Quoted: For children younger than 7, it might be possible to avoid the subject, said Karyn Riddle, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor who examines how exposure to violence in the media affects children.
“News stories like this can be very frightening,” Riddle said. “Young kids this age, they’re not as likely to learn about it secondhand on the playground from other kids. Parents might want to shield them from a story like this altogether.”