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Father Charged In Daughters Sledding Death

October 22, 2007 by Morbid  

Filed under: Crime 

petergechotz4 Father Charged In Daughters Sledding Death
Peter and Madison 

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Peter Gecho has been charged with vehicular manslaughter in connection with the death of his 9-year-old daughter, Madison Gecho. Just after dark on Jan 16th of this year, Peter was using his pickup truck to pull an inflatable raft containing his daughter and teenager, Daniel Garris. After driving down some country roads, the pulled into the snow-covered grounds of Thomas Jefferson Middle School. Peter then revved the engine and began to do "doughnuts", when the inflatable raft hit a low-lying brick wall at about 20 mph.

Garris was thrown over the wall and sustained minor injuries, but Madison was killed.This has led to tension between not only the investigators and prosecutors, but the community as well. Debates on why Gecho wasn't arrested after his daughter died with others who feel he was a loving, grieving father who should not face criminal prosecution.

The vehicular manslaughter charge was supported by witnesses who testified that Peter had been drinking whiskey earlier that day, and had been drinking beer while filling the raft with air. Hospital workers also stated that they smelled alcohol on his breath and he refused to submit to a blood alcohol test that night. Also supporting the charge are the allegations that Gecho was driving his pickup truck "in a reckless manner" and/or "with disregard for the safety of others." The incident occurred after dark on the middle school playground, which is off-limits to vehicles. The raft she was riding on is designed to be pulled behind a ski boat.

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Comments

5 Comments on "Father Charged In Daughters Sledding Death" make up the 115,837 total comments on Dreamin' Demon.

  1. Anonymous
    7:26 pm on October 22nd, 2007

    so terrible, however, he didnt intend to harm anyone, he was having fun with his child and it was a horrible accident, the loss of his child will haunt him forever

  2. Morbid
    7:34 pm on October 22nd, 2007

    I agree to a small degree, but I am still on the fence. He did break the law, and he should be punished for it.  He was intoxicated and reckless. There are laws in place for a reason and his punishment should not be limited to the consequences of him choosing to break these laws.

    If I were to get behind the wheel drunk, and accidentally mowed down a kid on the street, I promise you, I would have a hard time living knowing what I had done. Does this mean I should serve no time? Because I am sorry?

  3. Lee
    9:50 am on October 23rd, 2007

    Of course he should face charges!  It doesn't matter whether he "intended" to hurt her or not…What matters is that any reasonable adult knows that dragging a child on a piece of plastic tied to a vehicle–and then doing doughnuts–is not a good idea.  At the very least, that child was getting her lungs filled with exhaust fumes, so even is she hadn't died, she was still being injured.  People who drive drunk don't "intend" to kill, either…but the point is, adults are expected to act like adults, period.  People need to grow up and start worrying more about acting like parents, not like their child's buddy.  Having "fun" with your child isn't being a good parent–setting a good example by not indulging in jackass immature behavior IS.  What kind of stupid pranks do you think this child would have grown up to pull, all in the name of "fun"?  When teenagers pull stupid stunts and someone inevitably gets hurt, the response is always, "Where were the parents?"  Well, this is where the parents are–teaching their children that "fun" consists of dangerous behavior with no thought or regard to anything or anyone else besides themselves and the moment.  I'm sorry this child died, but I'm not sorry for the father, one bit.  It has never once occurred to me that a good way to bond with my child would be to drag her behind a car.  Unreal.

  4. Derick Rouer
    11:15 am on October 24th, 2007

    WTF was this douchebag thinking

  5. tabularasa9
    3:39 pm on November 27th, 2007

    Stupid, drinking, piece of shit redneck!!!!!!

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