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Old 07-19-2014, 03:06 PM
 
1,638 posts, read 3,818,838 times
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I feel sorry for the mom that she didn't feel she had any other options....but dropping a 9 year old off daily in the summer to "hang out" is not ok. It's one thing to leave a 9 year old at home where they have access to a toilet/food/safety, and another to leave a child at a park all day in the sun w/out food or shelter, a bathroom, and leaving her open to being kidnapped/raped/taken advantage of by strangers. I am curious as to why Mom didn't just leave the girl at home?
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Old 07-19-2014, 04:01 PM
 
Location: Sudcaroland
10,662 posts, read 9,285,224 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shaylahc View Post
I feel sorry for the mom that she didn't feel she had any other options....but dropping a 9 year old off daily in the summer to "hang out" is not ok. It's one thing to leave a 9 year old at home where they have access to a toilet/food/safety, and another to leave a child at a park all day in the sun w/out food or shelter, a bathroom, and leaving her open to being kidnapped/raped/taken advantage of by strangers. I am curious as to why Mom didn't just leave the girl at home?
Maybe it's not allowed. Where I live, kids under 12 cannot be left at home with no adult.
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Old 07-19-2014, 04:06 PM
 
6,757 posts, read 8,246,226 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shaylahc View Post
I feel sorry for the mom that she didn't feel she had any other options....but dropping a 9 year old off daily in the summer to "hang out" is not ok. It's one thing to leave a 9 year old at home where they have access to a toilet/food/safety, and another to leave a child at a park all day in the sun w/out food or shelter, a bathroom, and leaving her open to being kidnapped/raped/taken advantage of by strangers. I am curious as to why Mom didn't just leave the girl at home?
Apparently, the mom let the girl walk to the park from the McDonald's where the mom worked. Less than five minute walk. Which means she was less than five minutes from food, shade, shelter, and mom. Oh, and she had a cell phone just in case.
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Old 07-19-2014, 05:33 PM
 
51,588 posts, read 25,539,833 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Emeraldmaiden View Post
Apparently, the mom let the girl walk to the park from the McDonald's where the mom worked. Less than five minute walk. Which means she was less than five minutes from food, shade, shelter, and mom. Oh, and she had a cell phone just in case.
Regardless of whether she gave her daughter a cell phone or not, it seems to be against the law to leave a 9 y/o on her own.

For those whose heart goes out to the woman, just read where there's a crowd funding place where you can donate to help her out jam at YouCaring.com.

Woman Raising Money For Debra Harrell, Mother Arrested For Leaving Her Daughter At The Park

There is also a movement called "free range kids" for those who oppose "helicopter parenting" and believe children should have freedom to roam.
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Old 07-19-2014, 05:40 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,273,714 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sudcaro View Post
Maybe it's not allowed. Where I live, kids under 12 cannot be left at home with no adult.
There is no specific age limit in South Carolina as to what is too young to leave alone.
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Old 07-19-2014, 06:08 PM
 
Location: here
24,873 posts, read 36,046,636 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Katiana View Post
I have been following this thread for several days. Today, I was reading my local paper's religion section; it referenced the upcoming Vacation Bible Schools in my area. Even if the mom has no money for day care and no particular interest in religion, she could have sent her daughter to VBS for a week at various churches. It would give the poor child something to do and some supervision for a few hours. Many of them help with transportation.

Rec centers give scholarships to some of their programs. I think the mom didn't look into her options.
I doubt this mom had a lot of options. Even if some of these were available, transportation is a problem. Timing is a problem. VBS is typically 2.5-3 hours for 5 days. This mom's shift might not overlap with those hours. It might not be close enough to walk. The church might not want the liability of driving a stranger's child.
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Old 07-19-2014, 06:46 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,273,714 times
Reputation: 35920
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kibbiekat View Post
I doubt this mom had a lot of options. Even if some of these were available, transportation is a problem. Timing is a problem. VBS is typically 2.5-3 hours for 5 days. This mom's shift might not overlap with those hours. It might not be close enough to walk. The church might not want the liability of driving a stranger's child.
It was just a thought. My church used to provide transportation to VBS. My point was more the mom could have found something.
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Old 07-19-2014, 10:03 PM
 
Location: Tonawanda NY
400 posts, read 572,511 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John1960 View Post
Should sending your kid to play alone at a local park land you in jail?
Wow, they would have had to arrest like 20 parents a day in the town I spent the majority of my childhood in. At the age of 9 in the summer we would ride our bikes and walk to the neighborhood park almost daily. We would split our days between the park and library on really hot days. It was not odd to see sibling groups with a toddler tagging along to play in the park and no adults. No adult supervision and we never got into trouble. We lived not too far from tiny Savona NY where the case of Eric Smith and Derrick Robie happened, so while the nation was shocked the 4 year old was allowed to walk alone to the park, we all the same age as Erick Smith were shocked that a kid our age had killed a younger child.
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Old 07-19-2014, 11:38 PM
 
Location: Texas
634 posts, read 704,571 times
Reputation: 1997
I just don't understand why the officer didn't take the young girl to her Mom and give the poor Mom a warning. Seriously, what would be the harm in that? What was the point of the arrest? To me, it's not about is it ok for a 9 year old to be at park but rather is this an arrest able offense. And IMO, it just isn't.
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Old 07-20-2014, 01:42 AM
 
Location: USA
3,966 posts, read 10,665,231 times
Reputation: 2225
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sudcaro View Post
Maybe it's not allowed. Where I live, kids under 12 cannot be left at home with no adult.
Ever hear of a latch key kid? Welcome to the 90s....
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