The 8 year old boy who released a school bus' parking brake, causing it to roll down a hill and kill 8 year old Amber Sadiq (pictured, right), will not be be formally charged murder by the city. The police initially charged 8 year old Tafari J. with criminally negligent homicide, but there were objections from Amber's family as well as the mayor. It was also decided that Tafari should enter therapeutic foster care for eight months. His parents agreed, and his 25 year old father, Albert James, who had been raising him on his own as his wife Sophia Morales moved to Florida, said, "I'd like to see him get help. Whatever is best for him, I'm for it." His mother now wants custody, but the Daily News reported she could not afford a lawyer.

Tafari's lawyer told reporters, "As far as we are concerned, the case against [the boy] has been dropped." There's an interesting disagreement about the role of the Administration of Children's Services; Albert James claimed he had been seeking help from them, while the ACS said James never agreed to certain evaluations of his son. HIs son's school contacted ACS when the child had many absences.

This is just a terrible tragedy. The Daily News has some lessons from the incident, mainly about how parents can work with their children when they misbehave.