Man Charged With Child Abuse; Left Two Kids Alone With Loaded Shotgun

[tekisui]

Source: Asheville Citizen-Times

ASHEVILLE – The accidental shooting of a young boy by another boy has resulted in a felony child abuse charge against a Leicester man.

Jeremiah William Conner, 24, left the children, ages 8 and 9, alone in his house on Gudger Chapel Road with access to a loaded shotgun Thursday afternoon, said Lt. Ross Dillingham of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office.

Emergency crews responded about 6 p.m. after one of the boys suffered a surface wound to the head. He was treated at Mission Hospital and released.

Dillingham said it was luck the boy wasn’t more seriously injured or killed.

“One of the children was able to get access to a loaded firearm which was unsecured in the residence,” he said. “The shotgun went off, striking one of the children in the head.”

Conner was charged with child abuse causing serious injury in a warrant served Friday. He was jailed under a $5,000 bond.

“Based upon our investigation, Mr. Conner was charged based upon the fact that he left the children unsupervised and also failed to secure a loaded firearm in the residence, which allowed them access to the loaded firearm,” Dillingham said. “We felt like all those factors contributed to this incident.”

more: http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090410/NEWS01/90410012

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. They need to start having long sentences for gun owners like t his one nt

[baldguy]

2. Damn kids need to get their own shotguns!

The earlier they learn the better! 2nd Amendment Uber Alles!

:sarcasm:

[jody]

3. IMO all sentences for convictions of crimes involving firearms should have the firearm sentence

mandatory and to be served consecutively with all other sentences.

If a judge sentences a criminal for a crime involving a firearm and that sentence is served concurrently, then the sentence for possessing a firearm is ineffective.

[provis99]

4. If children can't have shotguns, only criminal children will have shotguns!

[QueenOfCalifornia]

5. ...

My bear reserves his right to arm children.

also... people who leave loaded guns with little kids are total idiots.... I remember being 9 and we did crazy shit... I have a 9 year old and he does stupid shit.... That's why we don't leave him alone with armed bears or Republicans.

[426HemiGuy]

6. Serious jail time

Irresponsible people like this need to serve some serious jail time.

[petronius]

7. Good. Keeping guns away from kids isn't rocket science, and anyone who

was ever a kid (especially a boy-type kid) ought to know damn well that children will gravitate toward forbidden things like moths to candles. Rights - even the Constitutionally-guaranteed kind - come with responsibilities, and there can't possibly be a single person in this country who hasn't heard dozens of mentions of the need for proper gun/kid separation...