Drink driver suicide. ALERT: thread contains heartlessness
Discussion
17 year old kid arrested for driving whilst pished up. Kills self two days later. The parents appear to hold the police to blame, but it strikes me that they might also consider how their son came to be so mentally vulnerable that this, one of life's adversities, tipped him over the edge.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 26th February 19:44
Fair point, and my apols. I have just seen an item about this on Ch 4 news. I'm looking for a link.
I am not heartless about teenage suicide, but the item adopted uncritically the idea that the questions had to be directed at the police and not at the undoubtedly sad and serious underlying mental health issues.
I am not heartless about teenage suicide, but the item adopted uncritically the idea that the questions had to be directed at the police and not at the undoubtedly sad and serious underlying mental health issues.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 26th February 19:44
k are they blaming the police.To be fair, now I have my hormones under control but my body sets its own agenda I find it hard to remember how I was when it was the other way around. When Dannielle Sparks dumped me, she no doubt falling in line with my mates who reckoned she was too good for me, I didn't go out for a couple of weeks. This was despite me having another girl 'in the wings' whom I knew fancied me who I was wondering whether to dump DS for. Yet I was heartbroken.
Illogical, captain.
Illogical, captain.
I heard the father on the radio today, I didnt get the impression they were blaming the police at all.
I get the impression they want it properly investigated and the law changing so that 17 year olds are treated as children by the police. According to the interview and reporter on Radio4 all aspects of European and international law as well as the legal system in the UK treat a 17 year old as a child, except for their treatment at a police station where they are regarded as as adult. Hence the parents were not told, couldn't speak with him about it to say it wasn't the end of the world etc.
Seems reasonable to me, I wouldn't class a 17 year old as an adult either. Nor most 18 year olds, but you've got to draw the line somewhere and that's a well established watermark.
I get the impression they want it properly investigated and the law changing so that 17 year olds are treated as children by the police. According to the interview and reporter on Radio4 all aspects of European and international law as well as the legal system in the UK treat a 17 year old as a child, except for their treatment at a police station where they are regarded as as adult. Hence the parents were not told, couldn't speak with him about it to say it wasn't the end of the world etc.
Seems reasonable to me, I wouldn't class a 17 year old as an adult either. Nor most 18 year olds, but you've got to draw the line somewhere and that's a well established watermark.
The bit that gets me about this is that after a bit of digging I find that he killed himself at home, and not in custody as I thought.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/feb/26/17-year-o...
I wonder how the conversation went when he got home. I'm guessing there wasn't a great deal of positivity.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/feb/26/17-year-o...
I wonder how the conversation went when he got home. I'm guessing there wasn't a great deal of positivity.
ILoveMondeo said:
I heard the father on the radio today, I didnt get the impression they were blaming the police at all.
I get the impression they want it properly investigated and the law changing so that 17 year olds are treated as children by the police. According to the interview and reporter on Radio4 all aspects of European and international law as well as the legal system in the UK treat a 17 year old as a child, except for their treatment at a police station where they are regarded as as adult. Hence the parents were not told, couldn't speak with him about it to say it wasn't the end of the world etc.
Seems reasonable to me, I wouldn't class a 17 year old as an adult either. Nor most 18 year olds, but you've got to draw the line somewhere and that's a well established watermark.
Not disagreeing with your sentiments but it seems a little disconnected to treat a 17 year old as child but allow them to drive. As you say a line is needed and on balance I agree with it being 18.I get the impression they want it properly investigated and the law changing so that 17 year olds are treated as children by the police. According to the interview and reporter on Radio4 all aspects of European and international law as well as the legal system in the UK treat a 17 year old as a child, except for their treatment at a police station where they are regarded as as adult. Hence the parents were not told, couldn't speak with him about it to say it wasn't the end of the world etc.
Seems reasonable to me, I wouldn't class a 17 year old as an adult either. Nor most 18 year olds, but you've got to draw the line somewhere and that's a well established watermark.
I certainly see the point about 17 vs 18 year olds, and think that a minor should in general be treated as a minor until 18, but in this case two days elapsed after release from custody before the youth committed suicide, during which time the parents would have had the opportunity to explain that the arrest and its likely consequences were not the end of the world. I comment that it seemed strange to me to hear a father describe his son's suicide notes as 'great', but we all deal with loss in different ways.
rohrl said:
I think people forget just how much responsibility we assume when we make the decision to drive a car on the road.
I think people forget just how much responsibility we assume when we make the decision to bring a child into this world. If this kid's parents are looking for someone to blame, a mirror might be useful.
GadgeS3C said:
Not disagreeing with your sentiments but it seems a little disconnected to treat a 17 year old as child but allow them to drive. As you say a line is needed and on balance I agree with it being 18.
Agreed but then in some countries they can drive at 16 (younger in others maybe?) and are still regarded as a child.The point being that all aspects of our law and European law regard them as kids, except when they are arrested, in police custody and being interviewed by the police. It's that disparity that I get the impression the father wants addressed.
I think the minimum driving age should probably be 18 anyway but that's another topic.
ILoveMondeo said:
I heard the father on the radio today, I didnt get the impression they were blaming the police at all.
Yep, I was listening as I drove in at about 8.35am. The father was by no means blaming the police nor detracting from the severity of his son's crime. He spoke sensibly and clearly over the issues (which you explain in better detail). I don't really feel I agree or disagree with his view but I think it's poor form that some may have jumped the gun without the correct details.
There was also the one recently of a promising sportsman topping himself after being caught for possession of cannabis, feeling that would effect his ability to take up a scholarship at an American college.
Somehow the Metro had deemed that he was caught with 60 pence worth of weed. Good knows how the police even found that small an amount...
Somehow the Metro had deemed that he was caught with 60 pence worth of weed. Good knows how the police even found that small an amount...
The problem is that we have multiple ages of consent. Make them all the same = simples.
What do we need?
1. The age at which one understands the consequences of one's actions.
2. The age at which one should be treated as an adult.
2. This can cover everything from deciding it's OK to get married, to looking after one's own financial affairs, to Mummy doesn't get a call when one has been a naughty boy.
What do we need?
1. The age at which one understands the consequences of one's actions.
2. The age at which one should be treated as an adult.
2. This can cover everything from deciding it's OK to get married, to looking after one's own financial affairs, to Mummy doesn't get a call when one has been a naughty boy.
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