Until we get a lot more info, I think people are going a bit over the top in condemning these people.

+1 AKSAR

I have not read anything yet to make me think these parents were negligent or reckless.

you have a one year old - that's endangerment. They can't walk without falling on level, stable ground. A rocking boat that typically has only guy lines on the edges isn't exactly a safe environment for them.

As for reckless .... arguable. If the only experience they have is running ships up and down the coast doing deliveries, I'd be tempted to say they aren't experienced enough for the open ocean. Book smarts and passing USCG tests doesn't make you a master sailor. It just makes you a qualified one.

Prerequisites for Captain's License Master Near Coastal of Inspected Passenger Vessels Up to 100 Gross Ton
You must meet all of the prerequisites in this paragraph to receive a Master Near Coastal License for Inspected Passenger Vessels of up to 100 Gross Tons:
Must be 19 Years old
Must be able to document 720 days of experience on a vessel 360 of these days must have been on ocean or near coastal waters
Must have 90 days within the last 3 years
Your tonnage is determined by the U. S. Coast Guard depending on your experience for a 100 Gross Tons license, 180 days must be on vessels of 51 gross tons or above OR 180 days must be on vessels of 34 gross tons or above for a 50 gross tons license 180 days must be on a vessel of 26 gross tons or above. If all your time is on a vessel of 16 gross tons or less the license will be limited to 25 gross tons.
If you plan on operating an Inspected sailing vessel you must have a sailing endorsement, the required seatime for this is 360 days of sail or sail auxiliary time (these may be part of the 360 days and may be prior to license issuance.
Prerequisites and Standards Common to All Classes of U.S. Coast Guard Licenses / Credentials
All mariners must apply for a TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) before submitting an application packet to the U. S. Coast Guard. The TWIC information is available at their website.
When calculating qualifying sea time, you must have been underway on the water for a minimum of four (4) hours to count as one (1) sea day. (Only one day's credit is allowed per date.)
A U.S. Coast Guard approved CPR and First Aid course is required. (Adult CPR, basic First Aid). The First Aid must have been within the last 12 months and the CPR must be current. The Maritime Institute offers this course.
You must have passed a routine physical within the past 12 months. Vision must be at least 20/200, correctable to 20/40 in each eye. Color sense must be satisfactory (Waivers are available in some cases)
Drug screening is required. Your drug test must have been done within the last 6 months
DUIs, drug, and felony convictions are reviewed by the U. S. Coast Guard, and depending on the offense, there could be a one (1) to ten (10) year hold period before you are eligible to receive a license or credential
Military time and foreign time is evaluated for eligibility by the U. S. Coast Guard (NMC). This time is evaluated on a case by case basis

Me, I've sailed small boats on a lake in good weather. I wouldn't go anywhere near open seas.

[quote=MDinana]snipped for brevity

A rocking boat that typically has only guy lines on the edges isn't exactly a safe environment for them. Anyone that's watched a kid that young could tell you how fast they move or roll or fall. Even worse would be if they were confining the kid to the interior only.

"...why didn't they fix the equipment that broke?", but in bad weather it can be very difficult to impossible at sea, even when you have the spares.

As for a 406 beacon vs. satellite phone, what do you do with a sat phone? Ask someone back home to dial 911? Even if I had a sat phone link and a doctor said we'd have to evac the kid I'd use the 406 beacon so that all SAR teams got the right assignments, etc, and for the beacon's homing signal.