www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Awful Situation

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/21/boy.homicide/index.html
http://www.ncnewsmedia.com/archive/...ECTS_09/FEBRUARY/Houk_slaying/image0.htm

In a small rural area northwest of Pittsburgh near the City of New Castle, a 27 year old woman, Kenzie Houk, was murdered; she was pregnant and due in approximately two weeks. Her live in boyfriend's 11 year old son was arrested for shooting her in the back of the head with a shot gun as she lay in bed, the woman's 4 year old daughter found her and alerted a tree cutting company working nearby of her mother's death who then notified emergency services.

Although I do not know Kenzie, I have met her several times, her father lives down the road from my parents, so we've met in passing. It is a sad day for both families, one family lost a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, etc... and another family is about to lose a son, grandson, etc... The young boy is charged as an adult according to PA State Law and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. We can thank God that his life can be spared and not subjected to the death penalty and that he has the chance to repent.

I started this thread, because I think violence is something that we have become so accustomed to, through television shows, video games, music, etc... I fully believe that many of these things contributed to the development of this young boy's decision to take Kenzie's life. I think in this forthcoming season of the Great Fast that we can focus some of our prayers, especially today as we celebrate Forgiveness Vespers, on peace and love, for an end to all forms of violence and a change in our society. A change that we will no longer tolerate violence as forms of entertainment, as the basis to our music and the object of our news stories.

I do not know of this young woman's spiritual path or much of her life, but I pray that she find eternal rest and blessed repose to the Handmaid of God, Kenzie.

Also, eternal memory and blessed repose for the unborn child.

The warden of the Local Jail is petitioning to have the child moved to a juvenile detention center. I believe this would also be in his best interest because a jail is no place for an 11 year old boy.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29314843/

prayers.
nun Alexandra

It saddens me so much when I see the situations we place our children into as a society. There are so many victoms here that it is very hard to tell who is who.

So prayers for the young woman, the unborn baby, the father of both children, the boy as well as extended family members and friends. May God grant them peace in life and death.

Kathleen Elsie

Very sad to see it on the news. Prayer that God have mercy on all those effected.

Hospodi Pomyluj!

I saw this on the news. What is this world coming to?

"I fully believe that many of these things contributed to the development of this young boy's decision to take Kenzie's life."

This is a horrible end for a jealousy for a father's love that developed into hatred. This case will be a challenge to any juvenile judge.

I will be praying for all those who have been touched by this tragedy; especially for the boy, that he finds God's love.

Terry

Lord have mercy on all involved!

Our society and the entertainment that feeds it with demonic and evil suggestions and ideas is spiritually sick.

In Greek, such moments which destroy lives, moments of bad decision or bad luck are called 'i kakia ora', the 'bad hour' and have the understanding that they are brought on by the evil one. Truly one such 'bad hour' results in tragedy for so many.

That is why prayer is so desperately needed for each and every day, for us and our families. The evil one is eager and ready to pounce.

That is why they also say in Greek: 'May God protect us from the bad hour'. AMEN to this.

Kyrie Eleison!

In Christ our Lord and Saviour,
Alice

I saw this story on our local news this morning, too. What I don't understand when a child uses a firearm to harm or kill someone else is where is the parental supervision.

I grew up learning about firearms and how to respect them. I was also never permitted to have one in my possession without my father's or my uncle's direct supervision. NEVER any exception. And we never had a loaded firearm in the house. Ammunition was transported separately from the firearm to the places where we hunted or where we went for target practice. In fact, to this day I don't know where the key is the gun cabinet in my parents' home. I haven't had any reason to ask, but you get the drift.

This young man had a small version of a 12 gauge shotgun in his room. He obviously had his own ammo. What's up with that????????

We've had story after story about children playing with firearms that turn out to be loaded and one has ended up dead. What about the adults in these stories????????

BOB

Prayers for all involved, most especially Kenzie's 2 beautiful little girls who are left motherless. The picture that I saw of them with her, all three smiling and happy, was heartbreaking in the circumstances.

The child apparently received the youth model 20 gauge shotgun for Christmas this past year to use for hunting when he turns 12. We too never kept ammunition with our guns, even to this day as I no longer hunt I do not even have any ammo in my house ,but I still have my guns locked up.

I think this bring to the forefront more issues that we are uncomfortable dealing with as society, such as gun restrictions, registering of all firearms, etc...

Erie Byz:

Naw. To me it's a matter of common sense handling of objects that are dangerous. To me it goes to the question of who is the adult in the house. I was well over 25 when I left home for the last time and my father still was the alpha male who controlled access to all firearms in the house. Same held true in the homes of his father and all my uncles.

BOB

Same with my home. Our long guns and hand guns are controlled by the adults.
I am saddened that this child was placed in the situation that he felt that this was his only solution. How sad and how telling of our society.

Kathleen Elsie

We are only begining to reap what we have sown as a nation!
The worst is yet to come.
Stephanos I

This is very sad.

If one wants to think about gun control however, you have to look at the statistics of how many people own guns and how many accidents there are. I imagine very few.

This case is shocking due to it being very abnormal and rare.

Yes, parental supervision was indeed lacking here.

When I was 13 we were allowed to go squirrel hunting with our .22's whenever we wanted, but each child is different so I don't think you can put an age on when someone is responsible.