ATHENS COUNTY, Ohio — On Tuesday, a Nelsonville man was sentenced to prison in connection with the death of an 11-year-old child.
Donald Platt, 37, was found guilty in February of involuntary manslaughter and felony child endangerment.
In March of last year, Platt’s 14-year-old son, officials say, accidentally fired a gun, killing another child.
The son, Mason Platt, admitted to police that he was playing with the loaded firearm when it went off, killing young Eli Spangler.
The charges against the boy’s father stem from the accessibility the teen had to the loaded gun.
“This case was not about gun ownership,” said Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn. “It was about responsible gun ownership.”
“I support firearm ownership, but you have a huge responsibility if you’re going to own a firearm. It’s every gun owner’s responsibility to keep their guns safe and out of the reach of children or any other person,” said Nelsonville Police Chief Scott Fitch. “Hopefully, no family ever has to experience this again.”
Donald Platt was sentenced to a minimum of four years in prison with a maximum sentence of six years.
That’s B.S