[Strel]

Originally Posted by Momma_bear

These were all kids over 12 years old. They were probably not tethered to their parents side 24 hours a day at that age.

Which brings me back to my original question...

I'm not trying to be critical, I'm honestly curious as to how these kids end up alone with a stranger (if it is a stranger - given the context, I assume it is), in a PUBLIC PLACE long enough to get molested.

I'm not blaming the kids, but don't parents cover this material these days?

Not to mention the park itself...who I am sure is going to get sued over this.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by Scientifical Madness

One of the suspects is from Kissimmee - Mr Fuentes. I believe this incident occurred at Wet N Wild at the Puerto Rican Celebration Day or whatever it's called. I also heard that many gangs were there, and therefore many undercover cops were there too to keep things under control.

The other incident I think was the one that occurred more recent. The suspect was here on vacation, and he was from NY.

These are the only two guys that I know to have been arrested.

Nope, Fuentes (who is a gang member based on his facial tatoo) was the one involved with molesting girls at Aquatica.

The incident at Wet N Wild to my knowledge they havent' caught the perp, it happened during a Puerto Rican Day event.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by Strel

Which brings me back to my original question...

I'm not trying to be critical, I'm honestly curious as to how these kids end up alone with a stranger (if it is a stranger - given the context, I assume it is), in a PUBLIC PLACE long enough to get molested.

I'm not blaming the kids, but don't parents cover this material these days?

Not to mention the park itself...who I am sure is going to get sued over this.

It's not like it was a long drawn out thing. It takes seconds to bump against someone in a crowded pool and cop a feel. It's still a sexual assault.

[dmccauley]

Originally Posted by Strel

Two questions: with the exception of the rape, which I assume was forced, how did these kids get into such a situation in the first place?

And where the hell were their parents?

These kids don't get into situations like this. They were just riding the waves and the pervert went under the water and molested them. No parent can prevent this from happening. Why do people always blame the parents when its so obvious that there are sick people in this world.

[dmccauley]

As far as the comment about wearing bikinis, I agree young girls dress inappropriate now a days, that you can blame on society and the parents for allowing them, however noone asks to be touched or molested, especially young 12 and 13 year old girls.

[Strel]

Originally Posted by annerk

It's not like it was a long drawn out thing. It takes seconds to bump against someone in a crowded pool and cop a feel. It's still a sexual assault.

No doubt - and I guess I imagined something more involved, like luring them to a dark corner or something.

But it seems to me that this is the kind of thing that would get instantly reported to park security and the cops called. I used to work security at Busch Gardens and Adventure Island back in the '80's and that's how we handled it. We identified the perp and kept him under survelliance until TPD arrived. Lifeguards were supposed to keep a lookout for this sort of thing.

[Strel]

Originally Posted by dmccauley

These kids don't get into situations like this. They were just riding the waves and the pervert went under the water and molested them. No parent can prevent this from happening. Why do people always blame the parents when its so obvious that there are sick people in this world.

I blame the parents for not being there to handle the situation when it happened. Obviously in a place like a water park all contact cannot be prevented.

No way in hell would I let a 12 year old female run around unsupervised in a water park.

[dmccauley]

Originally Posted by Strel

I blame the parents for not being there to handle the situation when it happened. Obviously in a place like a water park all contact cannot be prevented.

No way in hell would I let a 12 year old female run around unsupervised in a water park.

I have gone with my girls 12, and 13 and have stood by them jumping the waves. I don't have any control of the people swimming into them or pushing them and obviously if someone touched them I would grab the sob by the head and hold him under until the authorities got there.

[Strel]

Originally Posted by dmccauley

I have gone with my girls 12, and 13 and have stood by them jumping the waves. I don't have any control of the people swimming into them or pushing them and obviously if someone touched them I would grab the sob by the head and hold him under until the authorities got there.

That's what I'm talking about.

If you get tired, I'll help you hold him under.

[yamahastar]

This is a good example of why legislating where sex offenders live does not stop sex offenses from happening. During daylight hours, sexual predators who are not under supervision may go ANYWHERE they please and it pleases them to frequent locations where they will find easy victims, especially the skimpily clad and unsuspecting. We want to believe we are safe in places like waterparks, but think about where you are letting your children (people over 12 are still our children) go without warning them to stay near their chaperones, go places in groups and look out for people who seem suspiscious. How is the state of Florida at fault? When do you think you are able to abdicate your personal responsibility for the safety of your children? When do they stop being your children. My sons are 28 and 32 and they are still my children and I still feel a twang of responsibility for their behavior BECAUSE I RAISED THEM to be who they are. If they aren't safe, I didn't do my job.