NJ - Erik Sturgis, 5, home alone, dies in fire, Sayreville, 4 March 2006

[j2mirish]

Yeah, they do need to do something. Especially since it was daylight hours - kid was too young.

But I can allow some mitigating circumstances for between a rock and a hard place. Dad was obviously trying hard and fighting to keep a good life for his son. And made a horrible misjudgement.

I disagree here--daylight/nightime, there is no difference-- there are no mitigating circimstances for leaving a 5 year old child at home alone-- he didnt just run up top the store to grab milk-he left him there to go to work---- In my opinion, as heart breaking as this is--there is no excuse-- the little guy was five years old..........

 

[Amraann]

Yeah, they do need to do something. Especially since it was daylight hours - kid was too young.

But I can allow some mitigating circumstances for between a rock and a hard place. Dad was obviously trying hard and fighting to keep a good life for his son. And made a horrible misjudgement.

mitigating circumstaces to me means he gets less time then I guess if he set the fire himself.
There is no way I will believe he could not find a sitter. As far as money goes?
Work 3 flippin jobs, join groups of other young parents and meet people who know sitters, church?? No exuse. NONE..
Why would he even want his son with his grandfather who is a convicted child molestor?

 

[Details]

Mitigating circumstances - he was working, as opposed to the many people where this happens because they need to go get some drugs, want to go to a party, need some alone time with their boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.

I do kinda assume that 'find' == 'find an affordable sitter' - sometimes the sitter will take up all the money you'd make working!

 

[BhamMama]

I agree, that is sooo wrong to leave a child of that age alone. There are government programs, elderly folks who might do it, a college student who might do in a pinch til he could find perm care etc. And what was stopping grandma from leaving her nasty husband at home and coming to the little boys house to babysit?

As sad as it is, irresponsible is irresponsible.

 

[j2mirish]

Mitigating circumstances - he was working, as opposed to the many people where this happens because they need to go get some drugs, want to go to a party, need some alone time with their boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.

I do kinda assume that 'find' == 'find an affordable sitter' - sometimes the sitter will take up all the money you'd make working!

I have paid child care until it was almost not worth me working--
bottom line-- there is NO acceptable excuse or reason to leave a five year old baby boy at home alone-----------

 

[Details]

I have paid child care until it was almost not worth me working--
bottom line-- there is NO acceptable excuse or reason to leave a five year old baby boy at home alone-----------

Which might be why I'm not saying it's an excuse. But I do see it as mitigating circumstances.

 

[Amraann]

Mitigating circumstances - he was working, as opposed to the many people where this happens because they need to go get some drugs, want to go to a party, need some alone time with their boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.

I do kinda assume that 'find' == 'find an affordable sitter' - sometimes the sitter will take up all the money you'd make working!

I really don't see the difference between leaving your five YO home alone to go party or to leave your five YO alone to work..
IN either case the parent has made a horrible choice and exposed a young child to harm. If anything the druggy should get more sympathy since they are cleary not thinking with all the bulbs on.
NO I take that back .. stupid is stupid I careless what the exuse.

 

[michelle]

I can understand that daycare is exspensive, i have a child too. But it is flat out WRONG to leave a 5 year old little boy home. That is Child Endangerment. There is no reason at all to have done this.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

The guy wasn't even working his own shift. He was FILLING in for a friend. I think any mitigating circumstances that he might have tried using are erased by that fact. He didn't even have to be at work during those hours. If you don't have a babysitter, you tell your friend NO.

 

[lisag]

There is no good enough excuse to leave a 5 year old home a one for 8 minutes, let alone 8 hours!!!!

This breaks my heart.

 

[Marie]

PRAYERS, TEARS FOR ERIK
5-year-old fire victim laid to rest

[font=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]LAWYER URGES LENIENCY[/font] Dad surrenders in son's death
"There's a saying in law that extreme justice is often extreme injustice," Plaza said in front of television cameras outside the police station. "I think that bringing these criminal charges, to criminalize what happened here is totally unfair. When all the facts and circumstances are made public, I don't believe you will have 12 men and women in Middlesex County who will (agree with) the charges against Kevin Sturgis. They are absolutely unjustifiable in this case."



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[bugs]

PRAYERS, TEARS FOR ERIK
5-year-old fire victim laid to rest

[font=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]LAWYER URGES LENIENCY[/font] Dad surrenders in son's death
"There's a saying in law that extreme justice is often extreme injustice," Plaza said in front of television cameras outside the police station. "I think that bringing these criminal charges, to criminalize what happened here is totally unfair. When all the facts and circumstances are made public, I don't believe you will have 12 men and women in Middlesex County who will (agree with) the charges against Kevin Sturgis. They are absolutely unjustifiable in this case."


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I agree. At least this was not your dead beat Dad. He was trying to raise his son and provide the best way he knew how. He made a bad judgement call which I am sure if we look at our lives there may have been times we haven't always made the wisest decisions, that even goes for our parents when we were being raised. Yes it is so sad that this little guy died in the fire and I know we can't look past that. This is a difficult one.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

I agree. At least this was not your dead beat Dad. He was trying to raise his son and provide the best way he knew how. He made a bad judgement call which I am sure if we look at our lives there may have been times we haven't always made the wisest decisions, that even goes for our parents when we were being raised. Yes it is so sad that this little guy died in the fire and I know we can't look past that. This is a difficult one.

