Mom dragged kid by backpack harness!

[2binak]

I'm so upset (sad, angry, shocked) after seeing this video of a mom dragging her child through a store by a backpack harness! According to the video, the child had marks on their neck from where the harness was rubbing on the neck. Thankfully someone called the police and the mom was arrested.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/08/04/pn.kid.dragged.leash.cnn

 

[Pomlover2586]

WoW

 

[Gabes_mommy]

I saw a mom dragging a kid by one of those backpack harnesses a few years ago at the mall. It was so sad. The kid wasn't misbehaving either - his mother was just in a rage.

 

[jen0610]

I know that there are people on here who use harnesses and they love them, but I hate them with a passion. It's a child, not an animal. If they are having a temper tantrum and wouldn't walk on their own, pick the child up and carry them out of the store, go directly to your car, secure the child in their seat and go home.

 

[2binak]

If they are having a temper tantrum and wouldn't walk on their own, pick the child up and carry them out of the store, go directly to your car, secure the child in their seat and go home.

Exactly! If you're child is not listening or is throwing a fit, pick them up and carry them to the car and come back another day. This woman was in a cellphone store. Is a cellphone or an accessory really that important that she couldn't go back another day?

As for the harness, I'm all for them if you need a little help keeping your little one close by. In fact, we'll probably get a harness for our DD as she'll be 21 months old when we go to WDw in Nov. To me, they give kids the freedom to walk around, and give parents the security of keeping their little one close.

 

[jen0610]

As for the harness, I'm all for them if you need a little help keeping your little one close by. In fact, we'll probably get a harness for our DD as she'll be 21 months old when we go to WDw in Nov. To me, they give kids the freedom to walk around, and give parents the security of keeping their little one close.

I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen anyone use them as a helpful tool. I have seen:

Kids trotting/running behind their parents on the end of the lesh, trying to keep up.
Kids doing the above in very crowded areas - fairs and festivals - and the lesh is long enough that other people around don't see it or the kid is winding thru the crowd causing saftey issues.
Kids a couple of feet away from their parents, who are standing visiting with other, totally oblivious to the fact that JR is manhandling someones merchandise.

I personally know a lady who couldn't find a harness with a long enough lesh for her. So she removed the lesh that came with it and attached one of those retactable dog leshess to it. She'll give the kid as much lenght as she feels, then snap on the break and reel the kid back in. She can't figure out why none of us will invite her to go with us to the fairs and festivals any more.

 

[LuvOrlando]

-

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Sad, but not sure that this is a felony offense. If it is, these leashes need to be banned...

 

[Feralpeg]

I used a little leash thing on my DD when she was two. It had a little vest and the leash was attached to the back. I was a single mom trying to shop and didn't want her to wander off. Of course, I never dragged her by it. I don't think the problem is with the leash. The problem is with the parent and how she used it.

 

[1PrincessMomma1]

I know that there are people on here who use harnesses and they love them, but I hate them with a passion. It's a child, not an animal. If they are having a temper tantrum and wouldn't walk on their own, pick the child up and carry them out of the store, go directly to your car, secure the child in their seat and go home.

Well I'm one that uses the leash because I'm way too tall for my kids to reach up and hold my hand. I think what that mother did is disgusting but don't judge all who use them. They serve a real purpose for me. My child should not have to hold their hand all the way over their head and me have to hunker down just to make others happy.

 

[Jennasis]

Not a felony offense IMHO, but definitely inappropriate. Not sure what I WOULD classify it as.

 

[1PrincessMomma1]

Sad, but not sure that this is a felony offense. If it is, these leashes need to be banned...

Oh please for crying out loud ban something because one person is a complete idiot. If that was the case ALOT of things would be banned including alcohol.

 

[cinmell]

I know that there are people on here who use harnesses and they love them, but I hate them with a passion. It's a child, not an animal. If they are having a temper tantrum and wouldn't walk on their own, pick the child up and carry them out of the store, go directly to your car, secure the child in their seat and go home.

Oh boy, I hate those things too. I can not stand to see a child attached to a leash. Leashes belong on dogs, not humans.

 

[1PrincessMomma1]

Oh boy, I hate those things too. I can not stand to see a child attached to a leash. Leashes belong on dogs, not humans.

