Dad Charged For Not Using Enough Sunblock On 12-Year-Old
Is it just me, or is an overzealous prosecutor looking to make a name for herself perhaps going off the deep edge on this one? Of course, such is the stuff of which DUMB@$$E$ are made.
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.
The boy was severely burned as a result, authorities said.
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.
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.
There may, or may not, be an issue here that needs to be dealt with. Does it rise to the level of criminal child abuse? We're talking about a case where a man could potentially spend 18 months behind bars for, what, "insufficient use of sunblock"? McKelvie may be not be the most observant parent, but is he guilty of criminal child abuse?
Certainly Ms. Hoerner, while diligent in the pursuit of her duties, would seem to have taken this unfortunate situation into a place it doesn't deserve to be. I'm sure that Hoerner is not lacking for real criminals- rapists, murderers, drug dealers- to prosecute. Shouldn't this case be more logically handled by New Jersey's Child Protective Services (or whatever name it goes by)?
