A five year old boy, who played without parental supervision, shot down a sculpture of a cultural center in Kansas (United States) valued at $ 130,000. Now, parents must pay the value of the piece of art, but have claimed to be very offended by the treatment received and blame the museum for what happened.
It is not the first time that we echo similar situations: accidents with important material consequences that surely they could have been avoided with the corresponding vigilance and attention of the child.
A fine of $ 132,000
The events occurred last May in the city of Kansas (United States), when a couple and their four children were invited to a wedding reception at a local cultural center called Tomahawk Ridge, in Overland Park.
As reported by local media, the parents chatted with the boyfriends in the hall, outside the plane of the images captured by the security camera of the building, oblivious to the games and races of the children.
In the video you can see a group of women talking (so we just commented above, we imagine that none of them is the mother of the child who caused the accident), while the five-year-old and another child (we do not know if it's his brother or some friend) they run around the room.
That's when the sculpture catches the attention of the child who start climbing up the pedestal until the piece comes over. At that time, the women witnesses of the incident come to look for the person in charge of the museum and the children run away.
The sculpture, called "Aphrodite of Kansas City" It was for sale for $ 132,000 (approximately 114,000 euros) and according to its author, Bill Lyons, the damage he has suffered in the head and arms cannot be repaired. The piece was made of glass and other materials, and in the words of its author had been the "most ambitious creation of his career", which had taken him two years to complete.
Days later the family received a letter from the insurance company of the cultural center claiming the value of the artistic piece, where the following heading could be read:
"This loss occurred when your son was in a closed area of the property and collapsed a glass sculpture. You are responsible for the supervision of a minor, and your lack of vigilance is considered negligent."
The parents of the child hope that their insurance can take care of the damages, but they have shown very offended and outraged by the treatment received and accuse those responsible for the cultural center of not watching the sculpture and that it was not properly anchored to the pedestal.
"It did not occur to me to think that if they invite us to a place where children can also go, I would have to be worrying if a work of art of $ 132,000 fell on one of my children" - expressed the mother in statements to ABC News
"I was surprised and offended to be called negligent. They are treating this as the scene of a crime ... My son has not broken the sculpture in a premeditated and malicious way, but it fell on him. He was not safe in any way."
Those responsible have admitted that while the sculpture was not fixed to the pedestal permanently, it was not an "interactive piece of art", and they had never had any problem with any other work of art:
"We have never encountered this situation. No children who climb the sculptures have visited us"
Children are the responsibility of their parents
The economic damages aside, this case reminds me of another one we saw a few months ago in which a child was accused of destroying the makeup display of a cosmetics store.
On that occasion there were no security cameras or anyone who witnessed the scene, but it was immediately assumed that the person responsible for such destruction had been a minor, simply because a child was seen leaving the establishment minutes before.
But this time there are cameras and in the images the child is clearly seen breaking the sculpture, but in my view, he is not to blame for what happened.
Definitely, the absolute responsibility of that child is his parents and they should not have let him run freely around the room, because in this case we talk about material damage, but what if the child had been hurt by falling on the piece?
We who have young children know that these are unpredictable. They are curious by nature and everything catches their attention. They run, jump, explore ... and it occurs to them to do things that logically do not occur to adults to do.Therefore It is our responsibility to always be aware of them, ensuring their safety and constantly educating them in respect for other people's things, street furniture and of course art.
The parents of the child complain that there was no one watching the sculpture, and although it is true that the absence of vigilantes can attract attentionIn no case do I believe that third parties should be held responsible for the supervision of your own child.
However, I consider that the cultural center is also partly to blame for not correctly fixing the statue to the pedestal, because in view of what happened it was a serious danger the way it was placed.
I can not imagine the task so great that it has to be to pay a fine of such amount! parents.
It is true that a moment of carelessness we can have anyone, but judging by the images that child had to take a good time without supervision (remember that parents do not even appear on the scene, so it can be assumed that the child came from another room).
I believe that these parents must assume the consequences, learn from what has happened and, above all, not blame others. Why we are an example for our children, and apologize, take responsibility for our actions and reflect on what happened, is part of the education we must give them.
What do you think about it? How do you think this incident could have been avoided?
IStock photos
Via ABC News
In Babies and More, what would you do if your child were responsible for such a destruction in a store? Be careful! A child breaks a painting worth 1.5 million dollars in a museum, Asking our children for forgiveness when we are wrong: shows weakness or teaching ?, How to teach our children that punishment does not matter, but the consequences of their acts
