CSM Michael J. Uhlig 577751 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Is this a case of parental neglect?<br /><br />How does the mom not know how her seven kids are living.....but ready to drop everything after they died to claim she would have helped them live?<br /><br />Does the power company share responsibility in the deaths of this family?<br /><br />Is the father solely responsible for the deaths of himself and his children?<br /><br />Is welfare to blame for the deaths because they did not give the family enough to pay their bills?<br /><br />Are both parents responsible, after all, they had more children than they could afford to support. right?<br /><br />Terrible that everyone wants to help AFTER THE FACT! What are your thoughts?<br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://news.yahoo.com/utility-removed-stolen-electric-meter-8-were-poisoned-195913163.html">http://news.yahoo.com/utility-removed-stolen-electric-meter-8-were-poisoned-195913163.html</a><br /> 2015-04-07T18:35:51-04:00 CSM Michael J. Uhlig 577751

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Is this a case of parental neglect?<br /><br />How does the mom not know how her seven kids are living.....but ready to drop everything after they died to claim she would have helped them live?<br /><br />Does the power company share responsibility in the deaths of this family?<br /><br />Is the father solely responsible for the deaths of himself and his children?<br /><br />Is welfare to blame for the deaths because they did not give the family enough to pay their bills?<br /><br />Are both parents responsible, after all, they had more children than they could afford to support. right?<br /><br />Terrible that everyone wants to help AFTER THE FACT! What are your thoughts?<br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://news.yahoo.com/utility-removed-stolen-electric-meter-8-were-poisoned-195913163.html">http://news.yahoo.com/utility-removed-stolen-electric-meter-8-were-poisoned-195913163.html</a><br />

2015-04-07T18:35:51-04:00 2015-04-07T18:35:51-04:00 SFC Mark Merino 577755

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Is there a link for this? I am not aware of this story.

2015-04-07T18:37:28-04:00 2015-04-07T18:37:28-04:00 SSG Private RallyPoint Member 577794

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>This is all too common. Today people feel entitled and not accountable. Having kids takes two, if you're going to pop them as much as a popcorn machine pops corn in any given movie night and expect society to pick up the tab then be prepared for hardship. It's no accident. People want instant gratification, and it truly had hardened my stance on empathy. That is just lacking in morals, congratulation on taking God out of our schools and glorifying Hollywood. I'm sorry for the children they're the only victims here, and nature just took its course, survival of the fittest. I know some of you will disapprove, but there's point where were you are held accountable. I am. All the troubles I get for stupid stuff I've done, I have owned them. Even when I'm down, I clean up dust off count my blessings and move in, just Charlie Mike

2015-04-07T18:59:59-04:00 2015-04-07T18:59:59-04:00 Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS 577819

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>There is no blame to be had. This was an unfortunate incident.<br /><br />Let's look at the sequence of events:<br /><br />Parents are divorced, and it appears the family (Father &amp; Children) move several times. Mother was paying child support until she lost them in one of the moves. The location they moved into has "inactive" electricity (sounds like the meter was never disconnected). They use electricity until the error is noted, and the power company removes a meter that should not be there. Father acquires generator to provide power for the house. Family dies 3 days later from CO poisoning.<br /><br />This was not a monetary issue. The power wasn't disconnected because of non-payment, therefore let's take blame away from the Child Support &amp; Welfare points. Additionally, the power company had no way of knowing there was a family living there. They merely reclaiming what was essentially an abandoned item. <br /><br />That leaves the father (and possibly who he rented the property from). After power was shut off, he took immediate action by buying a generator to keep his family warm.<br /><br />Based on that, he made a mistake in bringing the generator inside, but I have a hard time ethically throwing blame at him for that mistake. He was trying to do right, and made a mistake. <br /><br />Ethically, what mistake was made? I can't see one. All I see is an unfortunate accident.

