Ok, I can understand the drugs ....

If you're going to have something in your house, it needs to not be drugs:

Further investigation revealed shotguns, rifles and crack cocain [sic] were in an area accessible to the children.

Yeah, I get the drugs ...... and it is New York, so there are likely pretty stupid gun laws.

But interestingly, I had this same conversation with my wife recently. Since I don't have a gun safe, I store my big rifle on a high shelf (unleaded), my .22 in the closet (with no bolt), and if I'm not wearing my Hi-power, it's in the nightstand or my desk drawer. So it is accessible to my 5 year old sometimes.

But I've also taught my daughter about weapons, and she knows to come and get me if she finds one. I'll also show her any of my weapons whenever she wants to see them.

Much to my chagrin, she's not interested!

pm