Disney Abduction or Urban Myth?

[Bill From PA]

Here's one my wife heard at work from someone who heard it from her hairdresser's daughter, yeah, I know, one never hears it from the person directly.

The mom and dad were pushing a baby carriage with their 4 month old baby inside through a crowd of people. The mom turned to talk to the dad and when she looked in the carriage the baby was gone. She started screaming and plain-clothed security people surrounded them asking them for information on their child. She said all the gates were locked and nobody could get in or out of the park until the child was found.
When the child was found she had different clothes on and her hair was dyed a different color. They were told that this has happened before and they recommend that children wear high top tied sneakers because they are harder to get off and that the parents are asked to identify their children through their shoes. To identify their child, parents need to recognize their shoes because they do not show the full picture of the child.

Any truth to this?

Thanks,
Bill From PA

 

[dqpowell]

It's a classic urban myth, not always tied to Disney. I've seen the same story set in Walmart. You should be able to find something about it at snopes.com.

David

 

[Presentation]

Hoax

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/parental/kidnap.asp

 

[Suellen]

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/parental/kidnap.asp

Untrue...

 

[Bill From PA]

Thanks, I pegged it as BS when she told me, but she's a Believer.

Bill From PA

 

[Bounce_Tigger]

As stated, it is untrue, but why on earth would anyone think that a person that would go to great lengths - to dye hair and to change clothes, would not think to remove SNEAKERS? And high-tops might be tough to untie, but it would take no time at all for someone to do so.
I guess I don't get why someone would hear this story and assume that wearing a certain type of shoe would be the solution.

 

[lisadr]

Not that I buy in to this one, but one of my regular customers has a daughter who has worked for Disney(Aurora, in the parks, etc.) and he always says that things happen at Disney that the public NEVER gets wind of. Murders, rapes, etc. I don't have much of an opinion on it because I grew in in NYC and if there's one thing I know is never take anything for granted. I watch my DD like hawk and am always aware of my surroundings.

Oh-I did hear this from a CM at the monorail. It's not uncommon for parents who live in FL to drop their kids off at WDW and leave them there! Like 6-7 years olds! THAT blew me away!

 

[Robo]

As stated, it is untrue, but why on earth would anyone think that a person that would go to great lengths - to dye hair and to change clothes, would not think to remove SNEAKERS

That's one the classic elements of Urban Myths.

They seem plausible until you start to examine the details.

 

[Atchley]

I have heard the shoe thing before. I think if it were true it is because shoes would be almost an afterthought. You would think that people would recognize clothes and hair, but you might not think about shoes. Let's just pray that no one has to worry about looking for their child at all.

 

[mbcary]

I like to live in the oblivious world that nothing like murders and rapes happens in WDW. I prefer to be ignorant of all of that. Maybe that's why they don't want the public to get wind of it.

 

[swald91]

I think that it is definitely do-able. Let's face it, these abductors want to change the outfit b/c parents know what their clothes look like-color shirt/type of shorts or pants. If you can tell someone your kid has blonde hair blue eyes-red shirt denim shorts-that's what you look for-something relatively obvious-not that shoes aren't important-we just think about their clothing. Lots of times children leave the store crying & carrying on b/c they want something or just tired-whatever & you read it as just that-not a stranger that's just changed this childs clothes & possible hair. It's unfortunate today that there are people out there that just may go to those extremes-very sad. Great idea about high top sneakers-although not always practical.

 

[bwilcox]

Someone posted this as true in one of the threads about child safety at WDW a few weeks ago. They said the reason for the sneakers is that it's harder to replace shoes that fit than the outfit. But hey, if someone's going to the trouble of bringing hair dye, I would think they would have the shoes covered, too. And do they dye the hair in a bathroom at the Magic Kingdom??? I think you should always keep a close watch on your kids at WDW, but this story just doesn't make sense.

 

[JennyMP03]

lisadr, that is unbelievable to me as well, and I don't even have children. I believe in safety in numbers; I'd just as soon not be by myself when I don't have to, much less a child. I took my teenaged cousin Christmas shopping with me and told her I wanted her to stay with me. My reasoning: "Someone might steal you... who knows, some people have weird tastes."

