Real Life: Girl in Supermarket screams, "I'm being kidnapped!" - Page 2

Dwight55 · September 15, 2006, 08:14 PM

Nate, . . . you are 100% absolutely correct, . . . it can get ugly, . . . real ugly and real quick.

But picking up the paper, or hearing on the TV that she was killed by the pervert I allowed her to walk out with, . . . that is much uglier, . . . and will be a far more permanent outcome to the situation.

Personally, . . . I don't treat children so that they would want to cause a scene by falsely accusing me of kidnapping them, . . . and my blood pressure would surely rise if they did it for some kind of a prank, . . . but when the LEO's got there, . . . it would be sorted out, . . . and everyone goes home.

That is the way it should end.

May God bless,
Dwight

springmom · September 15, 2006, 08:21 PM

Boy, does this discussion take me back about ten years.

One of my children had a developmental disorder that created rage behaviors. Some fairly sophisticated neuropsychiatric testing (read: expensive testing) found that the issue was essentially a type of seizure disorder.

We found out that one of my other children had this, when we took him one day for a fun day at the bowling alley. Sounds innocuous, right? Ah, but it had an arcade. The arcade had flashing lights, lights that flashed at just the rate to...trigger a seizure.

You would have thought the child was being carved up with a dull gutting knife.

We had no choice but to carry him out and carry him to the car. He was screaming, "Help! help! Help!" because that was part of what he did when this happened. To say that we got some strange looks is putting it mildly. I looked at the hubster and said, "You know SOMEBODY is going to think we're kidnapping him."

We sat in the car restraining him until it passed, he went to sleep, and he was fine. He started medication for a few years shortly thereafter.

Point is, go easy with a screaming child. The overwhelming likelihood is that really IS the parent, and they are desperately wishing a very large hole would open up all the way to China anyway. If you go waving guns around and essentially trying a citizens' arrest you are, um, not going to be helpful.

My $.02, as usual.

Springmom

nate1865 · September 15, 2006, 09:04 PM

Obviously - when the red flags are waiving there is a time for action. I don't think anyone of us will even know what that could be until we're in the situation.

If you effectively detain a parent AND THEIR CHILD after that parent let's you know what is going on, you could be the one being carted off to prison and paying for it in a civil suit, so I don't advocate waiting for the police / security / whatever to sort things out as a blanket policy.

Just seek to understand - the likelihood of this scenario while possible is rare.

And folks - I hope we are the ones around when this scenario does arise!

joab · September 15, 2006, 09:42 PM

So what is the likelyhood that you will need that pistol you carry with you today?

dfaugh · September 16, 2006, 06:35 AM

Quote:

I agree with the previous posts that the good samaritans in America have been shamed into hiding by bad judges, and juries filled with idiots.

Well, I unfortunately have the "Good Samaritan" gene...And, like I've stated in other "What if....." posts, I have NO moral choice except to come to the aid of another....Someday, it may get me killed, or arrested, or in some other kinda trouble....

Basically, in this situation, as many others have said, the child/girl/woman stays with me, until everything gets sorted out. May cause some inconvenience for alot of people...But better safe than sorry.

springmom · September 16, 2006, 08:33 AM

Nate, you're correct.

Quote:

If you effectively detain a parent AND THEIR CHILD after that parent let's you know what is going on, you could be the one being carted off to prison and paying for it in a civil suit, so I don't advocate waiting for the police / security / whatever to sort things out as a blanket policy.

Just seek to understand - the likelihood of this scenario while possible is rare.

The sheer number of screaming kids in the mall on any given Saturday, versus the number of children who are abducted by a stranger, really ought to stand as a cautionary tale. Call 911, keep the guy in sight, approach and ask questions, and if you realize this is a BG situation, THEN decide how to deal with it. It does happen, that is absolutely true. But if you're going to intervene, do it low key, ask questions, use some sort of friendly pretext to talk to the adult. Don't go off half cocked and assume just because a kid is screaming, that he's BY DEFINITION being abducted.

