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I read this story in another forum and wanted to share it with you.
Man lures minor by offering babysitting job
05:53 PM Mountain Standard Time on Friday, August 17, 2007
By Kirsten Joyce / 3TV reporter
An Anthem man is behind bars Friday after police say he lured a 12-year-old girl to his home.
She believed she was being interviewed for a babysitting opportunity but police say he allegedly wanted to engage her as a sexual partner.
Police say this incident is a very important reminder why parents should never allow their children to enter a stranger's home.
Michael Whitlow, 26, is accused of luring the girl into his home, claiming he was looking for a babysitter for his infant.
The victim's mother detailed the encounter and warned the public on the anthemstuff.com Web site.
She says her daughter was contacted by Whitlow after she passed out flyers to acquire babysitting jobs.
The girl was later dropped off at Whitlow's house.
Once inside the home, Whitlow allegedly locked her in, grabbed her, and talked about sex.
"The little girl's mom came over and told us," said Danielle Babbit. "Just to let us know what happened, keep our kids safe."
Babbit appreciated the warning about her neighbor from the mother of the 12-year-old.
"We can't just take our 12-year-old daughter and drop her off at someone's house and hope everything is going to go OK," said Peoria police spokesman Mike Tellef.
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First of all, what parent in their right mind would let their 12 yr old, who technically is still a child herself, go to some strange mans house like that?!
Funny, I had a very similar incident happen to me when I was 11, but my dad was at work so knew nothing about it. I answered the phone. It was a lady, obviously it appeared to me that it was a wrong number. But we talked and she was looking for 'so-so' who was supposed to come over and babysit her kid. I volunteered. Keep in mind, again, I was only 11 and thought a couple of bucks back then was a lot of money. We talked about how old the kid was (a baby), where she lived, etc etc....and after a brief conversation, she told me she would send her husband to come pick me up. I waited outside, but we lived in ths sticks where there werent too many houses so it took awhile. After about an hour she called me back and told me he couldnt find me. I was right outside, in the yellow dress! ( I could hear him in the background telling her he didnt see anyone in a yellow dress, much less anyone at all). They started to argue with each other and it was getting to right around the time my dad was going to be coming home from work so I told her my dad is on his way home so wouldnt be able to go.
After we hung up, I thought about it and all of a sudden started to get an eerie feeling. "What was I thinking", "Yigo Village was way on the other end of the island, how could it take him such a short time to get here" etc etc. (We lived in Guam, at that time).
I should have, but never did, tell my dad about the possible opportunity to make a few dollars babysitting. But after that eerie feeling that day, think to myself how lucky it was that it didnt work out, ironically he didnt see me out in the open like that, or I may not be here today to tell you about this.
There are a lot of sickos out there Power Surge and I know we have many reasons to be thankful to the Lord the babysitting opportunity you were offered never came to anything.
Location: Newton, NJ (but my heart is in Tennessee)
311 posts, read 1,376,461 times
Reputation: 279
Unbelievable neglect on the parent's part. In the first place, 12 years old is too young to be supervising the care of a small child; they still need one themselves. Then to drop the child off at a stranger's house! This is totally irresponsible.
I know someone who still got a babysitter for his 17 year old daughter. This is going to the other extreme. However, you have to be so careful nowadays, especially with girls. You think I am going to turn over my daughter to some strange man? No way that will ever happen.
Parents are supposed to be their children's physical and emotional protector as they grow towards independence. Thinking that a 12 year old can protect herself is not thinking at all.
I was never allowed to babysit for anyone my parents didn't know. My daughter won't be, either.
I get nervous letting my kids going to play dates at kids homes! It is so hard to trust ANYONE! There are so many sick people out there.
What a scary situation. Thank goodness the girl wasn't hurt. My parents had to know the people I was babysitting for. There was no way they would have dropped me off like that.
mjb68-19 I totally agree with you but we don't have any family nearby. We've only use a babysitting service or drop in day care for our son when absolutely necessary.
When I was about 15, I walked out on a babysitting job because the husband was acting inappropriately (flirting) - fortunately I was able to get out of the house before anything happenned but it just goes to show you can't trust people. I worked with this man's wife and that's how I got the job.
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