Should charges be brought against these parents?

Question

Here's a story about a 20 month old boy who swallowed SEVERAL DOZEN AquaDots and went into a coma. Regardless of the fact that the product is flawed (the coating turns to GHB in the body) who was supervising this child? How does a toddler get into this item and swallow several dozen before he is stopped?! Should a charge of negligence be brought against whoever was caring for the boy at the time? What do you think of the recall?
http://children.webmd.com/news/20071108/toxic-chemical-spurs-aqua-dots-recall?ecd=wnl_nal_110807

By the way, this product is for ages 6 and up.

Answer 1

Seems the parents can't read. Aqua dots are not recommended for children that young. Watch the commercials (if they don't go out of business) you don't see any kid younger than 4 or 5.
They were fools for letting a child play with it in the first place, add the chemical reaction and you have a tragic situation.
Negligence, absolutely. Their are warning all over the box that eh small pieces are choking hazards and not suitable for children that young.

Answer 2

The only way to know if charges should be filed is through an investigation. You also have to realize that he could swallow several dozen quickly when they are really small. You asked how does a toddler get into this item. Easy, it's a product for kids. Even if he's too young to use the item, he might have older siblings that were using the beads. I think the recall is completely necessary because GHB is no joke.

Answer 3

No way...anyone who has had a 20 month old knows they get into everything at lighting fast speed. There is no way to watch them every second. How long do you think it would take to swallow those things by the hand full? not long they are very small. If they new they were poison and gave them to him that is different. If they weren't poison nothing would have happened he would have just pooped them out. Simple as that. This was an accident. These poor parents have enough to live with.

Also those saying this was not a toy for a 20 month old duh it was probably bought for an older sibling. Those who have more then one kid don't just buy toys for the youngest one. The youngest one always gets to the older siblings toys either they were left out or the youngest gets to them somehow. Oh wait lets charge the siblings too for leaving their toys out. It doesn't mean the parents are irresponsible it means they are human and can make mistakes. Any normal parent doesn't intentionally put their child in harms way and I am believing these were normal parents. Again it's an accident. For those saying watch your kids....pay better attention to your children....don't let them put stuff in their mouths. You can't possible have any children oh wait yeah right you don't read a paper, magazine, have other children to look after, get on the computer, or do any house work at all and you go with them to school to watch over them. You stair at your child 24/7. One of these children was 4 years old old enough to know not to put stuff in your mouth. Who didn't eat play dough, glue, silly putty a pencil eraser or even dirt? Ask any elementary teacher how many times a year they have to tell kids don't eat that or don’t put that in your mouth. How many kids ate lead paint? Bottom line kids toys no matter what age should be safe. No mater what age some kids will put stuff in their mouths. These were not bad parents.

Answer 4

I assume Aquadots is a toy??? No, I don't really think the parents or guardian should be charged. What would that solve? I would think that most parents trust toymakers with the toys that they choose to bring inside the home for their kids to play with. No parent buys a toy that they think their child could get sick and die from. So, if a child is playing with a toy and not getting into trouble, then there's no reason for a parent to have to sit there every second while the child plays. Hindsight is always 20/20. Yes, it's easy to blame the parents in this case, but what parent actually sits there and watches their child play 24/7, every second of the day?

Answer 5

Yes.Although Aqua Dots are the bad guy here the parents of the child are not so innocent either.They should have been watching their child.A 20 month year old should be watched constantly.It is partly the parents fault.I think the recall is awful.These are toys that turn into drugs that if swallowed could make a child almost fatally sick.Our country needs to protect our children and find a way to prevent these toy recalls.Its unfortunate that 2007 will probably be written down as year of the RECALL.

Answer 6

Well they are pretty small, that would only be a few hand fulls. Kids move quickly, this could have happened in the time it took a parent to read a newspaper article (or whatever) I doubt this is really a case of neglect. I'll bet your child has gotten into a few things he shouldn't while you had your back turned for a few seconds, that doesn't mean that you should go to jail...

These poor parents have been through enough, they don't need people like you blaming them for an accident, I'm sure they are doing enough of that for everyone.

Answer 7

Hi :)

This is a terrible situation, I am sure,( like many other parents that bought this product), that this child's parents were unaware of the dangers of the product.
Toddlers are tricky little tykes and before you turn your back they can get into all sorts of mischief!
I think it's a bit presumptuous to assume that the parents of this child were mistreating their little boy because they "Let" him eat these things.There is always 2 sides to every story, and this article does not explain it all......neither are we in a position to judge these parents for lack of the whole story.
I would be more inclined to offer them support and sympathy, they are most likely very horrified and very upset at what is happening to their little boy.

Answer 8

I think they should Ban all the toys we get from Made in China it seems that this year has put a awareness on what to buy for our kids and a damper on every ones Christmas what do we buy for the kids this year if it all comes from China.Instead of saying Made in the US we get people working for cheap labor making toys that are killing OUR children from Lead and all the junk they put in the cheap labor.America needs to focus on our vulnerable children and NO these parents should not get charged insted the govermnet should.

Answer 9

Yeah...I did not buy my kids those things because I know some of them would get swallowed. I dont want to have to sit and watch them like a hawk when they are playing with a new toy...I agree with the first person...The parents have been through it already. Enough punishment there..

Answer 10

Why don't parents pay better attention to their children and not let them put toys in their mouths! If your child is still so small that he/she still puts everything in his/her mouth then DON'T buy them toys that are small enough to be swallowed!!! It is not the toy makers responsibility to keep things out of your child's mouth.

Newsflash!...forks are being recalled because kids are stabbing themselves with them. All cleaning products, shampoo and soap is being recalled because it would be harmful if a child ingested them....prescription meds should be recalled because a stupid parent gave their child a pill bottle to play with.

Good Lord people!! Take better care of your children and these toys wouldn't be dangerous.