FINALLY!!! The skatepark is not your babysitter.

KATU News reports (Via Associated Press) that the father of a boy who fractured his skull at a skatepark is being charged with child neglect and criminal mistreatment. It seems dad left the six year old boy at the skatepark for a couple of hours. That’s the actual Medford skatepark in the background. We are going to milk this police officer stock photo for all it’s worth. [Medford photo: Troy Sliter]

From KATU News:

Father charged after child hurt at Medford skate park

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) – A Medford father was charged with child neglect and criminal mistreatment after his 6-year-old son fractured his skull while skateboarding at a local skate park.

The boy, who wore a helmet while skating, was listed in good condition at a Medford hospital Tuesday.

Daniel Willis, 44, dropped off the 6-year-old and his 9-year-old brother at the skate park and left them there for about two hours, Medford police Sgt. Mike Budreau said.

Budreau said the parents told police they often dropped the boys off for skating. At about 6:25 p.m. Sunday, a passer-by saw the boy vomiting and asked what was wrong.

After learning that the boy had fallen and hit his head, the passer-by called for help.

An ambulance took the boy to Rogue Valley Medical Center, where doctors found he had fractured his skull, Budreau said.

Under state law, a felony criminal mistreatment charge applies when a caregiver leaves a dependent person unattended “for such a period of time as may be likely to endanger the health or welfare of that person.”

Yes, I feel bad for that kid. But I’m glad that parent is going to be held responsible for the welfare of his own child. I’ve seen parents drop off little kids a skateparks like they are bringing them to day care. Those kids often flounder around the park, getting in the way and causing dangerous situations through their own inexperience and lack of education in skatepark etiquette.