Parents Charged with Child Abuse at WDW

[Luv2Roam]

http://www.local6.com/news/13567345/detail.html

In part:

Parents Charged After Toddler Left In Sun Near Disney Ride
Guests Move Girl Into Shade, Call For Help

Parents of a 3-year-old were charged with child abuse after their daughter was left alone for 30 minutes outside of a Walt Disney World attraction in 90-degree heat, according to police.

 

[jodistar]

That's horrible -- I'm glad the 3 year is okay.

 

[Roxane]

That whole "confused who had the kid" story souds like a bunch of bull. Whoever parked the stroller must have known the little girl was in it. I hope they throw the book at them!

 

[AmberI]

GRRR. I really don't get some people, poor little baby.

 

[thefirebuilds]

I hope they throw the book at them!

OK Barney Fife, if we could take a moment from the hack 1950's cop drama writing and get back to the thread....

I find it funny that everyone looks like a child abuser in a mugshot.

 

[G8RFAN]

Sadly, I betcha nothing will happen from this. They claimed miscommunication, she was maybe slightly dehydrated and apparently did not need medical attention. Best case (for them), it was a sitation of terrible parenting, worst case they probably will have periodic child welfare checkups. I have seen "lifeless" children getting pushed around in stollers in the hot sun and it makes you wonder if they even bother to wake their kids up to hydrate them. Whom am I to assume tho....

 

[Luv2Roam]

I am just glad some guests cared to stop long enough to wonder why a toddler was left alone in the sun. These parents could just as easily be facing murder charges. They probably keep better track of their sunglasses than their little one.

 

[annie1995]

This was quoted from the article.

"Two Orange County parents face child abuse charges after riding the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride at Walt Disney World -- with their toddler left in a stroller in the sun for about 45 minutes."

Ok now, if they were both riding pirates, how could they be confused as to which of them had the child??? Maybe I read it wrong and am missing something. Still don't know how you can forgot a sleeping child in a stroller . Thank goodness she's fine. Those parents need some type of consequences.

 

[Nom]

Ok now, if they were both riding pirates, how could they be confused as to which of them had the child???

That was my thought as well. Obviously a bogus story.

 

[fitzperry]

Ok now, if they were both riding pirates, how could they be confused as to which of them had the child??? Maybe I read it wrong and am missing something. Still don't know how you can forgot a sleeping child in a stroller . Thank goodness she's fine. Those parents need some type of consequences.

When I first saw this story, I was inclined to be sympathetic to the parents because dh and I managed to lose our 4yo on a beach for a good 30 minutes a couple of weeks ago. To make a long story short, I showed dh where our two dd's were rinsing off in the showers at the top of the beach and told him I was heading to the restroom. When our 7yo emerged from the shower area, he asked her where her sister was and she replied "I think she's with mom." For some reason he assumed she was correct and didn't think anymore of it (proof positive that he never listens to me) and proceeded to get in a very long line with dd#1 to order lunch. It wasn't until he was finished there that I discovered dd#2 wasn't with him and he realized she wasn't with me. We immediately grabbed a lifeguard who knew exactly where she was--she'd shown them where our stuff was on the beach, told them her name and ours, and was sitting in a lifeguard's chair near our beach spot. Actually, she'd done pretty much everything we've taught her to do if she ever got lost. Good thing she was on the ball at least. We were very fortunate.

Sympathetic or not, however, I can't see how both parents could be on the same ride and not notice that one of the kids was missing. And how do you forget that you parked the stroller with the child in it? Wow.

 

[gottaluvdisney]

When I was younger, we lost my brother at the Magic Kingdom. I think he was about 9yrs old and I was 7yrs old. We had our cousins too - so probably four adults and five or six kids.

My parents always told us to stay were you are once you know you are lost. My parents said, they would know if someone was lost and they would retrace their steps to find us.

Well, it wasn't until almost one hour later that they realized my brother was lost. We went on It's a small world and watched the parade. We had to retrace our steps and found him sitting on a thrown chair in the castle. As soon as we walked up he said "Where have you been?" I of course said, like it was no big deal "We rode Small World, Did you get to see the parade?" - thinking he had a nice seat right outside the gift shop in the castle!!!!

I don't think that I would forget a child like that, but people do (my parents did!)