People raise pitchforks when they feel that a death wasn’t 100% accidental. Imagine a scenario where a parent is holding their 3 year old’s hand as they stroll along a sidewalk. The child suddenly breaks free and darts out into the street, from in between parked cars. A driver with an unblemished driving record is driving on that street, not exceeding the speed limit, following all applicable traffic laws, when they see the child dart in front of them. They slam on their brakes immediately, but can’t stop in time and they strike the child. People consider that scenario a tragic accident, but if you change any of the details, such as the 3 year old was playing outside unsupervised or the driver was speeding or driving under the influence, now people get upset because this death was preventable.

Anybody can exhibit momentary irresponsible behavior (taking your eyes off the road for a few seconds to change the radio station), but in the case of Emilie Kiser’s son, she had shared many images of their unfenced backyard pool with her followers and many of them had expressed concern about the danger it posed to her son, yet she did nothing about it. Then, while her husband was home alone with their 3 year old son and infant, he let the 3 year old play outside unsupervised, near the unfenced pool. The child drowned.

When the police investigated, the husband’s story didn’t match the family’s security footage. He claimed he’d been watching the child out a window, and had only taken his eyes off the child for a few minutes, but the child’s movements and activity in the backyard didn’t match what the husband claimed he’d witnessed and the child was in the pool longer than the amount of time the husband said he’d taken his eyes off the kid. Basically, it was obvious that he’d sent a 3 year old to play unsupervised by an unsecured pool for more than just a brief period, and he’d lied about it. The one thing he did admit was that this was not a one-time thing. His son played by that pool all the time. The police recommended filing charges against the husband for the child’s death, but the prosecutor declined to because they didn’t believe they could get a conviction.

Everyone else knows how incredibly dangerous it is to let a 3 year old play unsupervised near a body of water. Emilie Kiser’s son died from his father’s gross negligence and his father isn’t even being charged. That’s why people are pissed.

Anonymous wrote:Emilie Kiser and her husband are being raked over the coals for the role their negligence played in the death of their child. But if an SUV owner accidentally hit that child, no one would raise pitchforks.

Similarly, a parent who accidentally leaves their child in a hot car would be scrutinized and called a horrible parent and face 100x more backlash than that reckless driver.

This right here. One is an accident one is neglect

Laws are too lenient for auto drivers who kill pedestrians. Didn’t that guy in Virginia who killed a toddler in a crosswalk get away scot-free? But what does that have to do with situations caused by parental neglect? Apples and oranges.

I put uncut grapes in my kid’s lunch today because they were small and I convinced myself I’m too paranoid about it (this is an ES kid) and just reading this thread I’m tempted to rush to the school and grab them back.

If the person who kills a child with a car is negligent, they get a really long jail sentence and everyone is happy about it so idk what you mean.

IMO people have compassion for people who leave kids in hot cars if it’s a genuine accident (which happens, which is horrifying and hard to grapple with but is true), but they don’t if it’s a situation like the dad who left the child in unattended in the car on purpose to “nap” or if a child drowns in a pool that wasn’t covered.

I think people raise pitch forks for both and these tragedies are compounded by forever needing to wonder if you could have done something more or better.


people can be very cavalier about the pool and cars.

SUV owner? Why are they singled out? Does a minivan driver get a pass?

I think it's familiarity.
Most people have been involved in a car accident at some point in their life and understand that accidents happen.
Drownings/hot car deaths are more rare, people have less personal experience and don't understand that those incidents are accidents as well.
Also, humans are bad judges of risk. You have people who won't ever let their kids play at a park alone because of stranger danger, but don't even think about the risks of riding in a car (much more dangerous.)

Wut

Do most people know who Emily Kiser is? Never heard of her before.

Off the top of my head
1. Both the drowning and hot car situations are caused by parents seemingly being neglectful vs someone else being at fault. People love to come down on others for that. The ones who are criticizing could never have that happen to them, they are good parents. And for some reason they want to make sure everyone knows what they think of the other parents.
2. In some of these incidences, people feel like no justice is done and that makes them irate. A reckless driver gets charged. A parent who doesn't have good pool safety doesn't get charged.
3. I've seen plenty of outage over car accidents when distracted driving, being under the influence, and speeding are the cause. I just don't think they get nearly as much attention so there less commotion about them.

Emilie Kiser and her husband are being raked over the coals for the role their negligence played in the death of their child. But if an SUV owner accidentally hit that child, no one would raise pitchforks.

Similarly, a parent who accidentally leaves their child in a hot car would be scrutinized and called a horrible parent and face 100x more backlash than that reckless driver.