The decision to publish the names of children in the news is a difficult one. In certain instances, such as murder cases, I feel it is necessary to publish names regardless of the person’s age. However, in the article where the Times published the names of two children, ages 4 and 5, that hit an 87-year-old woman while riding their bikes, I think it was wrong to include the children’s names.
The cause of the woman’s death was undetermined, and it is likely that she had other medical problems due to her old age. Since it cannot be proved that her death was a direct cause of the injuries she obtained from being hit by the bikes, it is not necessary to say who the children are. By simply stating their ages, the journalist can still fulfill his responsibility to inform the public without ruining the lives of the children.