What do you think of California trying to prosecute the 10 year old boy that started the fires on accident?

Question

They want his family to pay a multi-million dollar fine, among other things.

I think this is absolutely rediculous! He's 10 years old! How is making his family pay a multi-million dollar fine going to help any?

Answer 1

Well 1st off if your not a Californian mind your own damn business. Secondly that fire burned thousands of acres, destroyed several homes, put people's lives at risk and cost the tax payers of this state millions upon millions of dollars. What is your solution ? Slap the child on the hand and say good little boys don't play with matches ???? The child and his parents will be held accountable but there is no realistic way the state can recover the costs of the fire from the family.

Answer 2

We had a large wildfire in our area this past summer that was caused by workers welding a water pipe on a large ranch. The ranch owner is being held financially responsible for the fire even though he was not present at the time. There is huge fine and likely there will be a settlement of some kind. Chances are he will lose his ranch. This is what always happens in these cases. The kid's family will face the bill from the feds and also civil lawsuits from the people who lost their homes. It's inevitable. They were responsible and will be the ones held liable.

EDIT: Deborah W - the smoke is still not in the air from the So Cal fires - I'm in Santa Barbara and the fires were a lot closer to me - you are over 300 miles away.

Answer 3

Well first of all the 10 year old knew better secondly He shouldn't be playing with matches. I feel the 10 year old boy should have some kind of punishment and the parent should be paying.It did cause a lot of damage. I live in San Jose and the smoke is still in the air. It's bad up here, before the fire the air was good not any more. Well, I hope that helped and take care.

Answer 4

I haven't seen news of that yet, but I have seen reports a few days ago that the kid was troublesome and anti-social already at age 10. He was probably headed for juvie soon anyway if that is true.

If a kid gets lost while skiing and needs a helicopter rescue, the parents are going to pay for it. I drove past the fire area from LA grapevine to san diego and back last week - I don't see this as any different.

I bet the kid doesn't play with matches anymore...your parents managed to teach you that was a bad idea by age 10, didn't they? and you didn't live in a tinder box like this family does1

Answer 5

OK, once again I am gonna say it. Yes parents are responsible for their children....PERIOD!
C'mon people we KNOW what is right and what is wrong...playing with fire is wrong....simple...end of story.
Just because the parents don't take time to teach their kids cuz they are busy doing what ever they are doing, working,...driving,...whatever, your kids should come first.
As I said before, I grew up watching cartoons where cat and mouse wreck holy hell on one another, but never once did I actually think I could bean my brother over the head w/ a frying pan...I KNEW it was wrong...just as I KNEW playing with fire is WRONG...and DANGEROUS.
The family is gonna have to what the court decides.
As far as making them pay.....dunno how they work it out, but ya know what? They should all be made to work a burn unit, visiting burn victims to see what playing with fire does to a human body...they should all be made to work in vet emergency to see what happens to animals who get trapped.
Accepting responsibility is the first step.
Oh, and what does his being 10 have to do with anything?
At 10 I knew not to play w/ fire...I knew stealing was wrong...I knew lying was wrong...I knew skipping school was wrong...being 10 has nothing to do with what he did.
And so what if it was an accident?
Side note:
Knowing that the winds are capable of turning like that makes it all the more important to teach fire saftey.
I lived in Anaheim for a time, and my job took me back and forth thru the Cajon Pass...it is no fun getting stranded in a car or bus when the fires are raging.

Answer 6

Its one of those questions that doesnt have a realistic answer

Hes under age for jail (well is in uk -perhaps you put them in electric chair there)

Fining people who cant pay is nonsense
What if the fire was caused by a fragment of glass magifying the suns rays ? Would that make things better ?

The only positive thing to do is to put better fire procedures into place- better warnings quicker response etc etc the way global warming is increasing - it will happen again thats a certainty

Answer 7

I agree with you, the 10 year old boy made a mistake, that he was just having fun. The real blame should be pointed at California for not educating their ppl about forest fires...Smokey the Bear is the truth....

But I am not going to lie, prosecuting a 10 year old boy brings shame to this country....seriously its a joke....its like picking on a retard for him saying or doing something wrong...

Whatever do what you may please, more forest fires are going to occur, and earthquakes...Oh and please prosecute The Nature...since he obviously knows what he's doing.

Answer 8

Making the child's family pay for playing with matches is gonna tell everyone what the consequences are for people (parents/guardians) who don't keep an eye on their children. This is not ridiculous, this is serious and I'm glad that the State of California is doing something for this tragedy.

Answer 9

Hey, let him get away with it so lawyers can use it as precedent down the road to get his client off when some other kid does something less destructive. My son is ten. If he was responsible for that fire, he'd be praying that the judge put him in prison if you know what I mean.

People do things accidently but it doesnt change the fact that they do them. Somethings (such as this) require punishment

Answer 10

It's ridiculous. These fires are bound to happen when the weather is dry, winds strong, and underbrush has grown for a long time. Any number of things can ignite them. Some people just feel better blaming somebody.