18'th ave Park Molester??

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> In the News

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

yitta25

Fri, Apr 18 2008, 12:47 am

I just read on vosizneias about a child molester in 18'th ave park. I was just there yesterday. Im horrified. It was packed with kids and parents. How does such a thing happen? How do we protect our children?

"Borough Park, NY +Suspect Arrested Molesting Kids At Park+
Borough Park, NY - Community patrol services, and concerned citizens have asked VIN News to inform the public of the following important issue.

As we are very busy preparing for Yom Tov, and the kids are home from school, we send them to play outside at parks, in an unfortunate situation that happened in the last few days, a predator by the name Michael Martin, has circulated in a Borough Park playing park, at 18th Ave. and molested several young kids including one 4-year-old and two 8-year-old children. the perp was apprehended today and arrested by the NYPD.

Please make sure you know where your kids play, and warn them to be vigilant on their surroundings. educate them on this sensitive issue."

justanothermother

Fri, Apr 18 2008, 5:12 am

Are parents sending their kids out to play without supervision?

GAMZu

Fri, Apr 18 2008, 5:45 am

Unfortunately, many parents DO send their kids without supervision. Goodness, I am horrified at this, because that is the park my son's cheider will be taking the kids to daily. They will not be supervised properly there, with 2 rebbes for 20+ four year olds.

I was secretly happy it was closed at the beginning of the school year because I didn't trust them to watch my son in the park. I just just came to terms with them taking the kids there after Pesach... and now this.

Oy oy oy.

bigdeal

Fri, Apr 18 2008, 9:50 am

Now that somone else brought it up I have a lot to say:

I was at the park the last two days and here's what I noticed.
It is huge. There are hundreds of little kids running around. WATCH your children!!!!!! There is a rock climbing part that I personally witnessed bigger boys pushing the little ones off. Children got hurt- its dangerous because a little kid can fall off.
Also- do not think that your Ten year old is capable of watching her four younger siblings alone because even a MOTHER cant do that alone AT THAT PARK.
Case in point: ten year old girl on swong with ababy in her lap pumping so high the baby went flying off her lap- I am NOT KIDDING!!!!

Also- it's hot- make sure you put on sun tan lotion and stop to give tehm drinks....
Believe me I am not overprotective, but I was SHOCKED at what went on there... and many Mothers had no CLUE where their kids were...

It is a beautiful park

GAMZu

Fri, Apr 18 2008, 10:53 am

Yes, it's huge and not contained. I like the 38th street park because there is a small play area that is fenced in and a huge open grassy area. I can see my kids all the time.

Although I haven't gone to the 18th park, I have seen it in progress, and it's so open! a kid can run anywhere and you won't notice. *sigh*

When I am with them I can watch, but with the cheider, I am really nervous.

shopaholic

Tue, Apr 22 2008, 6:45 pm

Excellent points Bigdeal!! I'm excited to hear that the park is finally open & when we go, we ALWAYS keep an eye on our kids, esp since 2 summers ago, DS broke his wrist falling off the monkey bars.

greenfire

Tue, Apr 22 2008, 7:03 pm

yes always keep a close watch on your kids !!!

mama-star

Tue, Apr 22 2008, 9:05 pm

oy, this is so disgusting. what a shame, those poor children.

Cdlf

Tue, Apr 22 2008, 9:13 pm

Yeshiva World News posted that the man was arrested after he was reportedly doing inappropriate stuff at the park on McDonald and Avenue F. Which park was it? Was it possibly both? Vos Iz Neis has a picture of him-you would never guess. This is sooo scary to me!

Squash

Tue, Apr 22 2008, 9:34 pm

yeah difr, I understand it was the same guy at both parks. there were complaints about him at the 18th avneue park and then they arrested him at avenue f.

I was at 18th avenue park twice this yom tov and although it's gorgeous, it is scary. I was so happy my two little ones had no interest in getting off the bench.

I also reviewed the rules with the two older ones. NEVER speak to strangers and ALWAYS run to mommy if someone, anyone, even a jewish person touches you or even tries to touch you.

Maya

Tue, Apr 22 2008, 9:58 pm

difr wrote:

Vos Iz Neis has a picture of him-you would never guess. !

I think that picture was someone else. I didn't see a picture by that story.

Alef Bais

Tue, Apr 22 2008, 10:40 pm

Aaaag. These parks are my neighborhood, how creepy!

ArthurDent

Wed, Apr 23 2008, 2:40 pm

Squash wrote:

I also reviewed the rules with the two older ones. NEVER speak to strangers and ALWAYS run to mommy if someone, anyone, even a jewish person touches you or even tries to touch you.

One thing I'd also like to say to strengthen this important advice is to describe what a stranger is to your child. I remember this very helpful episode of Oprah where the show had a very nice grandfatherly type old man approach children in the park and either showed them his cute little puppy and told them he had more in his van or to ask them if they'd help him find his lost puppy and showed them a picture. Each time, the child followed the man. In all the cases, the mother was at the park and had let her attention on her children lapse--sometimes just momentarily. When the show informed the mother, within minutes, that her child had left the grounds voluntarily with a stranger, the mother always freaked.

One mother immediately asked her daughter, "Don't you remember how we always had those talks about not talking to strangers?" The child responded, "But he wasn't a stranger, mommy. He was a nice man with a puppy." Children think that strangers are wicked looking monsters. It's appropriate to explain to them that a stranger is anyone who you do not know, no matter how kindly looking.

Cdlf

Thu, Apr 24 2008, 12:21 am

Sorry, I apologize! The picture of the molester is on Yeshiva World News, not Vos Is Neis. I usually check one after the other and got mixed up.

Mitzvahmom

Thu, Apr 24 2008, 5:31 pm

omg that is so scary!! I took my kids there!!

flowerpower

Sun, May 04 2008, 1:12 pm

was he jewish, frum looking? I didnt see the picture.

that park is a zoo and so hard to watch the kids, they can get lost there in a sec, its like a maze. the last time I went, I came home so zonked looking for htem every second that I conked out-first time in years that it happened. when I go to other parks its so much easier to watch them.

GAMZu

Sun, May 04 2008, 1:17 pm

Exactly- a maze! Perfect description.

There are winding paths, the jungle gyms are TALL and very, very confusing. After being there for hours, I still kept discovering new slides and other activities on the babies' jungle gym.

They are so tall, it's hard to see over them or into them to find the kids.
And the rock climbing walls- so easy to hide/get lost behind them.

Definitely no way for a mother to sit and watch her kids play.

chaylizi

Sun, May 04 2008, 1:20 pm

yes keep a very close eye on your kids! are parks aren't very crowded here in ny. but I went to a park with my then 2.5 year old & some kid picked her up and started dragging her off the play area. I was so upset- and said what are you doing? the kid was like- well she is too little to be here & she is in my way. I went over to the mother and said- this is a public park & my daughter is entitled to climb like anyone else. please tell your son if has something to say- he can come and tell me. but otherwise I request that he not touch my baby. he was like 5 or 6 & he had no business carrying her on a climbing toy that he could have hurt her on.

Page 1 of 1