Starting the New Year off with a Bang

Before you ask, this is a true story, even I couldn't think up this.


JACKSON, Ohio – Police say a 4-year-old boy in southern Ohio shot his babysitter because the sitter accidentally stepped on his foot. Police said 18-year-old Nathan Beavers and several other teenagers were babysitting several young children in a mobile home in Jackson on Sunday when the shooting occurred.

Witnesses told police the 4-year-old retrieved the shotgun from a bedroom closet and shot Beavers. Police said the child was angry because Beavers accidentally stepped on his foot.


Beavers was hospitalized with minor pellet wounds to his arm and side.

Police say another teen was also injured with shotgun pellets.


Jackson County Sheriff John Shashteen said authorities are investigating the shooting. The child has not been charged.

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I remember as a child we went through baby-sitters on a somewhat regular bases. To be honest I don’t remember most of their names, however Mom still does. She likes to recount people who babysat us and ask me about them. I remember outstanding details like – that was the one who made me a good sandwich - after that it gets fuzzy.

I’m not sure why they couldn’t hang with multiple outings with the Day children. It could have been our parents were both teachers so pay would be on the low side. That seems kind of fair as they were trained professionals who weren’t paid much to baby-sit. It would seem ludicrous for them to pay a teenager more per hour than they made themselves! Maybe they didn’t know how to handle Steven and me trying to kill each other. We were never successful in our efforts, but it wasn’t from lack of trying. I know we looked like angels, but it really was the lighting in those old pictures.

I will admit when I was a younger child I was rather clingy. I have an excuse - I was very small for my age and I think I had a fear of being stomped on. The constant beatings from my brother did little to elevate this fear. I do take credit for this driving one babysitter away, you can still see the notch I made in my nightstand, away, but I don’t remember that being an issue with anyone else.

Now I realize those babysitters were damn lucky to have us, as we never popped a cap in any of them!