DA makes right call: no charges in gorilla case

harambe

The death of a beloved beast in the Cincinnati Zoo has taken another turn … and it’s the correct turn.

Prosecutors in Franklin County, Ohio, have decided against filing criminal charges against the parents of a toddler who fell into a gorilla enclosure. They were watching the little boy and other children. The youngster got away from them — as little children can do.

He fell into the pit. The 400-pound beast, Harambe, tossed the child around. Zoo officials decided on the spot that they had to kill the gorilla to save the youngster.

That, too, was the right call.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/06/us/harambe-gorilla-death-investigation/index.html

As prosecutor Joseph Deters said today: “She had three other kids with her and turned her back. … And if anyone doesn’t believe a 3-year-old can scamper off very quickly, they’ve never had kids.”

I totally agree with that. My once-young sons are all grown up. One of them has a toddler of his own. But oh, brother, do my wife and I remember how quickly they could move — especially when our backs were turned, even for an instant.

The only way the tot’s mother should have been charged with criminal intent would be if the youngster had said, “Look at me, Mommy, while I go play with the big monkey,” and then she turned her back.

That didn’t happen, Deters said.

The boy’s mother is going to beat herself up possibly for the rest of her life.

The death of a majestic — and immensely powerful — beast is tragic enough. Imagine the reaction had Harambe done something terrible to the little boy.

As a friend of mine said the other day while visiting the Fort Worth Zoo with her own toddler, at least the gorilla story has made other parents pay more attention to their children’s whereabouts.

 

One thought on “DA makes right call: no charges in gorilla case”

  1. One fine sunny day the wife and I were engaged with yard projects at our rental house on the hill in Homer, when our two-year-old daughter was escorted back home up our steep drive by a neighbor (with no little haughteur, I might add).

    The street she crossed was not busy, so except for gratitude there was no particular other emotion for me (and I’ll run this by April and see what she remembers – 19 years hence).

    We had not then heard of the “Helicopter Parent” and never adopted that mode.

    I do remember telling both children, when they were old enough to understand, that it is THEY who are responsible for THEIR safety:

    “IF you get run over in a parking lot and die, we will feel bad, we’ll have a funeral, we’ll cry, we’ll regret that you never grew up….. BUT IT’S STILL YOUR FAULT!! – Pay Attention!”

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