Seven-year-olds might be temperamental and difficult, but they're never really dangerous. Or at least that's what I thought, until police and fire departments in Alaska announced that a boy of that age was responsible for at least five arsons in the past four to five months!
The shocking discovery was made after authorities began investigating the creation of several small fires, including an outside grass fire and some set in the restrooms of a local elementary school. The boy, whose name is being withheld, was caught after surveillance footage at the school building captured him entering and exiting the bathroom in the building the same time as one of the fires.
After authorities interviewed the boy at the home of his legal guardian, his grandmother, he admitted to starting the fires with a lighter he found. Police still aren't sure what led the boy to start the fires in the first place, but they estimate that he caused around $1,000 in damages. And they believe he could be responsible for other past fires as well!
Still, the boy won't be going to jail. Instead, his case will be handed over to a youth probation officer.
Fire marshals say that they believe his grandmother will be "a big help making sure that the boy understands what he's doing."
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Well, jeez, I should hope so! But, that's easy to say after the fact. Where was she while all of this was occurring? I mean, how the hell did this kid go around lighting things on fire for so long without anyone noticing? Don't little kids leave trails of their misconduct all over the place, like dirty footprints in the hallway and sticky handprints on the walls? He must be one sneaky 7-year-old to be able to hide his possession of a lighter for so long! My abuela would never let me wander around by myself, let alone be careless enough to overlook any pyro tendencies (which this boy clearly has!).
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The whole incident is so dangerous not just for him, but for everyone else in the areas as well. He's just lucky that he didn't hurt anyone or cause any serious damage with his fires. I sincerely hope his grandma is keeping a much closer eye on him now and that he has learned his lesson. Fires are no joke — for anyone, especially 7-year-olds!
What do you think of this story? What would you have done if this was your child?
Image via Esther Gibbons/flickr
