Who got burned?

[LadyFish]

Dad Charged For Not Using Enough Sunblock On 12-Year-Old<br />Boy Severely Burned<br /><br />POSTED: 1:17 pm EDT May 26, 2004<br />UPDATED: 2:05 pm EDT May 26, 2004<br /><br />CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N.J. -- A man has been charged with child abuse for not applying enough sunblock to his 12-year-old son before a day at the beach.<br /><br />The boy was severely burned as a result, authorities said.<br /><br />Walter McKelvie Jr., 43, of Vineland, was indicted Tuesday and charged with one count of child abuse and neglect in the July 20 incident, in which he took his mentally disabled son to the beach in Wildwood.<br /><br />The son, identified only as R.M., suffered large, bleeding blisters on his back and face. Authorities were alerted by the boy's mother, who has custody of him but was not with him at the beach, according to Assistant Cape May County Prosecutor Meghan Hoerner.<br /><br />More....... <br /><br />Another frivilous lawsuit? Or is this child abuse or neglect? Who really got burned here?

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: Who got burned?

I read this yesterday. It's definitely negligence. Don't know if it's abuse, abuse is willful I would think. This might just be plain old stupidity.

 

[ehenry]

Re: Who got burned?

I don't believe the gentleman intentionally let the child get burned. HELL, my folks took me to an island off the coast of MS and we stayed the day and I came back looking like a lobster fresh outta the pot ! ! Back then there was no SPF factor in the Coppertone that everyone used at the time. I personally feel that the mother has an axe to grind with the father unfortunately its at the childs pain and suffering.

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: Who got burned?

Just think of the lawsuits you could drop on your parents for the abuses/neglect committed upon us when we were kids.<br /><br />I don't think I was ever given sunscreen, we were without shirts most of the time and had very dark tans.<br /><br />They let us ride bicycles without helmets, kneepads, elbowpads, and gloves.<br /><br />They let us ride in cars without seatbelts buckled and even worse, let us ride in the back of pickup trucks.<br /><br />They literally told us to "go outside and play" and wouldn't even check on us until it was dinner time or dark out.<br /><br />What horrible parents they were. If they had more money, I'd drop a lawsuit in their laps

 

[Gold Bear]

Re: Who got burned?

LadyFish <br /><br />I grew up at Panama City Beach, Florida. My parents used to let us go to the beach wearing Coppertone "cooking oil".<br /><br />I can remember getting burned so bad that the sheets hurt at night. <br /><br />The problem is, quite often, you don't know how badly you are burned until you get home.<br /><br />I don't believe the father did that intentionally for a moment. And I don't think it is fair to call that stupidity. If your skin is fair you can get a pretty bad burn in 30 minutes time under the worst sun conditions.<br /><br />My .02. PS - I wish my parents were still around so I could sue them, or not!!<br /><br />Regards to all,<br /><br />Gold Bear

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Who got burned?

I don't believe this be should a lawsuit.<br /><br />I know myself you can apply lotion and still get burned. With kids, in and out of the water all the time it makes it more difficult to know whether they have enough on or not.<br /><br /><br />Another example of a little too much watchdog is my soninlaw was taking the kids for a walk in his subdivision. It was a sunny Sunday afternoon and he just finished working in the yard and thought a nice stroll to the lake with the kids would be in order. The lake is less than a block from his house. He grab a cold beer and off they went. Halfway there a police officer pulled over and said, "Don't say a word, let me talk. If someone sees you with your kids and a beer in your hand, they can and will turn you over to CPS".<br /><br />Now, I know there are parents who shouldn't have the priviledge of parenting and abuse the gift of having their own children, my soninlaw isn't one of them. I just think sometimes we go a little overboard with firvilous lawsuits and the watchdog mentality.<br /><br />To me, this should not be considered abuse or negligence.<br /><br />Real child abuse is a whole different story and parents should be punished to the full extent of the law.

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: Who got burned?

You take your 12 year old developmentally challenged child to the beach it it your responsibility to put sunscreen on them. Period. They're not going to do it for themselves. How can you say it's not negligent? Bleeding blisters? Come on people. <br /><br />I didn't read he was getting sued, I read he was being charged with abuse. That I disagree with. I don't think it was abuse. Maybe endangering the welfare of a child or something like that.

 

[cmyers_uk]

Re: Who got burned?

If the father knew that left out in the sun without suntan lotion on you burn then he was negligent in his duty of care to the child. If he intended it to happen (which Im sure he didnt) then it would be abuse. <br /><br />Quote "To me, this should not be considered abuse or negligence."<br /><br />Then who is responsible for caring for the mentally disabled child? <br /><br />Quote "suffered large, bleeding blisters on his back and face"<br /><br />This isnt just red and sore for an evening that is a serious burn,the damage being the same as if he let the child get burned by boiling water.<br /><br />The lawsuite is another matter, my view is that the state must ensure the child is protected, and by having a court case they will find out the real facts that may well be different to whats reported. The aim of the case should not be to prevent access though.<br /><br />Chris

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: Who got burned?

Thanks Chris, I was beginning to wonder if I was crazy for thinking it was negligent. <br /><br />But again, where is there any mention of a lawsuit? I see none, just that the father was indicted (charged). <br /><br />If I'm missing it please show me where. Is there another article somewhere?

 

[JGREGORY]

Re: Who got burned?