 

[kissthemouse]

Lots of times children leave the store crying & carrying on b/c they want something or just tired-whatever & you read it as just that-not a stranger that's just changed this childs clothes & possible hair.

That's why I thought my girls to scream, "This isn't my mommy/daddy!" instead of just screaming. I think that people would pay attention to that over just screaming. At least I know I would. I also taught them to "stay where YOU can see ME." as opposed to the norm of "stay where I can see you." most kids don't really have a good concept of where they can and can't be seen, they just assume you can always see them...KWIM?

There's a really good DVD about Stranger Safety out...it's made by The woman who started Baby Einstein and John Walsh (Amer Most Wanted)...it's called The Safe Side: Stranger Safety. Amazon has it. It's really well done (informative and effective but not instilling FEAR) and both of my girls (2.5 and 5) love to watch it. There is also an online "work at home" guide if you want to do that too. I know most stroller age kids are too young for it, but for the pre-schoolers it's really great! Anyway...just thought i'd share. Carry On...

 

[Trixie15]

Hm. We were told a similar story by WalMart managers as part of our security training as new hires years and years ago.

Something like it was a 4 year old girl with long blonde hair. In the 15 minutes the child was missing, her hair had been cut and dyed and her clothes changed. The child was identified by a stain on her foot from marker or paint or something they had been doing earlier that day. They said that if everyone would write something in ink on the bottom of their child's feet in the morning, an abductor would never notice it. They were caught because of Code*Adam, where Wal-Mart closes off all exits when a child is missing.

It doesn't surprise me that it's a hoax, though.

 

[swald91]

That's why I thought my girls to scream, "This isn't my mommy/daddy!" instead of just screaming. I think that people would pay attention to that over just screaming. At least I know I would. I also taught them to "stay where YOU can see ME." as opposed to the norm of "stay where I can see you." most kids don't really have a good concept of where they can and can't be seen, they just assume you can always see them...KWIM?

There's a really good DVD about Stranger Safety out...it's made by The woman who started Baby Einstein and John Walsh (Amer Most Wanted)...it's called The Safe Side: Stranger Safety. Amazon has it. It's really well done (informative and effective but not instilling FEAR) and both of my girls (2.5 and 5) love to watch it. There is also an online "work at home" guide if you want to do that too. I know most stroller age kids are too young for it, but for the pre-schoolers it's really great! Anyway...just thought i'd share. Carry On...

Oh, yes-absolutely...but I have heard of cases (not here in US) about drug dealers & how they go about abducting-these innocent children can't scream-it's so sad. It's good to get that info about stranger safety out there-thanks for the info!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

"pushing a baby carriage with their 4 month old baby inside through a crowd of people. The mom turned to talk to the dad and when she looked in the carriage the baby was gone."



Forget about the shoes, and wear your baby instead! Bit harder to snag a baby from a sling, mei tai, Ergo...heck even a Bjorn (as a chiropractor I cannot recommend them for baby or wearer's spines, but I digress), than from a stroller.

Problem solved.

 

[jngwright]

This is why I love snopes.com. If everyone would snopes, it would eliminate half the crap that comes into my inbox....

Rant over

Hope all you Disers are having a good weekend

 

[kissthemouse]

Oh, and I meant to also say...I remember my grandma telling me a similar story when I was younger...except it was in a restaurant, and a girl had gone to the bathroom, and there was a woman in there, changed her clothes, cut her hair, and took her out of the restaurant. She also told me that men would stand on the toilet in the stall next to women and hit them over the head and steal their purse. LOL! I know stuff like that really does happen, but some things you really jsut can't prevent...and it sucks.

 

[EMom]

As an aside, a young relative of mine was abducted a few years ago from a very public place, in broad daylight. The child was kicking and screaming the whole time the kidnapper carried her away and shoved her in the car. It seems the other people there just thought she was a kid who didn't want to leave a fun place and no one batted an eye. She was 5-6 at the time. By some miracle, she was returned.