Mother convicted of: her 5 yo walks short way to pond alone in Virginia(www.washingtonpost.com)
21 pointsby doctorpangloss2 hours ago5 comments
  • dc3k44 minutes ago
    in addition to the absolute lunacy of the charges in the main article, the list of similar cases where parents were charged/convicted for letting their children walk a short distance alone is absurd

    america really is a backwards place

  • muglug44 minutes ago
    Previous discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49550174
  • atoav5 minutes ago
    [delayed]
  • bruffer6an hour ago
    Should've murdered the kids and started a GoFundMe instead.
    • matt12345678925 minutes ago
      I have yet to hear someone defend that in person. I'm convinced it isn't a real thing, except in a tiny part of Massachusetts or whatever state it's happening in. Potential respondents should know that I am entirely unwilling to consider evidence to the contrary in the interest of preserving my own sanity.
  • ButlerianJihadan hour ago
    The family's story is that the boy went out to collect goose feathers. And there is some concern about whether harvesting or possession of bird feathers is legal, depending on the type of bird.

    The subsequent charges and court case don't seem to mention involving Fish & Wildlife, but perhaps they want to remind parents that they should not commission their underage children to go on poaching runs.

    • benced43 minutes ago
      This is potentially stupider than the claimed crime.
    • simulator5g25 minutes ago
      "land of the free" but its potentially illegal to pick up feathers off the ground
      • wood_spirit20 minutes ago
        To be clear, not being allowed to possess the eggs, feathers or any other part of a protected species is probably a good thing? Not being able to pretend you “found them on the ground” is probably better stopped than the problem of children really finding things on the ground.
        • anonymousiam6 minutes ago
          Laws based upon speculation that you may act dishonestly are wrong. I've seen lots of police statements about arrests and detentions where the officer basically says, "We didn't know that he was not going to do something illegal." Putting somebody in a position where they have to prove a negative is plain wrong. The prosecution needs to prove a positive, unless you're in Plymouth, Massachusetts where the prosecutor is required to disprove all defense assertions about mental illness, or the jury will acquit.

          I read about this story on Reason.com a few days ago. The mother is getting her law license and is now worried about the repercussions of her having a criminal record.

        • paleotrope5 minutes ago
          What's ridiculous is Canada Goose being in that category.