When I was 16, many years ago, I used to babysit my neighbor’s children. One evening their 5-year-old son pointed a revolver at me. I managed to coax him to give me the gun. To him it was a toy.
When I told his parents, they were shocked. They thought it had been locked in a safe. Thank goodness it was not loaded. I shudder to think what could have happened if there had been bullets in that gun.
Earlier this month a 2-year-old injured his parents with a loaded gun that was on their nightstand. LD 759 is a bill before the Maine Legislature that addresses safe storage of weapons. I am in support of that bill.
I am a retired school teacher. Most of my career I taught kindergarten. I know how impulsive young children can be. Like the child I was babysitting, they do not realize the power of a loaded gun.
As a teacher I was a mandated reporter for child abuse and neglect. Leaving a loaded weapon lying around so that a child has access to it is an example of neglect. The consequences of such neglect are injury or even death. LD 759 is an attempt to save lives.
My neighbor was a responsible gun owner. His gun was not loaded. I might not be here today if that had not been the case.
Cathy Harris, Mechanic Falls
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