2015-04-07T19:11:38-04:00 2015-04-07T19:11:38-04:00 SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA 577834

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>It's a sad situation, to be sure.<br /><br />The power company acted correctly. They are certainly not to blame. The family was stealing electricity; this behavior causes problems for the Free Market system.<br /><br />According to the article, the man had full custody. As I understand it, this means that the woman did not have responsibilities beyond child support. I do find it unusual that the woman did not have custody of the children, as it says she was the breadwinner. I thought that the mother normally gets the kids in a divorce, and I would expect it would be even more so if she is also the one making money. No, it was not her fault. Being behind on child support doesn't mean she's at fault for their deaths.<br /><br />It's certainly not 'welfare's' fault, especially since he didn't even ask for assistance with his utility bills.<br /><br />The fault lies with the father. He had a responsibility to pay his own bills, and to not choose dangerous methods of powering his home. There was help available that he declined. The article indicates that the woman lost track of him after he moved; if this is true, then he did not even make the effort to keep her updated on his address so she could send him the money she owed them.

2015-04-07T19:22:26-04:00 2015-04-07T19:22:26-04:00 Capt Private RallyPoint Member 577835

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I did not vote as I do not see an option that is appropriate to this. So much wrong here. And so many unanswered questions.<br /><br />For all those who are involved my deepest sympathy.

2015-04-07T19:24:36-04:00 2015-04-07T19:24:36-04:00 SFC Charles S. 577847

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Nobody wins in this story, everyone is a loser. Too sad that it happened at all.

2015-04-07T19:35:27-04:00 2015-04-07T19:35:27-04:00 1SG Private RallyPoint Member 577860

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>This is a tragic situation, where several mistakes were made, but the children are dead because the father didn&#39;t know about the dangers of Carbon Monoxide.<br />Woulda, coulda, shoulda has no bearing here.<br />I&#39;m quite sure mom wishes she would have done something differently. Undoubtedly, there is a reason dad had sole custody. She will have to live with the results of her decisions.<br />But she gets to live.<br /><br />Sometimes life is unfair.

2015-04-07T19:40:23-04:00 2015-04-07T19:40:23-04:00 PV2 Private RallyPoint Member 577889

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I think it&#39;s a sad case of a man working to try to take care of his kids on his own and doing what he can and poor judgment. I think it&#39;s rather sad that the mother who abandoned the kids is now coming forward for the pity party. I think Delmarva should have followed up when they removed the meter to make sure there were no occupants. It&#39;s sad and tragic all around. My deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

2015-04-07T19:58:58-04:00 2015-04-07T19:58:58-04:00 Cpl Jeff N. 577900

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>It is a tragedy for sure but it is not an accident. There is a long list of bad decisions made by the father and mother that finally cost the children (and the father) their lives. <br /><br />It starts with a bad marriage (bad decision) then there is an assault and prison time (bad decision) then 7 children (bad decision likely based upon ability to take care of them). A divorce (she had little choice considering his violence toward her). She does not keep track of her kids (bad decision). <br /><br />The power company said the meter was stolen (bad decision if he was stealing power). He put a generator in the house (bad decision). <br /><br />He might have been a good Dad doing the best he could so I am not judging his motives or intentions only the reality that this was a long line of decisions and actions that lead to the outcome. <br /><br />If you root cause this and start asking the whys, where I ended up pretty quickly was the stolen power meter. What I don't is why they had a stolen power meter. Was it no money to pay the bill, was he trying to cut corners, I don't know but suspect it was a money issue. Why he didn't apply for funding he appeared to be able to get is still a mystery too.<br /><br />8 people are tragically dead.

