Modern-day Hansel and Gretel Dumped in the Woods?
Posted by Mike Adamick at 3:15 PM on December 31, 2008
An Idaho father was charged with second-degree murder after sending his kids, 11 and 12, on a 20-km hike through the snow after their car broke down on Christmas Day.
Second-degree murder, which carries a possible sentence of life in prison, seems pretty harsh for what basically amounts to being a massive moron, or at the most, criminally negligent.
Here are the details:
According to an AP story, Robert Aragon's truck broke down about 10 miles from his ex-wife's house. While he and a friend remained behind to fix it, he sent his daughter, 11, and son, 12, on their way by foot to their mother's house.
The girl was found a few miles away, buried in a snow bank, while the boy was discovered in his underwear — apparently having shed his clothes because he had become delusional. He survived — his sister did not.
Now here's where I'm guessing the murder charges come into play. After the truck was fixed, the dad drove back home — instead of continuing on to at least check on the kids. This sounds something akin to the woodcutter's new wife dumping Hansel and Gretel in the woods, but I have to believe no one is actually that cruel.
What do you think: world's biggest idiot or murderer?
I thought that murder charges were only used if there was intent to kill. This does seem overly punitive. Sad, at any rate.