Innocence lost

Today's headlines in the newspaper sent shock waves. A nine year old child has supposedly poisoned her two friends using rat poison. Just the very thought of this incident is very alarming considering the age of the child. Can such little ones be so conniving and devious?

Juvenile crime seems to be on the rise of late and at an alarming rate. Everyday the age group of these children who are committing these crimes seems to be shrinking. This trend is obviously not healthy for our society. Where are we going wrong?

Could it be poverty which leads little children to commit crimes in order to survive? But then we also get to hear children coming from wealthy and well educated families commiting crime. What could the reason be? Could it be trying to show off heroics as they see in the movies or on television? Could it be the effect of violent video games that they play all the time? Or could it be the times that we are living in?

Have we as a society become less tolerant? Have we as parents somewhere lost out on teaching one of the most important values in life to our children - Love, Peace, Patience and Tolerance? Are we sacrificing these important values and placing more premium on worldly riches and false esteem? Has the twentieth century somehow taken a toll on the innocence of our little children? Our Sages and wise men have always asked to keep our minds as pure and innocent as little children. But now I wonder where has all that innocence gone? These questions disturb me a lot. Does it disturb you too? What can be done? Any answers?