View Full Version : Babysitter Charged?



Karried
06-03-2007, 08:50 AM
Tragic, tragic story... a young babysitter puts two toddlers down to sleep and she falls asleep as well.

She wakes up and the toddlers are gone. She finds them both drowned in the nearby pond.

I can't imagine what the rest of this babysitter's life will be like. It's just a horrific tragedy.

They are talking about it on the news and the reporter is wondering - Should she be charged for negligence?



*Also, a side note, summer is here..we have to diligently childproof those pools, ponds, (even 5 gallon buckets and anything else that holds water) around those little ones.

BailJumper
06-03-2007, 10:11 AM
Also, a side note, summer is here..we have to diligently childproof those pools, ponds, (even 5 gallon buckets and anything else that holds water) around those little ones.

While sad. Nothing a locked door wouldn't have prevented. Sorry, but I'm not fencing in my pond so another parent can stop parenting.

Karried
06-03-2007, 10:24 AM
Childproofing can include locking a door.

Faith
06-03-2007, 03:02 PM
Yes the babysitter should have had all the doors secured before they took their nap. Not only to protect against the toddlers getting out, but also to protect from people getting in the house! It is always better to be precautious than not at all.

Midtowner
06-03-2007, 09:07 PM
Someone ought to be responsible. In this case? The babysitter had a duty to protect those little ones. The act seems to fit the bill for negligent homicide. She could get probation, but she does deserve some sort of punishment for this.

There's a whole convoluted body of law dedicated to dangerous conditions on land (such as ponds) holding landowners liable for not securing those conditions against child-trespassers. I'm not sure what the Oklahoma law is regarding this.