Man charged with molesting boy at TL

[jjarman]

OMG!!! What is going on at Disney World? I am just about ready to cancel my trip in January with my two young nephews!!!

Man Charged With Molesting Boy, 13, in Disney World's Typhoon Lagoon
Friday, July 17, 2009


Print ShareThisORLANDO, Fla. — A man has been arrested on a sex-related charge at an Orlando water park, the fifth such incident in the area in a month.

David Eugene Thomas was being held without bond Friday at the Orange County Jail after he was charged with molesting a 13-year-old boy at Walt Disney World's Typhoon Lagoon.

The other incidents occurred at Typhoon Lagoon, Sea World's Aquatica park and Universal's Wet 'n Wild park.

A Disney spokeswoman says the theme park resort is focused on identifying inappropriate behavior at the water parks and reporting them to law enforcement.

Disney needs to get things under control. How many has this been in the last week or so. This is scary.

 

[Kion10]

Oh my gosh! You can never let the kids out of your sight for a second. My goodness!

 

[BostonRob]

If you read the story, it was both sad and bizzare. The predator had been estranged from his son (I think he's 15), but the son wasn't doing well in school so the mother thought it was a good idea to have the kid spend some time with his father. So this father gets arrested at TL for groping a young teenage kid, and apparently there were witnesses who said they saw him do the same thing to multiple other young boys. After he's arrested, apparently he admits to the cops that he did it and that he was "experimenting" or something like that.
What a bizarre, twisted story, first of all that he'd do that, and then that he'd admit to it. But obviously the saddest part is that his son, who apparently hasn't been doing too well anyway, is now in custody of child services in Orlando, because his father was arrested for sexually assaulting minors. I mean, what an awful story for everybody involved.
I should add that my summary of the story here is based on what I read from the story that was linked on a post here last night, so who knows the truth?

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

OMG!!!

Disney needs to get things under control. How many has this been in the last week or so. This is scary.

Althought this is a terrible thing, how would this be Disney's fault? They cannot deny somone access to the parks, the last time I checked they didn't check for registered offendors or convicted felons at the gates, as well as this seems to be the first time this guy was caught so he would have slipped thru any 'checks' if they were even done.

I do hope this child was not at the parks alone and pray that he recovers from this violation without long term trauma.

 

[chell]

Althought this is a terrible thing, how would this be Disney's fault? They cannot deny somone access to the parks, the last time I checked they didn't check for registered offendors or convicted felons at the gates, as well as this seems to be the first time this guy was caught so he would have slipped thru any 'checks' if they were even done.

I do hope this child was not at the parks alone and pray that he recovers from this violation without long term trauma.

Very well stated on all parts. I wonder how he was caught. Maybe Disney was doing their part as he had done this at other water parks and it was Disney where he was caught.

 

[DisneyKing82]

Where the hell are the kids parents while he is being groped?????? I don't understand.

 

[Big Daddy Incredible]

where the hell are the kids parents while he is being groped?????? I don't understand.

+1

 

[chell]

Where the hell are the kids parents while he is being groped?????? I don't understand.

+1

I don't either. Of course this man needs to be held accountable and what he did was wrong. But parents need to know where their kids are in public places. I understand kids at this age want their freedom but you can't let them go off alone, maybe in a group. Sorry to ramble.

 

[BostonRob]

Where the hell are the kids parents while he is being groped?????? I don't understand.

You realize you folks are blaming the victim?

 

[chell]

You realize you folks are blaming the victim?

Please understand that isn't at all what I'm trying to do. I'm just saying that parents need to be aware of their children and protect them even at public places that feel "safe" to them.

 

[Shagley]

Where the hell are the kids parents while he is being groped?????? I don't understand.

I don't understand blaming the parents ??? They could have been within a few feet of the boy and it could have still happened. Many of these incidents have happened in the wave pool where it can get really crowded and the waves can cause people to be pushed into each other anyway. It would be easy for a pervert to get up next to a kid and assault them and pretend that the waves accidentally pushed them into the kid, even if the parents are standing a few feet away. Sick people do sick things, and no matter how vigilant the parents are, sometimes bad things happen to their kids.

