Mom Billed for Blood Cleanup After Son Killed by a Drunk Driver - What do you think should be done with this bill?
Mom Billed for Blood Cleanup After Son Killed by a Drunk Driver
As if losing a child weren't enough, a mother in South Carolina has had an added burden loaded on her shoulder this month. She now has to pay to have the blood of her son cleaned off the street where he was killed by a drunk driver. It's the sort of bill that makes you wonder who wrote it: man or machine.
Loretta Robinson said she was having a hard enough time coming to terms with the loss of her eldest child, Justin Walker, when the bill came in. Written to him -- the deceased -- it demanded $50 for the municipality that had to send someone out to rid the street of evidence of the horrific tragedy. Talk about victimizing the victim!
I understand that times are tough, and cities and counties don't have a whole lot of wiggle room in their budgets. Taxpayers bear an awful lot of the burden as it is that a little creativity in finding funding is almost always in order ... almost.
But there's something about a bill sent to the family of a dead man to clean his blood from the highway that really rubs me the wrong way. It's so heartless that I have a hard time imagining the politician who suggested this little cost-saving measure. What's next? Telling rape victims the should have to pay to prosecute their rapist?
Here the Robinson family is, victims of a senseless crime, and the municipality is essentially blaming their son for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The real criminal here is Anna Gonzalez, an illegal immigrant who has been convicted in killing Justin, and who faces 17 years in prison ... but not the bill.
The people running local governments have to remember that they represent people, not just numbers. Those people may be taxpayers, yes, but they're human beings too. Something we taxpayers have to accept is that we pay for all pay for the services afforded crime victims because one day that could be our family on the receiving end of a little compassion.
What do you think should be done with this bill? Should Loretta Robinson have to pay to have her son's blood cleaned from the street or should the cost be written off?
i would ask them to prove that it was his blood-- I'd be willing to bet that though most of it might have been, there was probably some of the drunk driver also. And I really doubt if the city dna tested the blood.
The drunk driver should be billed for the accident clean up. period. Or that is what taxes are for Street maintiance.
Quoting Anonymous:
How about the drunk driver themselves going and cleaning up the accident scene?
a friend of mine had some people visit from out of town for a festival at our temple...the guy brought his girlfriend, who my friend didnt know...on thesecond day of the festival, the girlfriend begged off,saying she wasnt feeling good and wanted to take a nap,so my friend made her some tea and left with her husband and the guy...the girlfriend went into my friend's bedroom,got in her bed and shot herself in the head...my friend had to pay over $500 to have the mess cleaned up and it had to be done by a special company...it sucked...we all pitched in money
Quoting Roxygurl:
I agree but I doubt the illegal alien that killed him will ever pay that bill
Quoting AllofFive19:I understand what you're saying, but the problem is she shouldn't have to pay the bill at all, not her, not his estate, no one in that family. It should be taken care of by the drunk driver.
Quoting Roxygurl:
Once you die your estate pays the bills you owe. If there is no money they can not collect nor can they go after relatives unless they cosigned a bill.
The mom should have just thrown it away
Do you ever get hit on even looking a mess?
Why inflict this silly cosmetic pain on a baby!?!
- Cafe Steph
on Jun. 25, 2012 at 1:41 PM