Ethan Stacy was allegedly killed by his own stepfather and possibly his mother, and I believe the court could have prevented it.
Every time there is a divorce case, the court should ensure that each parent is capable of protecting his or her child. If the parents are mentally, financially, or in any other way incapable of providing for the child, they should not be allowed custody. In Ethan's case, the court did not investigate the mother's ability to support her child. It appears that Ethan's mother may be psychologically impaired; she did not prevent his stepfather from beating him.
Ethan died as a consequence of a terrible yet easily preventable crime. In the future, I hope that our government and the justice court will be able to prevent similar crimes and child abuse by investigating the psychological conditions of parents prior to allowing them the custody of a child. Children are helpless and innocent; it is our responsibility to help them.
Samah Safiullah, age 14
Salt Lake City