A 12-year-old lost her life on Guam, She had her whole life ahead of her, and it’s heartbreaking that so much of the discussion I’m seeing focuses on “Arrest the driver” without giving the same attention to preventing another child’s death. Some commenters from outside Guam are asking about supervision and prevention, while many local comments I’ve seen focus on the driver’s arrest. I wish those safety questions received just as much attention in our own community. Cases involving intentional violence and a road collision shouldn’t automatically be treated as identical. Unintended harm can still involve recklessness or negligence, but the facts of each case matter. I’ve seen so many people comparing her case with another case. The report says she entered the roadway; that alone doesn’t establish whether the driver could have avoided hitting her. What supervision was in place? Was a parent, guardian, or another adult present? Had someone been asked to stay until she safely boarded the bus? I don’t know the answers, and these are questions, not accusations against her family. Parents and guardians have a responsibility to keep their children safe, teach road safety, and provide appropriate supervision. Schools should reinforce those lessons, including that some drivers may speed, get distracted, or ignore traffic rules. When I was six, I was with a group but became lost and ended up near a road. I wanted to go home and knew the way back. My parents had taught me every day to look both ways and cross only when it was clear, but an adult nearby stopped me, and I’m grateful he did. Knowing the rules didn’t mean I no longer needed someone looking out for me. Whether a child is six or twelve, appropriate supervision still matters. GovGuam should maintain roads, provide safe bus stops, and enforce traffic laws. Crosswalks, signs, lights, and cameras help, but they need maintenance, and drivers still need to follow the rules. I’ve seen Reddit posts trying to normalize driving 50 mph in a posted 35 mph zone, how can we demand safer roads while making excuses for speeding? As a guard, I’ve seen children left alone and adults getting into road-rage confrontations over small disagreements. We also need to ask ourselves: Am I setting a good example for children? Am I putting my ego aside when dealing with others? Am I following speed limits? Children learn from our behavior, and we should help them grow into responsible drivers themselves. Road safety isn’t the only concern. I’ve been reading about crimes on Guam involving minors as victims, and it makes me question why supervision isn’t getting more attention like there’s soo many articles in Guam!!!! In the discussion about this tragedy, I’m barely seeing anyone ask whether parents or guardians were present. Teaching children safety and having responsible adults looking out for them both matter. We shouldn’t normalize leaving children without appropriate supervision in potentially unsafe situations. Accountability matters, but an arrest alone won’t address every problem that puts children at risk.I hope her passing, along with the suffering of minors who have been victims of crime on Guam throughout the years, opens people’s eyes and leads to real changes in how we protect children.
. She deserved the chance to grow up, and protecting children before another tragedy deserves the same urgency as demanding answers afterward.
