[mbillie1]

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mbillie1,

Maybe they shouldn't be punished in a criminal sense, but they would almost assuredly lose a civil suit for being liable for the kid's death. Do you understand the difference?

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I do, I guess my argument against the civil suit is that I don't think monetary settlements should be used as an "easier conviction" substitute than the criminal courts. I can see how you would find them liable and not guilty of murder/etc, but I would also have some issue with that, because every time someone commits suicide (or a lot of other crimes - a husband killing an adulterous wife or whatever) there are other factors weighing into the decision... is someone automatically liable?

Eg if a husband kills his wife for cheating and goes to jail, can he still win a civil suit against the man she was cheating with since he participated in something he knows is going to horrendously upset someone? What if the husband killed himself instead?

edit: I realize that as things are, they could be found liable in fined. I guess I just don't agree with the way that occurs in society today, for the above reasons; I think it's very subjective.