Springmom

thebaldguy · September 19, 2006, 08:17 PM

I would call 911. Watch and observe. Make a mental note of the description of the people involved. If they leave, get a plate number and description of the car. Watch which direction they leave. Give the info to the police.

I'm not sure I would get directly involved in the situation. I don't think I would walk up and confront anyone. You never know what might happen. Call 911, watch and observe. Report what you see to law enforcement.

September 15, 2006, 08:14 PM	#26
Dwight55 Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 2,568	Nate, . . . you are 100% absolutely correct, . . . it can get ugly, . . . real ugly and real quick. But picking up the paper, or hearing on the TV that she was killed by the pervert I allowed her to walk out with, . . . that is much uglier, . . . and will be a far more permanent outcome to the situation. Personally, . . . I don't treat children so that they would want to cause a scene by falsely accusing me of kidnapping them, . . . and my blood pressure would surely rise if they did it for some kind of a prank, . . . but when the LEO's got there, . . . it would be sorted out, . . . and everyone goes home. That is the way it should end. May God bless, Dwight __________________ www.dwightsgunleather.com If you can breathe, . . . thank God! If you can read, . . . thank a teacher! If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a Veteran!

September 15, 2006, 08:21 PM	#27
springmom Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2005 Location: Houston area Posts: 1,823	interesting thread Boy, does this discussion take me back about ten years. One of my children had a developmental disorder that created rage behaviors. Some fairly sophisticated neuropsychiatric testing (read: expensive testing) found that the issue was essentially a type of seizure disorder. We found out that one of my other children had this, when we took him one day for a fun day at the bowling alley. Sounds innocuous, right? Ah, but it had an arcade. The arcade had flashing lights, lights that flashed at just the rate to...trigger a seizure. You would have thought the child was being carved up with a dull gutting knife. We had no choice but to carry him out and carry him to the car. He was screaming, "Help! help! Help!" because that was part of what he did when this happened. To say that we got some strange looks is putting it mildly. I looked at the hubster and said, "You know SOMEBODY is going to think we're kidnapping him." We sat in the car restraining him until it passed, he went to sleep, and he was fine. He started medication for a few years shortly thereafter. Point is, go easy with a screaming child. The overwhelming likelihood is that really IS the parent, and they are desperately wishing a very large hole would open up all the way to China anyway. If you go waving guns around and essentially trying a citizens' arrest you are, um, not going to be helpful. My $.02, as usual. Springmom __________________ I will not be a victim home on the web: www.panagia-icons.net (my webpage) www.nousfromspring.blogspot.com (Orthodoxy) "I couldn't hear you. Stop firing the gun while you're talking!" Frank Drebin, The Naked Gun

September 15, 2006, 09:04 PM	#28
nate1865 Member Join Date: December 16, 2005 Posts: 23	Don't overreact is all I'm saying Obviously - when the red flags are waiving there is a time for action. I don't think anyone of us will even know what that could be until we're in the situation. If you effectively detain a parent AND THEIR CHILD after that parent let's you know what is going on, you could be the one being carted off to prison and paying for it in a civil suit, so I don't advocate waiting for the police / security / whatever to sort things out as a blanket policy. Just seek to understand - the likelihood of this scenario while possible is rare. And folks - I hope we are the ones around when this scenario does arise!

September 15, 2006, 09:42 PM	#29
joab Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2002 Location: Orl Fla Posts: 3,254	So what is the likelyhood that you will need that pistol you carry with you today? __________________ Joab the Bugman Founding member- Lords of Pomposity It's a Yankee Doodle thing

September 19, 2006, 08:17 PM	#32
thebaldguy Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2001 Posts: 139	I would call 911. Watch and observe. Make a mental note of the description of the people involved. If they leave, get a plate number and description of the car. Watch which direction they leave. Give the info to the police. I'm not sure I would get directly involved in the situation. I don't think I would walk up and confront anyone. You never know what might happen. Call 911, watch and observe. Report what you see to law enforcement.