2015-04-07T20:05:28-04:00 2015-04-07T20:05:28-04:00 TSgt Joshua Copeland 577908

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>How does the mom not know how her seven kids are living.....but ready to drop everything after they died to claim she would have helped them live?<br /><br />Not that this is a good thing, but I question why the father had custody of the kids when the "system" heavily favors nature mothers over fathers. <br /><br />Does the power company share responsibility in the deaths of this family?<br /><br />No, they did the safe and legal thing to do.<br /><br />Is the father solely responsible for the deaths of himself and his children?<br /><br />Yes, anyone with a few brain cells to rub together knows you cant run an engine indoors. Generators (at least everyone I have seen) have a warning label saying such.<br /><br />Is welfare to blame for the deaths because they did not give the family enough to pay their bills?<br /><br />NO! We dont know if they were on welfare and it is beyond their scope. Maybe CPS...<br /><br />Are both parents responsible, after all, they had more children than they could afford to support. right?<br /><br />Both are responsible not because of how many children they had, but because they were THEIR children.

2015-04-07T20:13:05-04:00 2015-04-07T20:13:05-04:00 CW2 Joseph Evans 577910

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Every so often, events conspire to create the perfect storm. This is tragic, but there was no one single event that killed this family beyond the ignorance of the father running a gas generator inside his house. <br />The power company was simply complying with regulations and could not know who was dependent on the power provided by the meter.<br />Welfare can not help people that do not come to them for help.<br />The ex-wife was overwhelmed. She could pay the child support, but if she didn't know where to send the checks, there isn't much that can be done.<br />Don't get me started on "Family Planning" in America...<br />The father was coping relatively well despite the stolen power situations. The family was making it, until he turned on a generator in the house and put everyone to sleep... forever.<br /><br />This sucks, but no one here had any intention of creating a situation like this, and there were many other things that could have happened to prevent it, but none of them did.

2015-04-07T20:14:42-04:00 2015-04-07T20:14:42-04:00 CW5 Private RallyPoint Member 577928

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>First of all, this is a tragic event. Extremely sad. Tragic.<br /><br />I didn't vote, <a class="dark-link bold-link" role="profile-hover" data-qtip-container="body" data-id="181746" data-source-page-controller="question_response_contents" href="/profiles/181746-csm-michael-j-uhlig">CSM Michael J. Uhlig</a>, because I would like to see an option for failure on the part of the father, the mother, the utility company, neighbors, friends, various government agencies, and "the system."<br /><br />I don't think the power company is solely or even primarily to blame. I do think they're defending themselves on a technicality, but I doubt they have the personnel to investigate every time somebody steals electricity or doesn't pay their bill. They have procedures in place to address those situations, and when those situations arise, the procedures kick in.<br /><br />With all the money that our government "throws around" at others, you would think there would be some for a man raising seven children. Was it ignorance on his part? Did he not have the time to investigate what was available to him because he was working? And I ask that in all seriousness, because if he had taken the route that many take - fully relying on the government and not bothering to work - he and his kids might be alive today.<br /><br />An extremely sad episode. I submit that the system failed this man. His family failed him. His neighbors failed him. His wife failed him. And he failed his children and himself.

2015-04-07T20:27:50-04:00 2015-04-07T20:27:50-04:00 Capt Richard I P. 577940

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Tragic. Parents own responsibility for their children, no one else.

2015-04-07T20:40:23-04:00 2015-04-07T20:40:23-04:00 MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca 577960

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>If you are married you raise a family together - you make decisions together and look out for the welfare of your children together, we all fall on tough times and municipalities and utility companies don't have sympathy for individual stories. This is a truly tragic and completely avoidable disaster.

2015-04-07T20:54:56-04:00 2015-04-07T20:54:56-04:00 SPC Angel Guma 578005

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>CSM-<br /><br />Respectfully, both are to blame. Its the biggest crime against humanity when children suffer and die because their parents have no moral responsibility. To me, this is as barbaric a crime against humanity as anything the Gestapo did. Don't have so many kids if you can't properly take care of them!

