What do you think about this unsafe situation?

Hello99

Fri, Apr 28 2023, 5:00 pm

I recently thought back to a situation that I witnessed and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I would love to hear your thoughts.
There was a woman who left her child in an unsafe situation. The child wasn't in immediate danger, but the fact that she left her child unattended is unsafe. A different woman (who knows the mother) came and took the child with her, so that the mother would think that her child was kidnapped or lost. The woman did this in order to "teach this mom a lesson".
At the time it didn't bother me so much, but now, looking back, I think it's quite messed up to scare a mother like that. On the other hand, maybe she did deserve to learn her lesson the hard way. Thoughts?

Blessing1

Fri, Apr 28 2023, 5:04 pm

Hello99 wrote:

You never teach a lesson by kidnapping someone else's child. She's lucky the mother didn't charge her for kidnapping.
I know someone that walks off with babies whenever she see's babies unattended outside of stores, "to teach the mother a lesson." If she wants to teach mothers a lesson, she should go talk to them and make them aware.

The Happy Wife

Fri, Apr 28 2023, 5:10 pm

Taking someone's child without permission isn't pretend kidnapping, it IS kidnapping. It's a terrible thing to do to both the child and mother. Talk about making a bad situation worse.

The Happy Wife

Fri, Apr 28 2023, 5:11 pm

Blessing1 wrote:

For her sake, I hope she stops that before she gets herself into trouble!

BusyMama1

Fri, Apr 28 2023, 5:14 pm

That's bizarre!

Besides for the fact that she can be charged with kidnapping, can you imagine the other mothers worry??

She could have easily said to her that it's not safe to leave your kid unattended.

Highstrung

Fri, Apr 28 2023, 5:19 pm

Someone did this to my mother 43 years ago. But the person that did it was someone who knew my mother and recognized my sibling . She therefore felt like teaching my mother a lesson , from friend to friend. My mother was still her friend until that woman passed away . It’s not something I would do. As a friend, I would’ve stood there and remained with the child , to keep the child safe until the mother came back and then I would’ve told the mother how neglectful or unsafe that was.

crocodile_doo

Fri, Apr 28 2023, 5:19 pm

So this story is a bit different because I knew who did it, but here's my 2 cents.

As a little girl, maybe about 11-13 years old, I was out with my grandmother and my little brother in the carriage. He was 1 or 2.
My grandmother wanted to step into a store just for 2 minutes to check if they got something she wanted. She asked me to stay outside and watch the baby in the carriage.

There was a toy store on the block, and me and my childhood curiosity decided to go in. I walked with the carriage to the toy store and since it was a very small crowded store, I left my brother in the carriage right outside. A minute later I walked out and my heart dropped! The carriage wasn't there!!
I'm looking around and I see my grandmother down the block with the carriage. I ran to her, and she explained to me-what if it would have been someone random?!
Anyways, I really learned from that!!! I appreciated in hindsight what she did.

Blessing1

Fri, Apr 28 2023, 5:25 pm

crocodile_doo wrote:

In this situation, your grandmother was responsible for you and the baby. So I think what she did was ok. It's not kidnapping or a stranger walking off with the baby. You were under her responsibility.

BrisketBoss

Fri, Apr 28 2023, 5:50 pm

The main reason not to leave kids unattended is 'concern trolls' like her.

We live in this crazy timeline where people think 4 year olds should do worksheets but 7 year olds should not be allowed to walk to school.

BrisketBoss

Fri, Apr 28 2023, 6:03 pm

Crookshanks wrote:

I would actually press kidnapping charges in a heartbeat, even if just to stop her from doing this to anyone else.

And she would find out just what a serious charge that is. She would certainly have regrets.

Strangers abducting children, not to mention infants, is an unlikely scenario generally speaking. As my bubby used to reassure my mother, "Who would want you?"

(Now, for other reasons, I would not want to leave my little ones unattended.)

meiravit

Fri, Apr 28 2023, 6:12 pm

The person leaving her child in an unsafe situation is wrong.
So is "pretend kidnapping" to teach a lesson.

So it's trying to "fix" one wrong with another. How is the "helpful kidnapping bystander" any better than the possibly neglectful mother? Then ends don't justify the means.

momX4

Fri, Apr 28 2023, 6:22 pm

Kidnapping is illegal. You can go to jail for this.

I saw a mom leave young kids in a car. Windows were open and it wasn't hot enough. The store refused to make an announcement. So I stick around. The mom didn't understand why it wasn't safe, until I told her that someone could have Kidnapped her kids easily.

NechaMom

Fri, Apr 28 2023, 6:29 pm

I know a similar story in reverse.
A grandmother was babysitting a grandchild and left the child unattended. Also not immediate danger but unsafe to leave a child alone.
The mother got note of it and came to take away the child.
When the grandmother couldn’t find the child she nearly had a heart attack. The mother wanted to send the message this way. That any other stranger could’ve kidnapped the child at the time. I’m not sure who’s right or wrong but please never leave kids unattended!

zaq

Sat, Apr 29 2023, 10:30 pm

Both women are wrong, the mom for leaving her child unattended and the other woman for kidnapping the child. The right thing for her to have done would have been to stay with the child and attempt to contact the mother, seeing as how she knew whose child it was. Otherwise, she should have informed the police.