There are so many times when children die from circumstances out of our control like incurable disease and freak accidents that no one saw coming. So I think that's what makes deaths that could have been prevented so incredibly tragic. Like the case in Utah this past Sunday in which toddler Richard Moore was killed while riding on his father's motorcycle.
I'm sure Shannon Moore, 48, had only the best of intentions when he took his 1-year-old son out for a ride on his motorcycle. I'm sure he was looking to do some fatherly bonding and figured they'd be fine since they were just riding around their apartment complex parking lot. But they weren't.
According to ABC, the boy was riding between his father and the handlebars; neither was wearing a helmet. They were going more than 10 miles an hour and took a corner too sharply, when Shannon lost control of the vehicle. The boy was thrown from the motorcycle, hit the pavement, and the motorcycle landed on top of him. He died at the scene.
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Neighbors said it wasn't the first time they'd seen the father and son on the motorcycle, but tragically this will be the last. While there is no law that prohibited what they were doing, there should be. Police Department Detective Levi Hughes told the station:
Even though laws don’t regulate the age of the passenger of a motorcycle, common sense has to dictate that kind of decision. If the passenger’s feet can’t reach the pegs and he can’t wear a helmet, he shouldn’t be put on a motorcycle. If you don’t listen to your own better judgment you will pay the ultimate price.
The fact is there aren't always rules and regulations telling us what to do with our children, but there are some things we should just know as parents not to do. Of course, while the father may or may not deserve the criminal charges he possibly faces, I'm sure he'll punish himself more than the law ever could, and there's nothing he can do to change what happened. At this point the best we can hope for is that his story serves as a warning to others, and perhaps prevents a similar, senseless tragedy from taking another innocent life.
Would you ever let your children ride on a motorcycle? What other senseless risks do you see people take with their children's lives?
Image via Elvert Barnes/Flickr
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Comments 103
I agree with Michelle I feel so badly for this father. I have been riding motorcycles since I was 2 and my children have also been riding their whole lives. When I was little I never wore a helmet but now my children wear them every time they get on the bike even if they are just riding around the block. The fact is no matter how much protective gear you put on your children when they are doing any type of activity things can still happen. My oldest daughter broke her thumb WATCHING a game of basketball! Things happen there isn't always an explanation and we can't always make sense of it. My heart goes out to this family and especially to this father who I am sure is as the article says is punishing himself way more they any judge will ever be able to.
I too agree this was an accident, however, it was completely avoidable. My daughter was 14mo old when she was hit by a foul ball at a softball game. The ball came from another field behind us so we never saw it coming and could not prevent it. As a result she suffered a brain bleed and seizure. She is 8yrs old today and still has physical and mental disabilities because of her injury. I would give anything to change that moment in our lifes and I'm sure this dad feels the same way. My heart goes out to this baby's family.
I have to agree with the above. My children have both been on my fathers bike. Being 4 and 8 they don't go often and always on our property but they do get on the bike. The only thing I didn't agree with is the line that said they don't make helmets that size. That isn't correct they do and he should have been wearing one. That being said I don't think that would have saved him. It sounds like the weight of the bike caused internal bleeding. My heart break for him and I know this will haunt him the rest of his life. How unfortunate.