Sure LF pick a case from my back yard, <br /><br />Latest report from the radio was that the father DID have sunblock on the child BUT did not reapply it frequently. <br /><br />And I agree you can not tell if your getting sunburned untill it's generally too late. If the Prosecutor is to believed the kid had bleeding blisters. In all my years as an EMT or growing up (every weekend down at the shore on the boat) I have never heard of sunburn going to bleeding blisters, where blood is coming out. Not water which I have seen and had from a bad second degree sunburn, to get to be bleeding it has to be third degree and at that time the skin is charred. Unless you irritate the second degree blisters.<br /><br />This is another case of the State trying to raise your kids. <br /><br />Mean while we have parent starving their foster kids while under State supervision. Prosecuting this case is a waste of taxpayer $$$$$

 

[cmyers_uk]

Re: Who got burned?

Steve<br /><br />I only read this post which is all the info Ive got, a bit gobsmacked at some of the comments feel sure that they are just pulling our legs!<br /><br />Chris

 

[cmyers_uk]

Re: Who got burned?

The crux of this case is the degree of burning. I dont know what the truth is but if the post is correct then its neglect pure and simple.

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: Who got burned?

My bad, I guess I didn't read the part about the kid being disabled, I feel like a turd.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Who got burned?

The father was irresponsible for not reapplying lotion on his mentally challenged son. No child should have to suffer from bleeding blisters.<br /><br />However, toddlers get burned all the time too. Its not always a lack of care or negligent parents. You can put 50 SPF on them and they will still burn if its not applied at least an hour before and every 45 minutes during their stay in the sun.<br /><br />Do we need to be arrested if we don't follow the directions on the bottle?<br /><br />Where do we draw the line?

 

[SlowlySinking]

Re: Who got burned?

"Authorities were alerted by the boy's mother, who has custody of him but was not with him at the beach..."<br /><br />Sounds like a child custody case with a bonus I'll get even with you situation, Mom sure put the screws to good ole Dad. <br /><br />The big question is,"where was good ole Mom????"<br />

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Who got burned?

I guess the point I am trying to make is........so what? If the kid had slipped getting into a ride in Atlantic City would it be the father's fault because there were shoes on the market with better grip? He just took his son to the beach.<br /><br />I guess it would be his fault too if a bolt of lightning suddenly struck the ferris wheel without warning while his child was up there. He and everyone else who's child was on the ferris wheel would be prosecuted for neglect or child endangerment while everyone else in the park goes free because nothing happened to their children.<br /><br />I can count the number of times I have used sunscreen in my life on one hand, and I have NO regrets. However, everytime I ever used the stuff I gotten everything from rashes to burns in my eyes which can be worse than sunburn.<br /><br />Maybe some people have forgotten this, sunscreen is an invention. It wasn't always around. Before it was invented there was no refrigeration, no air conditioners, and no antibacterial cleansers. Nearly all people spent a lot more time outdoors than pretty much anyone does now, and guess what? They got burned like mad all the time. Their children got burned. So they used stuff like mud to cover up, but the mud dries and then takes the moisture out of your skin, and that is basicly the same as a burn because it dies just the same. The point is they made it without all this pampering crap we have now, and I bet very few people died due to sunburn unless it was in a desert. And even then they die of internal dehydration and delerium before they're really worried about skin.<br /><br />Are you aware that you are exposing your body to an UNNATURAL amount of one, probably unatural, substance to protect it from a NATURAL amount of a natural substance that it was evolved/created to withstand(whichever you believe). Your skin is probably dissolving slowly, or being permanently mutated in some other way by that stuff and you don't even know it. <br /><br />Is it a crime to take your child outside without sunblock? Hell no! Is it a crime to apply sunblock that is approved by the same FDA that allowed fen-phen, IUD's, and all the cancer causing food we consume onto the market? It probably should be, because you never know what that stuff is doing to you...

 

[cmyers_uk]

Re: Who got burned?

Nobody has said the Dad has to use suntan lotion. He can used Shade, a teeshirt, common sense. <br /><br />What he must do is protect a child who is unable to protect himself from harmful things that a reasonable person could foresee. i.e He cant leave him locked in a car on a sunny day for 8 hours but 1 minute to post a letter is fine.<br /><br />Acts of god we cant foresee , but putting a child on a ferris wheel when they are below the sfe height limit could be a good example of negligence.<br /><br />This whole case depends on the degree of buring and what actions he took to prevent them.<br /><br />Quote "I guess the point I am trying to make is........so what?"<br /><br />The point is the state and other people need to care about children who are not being cared for to prevent them suffering due to the negligence of their parents.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Who got burned?

Don't know the whole story. There would be lots of questions to ask. I would ask where did the sunscreen come from? If it came from mom, could she have tainted it? How big is a large blister? Is it the size of a silver dollar? your hand? Was the child dehydrated as well? Was there anyone else around as a witness? <br /><br />I feel this is just a bad accident. I don't think if the father disliked his son, he wouldn't have taken him on his visitation. No man wants to hurt his children intentionally regardless of disabilities or not.<br /><br />Just about all parents are scared to raise kids anymore. They get out of sight and blamo! into the pool, drinking drain cleaner, playing with fire, sticking stuff into outlets, running out in the street, falling into wells, and so much more. All of which can end up being the parents fault for negligence. Wait and see, they will come up with a law that will charge you if someone kidknapps your child. After all they were negligent for not keeping an eye on them.<br /><br />Okay I'm done....oh boy....

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Who got burned?

The point is the state and other people need to care about children who are not being cared for to prevent them suffering due to the negligence of their parents.

I couldn't agree with you more. I work in social services and sometimes see more abuse in one day than most see in a lifetime.<br /><br />I just don't think this is a good example of it.

 

[wajajaja]

Re: Who got burned?

I want to hear what the mother has to say while dad is in jail and not able to pay her child support. or out of whats left from defending himself. <br /> now heres an idea, <br />wanna get your ex out of the picture, feed the child tetracyline for acne. watch the sunburn and complain!<br /><br />this is a example of s@#$t happens!