I agree Bugs. Having said that, what do we say about this as a society? Whoops? Sorry? Bad idea? I don't think so. Like locking kids in a hot car, we just can't say "didnt' mean it"??? Like I said, I don't think he needs to go to prison, but something . . . its a toughie.

 

[michelle]

I agree. At least this was not your dead beat Dad. He was trying to raise his son and provide the best way he knew how. He made a bad judgement call which I am sure if we look at our lives there may have been times we haven't always made the wisest decisions, that even goes for our parents when we were being raised. Yes it is so sad that this little guy died in the fire and I know we can't look past that. This is a difficult one.

He made a fatal judgement call. Nobody is perfect, I may turn my head and my son may fall and bust his head, thats an accident. This father made a stupid choice, and I think he should suffer the consequences for it. JMO

 

[bugs]

He made a fatal judgement call. Nobody is perfect, I may turn my head and my son may fall and bust his head, thats an accident. This father made a stupid choice, and I think he should suffer the consequences for it. JMO

At the time of his "fatal judgement call" he never in a million years thought this would happen. Obviously if he did he never would have done it. At times we do things out of despiration or by doing what we think is the right thing at the time never knowing the outcome. Think of parents that allow their kids to spend the night away at friends and something happens that results in death (whatever that my be) was that a fatal judgement call to allow that child to be away at the friends house. This dad will kick himself forever, yet as I have stated before, something will have to be done or HORRIBLE parents will use this to their benefit.

 

[michelle]

At the time of his "fatal judgement call" he never in a million years thought this would happen. Obviously if he did he never would have done it. At times we do things out of despiration or by doing what we think is the right thing at the time never knowing the outcome. Think of parents that allow their kids to spend the night away at friends and something happens that results in death (whatever that my be) was that a fatal judgement call to allow that child to be away at the friends house.

Common Sense tells you that you do not leave a 5 year old home alone. I mean come on thats careless and now a boy is dead. It is not even comparable to a sleepover. I mean atleast at sleep overs we have adults there. And I never let my son stay anywhere but I am sure when he is older he will but I will know that an adult is there. This is a totally different situation then just being a "bad judgement call" This was endangerment that resulted in death. So I think that the Father should be held accountable. I know he will live with this forever and be kicking himself but he should have thought about what he was doing. JMO.

 

[GreenEyedGirl]

This story just breaks my heart all the way around. I can certainly understand why people are in an uproar over this guy leaving his 5-year old home alone. I guess I'm just seeing both sides of this. I understand where this father was coming from: he was doing what he could to provide for his only child. And, yet, I can also see why there is outrage involved. You should NEVER leave a child, especially that age, unattended. I worry about my 16-year old being a latch-key kid. There is no way I would have ever left her alone. But, some people just don't think of the possible outcomes of certain situations that they sometimes put themselves in. Such a tragedy.

 

[lymom3]

Another factor might be money. If he had no one else to help support the little guy, maybe he NEEDED that money to feed him and keep a roof over his head. Obviously he never intended for that to happen and I don't think many of us would leave a little guy like that alone but have any of us ever been in that kind of desperate situation? It's a no win for sure. He sounded like he wanted to do the right thing but didn't have any options on this particular day. I'm not justifying it or passing judgment, but who knows what set of circumstances made that situation occur....

jmo....

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Let's think about five year olds. They LOVE being the center of attention. They don't like being alone. Can we try and not only imagine how lonely and scared he might have been just being by himself, but can you try and imagine the SHEER TERROR he must have experienced when the house caught on fire??? Anyone ever been in a house that's on fire? His final minutes must have been a nightmare. I frankly don't care what the father's motives were. I also frankly don't care what he's going to put himself through for the rest of his life mentally. It can't compare with what that poor little baby must have been going through on the day that "dad" decided to do his friend a favor and leave the little guy alone.

 

[bugs]

Common Sense tells you that you do not leave a 5 year old home alone. I mean come on thats careless and now a boy is dead. It is not even comparable to a sleepover. I mean atleast at sleep overs we have adults there. And I never let my son stay anywhere but I am sure when he is older he will but I will know that an adult is there. This is a totally different situation then just being a "bad judgement call" This was endangerment that resulted in death. So I think that the Father should be held accountable. I know he will live with this forever and be kicking himself but he should have thought about what he was doing. JMO.

Michelle, you make excellent points. Common sense didn't play a part in this or did it. I am sure the father knew this wasn't the best he could do but at times when we are desparate we do stupid things without thinking it through. I don't let my kids go somewhere I feel uncomfortable with either. However, I can't be naive as a parent and pretend they are not going to try things - even with an adult present somewhere in the house.

This five year didn't deserve to die, however, jail for the Dad isn't what I feel needs to happen here.