2015-04-07T21:19:03-04:00 2015-04-07T21:19:03-04:00 SGT Private RallyPoint Member 578063

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Oohhhh!!!! Im going to have a lot to say about this tomorrow! Gotta get on a computer

2015-04-07T21:56:28-04:00 2015-04-07T21:56:28-04:00 SSG Christopher K. 578556

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Its really hard to tell about blame in this. The situation is past blame here as it doesn't matter whose fault it was because the children are already deceased. <br />Without a doubt that father should have never had a gas powered generator running inside that house. That's common just common sense and just irresponsible. I do not see it as Delmarva Powers fault based on that fact that it was a stolen meter powering the house and there was no record of request to have the power turned on. They just did what they would have done on any other home as well.<br />Regardless of all this it is a tragic loss of life and I hope that this awful tragedy can educate others about the dangers of what seems to be something harmless.

2015-04-08T03:19:53-04:00 2015-04-08T03:19:53-04:00 CPT Private RallyPoint Member 578590

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>This is a shame. He was working but using the illegal meter was stealing. It is possible that pride got in the way. He was trying to do what he felt was right. This is a truly sad situation.

2015-04-08T04:02:58-04:00 2015-04-08T04:02:58-04:00 SGT Richard H. 578661

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I went with both parents being responsible. I don't know much about the situation other than what is mentioned here in the article, and I've learned over time that having ALL the facts is rarely a prerequisite on the journalist's part to the actual publishing of any article....but with that being said, both parents share a burden for the well being of their children and whether or not they live in the same household is pretty much irrelevant (until said responsibility is relieved by the state, which may have been the better option here).

2015-04-08T07:37:53-04:00 2015-04-08T07:37:53-04:00 CW3 Guy Snodgrass 578676

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>It appears to me that society (perhaps even our beloved military as well) have moved away from taking responsibility for one's own actions. The responsibility of taking care of ourselves and those we are responsible for has been "delegated" to others. Our society needs to move back to "personal responsibility", meaning we don't rely on "others" to take care of ourselves or those we are responsible for. Occasionally, everyone goes through a "hard time" but that should not be years and especially not generations. Some time ago discipline was "passed" to our educators. Now that "power" has been revoked and very few are being disciplined. We (society) need to get back to self-discipline and start taking our responsibilities more seriously and stop allowing (or forcing) the government to "keep us safe".

2015-04-08T07:51:20-04:00 2015-04-08T07:51:20-04:00 MSG Brad Sand 578731

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I am new to this story, but the father appears to have made a tragically bad choice.

2015-04-08T08:25:33-04:00 2015-04-08T08:25:33-04:00 SGT Private RallyPoint Member 578748

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>As a father, I couldn't imagine. I just couldn't. But responsibility where it's due, I think the father is to blame. I mean I have personally gone through winters in the midwest with no electricity, I've even lived out of my car before. I'm not in any of those situations now, but at no point did I ever think it would be a good idea to use a generator inside like that. (In my case it would have been something smaller, like my propane camp stove)

2015-04-08T08:39:12-04:00 2015-04-08T08:39:12-04:00 SSgt Private RallyPoint Member 578783

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div><br />Sir, I don't know if I can answer this one as it appears to be "too grey". It appears that he was doing all he was capable of (perhaps a case of he was in a position that was as high as he was capable of achieving in life?). Should the utility company have advised them that they disconnected everything? most likely, yes as it would have helped avoid this situation - they could have advised not to use interior generator due to the dangers presented.<br /><br />A sad situation all the way around.

2015-04-08T09:05:09-04:00 2015-04-08T09:05:09-04:00 SSG Richard Reilly 578858

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>This could be a matter of pride killing or just bad parenting. Either way now it is too late to point fingers. This should be a clear reason you should always be neighborly and check on them. A neighbor could have see the need and helped or said hey your generator can kill you inside. I would blame society. Today people have focused so much on themselves and their phone that they can't see people that need help around them.

2015-04-08T09:35:03-04:00 2015-04-08T09:35:03-04:00 SSG Paul Lanciault 578916

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>There's enough blame to go around. But not enough will bring back those kids. Too many cases of fractured families in America.

