Doesn't anyone find it odd (inspired by the father did it thread)

[PooohBear]

I think it's horrible what happened to these 2 poor innocent little girls..... I guess I am just curious if ANYONE at all finds it odd that 2 second grade girls are allowed the freedom to ride their bikes around alone and go wherever they want ??? my youngest DD is 11 and I don't allow her that freedom

 

[golfgal]

Do I find it odd that 2nd graders can ride their bikes around town, no, but we live in a small town and everyone lets their kids ride their bikes around town.

 

[FINFAN]

I am not sure of the exact details, but I think the girls houses were not too far from the trail, people they interviewed made it sound like many of the neighborhood kids play along there and some houses back to the area. While I agree 8 is too young, at what age do you start letting the kids gain some independance? My DD will be 15 this June, has a very small boundary to roam freely in, yet she will be driving in a year, and unfamiliar with sooooo many things...it is really so hard these days, especially when children are not even safe from the ones they love the most.

 

[grinningghost]

I guess it depends on the area. Are they houses that back up to woods? Could it be that the woods are just an extension of the backyards?

My DD was allowed to ride her bike down the street to her friend's house at 8 - but not cross the street. That was my limit for her back then.

 

[Tiggeroo]

No I don't think it's odd. They weren't alone and the path wasn't far from their homes. It's a sad scary world we live in. If it's the father who did it do you think it would have mattered if somebody kept them closer to home and gave them less freedom?

 

[PooohBear]

No I don't think it's odd. They weren't alone and the path wasn't far from their homes. It's a sad scary world we live in. If it's the father who did it do you think it would have mattered if somebody kept them closer to home and gave them less freedom?

How do you know the path wasn't far from their homes?? If it was so close then wouldn't the girls have been found sooner ?? and would you let your DD play in the woods? that's where the park was , and yes I do think it matters about if they were closer to home, they couldn't have been stabbed without anyone seeing it happening

 

[AmyJ of Ca]

It appears that they weren't alone in the woods if father is accused of doing it. They may have went for a ride or walk with him. So sad. We live about 10 miles from where Samantha Runion was abducted in her front yard so No Way would I let my kids leave my yard unescorted much less our street. Amy

 

[inaminute]

I do think it matters about if they were closer to home, they couldn't have been stabbed without anyone seeing it happening

Until they were left home alone with the father, that is. Home is not always the safest place for some children.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

When I was 9 (and younger) I rode my bike alone or with friends in the park near my parents house...

 

[Mermaid02]

Not if it's close to their home. My ds is out riding his bike right now.

 

[HollyJoy]

I hear ya! We have kids like this in our neighborhood who seem to have the freedom to go wherever they want, whenever they want. Sadly enough, two are kids of a second grade teacher at my kids school! My girls don't have this freedom yet. I still sit outside when they are playing in the front!

 

[Toby'sFriend]

They weren't alone and the path wasn't far from their homes.

Zion is a fairly small and close-knit community of less than 25,000 people. It is the kind of place you move to so that your kids CAN ride their bikes around the neighborhood without much worry. Honestly this event has shook the entire town to the core.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I thought the same thing. Even though we live in a safe, nice suburban development so did Megan Kanka who lived less than 10 minutes from my home. I'm totally paranoid. Dds can only ride their bikes around the corner, together when either DH or I are outside. They also are allowed to play in the backyard (fenced in) alone but if they want to play on the front lawn DH, I or older siblings must be out there. I know its crazy. When I was 7 or 8 I rode my bike all over the place but sadly it seems like times have changed for the worse. I know I probably over react but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

[CEDmom]

I don't necessarily think it's odd. These girls were 8 & 9 which is a little past 2nd grade. What I've read doesn't indicate exactly where this bike path is in relation to their homes but if it wasn't too far then I'm not surprised these girls were allowed to go together to ride. Also if the father did do it perhaps he agreed to watch them. By 9 years old I think I'll be letting my DD go out in our immediate neighborhood with a friend provided she continues to be a responsible child. Sadly, most crimes like this happen by someone known to a child then by a complete stranger.

 

[dmslush]

Yes, I do think it is odd, and I wouldn't allow my child to ride around like that!

 

[Marseeya]

Zion is a fairly small and close-knit community of less than 25,000 people. It is the kind of place you move to so that your kids CAN ride their bikes around the neighborhood without much worry. Honestly this event has shook the entire town to the core.

There is no such town, IMO. Our town has 5,000 people in it and I'd never let my 9 year old go out alone. I lived in this same neighborhood when I was growing up and when I was her age, I ran all over the place. I think it's so sad that we live in a world where our kids don't have that kind of freedom.

 

[transparant]

When I was 9...I rode my bike everywhere. Today I would never let my 6 & 9 year old ride alone anywhere.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

It appears that they weren't alone in the woods if father is accused of doing it. They may have went for a ride or walk with him. So sad. We live about 10 miles from where Samantha Runion was abducted in her front yard so No Way would I let my kids leave my yard unescorted much less our street. Amy

I was thinking the same thing. Since it was the father who presumably did it, maybe they were not alone. Maybe they went for a bike ride with "dad," and he reported that they had gone off alone.

 

[johnsonet]

When I was 7 or 8 I rode my bike all over the place but sadly it seems like times have changed for the worse. I know I probably over react but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

My sentiments exactly!
I have an 8 year old daughter and I cannot imagine the pain these two girls' poor families must be in - not to mention what the girls themselves went through!

 

[cgcw]

I feel for what the girls went through in their last minutes of life. I can't imagine.

I am just allowing my DS10 to ride his bike to school. Our deal is he needs to ride with a friend or always take the two way radios with him. School is just a couple of blocks away. When he gets on the bus, I know the bus will get him to school. When he rides his bike, I'm unsettled until he comes home at the end of the day. I know I need to allow him a bit more freedom and I certainly don't want to coddle him, but its a hard adjustment for me because of the crazy world we live in.

I copied this quote from a local newspaper. Here's the entire story if anyone is interested -- http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/apress_051005_girlskilledArrest.html

" Laura Unrein, who lives near Beulah Park, said the area where the bodies were found is well known as a place to avoid. The heavily wooded park has a paved bike path, a ravine and trails made by mountain bikes.

"There have been incidents of kids beating up people and taking their wallets and park rangers have had to shoo people out of there for hunting illegally," she said, adding that it's also a popular hangout for teens to drink. "



This makes me wonder all the more what the girls where doing in that area. I will not be surprised to hear they were out riding bikes with the father. The area sounds like a "convenient" place for a crime to happen.

Very sad.