Posted on 10/12/2007 11:02:32 AM PDT by Slapshot68
"The mother of a 14-year-old who authorities say had a cache of guns, knives and explosive devices in his bedroom for a possible school attack was charged Friday with buying her son three weapons.
Michele Cossey, 46, bought her home-schooled son, Dillon, a .22-caliber handgun, a .22-caliber rifle and a 9 mm semiautomatic rifle, authorities said.
The teenager felt bullied and tried to recruit another boy for a possible attack at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, authorities said. His mother was not accused of helping plot an attack, "but by virtue of her indulgence, she enabled him to get in this position," Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr. said.
"This is not the best parenting I've ever seen and she needs to be held accountable," Castor said.
Acting on a tip from a high school student and his father, police on Wednesday found the rifle, about 30 air-powered guns, swords, knives, a bomb-making book, videos of the 1999 Columbine attack in Colorado and violence-filled notebooks in the boy's bedroom, Castor said.
The mother bought the rifle, which had a laser scope, at a gun show on Sept. 23 and provided police with a receipt, investigators said in court papers. The teenager said the two .22-caliber weapons were stored at a friend's house.
She was charged with unlawful transfer of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a minor, corruption of a minor, endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of reckless endangerment, and later released on bail. She did not comment at the hearing.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
aside from the whole part about her son being a bit whacko.. what’s wrong with teaching your children how to safely handle firearms?
Even this FReeper is shocked at the bulk of weapons in that house.
“aside from the whole part about her son being a bit whacko.. what’s wrong with teaching your children how to safely handle firearms?”
Nothing...where did I say otherwise?
“Safely” doesn’t include threatening another Columbine.
In another thread, a Freeper broke the news that this “cache” of “weapons” were air gun replicas, with about as much killing power as spitballs. This is a non-story.
What happened to the Hand Gernade that was in the initial articles? Maybe some overreaction from the media?
“Even this FReeper is shocked at the bulk of weapons in that house.”
I’m all for making sure my children know how to handle a firearm...I just don’t feel a need to 1) buy them their own at 14 and 2) buy them an arsenal.
They live in a pretty upscale area of Suburban Philly...I grew up near there. Not like they’re on a farm in the middle of Oklahoma.
not you, the article implies it by charging the mom with child endangerment and stuff.
“In another thread, a Freeper broke the news that this “cache” of “weapons” were air gun replicas, with about as much killing power as spitballs. This is a non-story.”
And swords, knives, bomb-making books, videos of Columbine, the fact that he told another kid about his intention...yeah no reason to be concerned at all.
97% of the guns displayed were Airsoft.
“not you, the article implies it by charging the mom with child endangerment and stuff.”
Ah I see...honestly I think the prosecution is going to have a tough time getting any of those charges to stick given the law in PA...which is why they throw a bunch at them hoping one will stick.
This is not a non-story. The article says that “Michele Cossey bought her son a .22-caliber handgun, a .22-caliber rifle, and a 9mm semiautomatic rifle.” The DA did say that he didn’t think an attack was imminent because there was no ammunition. But would you want to send your child to school knowing that another child has it in his heart to do this there? He had approached a friend to help him. I live close enough that this scares me a lot. Fortunately, my only child just graduated, but gone unchecked, this young man not only was troubled but could have been deathly trouble to other young people.
And for Gods sake don't tell the authorities about the two .22 caliber rifles, the .22 caliber pistol, the SKS carbine, and the replica swords we've purchased for 12 year old Lurker Jr.
Of course he doesn't get to store any of the firearms in his room. They stay locked in the safe of course.
L
“Why? Almost all the “weapons” were replicas that shot pellets”
Um, it only takes one REAL one to kill people. What does it matter that they showed off air guns? He had three very real ones his mom bought him...not to mention the swords, knives, bomb making books and Columbine videos.
The gun issue aside, there were real reasons to be concerned about this kid.
I have yet to see a law that prohibits the buying of these weapons. This woman bought these weapons, they were in her house and if her son takes them for a crime he is at fault and not the mother. Sounds to me like the anti-gun people are jumping to conclusions in this case. The anti-gun crowd and the anti-homeschooling crowd are enjoying everything about this case. Sheesh.
My dad gave me a .22 cal rifle for Christmas long, long ago. I never realized he was a criminal.
[Even this FReeper is shocked at the bulk of weapons in that house.]
Hmmm. Yesterday, many of the FReeper pundits were stating as fact that it was obvious, to even the most casual observer, the weapons displayed were ALL plastic replicas.
Strange. Might they have been in error?
“I have yet to see a law that prohibits the buying of these weapons.”
Well, one thing she’s being charged with is “unlawful transfer of a firearm” so while it’s not illegal to buy it, I guess you can’t give it to your kids?
Anyone else know about this?
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