Thai police are investigating whether the parents of an 11-year-old boy may face negligence charges after he drove a pickup truck into a group of Buddhist monks, killing 10 and injuring others.

The crash happened in Mukdahan province, about 600 kilometers northeast of Bangkok. Officials said the monks were taking part in a 260-kilometer pilgrimage to Ubon Ratchathani province when the vehicle struck them from the roadside.

According to AP, witnesses told police the truck appeared to be swerving before it slid off the road and hit the group. The child was taken into custody after the crash, but the investigation remains ongoing.

The case has raised difficult legal and social questions in Thailand. Euronews reported that children under the age of 12 have no criminal liability in Thailand. Because the driver is only 11, attention may now shift toward adult supervision, vehicle access, and whether the parents failed to prevent the child from taking the truck.

Officials have not announced final conclusions about responsibility. However, the case is already being discussed as a warning about how quickly a child’s access to a vehicle can become catastrophic.

For the families and religious community left behind, the legal process is only one part of a much deeper tragedy.

Source: Associated Press, Euronews