2015-04-08T10:01:12-04:00 2015-04-08T10:01:12-04:00 SGT Private RallyPoint Member 579003

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Where is the other?! I don't see the other!!!<br /><br />This is such a sad situation. But if I had to go, this is the way I would want to, while I was sleeping and not freezing to death or those cases where the daddy and mommy leave the infant in the car by accident (rolling eyes) in the middle of July.<br /><br />I don't understand why the stolen meter was "unsafe." It was a stolen meter and electricity should be shut off because it was a stolen meter, but how does one make it unsafe? I don't get it. Does the electric company feel better saying they shut service off because they were living in unsafe conditions or because they found a stolen meter and shut it off without giving them any options??<br /><br />Mom leaves kids, I mean look at it!! If she were stabbed that many times, and daddy did 16 months, what judge in their right mind would let daddy keep the kiddos? It is next to impossible for the dad to get custody. I guarantee you she signed over papers to him and she wasn't paying any child support. No doubt. Now she is in the picture (much like Michael Browns mom. She didn't want him, left him with g-ma but suddenly cares so she can show up on the BET awards) because of the limelight. It's disgusting.

2015-04-08T10:39:09-04:00 2015-04-08T10:39:09-04:00 SSG John Erny 579027

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>This is a tough question to answer; firstly you emotions want to answer the question. It is hard to give a rational unbiased answer when children are hurt. The poor guy who had to disconnect the meter probably feels like the depths of hell. The corporate fat cats in charge are probably going into damage control mode to save face, on the other hand they have customers by the family jewels as there are few option when it comes to utilities. <br /><br />The father buys a generator to protect his family, and runs it inside of the home! His intentions were most honorable; however, he did not get the concept that internal combustion engines give off toxic gases. This is hard for me to understand but I come from a rural area and have worked with equipment all my life. I suppose some one not having been raised in an environment where you work with engines and motors may have never learned this most basic of safety rules. <br /><br />Did the father ask for help? Pride comes before the fall. I think most people who were not strapped them selves would have pitched in, I know I would have. Did anyone in the family have the means to help them out of the situation that led to a tragic ending?<br /><br />Are the mother and father to blame for having a large family; well, hind sight is twenty twenty. Therefore it is not a rational question because the children were born and then died. The problem is the here and now and what can be done to prevent this from happening again? <br /><br />Having worked for a utility company I can tell they don't care at the highest levels when some one looses service for non payment. Unless there is threat of legal recourse, profit is King. The folks at the lowest levels are forced to do the dirty work of disconnecting services and making the rude collection calls. On the other hand can a business stay solvent if they are forced to leave services on for those who do not pay their bills? In some areas where the economic situation is bleak the answer is no, businesses too have bills and wages to pay. The generating facilities will not give energy to a distribution company and the businesses that provide the Coal, Gas, or what ever else are not going to give their product away. <br /><br />We as a people have to improve the socioeconomic conditions for all Americans. This no simple task and I am not the expert to give the solution. I do no that far to many things are made in places other than the USA. Bringing Jobs home is one part of the puzzle in my opinion. Labor unions demanding wages that are unsustainable is also a problem. So who is to blame? To some degree we all are CSM Michael J. Uhlig.

2015-04-08T10:50:39-04:00 2015-04-08T10:50:39-04:00 MSgt Steve Miller 579099

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Clearly a tragedy of epic proportion! While there is a fair amount of information in the article, I cannot help but think there is much more not offered. It’s a complete cluster that took eight lives, seven of which never had a chance to truly live and experience life. <br /><br />Difficult to blame the utility company, as it would seem they were in their rights to remove the stated illegal and unsafe connection. Further, they were not contacted after disconnect.<br /><br />Difficult to blame the father as he was man enough to take on full custody of seven, worked, and purchased a generator to keep his children warm. He was clearly trying to take care of his children. <br /><br />Difficult to blame the State, unless the father asked for help and was turned away. Perhaps the father feared he might lose his children to foster care homes if it were determined he was not capable of providing. <br /><br />Difficult to blame the mother unless the father contacted her and stated the issue. The father had full custody, and the report did not say what visitation was awarded to the mother after the divorce. <br /><br />Yet, there must be accountability. The father is mostly to blame because he had full custody, and failed to know the dangers of carbon monoxide. Yet, I’m sure the mother will most likely never move past the end result of her failed marriage. I’ve witnessed a couple completely fall apart after the death of their child. I cannot imagine what it would be to lose seven.