 

[chell]

I don't understand blaming the parents ??? They could have been within a few feet of the boy and it could have still happened. Many of these incidents have happened in the wave pool where it can get really crowded and the waves can cause people to be pushed into each other anyway. It would be easy for a pervert to get up next to a kid and assault them and pretend that the waves accidentally pushed them into the kid, even if the parents are standing a few feet away. Sick people do sick things, and no matter how vigilant the parents are, sometimes bad things happen to their kids.

We aren't blaming the parents. I'm just saying they need to know where their kids are and not let them be alone. I'm not saying his parents did that. But some do. Some parents drop their kids off for the day and that's it.

I'm just glad this sicko was caught!

 

[DisneyWonder]

The boy was 13, IMO old enough to go off to the wave pool or something on his own.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

YOU people need to read the article before asking the question "where were the parents." The father and a lifeguard witnessed it.

 

[Shagley]

We aren't blaming the parents. I'm just saying they need to know where their kids are and not let them be alone. I'm not saying his parents did that. But some do. Some parents drop their kids off for the day and that's it.

I'm just glad this sicko was caught!

I agree with you completely. I just seemed like some of the PP's were placing the blame on the parents.

 

[MariDisney]

We aren't blaming the parents. I'm just saying they need to know where their kids are and not let them be alone. I'm not saying his parents did that. But some do. Some parents drop their kids off for the day and that's it.

I'm just glad this sicko was caught!

If this was a young teenager, I don't think it's at all unusual for a parent to let him go off alone in a water park. My DD is 9, and I can't imagine that at 13 I'd be within arms reach of her in a wave pool or something. KNowing where you're kid is would not prevent this. At some point you have to let them be alone, and this seemed reasonable to me.

That said, of course it's terrible that it happened and I am very glad the offender is in custody.

 

[DisneyKing82]

If this was a young teenager, I don't think it's at all unusual for a parent to let him go off alone in a water park. My DD is 9, and I can't imagine that at 13 I'd be within arms reach of her in a wave pool or something. KNowing where you're kid is would not prevent this. At some point you have to let them be alone, and this seemed reasonable to me.

That said, of course it's terrible that it happened and I am very glad the offender is in custody.

I don't have kids but I can promise you that when I do, if I continue to read reports like this, my kids won't be going anywhere by themselves in WDW unless I know they're physically capable of protecting themselves.

 

[Planogirl]

Even an adult could be groped by a pervert. I don't think that it's a matter of protecting oneself in this case but knowing what to do if someone tries something like this.

Of course, the father saw it happen so apparently he was well aware of where the kid was.

I feel very sad for this young man. What a horrible experience for him.

 

[stemikger]

I don't think this needs to be said, but I'll say it any way.

I know when us Disers are at Disney sometimes we can get a false sense of security, but there are sick people everywhere and you still have to keep an eye out for the kids.

Two years ago my wife grabbed my daughter and me and said keep an eye out for those two guys. She didn't like the way they were acting and when I looked at who she was talking about, I got the chills. I know you should not judge a book by it's cover, but these guys looked like something out of a move. They looked like the character who would play a serial killer or rapist. When I saw how they were acting, it warrented the way I felt. They were looking at young girls and making lewd comments and didn't care if anyone heard them and they would stare and it was just very creepy.

For the rest of the day, I was more aware and made sure I knew where my daughter was at all times.

 

[Nikisha421]

So im not ready to cancel my trip or anything...but all these stories and scenarios proves to my point of always holding my child hands and never letting her going...even though she is almost seven and always telling me Im bothering her...Children are not really that INDEPENDANT YET!

I don't think this needs to be said, but I'll say it any way.

I know when us Disers are at Disney sometimes we can get a false sense of security, but there are sick people everywhere and you still have to keep an eye out for the kids.

Two years ago my wife grabbed my daughter and me and said keep an eye out for those two guys. She didn't like the way they were acting and when I looked at who she was talking about, I got the chills. I know you should not judge a book by it's cover, but these guys looked like something out of a move. They looked like the character who would play a serial killer or rapist. When I saw how they were acting, it warrented the way I felt. They were looking at young girls and making lewd comments and didn't care if anyone heard them and they would stare and it was just very creepy.

For the rest of the day, I was more aware and made sure I knew where my daughter was at all times.

things like this always need to be said to put people back in to reality