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Two Florida parents were charged with neglect because their 11 year-old son was playing outside alone in the backyard for an hour and a half.
According to his mom, he arrived home before his parents and was locked out of the house (delayed with traffic and rain). He shot some hoops in the backyard to pass time.
His nosy neighbor saw him outside alone and called the cops. The cops waited at the house until the parents arrived and they were arrested.
The parents spoke out recently to Reason magazine. They kept their identities hidden in fear that they might those their jobs. The mother stated, "The authorities claim he had no access to water or shelter. We have an open shed in the back yard and 2 working sinks and 2 hoses. They said he had no food. He ate his snacks already. He had no bathroom, but the responding officer found our yard good enough to relieve himself in while our son sat in a police car alone. In his own yard, in a state, Florida, that has no minimum age for children to be alone."
Oh good Lord. I played outside by myself for hours at that age. What a dipstick of a neighbor. Invite the boy in for a lemonade if you are so worried about him!
but why didn't the kid have a key to the house or a garage door code???
My kids, younger than 11 have a house key in case they get home before me.. which happens almost every day!
Still, NUTS!
Another good point, my neighbors have my cell phone number, at least most do and on more than one occasion i got a call saying my daughter was at their house because she lost her key or left it at home that day..
Hey, nosy neighbor, how about you invite the kid inside your house if you're so worried? Or just keep an eye on him to make sure he's ok. Unless it's something the neighbor has seen happen often and for hours on end, he/she really had no business getting the police involved.
"It takes a Village" and when the village isn't happy they call the cops.
When the city reached our semi rural area with cookie cutter subdivisions my neighbor had the sheriff come to their house for reports of livestock abuse because she didn't bring the cows into the barn with bad weather.
but why didn't the kid have a key to the house or a garage door code???
My kids, younger than 11 have a house key in case they get home before me.. which happens almost every day!
Still, NUTS!
Another good point, my neighbors have my cell phone number, at least most do and on more than one occasion i got a call saying my daughter was at their house because she lost her key or left it at home that day..
What difference does it make if the kid is inside playing video games or outside playing basketball. Personally Id rather mine be outside playing.
I can't help but feel a bit sorry for many kids growing up today. It seems to be required now that parents be over protective and micro-manage their children's lives. I grew up in the 50's & 60's, and I was anything but neglected. But what I was allowed to do in regards to activities with friends, and being 'out on my own' for periods of time would probably put my parents in jail today. I know the world we live in is different now, but still.. the treatment of the parents in the OP is going too far.
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