The Legal Consequences
In an actual homicide investigation, prosecutors would determine what charges are appropriate based on the evidence and the laws of the jurisdiction.
Potential charges can differ substantially depending on intent, circumstances, prior conduct, and the manner in which a death occurred.
A deliberate killing may be treated differently from a death caused during an assault or an act committed recklessly.
Courts may also consider evidence concerning mental state and other circumstances.
However, none of those legal distinctions changes the fundamental reality for a grieving family: a person has died.
The criminal justice system can determine responsibility and punishment, but it cannot reverse the loss.
What Families Can Learn
The fictional Carter case offers a lesson that applies far beyond medication.
Family disagreements are inevitable.
Parents and children will disagree.
Teenagers will test boundaries.
Adults will become frustrated.
Children will sometimes say no.
The critical question is what happens next.
