Here, legally the parents.

The safety and well-being of children are parents primary responsibility. Hiring a 17 years old to baby sit is something wrong . He is minor yet and tend not to be focus on child minding.

It's accident, and no one likes that one to happen :(

I live in farm country and have been in a field on just a tractor and cld easily have missed a small child in the high grass...we as farmers arent going to put a temporary fence up just to brushhog a field...i think it wld be a terrible tragedy is true....and it really made me think...as heavy equipment operator i have brought machines home to work on the land....i mae an assumption because i live in the country that noone should be on my land while i am workin...

@4everthe1: i would agree IF the babysitter was 18, but you cant hold a minor (17) resposible. Same as if you left your kids at home with a 17 year old babysitter, if your kids were injured, the parents are still resposible for those injuries.

Here, If the man was using the machine on his own private property, then technically he doesn't have to block it off. The farmers who all live around here, don't have to block off when plowing their fields and such. It may very by state, but in NY at least, it wouldn't technically be the operators fault. The babysitter however could probablly be charged with gross negligence, and child endangerment...

@tony not if he were to if been tried as a dult which happens alot in pa. I know from a personal standpoint.

@irish same here in pa. Our states are prime farmland ad no one in my entire life that ive seen has blocked off there own fields.

This did happen and i feel that no one should be criminaly charged. Tragic accident. For anyone wondering the girl survived. Shes in bad shape but alive.

Thank you to all who replied:)

Well then o.o