Would you harbor your child the fugitive?

[yoopermom]

Setting: my teeny tiny town aka post office, auto body shop, junk yard, and maybe 15 house in a square mile area. NOTHING ever happens here (really).

Yesterday, I notice a police car parked outside the neighbor's house four doors down, both on my way to work and home, VERY unusual.

DS comes racing in the door from h.s. to tell us that the 20yo boy who lives at that house was driving drunk the night before, rolled his brand new truck, and called his MOTHER rather than the police. She came and got both him and the passenger, took them to the house, and finally took the passenger to the hospital when she realized something was seriously wrong. He ended up being flight for lifed to the nearest big hospital with serious internal injuries: spleen/liver, etc.

In the meanwhile, the driver/son is "in the wind", the police feel that the parents are aiding/abetting him in his desire not to be caught, and the rest of us in the neighborhood are just in shock. The parents are in serious trouble with the insurance companies, the police, the passenger's parents, etc, etc, and they still won't say where their son is.

DS looked right at me and said, "I know you'd turn me in, but you'd at least call a lawyer for me, right?"

What kind of parent would do this, and do they truly believe he's going to get away with it?

Terri

 

[ebtbmom]

Hard to say for sure what one would do in such a situation. I think that when he called me I would have called 911 to get there first and make sure he was ok. After the fact, no I can't see myself harboring him from the police, I'm more of an admit your mistake and take the consequences kind of person. It sounds like the parents are totally making it worse on everyone.

 

[Miss Peach]

Parents can be pretty nuts when it comes to their kids!

Last New Years Eve my husband and I had just turned out our lights and were looking at the city lights view, when a car comes careening down our hill, spins out of control and crashes into two cars and a block wall. Six teens pour out of the back seat and run back up the hill. Three more teens spill out of the front seat and start flailing around, swearing up a storm!

Meanwhile the parents of the driver come speeding down the hill, alerted by some of the ill fated passengers no doubt.

We can hear them trying to figure out how to get the driver out of the responsibility. The mom is screaming and swearing. The dad is pacing and on his cell.

And then the police arrive. We can hear the bogus story they are telling the police. My husband goes out to talk to one of the officers... And the police say they have it under control, don't want his information, and he needs to go in the house. Done and done.

I still don't know whether that teen had any repercussions!

 

[Wall-E1]

My son knows that I would gladly sell him out for a box of twinkles.

I could see a parent trying to keep the authorities out of a situation if there is just a fender bender with no injuries or other parties. But in this situation, there is a serious injury. These parents are just digging a very deep hole for themselves. Forget about hiring an attorney for their son. They are going to need an attorney for themselves.

 

[rigs32]

So now the parents can get arrested and sued. The son's bail will be much much higher once he's found cause he can't hide forever and this won't go away.

 

[doxdogy]

No.

 

[yoopermom]

This just makes me so sad, because I've known the boy since he was little, and the parents are both hardworking members of the community/active in the schools, etc. I'm choosing to think that they panicked, and now don't know how to get out of it. I mean, realistically, this isn't the movies and a person (especially one who's lived a very sheltered life in a quiet rural community all his life) just isn't going to be able to live on the lam forever, is he?

Terri

 

[Wall-E1]

This just makes me so sad, because I've known the boy since he was little, and the parents are both hardworking members of the community/active in the schools, etc. I'm choosing to think that they panicked, and now don't know how to get out of it. I mean, realistically, this isn't the movies and a person (especially one who's lived a very sheltered life in a quiet rural community all his life) just isn't going to be able to live on the lam forever, is he?

Terri

The best thing they can do is completely come clean immediately. The longer they lie, the worse it is going to be. The truth has a way of making people more understanding.

 

[hereyago]

Don't get me wrong, I would die for my dd14,but I wouldd never sacrifice myself legally etc for her. I totally understand wanting to protect your child,but they are doing a huge disservice to their son by doing this.

 

[Feralpeg]

It's hard to say since I've never been that type of position, but I think I'd turn my child over to the authorities and be by her side every step of the way. While it would be extremely hard, it would mean the difference of short term trouble (even if that meant some jail time) to a life of being on the run.

 

[diznygirl]

Sitcoms have shown us that if you try to cover something up, trouble (and hilarity) ensues and you end up having to do the right thing in the in the end anyway. We tell our kids they should always just save the hassle and do the right thing first.

 

[JaneBanks]

Sometimes parents will do anything, illegal or not, to help their kid. Some even get away with it, ex: Casey Anthony.

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

My son knows that I would gladly sell him out for a box of twinkles.
.

I hope the tag fairy is around

 

[cornflake]

This just makes me so sad, because I've known the boy since he was little, and the parents are both hardworking members of the community/active in the schools, etc. I'm choosing to think that they panicked, and now don't know how to get out of it. I mean, realistically, this isn't the movies and a person (especially one who's lived a very sheltered life in a quiet rural community all his life) just isn't going to be able to live on the lam forever, is he?

Terri

Depends on how much money they have and how serious the charges/how determined the cops/DA are to catch him. People do it. In the case you're describing seems highly unlikely.

In the case you're describing - drunk driving - not only am I not harbouring, I'd drive them to the cops myself before the alcohol in their system could dissipate and no, I'm not calling you a lawyer, enjoy your public defender.

If it's like, white collar crime, that's a different matter, will probably call a lawyer, heh.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

It it were one of my sons, I would help them get an attorney, but they would be facing their own consequences.

 

[mom2boys]

DS comes racing in the door from h.s. to tell us that the 20yo boy who lives at that house was driving drunk the night before, rolled his brand new truck, and called his MOTHER rather than the police. She came and got both him and the passenger, took them to the house, and finally took the passenger to the hospital when she realized something was seriously wrong. He ended up being flight for lifed to the nearest big hospital with serious internal injuries: spleen/liver, etc

I didn't see a major issue UNTIL I got to the part about the other passenger. The mother's act was extremely selfish. She thought only of her son and endangered the friend's life.

My 17 yr old recently totalled our mini-van. The tire blew. He side-swiped a tree on his way into a ditch. There was no one else in the car but his friend was following and witnessed the whole incident. My son walked away from the accident and I decided to take him to the emergency room on myself - just to be safe. It really didn't occur to me until the friend's parents asked if I wanted to call the police. I called them because I didn't want them looking for an injured person who was not there. The dispatcher informed me that a report needed to be filed. I planned to have my brother two the vehicle the next morning - police officer said it needed to go that night. The car was well off the road and practically out of sight from the road. Although it didn't occur to me to contact the police at first, it NEVER occurred to me to do anything other than comply with the authorities "requests".

The parents in OP's story are breaking the law and making matters worse for all involved. I hope the friend recovers.

 

[badblackpug]

I'd like to think that, in this situation, the parents made an error not, intially, realizing how badly injured the passenger was. Once the son realized the extent of the injuries he probably panicked and fled. Hopefully the parents really DON'T know his whereabouts.

If they do, they should definitely encourage him to turn himself in, or if he won't, turn him in. The longer they wait the worse it will be.

I guess I can't say, either, what I would do in this situation. Hopefully, they are just protecting him until they can find an attorney.

 

[nmmom95]

It it were one of my sons, I would help them get an attorney, but they would be facing their own consequences.

This is exactly what I would do.

 

[married2mm]

This is exactly what I would do.

ditto, i would be disappointed, but willing to help with legal costs.

 

[LuLuO]

I would turn him in and hire an attorney.