Should the parent be prosecuted

[Ethel]

For this needless death?
http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/29609

There are plenty of criminal offences to choose from.

[SRH]

The stupidity and irresponsibility of some parents amazes me. They might as well have bought their kids guns for Christmas - and no doubt they will appear in the papers claiming the quad bike manufacturers should have alerted them of the dangers and that the Government is to blame. It's so very, very sad for the little girl that has died that the people who should have protected her have been responsible for her death.

[whiffey]

This one truly needs ' the book ' thrown at it. A country lane, at night, a quad bike, a small child.

I wish we could swear on this site.

[Quoi]

There are gonna be a lot of affected lives here no doubt but who is to blame the mother of the child or the 'under the influence' driver

[tiggerblue10]

What idiot buys a quad bike for a SEVEN year old ffs!

[Whickerman]

It is illegal for a person under 16 to ride these on roads, yet the parents supervised their 2 kids on a public road driving these 100cc vehicles. Yes, the parents are absolutely culpable, and the excuses have already started - bbc news just reported it and made sure that the excuse about most local farming families using them was included.

This quote from a family friend :"I was watching them, keeping an eye on them. They both had lights on their bikes. I don�t really know what happened. "

I reckon it won't take long to figure out that 'what happened' was that some loving parents have paid the ultimate price, and have lost a beautiful child by senselessly disregarding common sense, and allowing a 7 year old drive a motor vehicle on a road at night.

I note the driver of the other vehicle has been arrested too...

This is horribly tragic in every sense.

[China Doll]

No. I'd say they've probably suffered enough with the death of their child.

Anything judgement we can throw at them isn't going to be half as bad as the jugements they're already putting on themselve wouldn't you say?

[Ethel]

The driver of the other car has been released without charge. She was not under the influence, later reports state.

[Quoi]

Thanks for clearing that ethel - cant always beleive what you read eh? Still owuldnt want to be her

[Ethel]

I feel very sorry for the other driver. It willtake a lot of getting over.

[saxy_jag]

I live yards away from a disused playing field. People are out there with quad bikes and mini motos most weekends when the weather's good, and I say good for them. For the most part they are accompanied youngsters or teenagers who do no harm whatsoever. They stay well out of the way when people are walking dogs or merely crossing the field to get to the other side. I'd rather have them there, safe from harm, than out on the roads being a nuisance and a danger to themselves and everyone else. I also think that whilst they're doing that, they're not out shooting each other and mugging old ladies.

However, the key word to all this is responsible. And no responsible parent allows a seven year old on a public road on a 100cc petrol-engined quad bike - it's just asking for trouble. Now there's going to be a huge backlash on all those parents who allow their kids to ride these and similar machines safely and responsibly off-road - and all because one set of parents thought it would be good to lavish �1200 on a present for an inexperienced seven-year-old that she couldn't hope to manage.

[Hotlardlife]

Prosecute to the full extent of the law. No liberal excuses, not taking pity. They killed their girl through gross negligence and thinknig they were above the law. Just remember this little girl could alos heve easily killed someone too - then what?
Bang them up for a few year to ponder on their stupidity and send a message to all others that think they can do what they like to please their 'little darlings'

[jno]

and what will that do for the dead girl's brother, Hotlardlife? Give him the opportunity to bring himself up for a few years?

[888sally888]

Shame there isnt an exam to become a parent so that stupid people like this wouldnt have allowed this to happen.

I feel so sorry for the girls brother and the woman who killed her.

[persianlady]

Parents - even good parents - make mistakes every day. Most of the time, we get away with it. Sometimes it results in tragedy like this.Why would you want to punish the parents any more? They have lost their daughter. They have my heartfelt sympathy. They will have to live with what has happened for the rest of their lives. They will never forgive themselves. They don't deserve a lynch mob. Hopefully, other parents will learn from their mistake, bad judgement, irresponsibility, etc.

[Oneeyedvic]

Agree that that the parents are stupid and irresponsible - HOWEVER, they should not be prosecuted - there is nothing that the law can do to them that will be worse than what they are feeling right now.

They have lost a child through their own culpability - and that has to be the hardest thing in the world to deal with. Nothing will be achieved by any kind of prosecution.

If the child had survived then there should be a prosecution - no question.

[Dave G]

will you all please note the driver was not under the influence as she was let go they are now testing for drugs which if reports are true is unlikely
the parents have to try and outdo thier friends and this is what happens on a dark night

[littleoldme]

Well said, Dave G. I think whenever there's a traffic accident around Christmas, it's pretty much standard procedure to test for drink or drugs, so no surprise there. However, even if she had been under the influence, that wouldn't detract from the stupidity and irresponsibility of the father in this tragic case.

Yes, the father will have to live with this for the rest of his life, but so will the other driver, and it's her I feel most sorry for.

[Katie~77]

Yes, they should be prosecuted! My sister in law has bought a quad for her son for Christmas. He's 4 and a half!!!! I don't know what goes on in people heads.x

[Ethel]

The most recent reports state the driver was not under the influence of any drink or drunks and the collision was head on - the little girl swerved or strayed on to the wrong side of the road.

The father is a multi-millionaire. Shame money doesn't buy common sense.