Missouri adults who leave their guns in reach of children who end up shooting someone would face stiffer prosecution under a bill introduced by a St. Louis-area state lawmaker.
Rep. Stacey Newman wants the law changed so that if a loaded gun is unsecured and readily available in the presence of a minor, the adult can be charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
Last year, Missouri led the nation for child gun tragedies, with five toddlers who shot themselves or others. Nationwide, there have been 13 children “accidentally” shot so far this year.
Conventional wisdom was always that the parents of children who kill themselves with guns have been punished enough and that making laws which punish them further are punitive.
However as we have seen the numerous deaths of young children by unsecured guns in the home has done nothing to reduce the number of gun deaths in this country.
So I am 100% behind laws like this which punish the adults who place the lives of their children in danger through carelessness and negligence.
Hopefully if this law, and others like it, are passed it will finally get through to people that the guns they buy to keep their families safe, more often than not do the exact opposite.
Source http://ift.tt/1Us1aBk
