California fire 'started by boy'?

Question

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7070508.stm

A young boy has confessed to starting a devastating wildfire in California by playing with matches, officials say.

should the kid get punished or the parent????

Ms Scarlet - if you have nothing nice to say, p**s off

Answer 1

The kid...at some point as parents you just have to throw up your arms and shake your head. They have done the best they know how, but my God, this is so awful. The kid should be put in some juvenile delinquent center AFTER touring the destruction of life and visiting one-on-one with the families that lost their homes.

Answer 2

It is different if this was a family of illegal aliens or American citizens. I find it hard to believe the boy and his parents would try to beat out the flames instead of calling 911. I now understand the mother and child have left the Ranch. Why? Where have they gone? Moreso, will insurance companies not be required to pay for those who lost everything? After all, it was not an act of nature, but an act of arson.
With the entire US footing the bill in higher insurance costs, it is wide open for debate. If this family was here illegally, should the Ranch owner be held at fault? It is nice they said they are sorry, but the confession only came after they knew they were caught in the act.

Answer 3

I just asked a question very similar to this. I am glad I get to answer it.

I think, by 10, there is something seriously wrong if a kid doesn't know to not play with matches. By the time I was 10, I knew not only to not play with them, but how to safely put out lit matches and fires. (I was a Girl Scout, though.) However, I also think that this kid will have to live with the fact that he destroyed lives, killed 14 people, and burned down a good chunk of his home state. I think that is punishment enough for him, combined with the fact that his parents encouraged him to come forward with the story. (I bet you he is in a TON of trouble at home!) No one ever would have known that he had done this if he hadn't confessed to his parents and they hadn't come forward about it, so these are not wholly bad people. I have no doubt that the boy didn't mean for this to happen.

The parents need to have some sort of punishment. I don't think they should be held responsible for the deaths--manslaughter charges, or accomplice charges, will not address the problem. This is more of a matter of child neglect and endangerment--not only did they not manage to teach a child to not play with matches, but he was so uneducated about it that he was very much in danger himself.

However, we do not know enough about the case yet to truly make a judgment at this time.

Answer 4

That depends how old he is.
If he is very young, then his parents are accountable - no question as they should know where he is and what he's doing - with matches.
An older boy should know right from wrong and his parents can't reasonably be expected to watch him all the time.
I don't know what the age of culpability should be - maybe 8 or 9?
Whatever his age, I'm sure he and his parents are being given a tough time at the moment.

Answer 5

Ouch! I didn't see where it said the "young" boys age, but most state laws would make the parents responsible. I am torn however, the parents most definitely should have been watching their son, and making sure matches were out of reach. The boy should have been taught not to play with matches, although we all know kids don't always listen, and kids do things anyway....
I don't know....thats a tough one, I do think they both should receive some sort of punishment, the child needs to learn his lesson too, not just the parents.
Very sad to hear!!

Answer 6

Difficult to say without further information. What age was he, was it deliberate, did he know what was likely to happen. We used to build campfires as kids and cook potatoes in them, or buy marshmallows and toast them over the fire on a twig, the fires never got out of control but maybe that was just due to luck. We could never have imagined our wee fire could cause devastation like that. Was this boy aware of the dangers?

I don't think the parents should be charged, because no matter how good a parent you are, kids will rebel. My parents were very strict with me, I now realise they were great parents, but they just never knew half of what I got up to, I had a wild streak that I made sure they never saw (I was never actually BAD, just adventurous).

If this young lad is truly sorry then what happened will live with him for the rest of his life, he will never forget it or get over it.

Answer 7

Parents responsible ? NO. Parents cannot see verything a kid does.
The boy himself ? It depends on how old he is. I was fascinated by fire when I was very young. That did not make me a pyromaniac.
One thing I liked was the answer you gave to that Ms Scarlet as**ole. Have a star just for that !!

Answer 8

Maybe a fine or something. How young is the boy? I agree with the poster above... parents cant control everything their kid does but depending on how young he was why weren't they watching him? How did they miss him playing with matches? I don't think you can really punish the kid. Not sure whats fair here.

Answer 9

It's hard to say.Do we know how old the boy is?
I think maybe,it was a school boy thing gone wrong.
Come off it,how many of us played with matches as a child.?
Oh but the devastation is awful.Someone has to take the rap.And I bet their are a lot of angry people ready and waiting!

Answer 10

There is nothing to be gained in this instance from bringing criminal charges.The kid 'fessed up and the parents took him to the police to own up.I think this kid has probably gone through nightmares but still was decent enough to own his own guilt.The lesson here has to be in mounting a campaign in schools to highlight the dangers of fooling with anything that can start a fire.
Little Weed :you truly are the most utterly heartless creature I have ever come across.I do hope if you have children that compassion comes in to play at some point.You seem devoid of it.