News Five Year Old To Be Charged With Murder?

[mamachick]

I think a five yr old wants the kid to shut up-but does no understand death and that the baby will be gone forever. They are beginning to know right from wrong but do not understand consequences. I bathed my girls together (they were 18 mo apart) and cannot ever remember telling or explaining about drowning as I never left them alone until the youngest was older.

 

[Girl3]

My mother left in a tub full of water when I was less than a year old. My father found me eyes open. He thought I was dead. My mother's excuse was she thought I could stay sitting up.

My brother was 7 when he (under the tutelage of a grandparent) began inserting things into my vagina and anus and continued to sexually abuse me until I was 10.

All I am saying is that children have amazing capacities to understand and do with the proper 'coaching'.

 

[Oberons Wife]

I had a similar though less severe experience of early childhood to you Girl 3. I struggle with my fear and hatred of my (4 years older) sister and the cerebral knowledge that she was also a victim. She would have been from 7 to 10 years old when the abuse was at it's worst.

 

[Girl3]

I would like to love my brother because he is not unkind or even hateful - I think he was as much as lost little boy as I was a lost child. At least that is what I would like to think of him.

Children can know things on a certain level but still act abhorrently because they don't know the same way an adult does.

 

[Jet]

Girl3,
I read your story yesterday and my immediate thought was that your grandmother sexually abused both of you. Obviously in different ways but it was sexual abuse none the less.

My ex-abuser was raised by a father who sexually assaulted all of his children. Part of that abuse consisted of forcing them to abuse each other. After living with my ex and talking to his mother/siblings I came to realize that in some ways that was the worst part... not only did he physically harm them but he also taught them to take their rage and pain out on others. In short he intentionally trained them to become predators and target children.

I am so sorry this happened to you and your brother.

 

[Girl3]

Thank you Jet.

I am shocked at how many people are abused sexually by members of their own family - it is so unnatural an act. You are very kind and understanding - I wish you much luck in this healing journey.

 

[zeb]

What a sad story.

 

[Taven Carlsen]

There used to be a Juvenile Justice System, which was at least able to deal with underaged offenders and these horrific instances of very young children who kill but that is rapidly declining in services and effectiveness thanks to cuts. Children are being left more and more to the mercy of the adult system, and wow- this one would take the proverbial cake.

My experience (at 16) says otherwise. I specifically asked to be sent to the adult system since the juvenile system was framing me, and I was refused. The adult system would've atleast required witnesses against me, and evidence. Remember that "in theory" and "in practice" are different - in theory juvenile anonymity protects the accused, in reality it's used to hide abuse of children.

As to the original matter: I've only known one child who was sincerely anti-social at that age and even in that case charging him would've been inappropriate, although heaping money and toys on the boy wasn't helping either. This boy seemed to be suffering from premature puberty (threats of violence, some of the worst acne I've seen). Nonetheless this is why juvenile justice is *supposed* to be more fatherly/mothering than punitive, to shape a mind which can still be shaped.

 

[ms spock]

...ask how the child knew that putting her sibling's head under water would quieten him?

What has the child been exposed to in order to know this as it does not form what I would consider normal child like behavior?

I was thinking that as well. Most children would model what they have seen and soothing, singing, distracting with a toy is what I would do - even from my family I wouldn't have thought of doing that - putting a child's head underwater. So it is very disturbing that the child came up with this scenario.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I think this is so tragic. I think the parents needed to take their children with them. Mabe they were used to leaving their children with the 16 year old, but it reminds me of parents who leave their kids in the car seats in the cars on hot summer days. The parents need to be dealt with, and the kids in child protective services with counseling for both of them. This was an accident waiting to happen I think.

 

[Britt.f7]

They tell you not to leave a toddler alone with a baby because the toddler could harm the child for various reasons. I think a five year old is only looking for a solution and doesn't understand the consequences of their actions. I doubt that he thought the baby would die, just be quiet.

What bothers me the most is why did the five year old think he had to handle it on his own and not get an adult figure to take care of the problem at hand? My mom told me when my sister would cry or even get a little fussy I would get my mom to take care of her. Heck, my dog did that when my son was an infant. The minute he whimpered she would cry and get me. All of that involves trust in someone else to take care of them and the situation. Obviously this child didn't have that. That saddens me.

 

[nimkekaa]

I wonder how anybody knows if the 5 year old held the younger child under the water or if the 5 year was trying to get a slippery wet younger sibling out. Maybe the 5 year old was trying to stop the younger sibling from crying and helped the child into the bath as the younger really liked baths.

When a 5 year old says they wanted to stop their younger sibling from crying by putting them in water, they may have been trying to help instead of hurt.

The 5 year old needs someone's protection in my opinion. If they didn't mean it then they need help to deal with the accusations people are flinging and if they did mean it then they need help in understanding why they felt this way.