Sep 20 2008
And the Darwin Parenting Award of the Year Goes To…
http://www.nbc30.com/news/17493910/detail.html?rss=har&psp=news Parents Of Toddler Who Shot Self In Head ArrestedSeptember 17, 2008
JEWETT CITY, Conn. — Three weeks after their 2-year-old son died after accidentally shooting himself, Wyatt Matteau’s parents have been arrested. State police arrested Jason and Rebecca Matteau just after 8:30 a.m. today at their Jewett City home. Jason Matteau, 27, was charged with criminally negligent storage of a firearm and risk of injury to a minor. Rebecca Matteau, 24, was charged with risk of injury to a minor.Warrants had been issued and Jason and Rebecca Matteau surrendered to state police in Montville Wednesday.
State police were called to a home on Green Avenue at 9:13 a.m. on Aug. 28 for a possible shooting incident and found Wyatt Matteau suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, police said last month.
The child was in extremely grave condition, received emergency care at the scene and was taken by ambulance to Backus Hospital in Norwich. He was pronounced dead about 11 a.m. at Hartford Hospital, state police said. Wyatt Matteau’s parents were home at time of the shooting, but were not in the same room, state police said in August.State police said “the child was able to access a weapon that was in the house when it discharged.”
Detectives investigated who is to blame.
“Common sense should tell you a weapon should not be able to be accessed by a child,” Lt. Paul Vance of State Police said in August. Jason and Rebecca Matteau were released on $50,000 bond and are scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 1. ……………………………………………………………………
This is an amazingly tragic accident. I grew up in Connecticut and sad to say there are stupid parents all over the nation. What 24 year old parent tells their 2 year old child not to play with a loaded gun? A common sense thing to do would be to grab the gun from the child’s hand. Now, Rebecca and Jason Matteau have to suffer the loss of their child. I admit it was not bright to leave a loaded gun within the child’s reach - most smart parents keep a gun locked away with the ammunition locked away separate from the gun. These two Nutmeg Yahoos are now in jail after making national headlines. Stupidity at its finest. The Matteau’s receive the Darwin Parenting Award of the year.