2015-04-08T11:22:32-04:00 2015-04-08T11:22:32-04:00 PO3 Steven Sherrill 579142

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>The problem with this is that it the article is missing some key information. One it does not say who it was that had installed the stolen/illegal meter. THe house was a rental so if the illicit meter was installed by the home owner, then the home owner and the power company are absolutely complicit in this tragedy. The article states that the electricity wasn't cut because of late payment/non payment. It states that it was cut due to the illicit meter. Why weren't the police notified that a stolen and or illegal meter had been installed? <br /><br />I live in Florida, when we have been without power following hurricanes, my neighbors have used generators outside. It is annoying, but they are within their rights to have it running. It is nice that the father was trying to be respectful of his neighbors, but running that generator indoors without proper ventilation was not smart. <br /><br />The article states "Maryland regulations allow utility companies to terminate service without notice if the utility finds a condition on the customer's premise is hazardous or the customer has tampered with the utility's equipment." They should still be required to explain why they did terminate the service without notice.<br /><br />Additionally the article states "Later Tuesday, the utility revealed that the rental home never had legal power while the Todds lived there. The utility said the electricity had been disconnected in October, and there was no request to reconnect it after the family moved there in November." <br />This indicates that the owner of the property was at least aware that something was not right.<br /> <br />The state seems to also have some responsibility in this as they left the children with a man who had stabbed his domestic partner. The mother of the children stated that he had never been abusive toward the children, but that he had been abusive toward her. How long would it be before he turned the attention that gone to her onto the children? Abuse is not only a crime, it is a disease. It is not something that just goes away. <br /><br />There is enough blame in this disaster for everyone.<br />The dead father should not have run that generator indoors, and should have applied for available assistance. He does get points for working, and making an effort not to live on welfare. <br />The mother should have taken custody of the children, she should have known where her children were living, and what conditions they were living in. <br />Both parents should have invested in birth control if they were not going to be able to support a family of that size. <br />The power company has some responsibility just from the way that the situation was handled by them. Cutting the power is one thing, but not informing the resident as to the reason why is ridiculous. IF the father was unaware of the power situation, it could possibly have been resolved simply by communicating what was going on. Maybe they could have worked with him to get proper power running to the house.<br />Finally the state holds their blame in letting those children remain in that situation. Between documented domestic abuse to inability to provide for the children, the state should never have awarded this man custody of those children. If their mother did not want custody, then they should have been made wards of the state.<br /><br />I will close this rant by saying this whole tragedy should have been avoided. It could have been avoided. The only true victims in this tragedy are the seven children who went to bed one night, and never woke up.

2015-04-08T11:44:04-04:00 2015-04-08T11:44:04-04:00 MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P 580653

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Honestly, I can't vote on this one. I don't know enough of the actual facts of the case to make an informed opinion.<br /><br />On the surface, this looks like an extreme case of simple mistakes leading to a tragic conclusion. With what little I know of the situation, I don't think it's possible to say, "This thing here is the cause."

2015-04-08T22:14:33-04:00 2015-04-08T22:14:33-04:00 SFC Private RallyPoint Member 581574

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Not trying to be malicious here, but it begs to question how anyone can be sure he didn't know what the carbon monoxide would do...

2015-04-09T11:06:19-04:00 2015-04-09T11:06:19-04:00 2015-04-07T18:35:51-04:00