Perhaps you enjoy watching the screaming fool of a parent who lost their child in a store because they weren't using a leash( not the reason I use my. I have always taught my kids to never leave my side and they always listen)? I AM SO SICK OF HEARING THAT THESE ONLY BELONG ON DOGS. They can be used responsibly and with purpose,

 

[NHdisneylover]

Personally I do not like leashes and it is not an item I nor my husband (who is 6'5" by the way but still managed when the kids were small) would ever use. But I think most parents who use them do so in a decent way and I don't dislike them or judge those parents any more so for the leash than I do for any other parenting choice I do not agree with. As long as a child is being raised by parents who care and are not abusing or neglecting him/her it is not my place to say anything (but I can grouch about it to DH if I want)

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Oh please for crying out loud ban something because one person is a complete idiot. If that was the case ALOT of things would be banned including alcohol.

I said if she is found guilty of a felony. My reasoning (if you are interested):

Dragging a child across the floor by any piece of clothing would never amount to a crime without some sort of serious injury. It poses no real risk to the child. The only injury that has been demonstrated are the "marks" around the child's neck. These could just be red marks, or they could be serious bruises - we do not know. If they are serious bruises, then the harness is not safe.

We never considered using a harness because we didn't consider them safe. If I am holding the "leash" and my child steps away - then someone runs between us, hitting the "leash" hard - my child would be yanked off of his feet. Especially if the harness could leave serious bruises simply by sliding a very small child across a tile floor.

JMO...

 

[chager]

Perhaps you enjoy watching the screaming fool of a parent who lost their child in a store because they weren't using a leash( not the reason I use my. I have always taught my kids to never leave my side and they always listen)? I AM SO SICK OF HEARING THAT THESE ONLY BELONG ON DOGS. They can be used responsibly and with purpose,

my thoughts exactly! My brother had Sears shut down when he was 3 becuase he wretched away from my mom and she couldn't find him. He was found hiding in the center of one of the round clothes racks. After that he was secured with a harness and never escaped again. What the woman did in the video was totally uncalled for!!Not the purpose of the harness at all. We used one with our son when he was small too. He was never lost and has grown up to be a wonderful teen! I have found that most people are totally against them UNTIL their child has gone missing then they change their minds. They are not meant for dragging, walking so fast the little one can not keep up, a way to ignore your child while talking to others, or as a babysitter. You also must be careful at amusement parks and fairs since people tend to not notice little ones and will not notice the harness either possibly causing harm to either themself or the child.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I said if she is found guilty of a felony. My reasoning (if you are interested):

Dragging a child across the floor by any piece of clothing would never amount to a crime without some sort of serious injury. It poses no real risk to the child. The only injury that has been demonstrated are the "marks" around the child's neck. These could just be red marks, or they could be serious bruises - we do not know. If they are serious bruises, then the harness is not safe.

We never considered using a harness because we didn't consider them safe. If I am holding the "leash" and my child steps away - then someone runs between us, hitting the "leash" hard - my child would be yanked off of his feet. Especially if the harness could leave serious bruises simply by sliding a very small child across a tile floor.

JMO...

Children get knocked down without a harness. Your scenario is possible, but doesn't happen often enough to say the harness is the problem.

In a split second my 18 month old ended up a few hundred feet down a path this way at Sea World. We did get him a harness for a trip to Disney after that.

For us--it was too inconvenient to continue using. But it was nice to have the option there.

I don't use it now.

For that matter--humans can drag dogs in a very harmful manner with a leash, but animal rights activitists aren't up in arms for banning leashes entirely. Their purpose is to keep a pet safe.

A harness on a child is no different.

It prevents the pet or the baby/toddler from darting off suddenly and risking harm to themselves (or in the case of a pet--to other people).

I had two other children and it was never an issue--but for some reason, my son is a bit more adventurous and we did lose him once.

 

[Disney Doll]

Used properly, I don't have a problem with the leashes.

Of course, dragging your kid through the store isn't proper use.

I'd be interested to know what transpired prior to that...was she a mother at the end of her rope & did something REALLY stupid after having dealt with a kid who had been a brat all day or is there a history of abuse & poor parenting????

 

[RitaZ.]

Does anyone know the age of the child?