M-80 injures boy; dad facing charges
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Brandon C. Barcus Sr. said he left the room for only a few minutes, but that was enough time for his 9-year-old son to explode an M-80 firework in his hand and enough for police to charge him with reckless endangerment.
The boy, who was badly injured, was taken first to Monongahela Valley Hospital, then transferred to Children's Hospital, where he was treated and released over the weekend.
Mr. Barcus, 37, of Belle Vernon, was visiting the home of his son's mother on Grand Street in Belle Vernon around 5:30 p.m. Saturday when the incident occurred.
Southwest Regional Police Chief John Hartman said the boy's mother had gone from the house to get food when the boy was injured.
He said after Mr. Barcus emptied the contents of his pockets onto the living room coffee table, leaving two M-80s, two packs of conventional firecrackers and a lighter within reach of the child, he left the room. While he was away, his son lit one of the M-80s and it exploded in his hand.
"One can only assume to understand that kids will be kids," Chief Hartman said. "The child sees this lying there, unattended, and hurts himself. ... I think clearly it's negligent, criminally negligent as far as we're concerned."
Mr. Barcus has been charged with endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangerment.
Chief Hartman said the fact that the fireworks were illegal was an aggravating circumstance, though Mr. Barcus was not charged with fireworks possession.
Neither Chief Hartman nor Pittsburgh attorney John Elash ever had heard of such a case with fireworks, but Mr. Elash agreed that it was plausible to file negligence charges. Mr. Elash compared it to cases in which a parent leaves a child unattended near an uncovered swimming pool or in the same room as a gun.
Though age 9 is borderline in terms of the child accepting some responsibility, Mr. Elash said he wasn't surprised that charges were filed.
"It's not unusual," Mr. Elash said. "The state feels that the welfare of the child takes precedent over any parental immunity. So if you put your child in a position of danger, you can be charged."
Dr. Larry M. Jones, chief of the division of multisystem trauma and director of the burn center at UPMC Mercy, said fireworks injuries peak at this time of year, with the Fourth of July approaching. But a public education program that the hospital has conducted in concert with the Pittsburgh Fire Bureau has resulted in reduced fireworks injuries in the city, he said.
Dr. Jones has seen many children even younger than Mr. Barcus' son for fireworks injuries, most often to the hands or face. Such injuries can result in long-term disabilities, he said, and at the very least ruin a good holiday.
"The Fourth of July is meant for family fun," Dr. Jones said. "And it's not fun for the family to be sitting in the waiting room of our emergency department or burn unit having your child treated."
First Published June 25, 2008 12:00 am
