How would you feel if your child breaks a precious sculpture, and then you’re asked to pay $132,000 US dollars for it?
That’s exactly what happened to the parents of a little boy who, while playing, accidentally toppled over a glass sculpture.
Child Breaks a Sculpture by Accident, Parents Blamed
The city of Overland Park in Kansas in the US is seeking a payment of $132,000 from the parents of a young boy. This was after the boy accidentally toppled and broke a sculpture called “Aphrodite di Kansas City” by accident in a community center.
The boy and his parents were reportedly attending a wedding reception in the center. Both of the parents were saying their goodbyes while their son was playing near the sculpture.
The CCTV footage showed the young boy trying to climb the piece of art when it toppled over and almost fell on the boy.
A few days after the incident, the child’s parents received a letter from the City’s insurance company, asking them to pay $132,000.
The City Said that the Parents Were Negligent
The child’s mother, Sarah Goodman, is disputing the claim that the city made.
“No one would ever to expect that to come into a place that kids are invited and have to worry about a $132,000 dollar piece of art falling on their child,” she shares. “Because he didn’t maliciously break that. It fell on him. It was not secure, it was not safe – at all.”
“Maybe my son hugged a torso because he’s a loving, sweet nice boy who just graduated from preschool,” she adds.
Meanwhile, the insurance letter states that the parents had been negligent. “You’re responsible for the supervision of a minor child… your failure to monitor could be considered negligent,” the letter read.
City spokesman Sean Reilly shares, “We’ve had other pieces there [and] we’ve not had problems. We’ve not had this situation… we’ve not had kids climb on our pieces.”
The sculpture’s artist, Bill Lyons, examined the piece and said that it could not be repaired. “It’s beyond my capabilities and desires to rebuild it,” he added.
What do you think, moms and dads? If a child breaks a sculpture by accident, who is to blame?
Check out the video of the incident below:
Always Keep an Eye on Your Kids!
We can’t really say whether or not the parents were to blame in the story above. However, we agree that parents should always keep an eye on their children.
More than anything, it’s important to always make your child’s safety a number one priority. So, here are some key things to keep in mind:
- When you’re outside, make sure that you have a direct line of sight to your kids, and that in case anything happens, you can quickly run towards them.
- Be sure to know important emergency numbers should an untoward incident happen.
- If your child is playing in a park, make sure to check the park equipment for any rust, sharp spots, or anything that can injure or hurt your child.
- Teach your child to be careful and not to jump from high places or do anything risky.
- Dress your child properly, and make sure that they’re wearing proper shoes outside.
- Teach your child to avoid talking to strangers, and to immediately call your attention if they feel in danger.
Source: Fox News
Photo screencapped from: YouTube
READ: Why do well-meaning parents raise spoiled kids?
Republished with permission from: theAsianParent Singapore