Abandoned baby at Beaches n Cream

[OhhBother]

Just witnessed a frightening scene outside Beaches n Cream. A baby -- probably 8 months old or so -- was sitting in a stroller in stroller parking outside the restaurant. The baby kept crying, but everyone thought he was someone else's.

Finally, after about 20-25 minutes, everyone sitting around eating ice cream started talking to each other and figured out no one was with the baby.

A woman picked up the baby and got him to stop crying. We all notified restaurant staff. Everyone began looking all around but no sign of parents.

Finally, after another 10-15 minutes, a woman walks up and claims the baby. She tells staff she thought the dad had the baby and vice versa. It was weird -- she wasn't crying or anything -- just put the baby in the stroller and walked off.

I have to say the restaurant staff didn't do a great job. They just sort of stood around and seemed not to know what to do. Finally, one of them told the lady who was holding the baby that she needed to put him back in the stroller, but she refused -- said she'd hand the baby over to a staff member but she wasn't going to put the baby back down and let him cry.

Eventually, a couple of the lifeguards came over and took the baby. That's when the mom showed up. No one made the mom show any ID either.

I noticed after it was all over -- about five minutes later -- a member of the security staff arrived. But there was nothing to do at the point.

We literally just got to Disney a couple of hours ago, so that was a pretty harrowing beginning to our trip!

 

[Farro]

Poor baby! That would bother me too.

 

[DebbieB]

Just witnessed a frightening scene outside Beaches n Cream. A baby -- probably 8 months old or so -- was sitting in a stroller in stroller parking outside the restaurant. The baby kept crying, but everyone thought he was someone else's.

Finally, after about 20-25 minutes, everyone sitting around eating ice cream started talking to each other and figured out no one was with the baby.

A woman picked up the baby and got him to stop crying. We all notified restaurant staff. Everyone began looking all around but no sign of parents.

Finally, after another 10-15 minutes, a woman walks up and claims the baby. She tells staff she thought the dad had the baby and vice versa. It was weird -- she wasn't crying or anything -- just put the baby in the stroller and walked off.

I have to say the restaurant staff didn't do a great job. They just sort of stood around and seemed not to know what to do. Finally, one of them told the lady who was holding the baby that she needed to put him back in the stroller, but she refused -- said she'd hand the baby over to a staff member but she wasn't going to put the baby back down and let him cry.

Eventually, a couple of the lifeguards came over and took the baby. That's when the mom showed up. No one made the mom show any ID either.

I noticed after it was all over -- about five minutes later -- a member of the security staff arrived. But there was nothing to do at the point.

We literally just got to Disney a couple of hours ago, so that was a pretty harrowing beginning to our trip!

Wow. There was a kid swimming in the water in front of Imagination today. No sign of parents either.

 

[DanielNYC]

Unbelievable...and sad too.

 

[Farro]

Wow. There was a kid swimming in the water in front of Imagination today. No sign of parents either.

oh my god!!! That was more sad than anything else. The man at the end, was that his dad?

 

[ArwenMarie]

Yikes. Yes, they definitely should have called security and turned the baby over to them and let them handle the parents getting him/her back.

 

[tjmw2727]

Wow - scary. At Bay Lake tower we had an elevator open on the 4th floor with a lone 2yo inside, she stepped out and proceeded down the hall alone. I was with my then 10 and 12 year old dd's and I asked her if she needed help finding her mom and dad. She turned around and started crying and said yes - through her binky and tears it was so scary. We got back on the elevator and she took my dd's hand and went toward the lobby. When we exited we found a security guard and told him what happened. He tried to take her to the desk but she wouldn't let go of my dd's hand so we went along.

About 20 minutes later the dad showed up and said "why did you leave the pool" in a fairly stern voice She ran to him and said daddy - so we let security handle it from there.

 

[DOOM1001]

Wow. There was a kid swimming in the water in front of Imagination today. No sign of parents either.

Kid was hot and wanted to go to a water park instead of Epcot!!This is right up there with the craziest things seen at Disney!

 

[cuteandfluffy626]

Boy... with the kid in the lake at Epcot and this it must have been a fun day at Disney.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Wow. There was a kid swimming in the water in front of Imagination today. No sign of parents either.

This is crazy. So it took a customer to walk in and pull him out? Wow

 

[DebbieB]

This is crazy. So it took a customer to walk in and pull him out? Wow

My thought was he could have been plain clothes security.

 

[ArwenMarie]

My thought was he could have been plain clothes security.

Let's hope. That would make more sense

The water wasn't deep. I didn't understand the female security didn't go after him when he got away from her. Bizarre

 

[stinkpickle]

That baby could only get an ADR for one at Beaches n Cream.

 

[Kindermouse]

just to err on the side giving people the benefit of the doubt-the swimming child may have been developmentally disabled/neuro atypical and wondered away from his parents who were searching the park elsewhere looking for him or on there way there with security. special needs kids wander and it only takes a second. This doesnt make their parents bad parents-just makes everyday that they dont loose them a gargantuan accomplishment. I havent lost mine yet-but only because I didnt cave to societal pressure and judgement I put him in a harness or a stroller for many years. My son is high functioning and he was probably 7 before I could let go of his hand without a harness or stroller in crowded places.

The baby-yeah thats just bad. No excuse for that one.

EDITED TO ADD: It just occurred to me how much has changed in the 7 years since my son was 7 and I needed to hold on to him all the time-now I actually let him go off by himself in familiar crowded places and I even encourage it a little bit. Boy I wondered back then if I would ever feel that way. To those looking at this thread and thinking-boy I am glad that this wasn't my kid getting away from me and swimming in the lake at Epcot-it really can get better.

 

[bookgirl]

The child put his hands up to his ears when the crowd got loud and did not seem to recognize cues that the adults were serious about getting out and staying out of the water. Reminds me of my former students. My vote would be for some sort of disability. You hear of autistic children drowning or being found near water. For some reason a lot of my students were fascinated with water expecially if it was running or catching light.

 

[bdcp]

My first thought about the boy in the water at Epcot was he appeared to be non verbal and didn't really look at or pay attention to those trying to get him out. I was thinking autistic. My DH's niece is autistic and loves water which is very common.

As for the baby left alone, that's criminal and the mom excuse made no sense. She shouldn't have allowed to just walk away with the baby.

 

[DOOM1001]

just to err on the side giving people the benefit of the doubt-the swimming child may have been developmentally disabled/neuro atypical and wondered away from his parents who were searching the park elsewhere looking for him or on there way there with security. special needs kids wander and it only takes a second. This doesnt make their parents bad parents-just makes everyday that they dont loose them a gargantuan accomplishment. I havent lost mine yet-but only because I didnt cave to societal pressure and judgement I put him in a harness or a stroller for many years. My son is high functioning and he was probably 7 before I could let go of his hand without a harness or stroller in crowded places.

The baby-yeah thats just bad. No excuse for that one.

About two months ago there was a family who was looking to move to Orlando and while looking for a home were staying at a hotel by the Florida mall,their 4 year old son was special needs and in the middle of the night wondered out of the room without anyone noticing.He somehow walked out of the hotel to the super busy John Young parkway and was hit by a driver and killed,absolutely horrible story,and as you say it only takes a second.

 

[mamamelody2]

Aww, poor baby!!

 

[The Vitaphone Queen]

Sorry, I love babies...