A Heartbreaking Story: Eight Year Old Kills Father and Father's Friend

This story is sad beyond belief. An 8 year old from St John's, Arizona, has been charged with the shooting death of his father, and his father's coworker, who rented a room in the house. Although other news reports have done so, I will not use the family's name. What is truly horrifying about this incident, is that this was apparently no accident: the third grader allegedly confessed to police that he planned the murders. The victims were shot execution style. The St John's police department is pressing to charge the child with first degree murder, as an adult.

I must say that I have to question the circumstances surrounding the confession. There was no adult, or attorney present when the child was questioned. The fact that the police department had this child in custody, questioning him without a parent or legal guardian, which by the way is illegal, just does not sit right with me. The child more than likely was in shock, and I have to question the tactics used by the police department to get the child to confess while under duress. I seriously doubt that an 8 year old can fully understand the intensity of this type of situation.

From all accounts this boy and his father had an extremely tight bond -- a fantastic relationship. The neighbors, the school, the pastor, everyone described the boy and his father as pillars of the community. What strikes me the most in cases such as this is there are almost always comments from the community depicting the characters involved as fantastic people, who had no issues at home. Well, if his confession holds true, in order for this child to plan and execute such a heinous crime that most adults deem unspeakable, there had to be something wrong in that household. While most third graders are planning birthday parties, etc., this child was planning to kill his parent. Something was definitely wrong. Although there have never been any complaints or signs of child abuse, the police department is seeking to make this a determining factor.

As I think about this story more and more, something just does not seem to fit in this case. The child was an excellent student, and had never been in trouble prior to the shootings. Nor does it appear that the child had any psychological issues. From all accounts, he was a normal healthy 8 year old. It could be possible that the coworker was the abuser. It could also be possible that the coworker murdered the father, and the child responded in self defense. It is also possible that someone was invading the home, and the child was again, acting in self defense. According to the child's defense attorney, the police department has no physical evidence to link the child to his father's murder. There are so many different scenarios that could fit this tragedy. We'll just have to await the outcome.

One issue that was brought to the forefront was that the father, an avid hunter, actually taught his son how to use guns. This raises the question as to whether or not it is appropriate for someone so young to be able to use something so deadly. On the day that his father was buried, the 8 year old was in a court room, in handcuffs and shackles. There lies the tragedy.

Viewpoints are welcome.