Gun owner fails to adequately secure firearm, child dies

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Boy, 4, kills himself with father's stolen gun

A suspected drug dealer has been arrested for the death of his 4-year-old son who Houston authorities say picked up his father's gun and shot himself.

Police determined the gun had been stolen in a burglary two years ago.

Twenty-year-old Marquiez Deshon Pratt is being held Monday under $50,000 bond on charges of injury to a child by omission and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. A court appearance is set for Tuesday.

Investigators say Pratt was asleep Sunday when his son, Jaiden, picked up the .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol that was nearby and shot himself in the stomach.

Pratt was outside his apartment when police arrived, handed the boy to officers and ran back inside. Police who chased him found marijuana, crack cocaine, scales and other items.

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20130226/boy.kills.himself.father_s.gun/

[decocker 7,198]

the children of career petty drug dealers generally have a hard time getting out alive..poor little boy.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

and if we had stricter gun control laws I am sure this would have been prevented. No way a drug dealer would have an illegal weapon laying around right ?

Edited February 26, 2013 by The Nature Boy

[decocker 7,198]

and if we had stricter gun control laws I am sure this would have been prevented. No way a drug dealer would have an illegal weapon laying around right ?

maybe if dude had some common sense, he wouldn't have been napping with a gun laying around in reach of a toddler.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Or maybe, if the legal gun owner had properly secured his firearm two years ago, this wouldn't have happened with his gun, or if maybe guns were not so easily obtained legally, this could never happen at all.

[Harsh_77 718]

Title does not make any sense....

How is legal gun owner responsible for death of this child?

His father who is known drug dealer had the weapon and even when his kid is shot he is more worried about his drug he hands over child to police and runs back in the house.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Title does not make any sense....

How is legal gun owner responsible for death of this child?

His father who is known drug dealer had the weapon and even when his kid is shot he is more worried about his drug he hands over child to police and runs back in the house.

How was the toddler's father able to get the weapon in the first place?

[Harsh_77 718]

How was the toddler's father able to get the weapon in the first place?

Stolen..... I hope you understand that.

[james&olya 1,121]

Why couldn't that accidentally fired round have found its way into the sorry excuse for a father this poor kid had?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Stolen..... I hope you understand that.

And? If a neighbor's child wanders into your backyard, falls in the pool and drowns, because you forgot to latch the gate, are you not still liable?

Edited February 26, 2013 by The Patriot

[Teddy B 17,252]

Title does not make any sense....

How is legal gun owner responsible for death of this child?

His father who is known drug dealer had the weapon and even when his kid is shot he is more worried about his drug he hands over child to police and runs back in the house.

Stolen..... I hope you understand that.

I thought you were going to work on your reading comprehension and language skills?

[Harsh_77 718]

And? If a neighbor's child wanders into your backyard, falls in the pool and drowns, because you forgot to latch the gate, are you not still liable?

So if your vehicle is stolen and used in bank robbery - you should be tried for bank robbery since you failed to secure your vehicle.

I thought you were going to work on your reading comprehension and language skills?

I guess you need to teach your follower what stolen means... ohh maybe thats not part of language skills.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Harsh_77

[james&olya 1,121]

Stolen..... I hope you understand that.

This is why ALL guns need to be registered and the owners held liable for any death or injury that their gun causes! And if owners were also required to have liability insurance for owning guns you better believe that the free market of insurance companies would themselves come up with some very stringent rules on how guns must be kept secured!

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

So if your vehicle is stolen and used in bank robbery - you should be tried for bank robbery since you failed to secure your vehicle.

Vehicles don't rob banks.

[Harsh_77 718]

And? If a neighbor's child wanders into your backyard, falls in the pool and drowns, because you forgot to latch the gate, are you not still liable?

What in case owner latched the door close, kid opens the latch and wanders around the yard and falls in the pool and drowns is the owner still liable?