed and it was ruled accidental just like this situation.

I can remember a few news stories here in NC were the parents were charged with a misdemeanor, but that might just be NC. I would have expected the father to be charged with something.

[Tally XD]

Police do not know yet if the gun belonged to the father or if it was a department-issued weapon but say no one is going to jail and are ruling the shooting accidental.

I guess this falls under "professional courtesy"?? He gets to flash his get out of jail card?

[Hiram25]

Regardless of charges, this is a real shame. I lost a daughter due to illness when she was 2 years 9 months old. That was terrible enough, but I can't even imagine what it would have been like if I had caused it due to being negligent about my duty weapon, or my cc weapon.

[Bark'n]

Regardless of charges, this is a real shame. I lost a daughter due to illness when she was 2 years 9 months old. That was terrible enough, but I can't even imagine what it would have been like if I had caused it due to being negligent about my duty weapon, or my cc weapon.

Amen to that brother Hiram... And very sorry for your loss there buddy.

[64zebra]

Regardless of charges, this is a real shame. I lost a daughter due to illness when she was 2 years 9 months old. That was terrible enough, but I can't even imagine what it would have been like if I had caused it due to being negligent about my duty weapon, or my cc weapon.

Amen to that brother Hiram... And very sorry for your loss there buddy.

+1 Bark'n, sorry to hear that Hiram

[oneshot]

Senseless and tragic and should have been... could have been avoided.

Absolutely no reason what so ever that weapon should have been unsecured!

Babysitter is going to suffer emotionally for the rest of her life because of the fathers carelessness.

I do not know if I agree with the decision to not file any charges.

Yes, the parents are gonna be haunted the rest of their lives because of their carelessness, but carelessness is what it was, and a young child is forever lost.

Damn it, there should be some sort of accountability for the negligence.

Even if ultimately the father is placed on supervised probation for 10 years and spared serving jail time, there should be a court proceeding, a determination made by a judge or jury, and some sort of permanent record and accountability for negligently and directly contributing to the death of another person.

That's just how I feel about the matter. I see too much death as it is. And seeing a child killed up close and personal through negligence is sometimes hard to stomach from an EMS providers perspective.

Tragic, yet another example of LEO getting treated differently. Regular Joe would most likely be crucified.

^^^^^^^^YEP^^^^^^^^

Do you have any proof of that? or is what you're saying completely unsubstantiated?
The story says they are ruling it accidental.
There have been NUMEROUS accidental shootings by kids/family of non-LEOs where charges haven't been filed and it was ruled accidental just like this situation.

This happens in the S E michigan area, At least 2-3 times a year, and they just about crucify the weapon owner.
Sometimes it is a gangbanger, who owned the pistol, and sometimes it is a lawfully owned firearm...
And in the majority of the cases, they do throw the book at them

[64zebra]

I can remember a few news stories here in NC were the parents were charged with a misdemeanor, but that might just be NC. I would have expected the father to be charged with something.

ok, so the parents were charged with a misd.....now have you seen any stories concerning a LEO in the same position where its been said/reported they let him off since he was a LEO?
just curious

This happens in the S E michigan area, At least 2-3 times a year, and they just about crucify the weapon owner.
Sometimes it is a gangbanger, who owned the pistol, and sometimes it is a lawfully owned firearm...
And in the majority of the cases, they do throw the book at them

ok....they crucify the owner....but my point was does anyone hear of a LEO not being charged because they are a LEO vs people getting off due to it being an accident, are there non-LEOs that don't charged depending on the circumstances

[JXONE]

How hard is it to go to a walmart and get a gun safe. They have one for $25 bucks!

[retsupt99]

Tragic, yet another example of LEO getting treated differently. Regular Joe would most likely be crucified.

Another, 'I agree' here...

[JonInNY]

...how hard is it to go to a walmart and get a gun safe. They have one for $25 bucks!

It's human nature to believe that something tragic can never happen in one's own home. It always happens somewhere else.

While there's no excuse for an unsecured firearm around children, I think that losing a child in this manner would be punishment enough. I cannot imagine anything worse.